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The Third Charm: Episode 16 (Final)

by SailorJumun

After following the twelve long years of Young-jae and Joon-young’s relationship, and all the different relationships in between, we’ve finally reached the end. How that end will go even our protagonists don’t know. But, hey, they’ve gone through everything from a funny meet-cute to a destructive romance, so an unknowable future may not be so scary after all. It could even be refreshing.

  
EPISODE 16 RECAP

Young-jae tells Joon-young to go, so he releases her arm and slowly walks out of the building. Young-jae follows him out to watch him leave, though he doesn’t turn back. The further he gets, the more dejected they both look.

Instead of going home, Joon-young sits in his restaurant to gather his thoughts.

The following morning, the air is crisp with the beginning of winter as Joon-young’s family gets ready to meet the in-laws. Sang-hyun wonders where Joon-young is, and his folks think that he spent the night with Se-eun.

While Joon-young’s family is practically bursting from excitement, Se-eun is looking rather numb as she gets ready in her apartment. She braces herself before slipping on her new heels, and they’re immediately uncomfortable.

She then gets a phone call and heads downstairs where an underdressed Joon-young is waiting. She robotically says that she hadn’t expected him to pick her up then suggests that they get a move on.

“Se-eun,” Joon-young stops her, needing to get this out. “I don’t think I can go. I’m sorry. I can’t go with you.” Se-eun keeps her head down, saying that she’d thought everything would be okay since she liked him and trusted him.

She’s struggling not to cry as she continues that it’s too hard on her now. But she doesn’t want him to feel sorry or guilty–because she’s the one who is letting go of this relationship. And with that, she turns around and heads back inside.

Back in her apartment, we see that the heels have left cuts on her ankles. She calls her mom and learning that her family has already arrived in Seoul, she advises that they take a tour and then go home. It’s only after she hangs up that she allows herself to cry.

Joon-young stays outside her apartment for a long time before walking all the way home. He reaches the house just as his family are piling into the car. They see his casual attire and downcast look, knowing that can’t mean good news.

Sometime later, after he’s told them everything, they sit in silence in the living room. Dad is facing away from them, surprisingly the most angry. To avoid the palpable tension, Sang-hyun takes his daughter out, which is when Dad finally stands. He hits Joon-young on the back over and over, and Joon-young silently takes it all.

Joo-ran completes her second phase of chemotherapy, meaning she gets to leave the hospital for a few weeks. Soo-jae takes her to a secluded vacation home where they can rest up in the meantime. He tells her to do nothing but relax and to let him handle all the arrangements.

Meanwhile, Young-jae seems to be feeling somewhat better as she approaches a stray kitten and feeds it some food. She smiles at the little kitten, So-ri in mind, and then leaves to catch her bus.

It turns out that she’s going out on a bit of a personal tour, starting with her and Soo-jae’s old rooftop apartment and Soo-jae’s old coffee truck spot. She then visits all the locations that hold memories of her relationship with Joon-young.

She stops by the café where they met for the blind date, and she smiles as she remembers nerdy Joon-young. She then stops by the amusement park where they continued the date as happy, carefree young adults.

By nightfall, she reaches the last stop: the hair salon where she and Joon-young shared their first kiss. The place is empty now, but the memory is still plenty vivid like all the rest. Man, it’s just as weird for me seeing them that young again.

The next day, the atmosphere is still chilly from the broken engagement. Mom finds Dad sitting outside, looking at their persimmon tree, and urges him to eat breakfast. When he doesn’t budge, she just sits there with him.

Mom later visits Joon-young at the restaurant, where he spent the night again, and sits him down to talk. She explains that she got sad when he started changing. Not because he got older, but because life just turned out that way. When he’d forget that it was Parents’ Day, for example, she knew that he wasn’t disrespecting them.

Joon-young keeps his head down, hiding his tears, as Mom continues that he should worry about himself, not her or Dad. “I’m sorry,” he says, which makes Mom start crying too. She reiterates that he shouldn’t feel that way.

His voice shaking, he admits that this is incredibly hard for him. He didn’t want it to go this way, but it ended up happening anyway. He just couldn’t control his feelings. So this is his decision and he’s going to live with it.

“But I feel so sorry,” he’s crying harder now. “For Se-eun, for Se-eun’s parents, and for our family. I’m so sorry.” Mom’s heart is hurting to see her son like this. She suggests they get something to eat, making him smile through his tears.

Soo-jae and Joo-ran enjoy their night by sitting out by a bonfire. Joo-ran starts talking about the things she used to do before she was sick, like spend way too much time on her hair and makeup. It’s so different now–she doesn’t have hope, but then again, she doesn’t have despair. She has no reason to laugh, but she has no reason to cry. And she won’t be able to date, but she won’t be able to get dumped either.

She points out that Soo-jae said something similar when they were first getting to know each other. He remembers that when he did, she told him not to give up, especially when it came to dating. He’d gone to bed that night and cried, realizing that was what it was like to be comforted.

Soo-jae’s learned that when unexpected tragedy comes barreling in, a comforting person comes along with it. He then wheels himself closer and drapes his jacket over her shoulders. She apologizes, and he wonders why all the women he knows say “sorry” instead of “thank you.”

As a little tip, he recites one of his favorite movie quotes: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” She’s so moved by this that later, when he offers to sleep on the couch, she thanks him instead of apologizing.

We delve deeper into winter and catch up with Joon-young’s family as they set up the Christmas tree. Dad is still lacking holiday spirit, though, even when the adorable Da-in encourages him to help out. Mom sadly watches as he trudges off to the bedroom.

Joon-young decides to take his own trip down memory lane, to the island where he and Young-jae volunteered. He remembers all the sweet moments they shared as he walks about the area.

He, of course, has to visit the old man whose radio he helped fix. He reaches the house and is happily greeted by the grandpa. The grandpa asks if “they” came together, confusing Joon-young until Young-jae then steps out. (Nice to see you again, Fate.)

After the initial shock wears off, the three of them sit outside by the grandma’s smiling picture. The grandpa explains that after his wife died, he didn’t want to eat or sleep by himself. He ended up staying with his children, but that only made him feel worse.

However, the grandpa continues, when he came back to this house, he surprisingly felt at ease. Since forcing himself to forget only made it harder, he decided to just remember his wife fondly. He’d clean the house as if she was there, sleep with her pillow as if she was there. He laughs and says, “If I miss her, I’ll just miss her.”

Joon-young smiles sadly and looks up at Young-jae, who’s surely taking all of this to heart. When the grandpa thanks Young-jae for giving his wife a haircut and making her look beautiful for the rest of her days, she’s able to smile too.

Night falls, and Joon-young and Young-jae leave the house together. On the trail back, they note that it looks exactly the same as it did five years ago, as if time stopped on the island while the city completely changed.

