Summary
Episode 9 improves with each episode, providing a tantalizing love story between two lost souls.
We recap the Netflix K-Drama series The Interest of Love Season 1 Episode 9, which contains spoilers.
This has, somehow, turned into an intriguing love story between two work employees who are flagrantly pining for each other but, for whatever reason, cannot communicate with each other. You could argue that at this point, Ahn Su-yeong (Moon Ga-young) and Ha Sang-su (Yoo Yeon-seok) are going to hurt their partners in the long term. The moral of the story is to be honest. Anyway, let’s recap Episode 9.
The Interest of Love Season 1 Episode 9 recap
Season 1 Episode 9 opens with Sang-su coming home to Mi-gyeong. They are truly living the couple’s life now, reading in bed and checking in on each other’s day. However, it’s worth noting that Sang-su looks disinterested.
Episode 9 then flits to the wedding of a bank colleague (Mr. Yang). However, the groom has gone missing; Sang-su and Su-yeong look for him. Sang-su finds him on the roof smoking; the groom is distraught that an ex of his wished him a happy future. He’s clearly not over it. The groom gets married anyway. Afterward, for the wedding photo, Sang-su and Su-yeong have to stand next to each other, as ordered by the photographer. At the wedding party, Su-yeong and Sang-su cannot stop looking at each other.
After the wedding, Su-yeong asks Jong-hyeon why he keeps saying “yes” to everything. She doesn’t want him to try to please her constantly and tells him to go study so she can have some private time. Meanwhile, Mi-gyeong finds a notepad of Sang-su’s, and he’s scribbled down, “Jong-hyeon, Su-yeong, blind date?” She remembers moments between Su-yeong and Sang-su that now no longer feel coincidental — she’s now suspicious that they like each other.
Episode 9 moves away from the wedding evening; Jong-hyeon is irked that Su-yeong has got rid of her piano and plants — he tells her that he feels small and pathetic since moving into her home. He thinks she’s gotten rid of stuff because of him and believes he’s disrupting her life. Su-yeong simply asks him if he regrets moving in with her; the silence says it all. Su-yeong gets upset that her attempts to make them work as a couple seem unappreciated.
To investigate her suspicions, Mi-gyeong has dinner with Su-yeong; she asks about Sang-su and wonders if he ever flirts with anyone at the bank. Su-yeong claims she knows little of Sang-su and his romantic life. Mi-gyeong seems fine with her response and reiterates that Sang-su is with her and he likes her. It seems like she is convincing herself.
Afterward, Jong-hyeon apologizes to Su-yeong for being a “useless” person and says that he will stay with her in the apartment. At this point, Jong-hyeong is failing in his masculinity and is becoming less valuable and less attractive. Regardless, the couple kisses passionately.
At work, Sang-su learns that Mi-gyeong once dated Gyeong-pil from the office. He was her first love. But Sang-su has no time to think about it because Mi-gyeong invites him to see her friends.
And then we reach the part that was vague at the end of Episode 8. Su-yeong is in a hotel room on her own; she rings Jong-hyeon and tells him she will be at her friend’s house, a blatant lie. She opens her hotel room, but then it flits to Sang-su meeting Mi-gyeong’s friends. He was not heading to Su-yeong’s hotel room. Su-yeong wants time for herself away from Jong-hyeon.
After meeting Mi-gyeong’s friends, Sang-su is given a surprise present by her – a brand new car. She’s got him a new suit and a car in a day. Sang-su is uncomfortable with the expensive gifts. Mi-gyeong wants him to accept the gifts, but it feels like she’s trying to buy his love. Sang-su has no interest in continuing the conversation and heads home.
As he heads home, Sang-su bumps into Su-yeong; they are surprised to see each other in the streets. The same awkwardness we have seen in the last few episodes continues. So many unspoken words.
Afterward, Mi-gyeong asks Sang-su if it is time for her to see his mother. Meanwhile, Su-yeong decides to have a serious conversation with Jong-hyeon — she asks about the bruising on his face, but he doesn’t want to talk about it before revealing he had a fight with a friend when he went away for a few days. He then reveals he failed the exam again. This is a character that is constantly failing and losing confidence. Su-yeong is trying to save him at this point, and Jong-hyeon gets frustrated.
Flashbacks show Jong-hyeon fighting his friend because the friend told him that his “girlfriend gives him everything.”
Ending Explained
As we reach near the end of Episode 9, Su-yeong and Sang-su are asked to attend the funeral of a VIP client. Gyeong-pil makes Mi-gyeong feel anxious that Su-yeong and Sang-su are going to a funeral together.
At the funeral, Sang-su reminisces about his father and shares with Su-yeong how he felt when he was a child. Su-yeong appears touched by his words and vulnerability. Su-yeong uses this as an opportunity to be vulnerable too and talks about the death of her brother. On the way home, Su-yeong tells Sang-su that he did not get a job at HQ because he defended her and wonders if he regretted it. He tells her he would have regretted it more if he didn’t defend her against Mr. Yuk.
They decide to get off the train early and head down to the beach, extending their time with each other. For the first time in many episodes, Sang-su and Su-yeong appear happy. Sang-su tells Su-yeong he wanted to go to the beach with her back on Jeju island (when they met a client), and he wishes he was more clear back then.
Su-yeong tells Sang-su that she feels like it’s too late and that they should head home. Once again, Sang-su gets a closed-off Su-yeong. As they continue to head home, Su-yeong thanks Sang-su for a good time and says that she hasn’t laughed in ages. Sang-su asks Su-yeong if she is happy; she sits in silence as Sang-su waits for an answer.
The train arrives. Su-yeong asks Sang-su if she should break up with Jong-hyeon.
The answer is yes, she should, but whether or not Sang-su will tell her that truth remains unanswered at the end of Episode 9.
Episode 9 improves with each episode, providing a tantalizing love story between two lost souls.
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