Summary
Episode 1 reminds you to tie up your loose ends, not trust anyone, and remember your past actions because they can bite you in the back anytime.
This recap of the Netflix K-Drama series Reflection of You season 1, episode 1 contains spoilers.
Reflection of You follows a classic Korean drama formula — tackling trauma, love, betrayal, and of course, the annoying mother-in-law in a rich family. But I did not anticipate this drama being a thriller whatsoever.
Reflection of You season 1, episode 1 recap
Jung Heejoo (Go Hyunjung) is a woman who has gone against societal expectations as a mother and wife by pursuing her passion for art. She grew up in poverty but married into wealth — classic rags to riches. Despite her successes, she still harbors feelings about the past. Goo Haewon (Shin Hyunbeen) is our lead character — she’s creepy, calculative, and mysterious. You don’t know much about her but definitely feel her weird vibe throughout the first episode.
Heejoo has everything she’s ever dreamed of — a loving husband, success in the art world, two children — but still feels empty. Haewon, on the other hand, seems to be broken beyond repair and might be on the road for revenge but we’re not sure why?
The first episode begins with Heejoo and follows the ‘hell’ she’s been through. Blood splatters on a family portrait soak up the floor whilst she’s in tears. Later, she dumps a crate in the middle of the lake. So, she might have killed somebody — probably Haewon — and the way the scene is displayed could possibly be reflective of how the drama ends, with Heejoo killing somebody.
We find out that Lisa, Heejoo’s daughter, has been assaulted by a teacher at school which sends her into a frenzy. She’s frustrated, annoyed, and concerned that a teacher would physically assault a student in this day and age. Outraged, she shows up at the school demanding a disciplinary meeting with the teacher — who we know to be Haewon. The same evening, Heejoo calls her husband, Hyunsung to tell them about the events with Lisa. Currently based in Sligo, Ireland, he’s working at the hospital and visiting an unconscious man but he is labeled as ‘John Doe’ and is unidentified. Meanwhile, we also come to learn that Haewon used to go by Hannah, her German alias and this is crucial in following the path of the drama.
Back in South Korea, Heejoo finds out who assaulted her daughter but she’s nonchalant and remorseless with her apology. Unimpressed by her apology, Heejoo smacks Haewon with a book — just like how Haewon smacked Lisa — but this doesn’t really help her out as there are security cameras in the room and Haewon threatened to sue. I don’t blame her though, the smack may not have resolved things but Heejoo definitely got stuff off her chest. Haewon suggests she had good reason to slap Lisa but we still don’t know why she did it — all we know is that she slapped her. All we know is that the students at Lisa’s school called Haewon ‘Mimi’ — the crazy art teacher and I can certainly see why. She gives off a calculating, mysterious and creepy vibe.
Towards the end, Haewon shows up at Heejoo’s house, formally apologizing as they reflect on their experiences in the past. It turns out they knew each other. We learn that she’s lost her passion for art and is struggling. Heejoo calls security to escort her off the premises as she realized something was off. Gaewon didn’t come to apologize, it seems but with an ulterior motive. And Heejoo realizes this, creeping her out. As Haewon leaves, she grins to herself saying “I found you” and weirdly skips off. Oh and prior to this, the mysterious man in the hospital was discharged by a nurse called Hannah and it’s not surprising that Haewon could have been involved in this somehow.
Though I did not anticipate the drama to be a chilling thriller, the first episode sets it off well. We see the divide between the rich and poor with Heejoo and Haewon. It’s clear that Haewon/Hannah has a link to Heejoo and by extension her family but we don’t know what just yet. There’s an aura of eeriness throughout the drama and the way the screenwriters have developed this from the first few minutes pulls you in. And of course, with veteran actresses like Go Hyunjung and Shin Hyunbeen, there’s bound to be some next-level drama.
What did you think of Reflection of You season 1, episode 1? Comment below.