Young-jae notices that Joon-young is shivering (even though he’s all bundled up) and hands him her gloves. He accepts them gratefully, and she says that in the twelve years they’ve known each other, she never knew he was sensitive to the cold. He says it’s because they never spent winter together.

They also think it’s funny that they jumped to the conclusion that they were too different when in actuality, they didn’t know every little thing about each other. It then starts to snow, and the two slow to a stop. As they take in the sight, Joon-young expresses his realization that just because you want something doesn’t mean it’ll happen.

Still, Young-jae believes that they should put in the effort; after all, their future is important. He looks at her with new eyes as she smiles up at the snow and calls it pretty. And with that, they continue on their way.

At the hospital, Joo-ran is full of nerves as she readies for her surgery. Soo-jae sees this and tries to calm her down by asking if she would’ve liked him before his accident. Or if he would’ve been this brave before she got sick. “This is good timing,” he says, making her smile. He thinks that this was the universe bringing them together.

They’re interrupted by a nurse, who’s come to take her to the operation room. Before she’s wheeled inside, Soo-jae takes hold of her hand and tells her to stay strong. She’s smiling with tears in her eyes as she’s taken in, while Soo-jae waits behind, getting emotional himself.

Meanwhile, Young-jae moves back into Soo-jae’s apartment, one suitcase and small plant in hand. She takes a seat by the window, where she and Soo-jae used to have their talks. At the same time, Joon-young gets back to his restaurant and opens up the curtains, perhaps ready to start working again.

Sometime later, Soo-jae and his film crew congratulate the idol MJ for getting the lead role. MJ thanks Soo-jae for the part, and Soo-jae thanks him for breaking his preconception. And at the hospital, Young-jae visits a recovering Joo-ran. But she’s not alone–she’s brought the salon staff with her.

Everyone’s sad that they didn’t know about Joo-ran’s illness, but they’re glad to see that she’s okay. They give her some hugs and encourage her to get back to the salon as soon as possible so she can get back to scolding them. She promises that she’ll do just that, haha.

The staff eventually leaves, giving Young-jae and Joo-ran some time alone. Joo-ran explains that the doctors can’t guarantee where her health goes from here, but they want her to think positively and surround herself with good people. “I guess people are the best medicine,” she says.

Joo-ran regrets not doing this for Young-jae, but she’s incredibly grateful that Young-jae is with her now. Full of understanding, Young-jae wordlessly puts her arm around Joo-ran and pulls her close.

Joon-young decides to come home, finding Dad drinking soju in the kitchen. He greets Dad with a bow but doesn’t get a response. So he just walks over to the stove and starts preparing ramen (with Dad’s favorite ingredient, cheese).

Joon-young places the pot and a bowl in front of Dad and starts to leave, only to stop when Dad puts his shot glass on the other side of the table. Joon-young accepts the gesture and sits down to take a drink.

Dad puts some noodles in the bowl and gives it to Joon-young, then gets up to bring another bowl for himself. Joon-young waits for Dad to start eating before digging in, both remaining silent. Mom steps out of her room, notices her husband and son together again, and smiles with relief. Jeez, of all things, this scene has me crying the most.

Before we know it, it’s spring again. Sang-hyun is sad to see his baby girl go off to daycare for the first time, but he is glad to finally have some free time. Buuuut, Ri-won stops that thinking real quick by revealing a gift: a positive pregnancy test. She goes even further by presenting him with a shiny, new marriage certificate.

Ri-won refuses to have a ceremony, though, cringing at the thought of a wedding dress. Sang-hyun whines that he wants his shining moment in a tux, but he pulls her into a loving hug and thanks her anyway. Pffft, I can’t with you two.

Love must really be in the air because soon, Young-jae is getting ready to attend Soo-jae and Joo-ran’s wedding. The two look happy in love as Young-jae, being the groom’s only sister and the bride’s best friend, declares them husband and wife. Joo-ran gives Young-jae a big smile before wheeling an ecstatic Soo-jae back down the aisle.

Joon-young is at the wedding too, as the caterer. When MJ comes out to perform a love song, Joon-young grabs two glasses of champagne and joins Young-jae. She jokes that Soo-jae wanted a small wedding, yet he hired a fancy chef and a K-pop star, and they both laugh.

The two later take a stroll outside, and talk about what’s been going on in their lives. Apparently, Young-jae now owns a small hair salon in a nice, quiet area, and Joon-young will be moving to New York for a new head chef gig. At long last, they can say they’re okay, just living life.

Young-jae narrates, “After time and seasons passed, we became adults. But we’re still clumsy and make mistakes. That’s why we comfort each other, worry about each other, and embrace each other.”

And Joon-young, smiling by her side, narrates, “The pain and distress we endured helped us grow, along with all the joy we shared together. Perhaps that is why we continue walking. To be our fulfilled selves.” That said, our couple happily takes their time walking down the path together.

  
COMMENTS

Well. I’ve gotta say that I’m kind of speechless. After that sweet slideshow of pictures at the end, showing our couple throughout the different seasons and stages of their lives, I’m just speechless. The only way I can describe how I’m feeling right now is that combination of relief and giddiness and sadness after graduating from high school or college. I mean, we made it.

So hear me out. The Third Charm was one of the most frustrating drama viewing experiences I’ve had in a long time… but I kind of really liked it? Huge emphasis on the question mark there. But the finale somehow exceeded my expectations. It didn’t try to rush through anything; it just let things happen. Joon-young and Se-eun broke up. Se-eun was left heartbroken. Joon-young’s family was left heartbroken. Everyone needed time to rebuild themselves and they eventually did. It all felt very fluid and genuine. My one gripe about the finale was Se-eun’s wrap-up, which wasn’t really a wrap-up at all. The last time we see her, she’s really hurting (and the metaphorical heels cutting up her ankles sure don’t help). Perhaps she’s still struggling to build herself up. After all, she practically dedicated her life to Joon-young for five years. But, if that’s the case, I wanted to watch this in scene. A mere twenty-second clip isn’t much to ask!

Just as Joon-young and Young-jae were unbalanced throughout the show–in love, in life–the show itself proved to be unbalanced till the very end. In retrospect, I felt more sympathy for Joon-young even though it was Young-jae who was saddled with all the tragedy. And that has nothing to do with me liking Joon-young more or liking Young-jae less. The show spent way too much time focusing on him, his struggles, and his struggles about Young-jae. All of that was great, but it would’ve been better to see Young-jae get the same treatment. Instead, we were given more reasons to feel bad for her, which actually made me angry at times. When so much tragedy befalls a character, that character almost becomes their tragedy. As if that’s all they are.

And I’m not saying that those who go through many hardships in life are empty characters; I just think the show failed when it came to execution. The writer was clearly trying to present a piece about grief, which didn’t exactly fit in the “breezy romance” mold that was initially set. Because this wasn’t about Joon-young and Young-jae being a cutesy couple and being broken up just to get back together again. This was about all the characters and all the pain and grief they endured. This was about Soo-jae and the restrictions he felt with his handicapped condition. About Joo-ran and her longing for a chance at family. About Joon-young and him having to separate himself from his love in order to find himself. And, of course, about Young-jae and the fight to keep going when everything seemed lost.

So while I wasn’t a fan of the writing, I don’t necessarily think it’s the writer’s fault. I’m more compelled to blame myself and the expectations I had going in. Nevertheless, I was more than pleased with the acting all across the board. From Esom and Seo Kang-joon, to the second leads, to everybody else. Many different characters were graced with generous amounts of screen time, and I was engaged with every one of their stories. And I can’t say that that happens often.

But, let’s get back to the main couple. Esom has always been awesome in my book, but this drama truly turned my opinions around on Seo Kang-joon. The last thing I saw him in was Cheese in the Trap, a drama that left a sour taste in my mouth (though that wasn’t really his fault). I’d heard good things about his performance in Are You Human Too, but seeing his improvement for myself was an entirely different thing. He and Esom carried the show for me, for sure; I don’t think it would’ve been as effective without them.

Would I rewatch the drama? Yeah, that’s a big fat no. Because of the rich characters and the dynamics developed along the way, it was an engaging watch from start to finish. But, man, I never want to go through this again. There are heavy melos that I do enjoy rewatching, but this is not one of them. I would say that this is more of a drama that I lock away, at least happy to have watched it in the first place. No regrets, but no going back.

I don’t have a problem with this ending, but many viewers will. It’s not exactly open and it’s not exactly concrete–it’s somewhere in the middle. I don’t feel completely satisfied, but I appreciate the show for sticking to its tone and various themes. It didn’t resort to a neatly tied bow of an ending, and I’m cool with that. A lot of my favorite dramas did the same (*cough* Age of Youth *cough*). I can’t say that the second half was a sudden trip to depression because the whole drama was sprinkled with misery. Even when our couple was happily in love, there was a tinge of misery. So the second half wasn’t unexpected, just… a little more than I could handle, I guess. And at the end of the day, I wouldn’t call this a romance. There’s romance in it, of course, but this is more of a human drama, showing different sides to people and how they tackle on the surprises in life. Sometimes those surprises are painful, and if they’re lucky, sometimes they’re downright charming.

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Tags: Esom, Seo Kang-joon, The Third Charm

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The ending left a lot to be desired. So JY broke up with his fiancee because he wasn't over JY, but he doesn't try to pursue anything with her either? Okay...Not saying he should have married Se-Eun because obviously his heart wasn't in it.

This show became too much about JY and Se-Eun. I can understand why two other actresses turned down the YJ role. It became kind of a thankless role in the third timeline. One tragedy after another and yet most viewers still side with JY because he's dominated the screen time/narration.

It's sad that the show's OST ended being better than the show itself.

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< So JY broke up with his fiancee because he wasn't over JY, but he doesn't try to pursue anything with her either?

It goes against the conventional k-drama ending, but it's pretty realistic though – in fact, to the point, that I hope she doesn't follow him to New York in the future.

He isn't in love with YJ (nor she with him) – he just isn't over his feelings for her. They care for each other because of a common past, but that doesn't mean romance is in the cards for them in the present day. Just that he has feelings to resolve before he can be honestly be with anyone, and she has even more feelings (most unrelated to him) to resolve as well.

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I really love this take. The ending was what was best for them, I think.

JY's feelings don't necessarily mean he's in love with her, and what's more, they've both spent enough time apart that lingering feelings from the past are for...well, their past selves. Time to resolve their individual matters is necessary now, and then time to really get to know each other as they are now can follow that.

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This drama really show the reality of a relationship. I mean I get how people use K-dramas as a way to get away from reality, but that gets old. I like that it was the two of them as friends, rather than lovers.

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I gotta say, the scene stealer for this episode goes to Dad. When he started beating up Joon Young and he just takes it in silently while the rest of the family watched in dismay. His silent gestures to JY at dinner as a way to say "I forgive you, son." Maybe he still doesn't fully understand him, maybe he's still a little angry. But JY is still his son and he'll accept and love him no matter what. This was the one scene that touched my heart. This quiet father-son moment that speaks a thousand words.

You haven't seen Are You Human Too?? You should! Personally I think the storyline can be a bit messy, but if you just come to watch SKJ's acting, that's plenty enough for utter enjoyment of it.

I did wish for more focus on YJ cuz she has so much depth to her character and I felt like we didn't get to dig deep enough. If they'd handled her side of the story better, I would've given a higher rating. (I actually prefer tragedy over romance, okay? Don't judge me!)

Overall... this drama sucked. It was slow. I skipped some eps. But there were golden moments especially with family and character growth. The ending was better than I feared cuz I saw that they were no longer involved romantically but still kept in touch. It's simple, it's real. And if some people can't appreciate that then just be on your way.

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This was the only episode I watched. I was desperate to see how it ended. The one scene I didn't understand was the father beating JY up. Like why are you so upset that he didn't marry that girl that you hit him? JY's marriage isn't about the father so why would he have to forgive him for not going through with it? JY did the right thing for both himself and SE, his father should have seen that. There is nothing wrong with his father being hurt that SE would not be a part of their family but not angry. JY was a level-headed guy, his father should have taken that into accountbefore he hit him.

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I don't think it was entirely about him refusing the marriage. It's because he's made some drastic decisions before (dropping out of college, quitting the police force, staying in Portugal instead of coming back to Korea) and his dad decided to let it go those times. But this time he had enough.

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Yes and this time it not only affects them as a family (they were already listing names of guests, excited for wedding and having SE as a fam member) but also troubled another family (SE's family who've come a long way to meet them).

If you are the parent who caused that trouble to another set of family, wouldn't you have disciplined your son? I mean, he didn't even think of a way to apologize to SE family he just let her tell them to go back home. This is not just about his fickle mind. It's him not trying to consider everything and everybody in his decisions, it's him not taking responsibility for it as if it wasn't that big of a deal. They were getting MARRIED, he PROPOSED to her, he could've put more effort into that thought and his actions.

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You shouldn't consider anyone else when you are getting married. The only two people in a marriage are the husband and wife. Getting married for the sake of other people is a sure way to a depressing and unhappy life.

No, I wouldn't discipline my GROWN ASS son. That is his decision and HIS life. All I can do is sincerely apologize to everyone that is sad about it not happening. You can not live your life for other people.

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I was disappointed. Not in the fact they didn't get back together because I was over that in the second stage. I just didn't see how he was still drawn to her after all those years in between. It just didn't make sense to me.

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Exactly. It wasn't making any sense the "third" time. It was all drama and him going back to how he was irrationally devoted to her when he was 27. What of his travels and learning the value of himself and what he deserved?

He didn't need to go through all that again for her when she decided to dump him the second time.

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I think if they are together at the end, that is even weirder tho? Probably not exactly what we want to end this drama but this is quite appropriate. They need to heal especially YJ. YJ has been grieving for so long so I think it is appropriate she takes some time to heal and build up her life again.

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This drama in a nutshell: bloody too much suffering, not enough payoff. What made me angry the most is the treatment of YJ as a character. These 2 writers are officially on my shit list.

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Thank you for your hard work and all the recaps. It made it so I can understand the show without having to watch it. I will never watch this drama. But I have enjoyed your commentary and that is what I came to read not the recap.

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thanks for all the recaps @sailorjumun! and kudos to all of us who are still here to the very end haha. thanks for all the perspectives and discussions.

and just like that... their story comes to an end - or has it begun again? for the first time in my kdrama watching history, am actually glad that the ending was left rather open ended. of course, there were quite a number of plotlines that were also unanswered (Se-eun's being one of them - am surprised her father and brothers didn't come all the way to Seoul anyway to beat JY up lol). the ending may be much to be desired for some (or many), but for the characters... hope the third time is truly a charm for everyone.

locations - think it got harder for the producers possibly due to time constraints. seems like they were still filming the week of the show's finale (as is the case with most dramas):

Joon-young's house - and what a meta catch; it's located just opposite the house in I Have A Lover/Discovery of Love! https://koreandramaland.com/listings/house-sangsa-village-no-2/

Se-eun's house - https://koreandramaland.com/listings/diat-central-officetel/
(interestingly and maybe ironically, just down the road from Young-jae's apartment and the 7-Eleven in ep 15, which is in the same complex) - https://koreandramaland.com/listings/yongsan-the-prime/

check out the The Third Charm location overview on KDL :) https://koreandramaland.com/kdrama-the-third-charm-2018-all-filming-locations/

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I am actually happy that the show didn't explicitly stated that both YJ and JY got together. The fact that they are (at the very least) still friends and that they're both living well (though separately) comforts me.

I do believe though that they still love each other. However, they chose not to pursue a relationship. I think that's a very mature thing to do.

One thing that confused me though was the conversation with JY and YJ at the province, when both of them were admiring the snow. I thought they were talking about their relationship... but now I'm not sure.

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Thanks @sailorjumun for a great recap. I admit that I skipped lots of episodes in between, when I saw that it was going to be tedious in 'unhappiness' and came back to watch only the last episode. I'm glad I did, and I like the ending as it is. I'm also glad I did not put myself through the wringer of watching all those emotional episodes.

I agree with you that this was a human drama. If I'd known that from the beginning, I might have tempered my expectations. With a title like The 3rd Charm and hints that we'd see the couple through the seasons, I was under the impression that we'd get a charming romance of gauche characters learning how to make their relationship work by the end of the 4th season, or at their 3rd try...

I guess the one word that comes to me to describe this show is that is 'real' ... rather true to life, like the reality we face. I'm guessing that quite a number of us viewers watch shows to get away from too much 'reality' so ... there may be a degree of unhappiness even though the ending was quite pleasant. I'd prefer inspiring or healing or uplifting to 'pleasant', however. At least it stayed true to the way the characters would go and that's something. :-)

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Totally agree with you. I also mostly read my way through this drama instead of watching it, especially through the jealousy issues that seemed way too repetitive. I think most of us were expecting a completely different drama going in, but I appreciate what we've gained coming out. The ability of the drama to stay true to being real was one of its strong aspects.

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However, it feels very unreal to have so much misfortunes being piled on one person....

Also, and SailorJumun already said it in her comments, I would prefer if Young Jae had equal share of her storytelling as Joon Yeong...

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This was my biggest problem with the show. Many people go through bad things. I had close relatives die within two years of each other, but they just piled horse manure on her time after time and it lost a bit of its realism for me.

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Thank you @sailorjumun for all the recaps. Both Esom and Seo Kang-joon gave fine performances. Esom in her portrayal of Young-jae I think had a bit more heavy lifting than SKJ's Joon-young. A couple thoughts to wrap things up:
I loved two scenes of JY and YJ.
The first was at the end of the last episode and beginning of the final episode where JY listened to YJ tell of her life. He never said a word, just listened, managed a little nod of the head then took YJ's arm and let the tears come down.
The second was the scene in the field on the island shown in the first pic. It was lovely. It was beautifully lit and it ended with snow coming and both Joon-young and Young-jae had smiles.
(I had an idea that perhaps that was the last scene of TTC filmed and they wrapped things up with those smiles. That is probably not the way filming ended.)
I am ending with a gripe and that is Joon-young's family. I am probably in a minority here but I was annoyed with Dad and Mom. Ri-won and Sang-hyun were lost causes.
So Dad's response to the breakup is to strike his son 14 times (I think that's right). Let him cook his own ramen.)
When Mom went to see JY at his restaurant she never touched him but sat across from him. I like to think most mothers trying to comfort a child would have sat next to their son with their arms around him. Maybe I am too sentimental.
I enjoyed all the comments.

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I agree with you. I felt that too.

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You brought me down memory lane. Thanks. Have you seen Seo Kang-joon in WATCHER (2019). It is my favorite SKJ drama.

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Now that I've watched the finale, I don't hate this show as much as I did in the middle of it. Because of the way Third Charm was marketed, I was super excited to watch a cute romance that would resolve neatly in the end. Instead, we were thrown jealousy and then grief throughout the drama, with an ending that I wouldn't call neat. Esom and Seo Kang-joon were the ones that pushed me through this angst that I was totally not expecting. But reaching the end, I've realized that this drama was never meant to be fun or lighthearted. And I've come to be grateful to have gone on this journey with our characters.

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I suffered so much to get to this ending. I am so happy this is over. What. A. JOURNEY.

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if you've watched the movie Your Wedding Day, it reminded me somewhat of that ending, but this drama leaves it a bit "open"...

i liked it. a formulaic "happy ending" would seem too trite. this ending was very REAL LIFE, in it's mood, feeling, context. life is like this, honestly, there aren't many fairy tale happy endings...

real life gives us many ranges in between the happy and sad endings. and real life also offers many open endings -- and time will tell. that's the magic, if it is meant to be...
; )

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Yes, this drama did remind me of Your Wedding Day except that the movie was overall more satisfying because there was less tragedy heaped on the female lead. And I thought Park Bo Young and Kim Young Kwang had better chemistry than Esom and Seo Kang Joon.

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aiyeee (facepalm) so glad i didnt watch this. But i did follow the recaps. Thank you SailorJumun!

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I have mixed feelings about the ending. While I'm glad they didnt force a romance between YJ and JY, I wish they would have showed a hint of possibility. If JY is moving to New York, chances of it happening would be slim. I get that both of them are trying to move on. YJ, from her tragedy. JY, from what exactly? Did he not want to get married because he still had feelings for YJ or because he realised he didn't have the 'right' feelings for SE?

I also don't quite get what Dad was so mad about. Disappointed, maybe. But what we saw was also rage. And it all got resolved in silence so I'm a bit confused there.

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I think dad was excessive, but I'm guessing he was upset because he had very little to do with YJ but saw SE a LOT. It seems like she practically lived with them while JY was in Portugal and would have felt like a part of the family already. He would probably be unable to understand JY's long-term attachment to YJ and his sympathies would be biased towards SE.

The way things happened to SE were pretty awful. She walked into this relationship willingly but had no idea how it would end, and she got badly hurt in the process of just trying to love and give her all for someone. On top of this, it all crumbled at the last minute causing embarrassment and inconvenience to the families who were supposed to meet. Dad was probably just frustrated, embarrassed and upset.

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So Dad was upset because he had grown attached to Se Eun? Did the family know Young Jae was back and was the source of Joon Young's angst? I kinda wish we had another episode to iron out the nitty gritty. So many things were literally left unsaid. It's like the writer wanted it so open ended that we had to form our own conclusions.

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There were far too many things left unsaid in this drama and that was definitely one of them :/ how did YJ and HC marry? Why did they move to Portugal? Did JY's family know YJ was back? Did JY tell them that she was the reason the break-up happened? I wish some of this had been said.

I guessed that he did tell them about YJ being a reason for the break-up, because mum was not surprised when JY said he couldn't forget YJ and move on from his feelings for her when mum visited him at the restaurant.

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I hadn't read your comment about the dad being upset but commented the same thing upthread. I don't get it either but I did kinda gather it was hurt over SE not joining his family as @alex8825 said. But to be so angry over your son's life choices, when those choices do not affect you, that you repeatedly hit him is beyond ridiculous. I agree that it was rage we saw. If you're more attached to a female that is not related to you than your own son there is a problem. Yes, the father had spent the last four years growing attached to SE but he spent the last 20-odd years with his son.

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It was horrible to watch, and it was way too much. I assumed it was a cultural thing or something. In both SK and Japanese shows parents seem to be overly involved and entitled in regards to their kids' lives, it's very hands-on (pun not intended) compared to my experience in growing up in Britain!

There are probably many layers to dad's rage that I just don't get. But the show did make a point to show him kidding around with SE a lot and showing her the photo albums etc, he seemed to like her a lot.

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Well SE was definitely daughter-in-law material, going by the standards in SK. And to throw her away for someone that broke his heart twice in the past and a divorcee at that would be unfathomable to some parents. And it wasnt like they even ended up together. In the last episode when Dad was drunk he said he was proud of JY, not for getting married but always being responsible for his decisions or something like that. So what happened to that?

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I'm guessing all of dad's ramblings went down the pan the moment he realised he actually could be disappointed by his child. JY would probably be considered irresponsible for letting things get this far if he's been hesitating and unsure for a long time, which he might have admitted to them (judging by his conversation with mum). Not defending dad at all, he shouldn't have lashed out like that. It all depends on how much of the story JY actually told them to try and understand the rage. I wish we'd been given a chance to see the scene where he told them.

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I agree to both of you it was that of JY not being responsible for his actions, if he proposed to her he should've been sure and resolved. Not to be swayed when his first love reappears. Marriage is not a game he can just decide to quit and back out on. He could've considered that. And dad must've trusted him with that thought and was disappointed. Frustrated and embarassed of what his son's actions has caused another person and another family.

I just think he would've been this mad to JY if he was SE father as well, yet SE shouldered that saying she was the one who let go of the relationship. And JY let her shoulder it. SMH

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I think it is in JY's personality itself to never take the easy route, as we can see in how he makes drastic decisions to change and find himself. Maybe even with Se-eun too, it was a relationship that seemed too comfortable for him, if you know what I mean

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I hope you don't mind me getting a little high brow and re JY never taking the easy route, your comment brought this to mind.
From Polonius in Act I Scene III of Hamlet by William Shakespeare:

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

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I liked this drama. Life is not perfect. We can try to find happiness but we can fail a lot. I like the end. The wedding would have been wrong for me, Young Jae and Joon Young back together would have been wrong too.

Joon Young's life is sad because he never found someone he really loves since Young Jae. She lost a lot but at least she had a happy family : she chose the doctor, she married and she had a child.

It's sad that JY had to feel guilty about his own family. His heart is broken but he has to endure the silent anger from his father.

I didn't like how the sister was with Sang Hyun. I always felt she was giving him charity. I like how she was independant and didn't care about what people were thinking but not their relationship. But Sang Hyun was cute with his daughter.

For Se Eun, a wedding so soon was a bad idea. They dated during 4 years but it was a long distance relationship. Se Eun had to work too much for this relationship, she went to Portugal, she waited for his comeback, she agreed to everything but all of that for nothing. Poor Se Eun :(

I like drama that takes risk to tell a story that we don't want to hear but that makes us feel a lot emotions and question ourselves.

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First, thank you SailorJumun for recapping this show... and going through all the pain with us, 10 viewers 😁

I already ranted on my fanwall after I had finished watching the last episode and today I realized I'm still a bit angry... and sad... and that I probably don't have better words to express my feelings and views. So here goes my earlier post...

********

Third Charm... that's it???
So you shipped Joon Yeong to New York, show??? Why?? That doesn't make any sense? He was so happy at his one table restaurant...
And when the couple finally starts talking, you split them again, show? Really? 😤

I don't mind the open ending... but there should be some hope and feeling that they both are on a good path... and a consequent path... but this didn't make much sense...

I did love when they met at the island house and the grandpa was talking about his grieving and coping with the departure of his wife... and it resonated with Young Jae... and Joon Yeong better understood YJ's sorrow...
...but then I expected more interactions between the couple... like Young Jae joining Joon Yeong at the playground when he waits for his guests to finish the dinner... or Joon Yeong coming to Young Jae to have a haircut... or helping her (with other friends) to set-up the hair salon... and they would talk and have some nice monents together... not necessarily as a couple (they still need some time, especially Young Jae), but as friends... who later may or may not end up together... As a viewer I needed the positive optimistic ending... and not the cold one we got 😢

Also, instead of some happy moments we spent so much time on the wallowing father...wae??? I even didn't get him... It seems the writer responsible for the happy scenes got sick in the middle of the show 😂

Anyway, I'm not regretting watching the show, I liked how real all the characters felt, and Esom and Seo Kang Joon were phenomenal... I just wish the last third was different...

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Not a fan of the ending. I don't care that they didn't end up together. I don't care that JY is going to New York, his story is complete. I do care that they left large and small holes in YJ's story. I don't like incomplete stories especially for TV shows and books. If I wanted an incomplete story I would read history or watch the news. You pulled me into this world, end the story if not in a satisfying way, but in a complete way.

The best part of the show was how it spoke about grief and I wish more dramas would do that. Grief is usually quiet and angry. This show did a good job of showing that.

The acting in this was top notch and was well cast and put together.

The rest of the show was a bit of a mess though, I'm not sure I will ever recommend the show, but it was a dun ride watching with the beanies.

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Yes, yes, yes and yes!!!!
I loved the first 11 episodes and would love more if they cut some emofillers and gave all characters proper growth and ending! (And that's not about the main couple ending together).

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Agree about the part on YJ's story. We didn't get an explanation on how and why someone with such big dreams decided to settle down with HC and move to Portugal.

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One thing still, about Riwon and Sanghyun... I honestly thought that when Joon Yeong cancelled the wedding, Riwon would say: "OK guys, because you booked the place and prepared invitations and everything, let's still do it, me and Sanghyun will get married." (Especially when I saw her soft smile when she was looking at her family through the restaurant window...)

...and who says she has to wear a big white wedding dress? I got married in dark blue summer dress I still occasionally put on in the summer 🙂

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I have been tough on Ri-won for the whole series. I might have been too harsh in my comment above (#10). Perhaps now I can balance things a bit. So here goes:
1. It took her almost 30 years (RW age?) to refer to her big brother as "Oppa" and that was when they were both outside the restaurant looking in at the family. OK. Better late than never.
2. In episode 12 Ri-won made a comment during the family marmalade making session questioning the advisability of the marriage. At the time I just passed it off as another one of her mean comments, however, it turns out she was on to something.
3. Surprisingly of all the family members, perhaps (and we don't know for sure) she was able to give more comfort to her brother than her parents could. I can see her saying something down the line to her brother like, "Oppa, it was probably for the best". Who knows. I hope she and Sang-hyun, little Da-in and baby No. 2 are all happy.
I do think this drama (certainly was not a rom-com) qualifies for the DB October Extras [Choose your epilogue] treatment.

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I first want to thank SailorJumunm, your recaps have been wonderful!

Now on to the finale, I may be alone in this but I loved it and I usually don't like open endings at the end of a Korean drama, go figure. I am happy they don't end up together and I am happy they end up as friends. The latter third of the show was never about the two of them getting back together, once you accept that the pacing makes sense. If we think about it each season of their relationship was different, we assumed that all of it was supposed to be romantic love but the show from its inception was all about the many different types of love and relationships that exist and how they change through time and circumstances. In that light things like the frenemy who all but disappeared early on and Se-eun's brief moment in the spotlight make sense. Now that the finale has passed and the supposedly breezy romcom reveals itself to be actually a human drama, I see some of the subplots that seemed a bit off in a different light. Just about every relationship (platonic and otherwise) on the show is shown in at least time periods, all changed in some way, either because we (as viewers) see them in a new light or because life happened.

More specifics.
JY moving to New York works for me functionally because staying in Korea would likely be hard given that he broke up with Se-eun, but also because he seems to have returned home for her and his family, not entirely because he was ready to. Also I feel like his one table restaurant kind of completed its goal in a way, it helped save a person who needed a push. That it turned out to be YJ is kismet. If, in the future, he ends up with YJ I'd be happy for him but I am glad his story wasn't ultimately about getting the girl, but rather figuring out who he was and what he actually wanted.
YJ was my favorite but I think that is because Esom is a fantastic actress, in the hands of someone not so great watching her would just be bad trauma porn. I wish the show did not pile on the hardships but I will say that the show did a fantastic job on portraying grief and I do think the goal (albeit a lofty one) was to show how some will never lean on someone until they reach their breaking point and even then. I mentioned this before but I love that YJ finally reaches out to JY, not because it was easy, or because he knew all of the history since all he knew was that she was divorced, she reached out because he was just there. He, unknowingly, became the person she could always lean on, even when he didn't want to be. He proved to her that people don't leave which in turn seems to have opened her up to leaning on the other people in her life.

Ultimately the show worked for me, the only bits that got frustrating was the repetitive relationship drama, but largely because it was a bit too realistic. People stick together for much longer than they actually should in relationships and that was portrayed well but it does not make it any less...

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I was also glad that they didn't end up together. I was prepared for them to do so, but respected the writers and story even more to have them just stay friends. These two characters truly care about each other, they just aren't really good together as a couple. Although I didn't always agree with what happened throughout the story, I appreciate it for demonstrating the character's individual journeys. It was definitely a drama that often left me contemplating my thoughts after watching an episode.

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They could've given a happy life to JY with SE and his family. Then stayed friends with YJ. I mean boy went through a lot because of YJ and her decisions. I mean she was married and had a family even after. What of his happiness? Why did they make him do all those wrong decisions.

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SO, firstly, I really speechless with the ending. This is not what I imagine about this drama at first. In my head, I would watch enjoying show, with love, dynamic relationship, fate etc..... From the first, second and third charm, I thought that I would see the relationship betweet JY and YJ more mature, strong and stabil.

Thanks for the recap @sailorjumun , I really like your closing about this drama. Seo Kang Joon growing as an actor.

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I'm relieved that they didn't end back together. I always felt that Joon Young loved Young Jae more, no matter how many misunderstandings or if they were at different points in life or Young Jae personal dramas...it always felt that she was a bit cold towards him. So I'm glad they ended up being good old friends only.
Regarding the story, I was expecting only some romantic angst, not all this drama, so I was a bit disappointed and it was hard to follow the show some times. I ended up watching all of it, mostly because of my love for SKJ, hahaha!! It was not bad, but it felt filled with tons of huge unnecesary drama.

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Yes they weren't compatible and writers should've given a happy ending for JY with SE. It all just seemed unfair for him to be that devoted to YJ who didn't care for him as much.

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[1] I'm glad this show is over, to be honest, though it's also sad. I wanted very much to like this drama, and there were times the writing seemed clever, and the plot seemed to be going places that were unique and real and very interesting.

But ultimately this show did not leave me with a good feeling. I was not always sure why it bothered me so much, so I immersed myself in other comments and in recaps to try and feel out what was bothering me.

I adore realistic slice of life stories, but they're also tricky to pull off. Especially if at one point in your life you experience a truly amazing piece of writing or a movie that sets the bar ridiculously high. I read a piece of work in uni that was a series of short slices of life. All were about mundane things but turned elements of that into a 'sting in the tale' type of story.

On top of that, the writer's technique was so incredible that it was like a negative space drawing. You could clearly see what the story was by what wasn't there, without wasted words. And the empty space, while telling a story by itself, was empty enough that reader interpretation had freedom to move. And that felt really important because when you're dealing with realism and slice of life, you're involving the opinions and personalities of the real people reading the story, and so the story will inevitably change.

This is where TTC fell short for me. The moments of cleverness and skill in the writing felt few and far in between. Viewers were quickly divided by who they supported more in the relationship. Real life experiences of viewers caused them to judge this story based on those real experiences, which may at points have led viewers to not see what the writers were [clumsily] trying to say.

Some characters were given precedence over others. If this was intended, then writers were intentionally making JY more sympathetic than YJ, but this came at the cost of having a lot of viewers disliking her, and in turn they seemed to try and 'fix' this by piling tragedies on top of her to make her sympathetic and possibly even above criticism (there are some comments in TTC thread on soompi that go into this far better and more eloquently than I could).

Taking all of this into account, I can't consider this a clever handling of a realism piece or slice-of-life. It might be a realistic show, but it was not enjoyable, and ultimately I watch dramas for entertainment. This drama did not make me think it would get this angsty when I watched promotional materials. I had no idea it would go down this path. I might have found it more refreshing with a little more writing skill and maybe forewarning, but as it stands, I feel exhausted.

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[2] The ending felt rushed, it felt clubbed together like chopped-and-shaped chicken, giving me the overwhelming sense that it went through several drafts before they settled on the path of least resistance. The ending was a smart move, because the open ending is probably the one that will cause the least ripples among the polarised viewers.

I'm grateful that JY and YJ didn't end up together, if for no other reason than that it wasn't the right time for either of them. I know that some viewers feel cheated by the ending, and in some ways I feel like it was the 'easy choice' for the writers, but I think the ending was the best one we could hope for given everything that came before it.

When YJ was going through memory lane in this episode, I honestly felt pangs in my chest. I felt pangs because the moments she reminisced about were really well done, really beautiful moments and capture the parts of the drama I liked the most. And those moments feel like a lifetime ago, from another drama even, and while this was well done it also made me sad for the drama I wish this could have been. It honestly disappoints me that this drama annoyed me so often. Seeing a fresh-faced YJ approaching JY in the cafe hurt me somewhere deep inside. I never really liked her character much purely because she's exactly the kind of person I get into fights with IRL, but she was a young girl with hopes and dreams and no idea how bad things would get. And JY, nerdy and awkward and irritable in that grouchy old man kind of way as he gets caught up in YJ's wake, having no idea how much she would shape the rest of his life for better or worse. So. Much. Potential.

There were things I loved in this show. The first two episodes (cringy and painful blow-up scene between YJ and JY aside) were amazing and have the most rewatch value, even if it's only to see SKJ looking like Napoleon Dynamite. I loved SJ, how human he was, how hard he fought against depression and all the obstacles in his life, and how humble he was.

I loved the times where reading between the lines in the show actually gave you results. Like understanding JY's issues had nothing to do with YJ breaking a silly promise and washing a male customer's hair. Or how much him fixing the radio meant, and what it really meant to him.

Most of the acting was incredible. I'm still not sold on Esom's 'restrained' acting, but her scenes of grief (which were far too common for her character) were masterful and tragic. SJ moved me more than once.

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[3] Of course my biggest accolades go to SKJ, maybe because he was the main focus of this story so we got to see so much of him, but oh my god. I've seen him in a lot of things now, and quite a few of his roles all seem pretty cookie-cutter and shallow. He had moments where he could emote well, but the characters rarely called for it. He seemed to be getting typecast as an arrogant chaebol with a heart of gold who would become second lead, and aside from a changing of name and setting, very little set these characters apart.

I thought he was pretty good in Cheese in the Trap, and preferred his character as the romantic interest, though Park Hae-Jin felt like the more polished performance. I only really took note of SKJ in AYHT, and it suddenly occurred to me that he's actually really good at this. To play two different characters who make you feel very different things is one thing. To do so with such skill that you can tell those characters apart at a glance is something else, especially if those characters are pretending to be each other. And even though this might be an unpopular opinion, the human Nam Shin was a fantastic and complex character that I couldn't hate, because SKJ showed a depth to him that made me pity him instead.

And now TTC. I see why SKJ chose this role, imperfect as the story is, because even if this show achieved nothing else it put on a fantastic display of his skill. He seemed to spend most of his time with watery eyes, yes, but it's the little changes in his eyes or expression. The moment YJ and HC walked into his restaurant at the end of episode 11. The way viewers knew straight away that his smiles, happy attitude and casual speech signified a huge difference in his relationship with SE compared to YJ.

I saw a quote where SKJ thought he was lacking. Honey, no. Your character was lacking at times, and I wanted to kick him in the shins more than once, but you were excellent.

Would I rewatch this? Maybe the first two episodes. Would I recommend this? Not really. Do I regret watching this? Actually, no. There are times I got mad and regretted watching it, and it did stress me out, but now that I'm at the end, I can call it an experience and move on.

Thanks to all the beanies who also viewed and commented. I love reading different perspectives and takes on the story, and this is an incredible place to have discussions and navigate different opinions.

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Thanks @alex8825 AlexDanno for all your comments and analyses. I really enjoyed them and it was a pleasure taking THE THIRD CHARM journey with you. This is one of those series I will remember for a long time. Will I re-watch it? No. What I want to remember from this series is not the final stroll but Joon-young and Young-jae walking on that island trail smiling with the snow coming down.

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Wow, thank you for your comment! You have written down exactly how I have been feeling about the show and the actors' performances. I can't stop nodding as I read through your comments. Keep writing, please!

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TY! :D I will definitely comment on other dramas but hopefully not another one like this, at least for a long while lol

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"The way viewers knew straight away that his smiles, happy attitude and casual speech signified a huge difference in his relationship with SE compared to YJ."

Yes! JY always displayed more subdued or restrained happiness with SE. He really just wasn't ready to start a new relationship when he did. I'll admit I was giddy to see JY and SE together at first because I felt they complimented each other so well. However, JY entered the relationship with unresolved feeling for YJ and that is honestly a terrible way to start a new relationship. SE deserved better and I'm glad she told JY how he hurt her, but accepted the end with grace.

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I was giddy to see them together too. I really liked their potential, and hoped they could overcome obstacles like LDR and his broken heart. JY wanted to move on and felt that SE was a great way to do so, because she put constant effort into her time with him and she even flew around the world to find him. It was a nice big difference to him being the endless giver.

But I wonder if he always knew he wasn't ready to move on, or that SE wasn't the right person. He was too calm, his smiles not so big that they affected his eyes, and he hesitated before proposing (and let out a big 'woosh' of breath afterwards).

I'm very sad that JY let his charade to himself go on long enough to not only deeply hurt SE, but also to lead the wedding preparations on and inconvenience both of the families involved (could be wrong but I read online that in SK the bride and groom parents have a huge input in the wedding, especially with money). I sympathise that he'd originally wanted to move on, but imo he should have ended it all the moment he started giving her those pitying looks, because we all knew what was coming and I think he did too.

I'm happy SHE was the one who broke it off. She'll need that strength and dignity to recover, since she was that relationship's JY and will feel the pain accordingly (not that we'll ever know, the drama wasn't kind enough to show us her or HC after this).

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@alex8825

I also noticed those subtle hints of JY not feeling the same way about the relationship as SE. I think whatever he was feeling he tried hard to get past them and be a good boyfriend, but ultimately he hurt SE by him not being truthful to himself. I'm so glad SE told him at that she was the one ending the relationship because like you said she is going to need that strength. I actually feel like she will fare much better than JY when he broke up with YJ. She has demonstrated strength, compassion, and understanding throughout her relationship and once she gets past the hurt I think she'll be able to love deeply again.

"Thanks to all the beanies who also viewed and commented. I love reading different perspectives and takes on the story, and this is an incredible place to have discussions and navigate different opinions."

Thank you too! It's been a pleasure discussing the drama with you and gaining new insight!

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I’m going to disagree a bit on SE being the one who let him go or that she accepted his decision with grace! SE could have walked out or had a honest conversation at so many points in the relationship but chose to stay silent. She never really fought for her relationship with YJ. She just was there and waited patiently hoping things will fall into place. She was uncertain about his feelings toward her from the beginning (which is what I liked that she took a chance in Portugal!). You could see that she was relieved when he proposed but the minute she saw him with YJ she knew. That was why SE tried to set YJ up on a blind date (which is manipulative BTW). The only time she had a honest conversation with JY was AFTER her boss had accidentally revealed the blind date fiasco and forced SE’s hand.
Even in the end when she “let him go” a blind man could tell that he wasn’t going to go through with the wedding. So she just did the most obvious thing! IMHO SE just like YJ was short changed by the writers.

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@wonid2017

I see what you are saying. For me, SE could have easily gone to typical second lead territory in which she concocted many schemes to keep the leads apart. Her decision to set YJ up was done in poor taste, but she immediately felt regret for it. That showed dimension to her character. It's difficult to recognize the failings in your relationship and how to best handle them. Through my experiences I've become more adept in removing myself from relationships that are not working out, but it seems that this was SE's first real relationship. When JY ended things with her she could have hurled countless insults at him or begged him to stay with her, but she didn't. I consider her telling him how she felt and stating that she is ending the relationship to be as graceful as possible when dealing with such pain.

I agree with you that she should have come clean to JY about setting up YJ with a blind date. Unfortunately, once a partner in the relationship begins to withold information and the other find outs it becomes a vicous cycle on both sides. I also agree that she didn't really fight to stay in the relationship, but I'm glad she didn't because like you said it was clear that their relationship wasn't going to go any further.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. As much as I like SE, some of the thoughts you mentioned did cross my mind. It's just that after contemplating and comparing to my own life expriences I saw them differently. :)

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@wonid2017 @julyrox I didn't quite see things the same way, though I now totally see how it could look like that for SE. I wonder if my take on her is coloured so strongly by the fact that she's meant to be viewed as 'This Year's JY' as I keep calling her in my head. I also keep telling myself to bear in mind that the writers used her to achieve certain goals (e.g. her finding JY in Portugal was clearly an answer to his monologue about being too scared to play hide-and-seek) so some of her character was purely symbolic.

I see her as someone who felt strongly for him but knew during the second charm that he wasn't available. I don't know if she ever knew about YJ or who she was at the time, she could have just heard rumours about his relationship and how much it made his moods yo-yo etc.

After meeting him in Portugal, she took a chance on her feelings. Nothing wrong with that - she's far braver than me! And the sad part for me is that from then on I see no reason to think that she knew he was still in love with someone else or behaving half-heartedly. He ALWAYS treated her with that polite veneer, she doesn't know him to be any different. All she could do was take him at his word and actions. With his words and actions, he expressed enjoyment in their relationship, held her hand (he even initiated the threading of fingers instead of just holding palms), proposed etc. She trusted in him to be acting sincerely and had no reason to doubt until his very obvious responses to YJ.

If she had gone through the process of doubting every step, she would have been too much like past JY if not worse. I didn't see her being relieved by his proposal in that she felt like he would wander off, more like she felt like her hard work in the relationship had paid off. Plus, she just scored a super cute guy. I'd probably cry too O.o

I also try not to judge her stunt with YJ too harshly because again, JY pulled stupid jealous crap on HC as well (abusing his badge while doing so), and it's not like SE knew that YJ had lost a child (which is what made the scene look bad to me as a viewer). Not sure if she knew how long ago YJ got divorced. What SE did was tasteless, but I don't think it was evil or anything. I think she'd only just realised that his stake in their relationship was very different to hers, and this was her (stupid) human response.

Although JY went there to end things with her, I felt that SHE let HIM go because she made the choice to walk away with her head high in that moment, knowing it was over. It's like quitting before you get fired. By quitting she got to keep a little something of herself even though she'll hurt like hell for a while.

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"It was a nice big difference to him being the endless giver."

"When JY ended things with her she could have hurled countless insults at him or begged him to stay with her, but she didn't. I consider her telling him how she felt and stating that she is ending the relationship to be as graceful as possible when dealing with such pain."

"All she could do was take him at his word and actions."

"She trusted in him to be acting sincerely and had no reason to doubt until his very obvious responses to YJ"

"By quitting she got to keep a little something of herself even though she'll hurt like hell for a while."

These are what I agree on regarding SE as well. The way I viewed her character and I loved it. When they say she could have just easily walked out of the relationship when she was uncertain of his feelings, I disagree. They both lied to each other, JY lie was important for SE & JY relationship he should've disclosed that and clarified, SE lie had nothing to do with their own relationship but has shown how JY is still affected (not positively) by anything YJ. SE said sorry. JY said sorry and to never repeat (except he did). There's a difference.

And for her to walk out, was it so wrong to hold unto that trust for a little more? That he could resolve his feelings for his first love for her? I mean, they were together for 4 years. They were about to have their families meet already. When would she be able to walk out? Yes, until he backs out himself and disappoints her. Yet she accepts it and doesn't blame him, says it's all on her. That she's letting the relationship go. Damn. How unfair was all of that on her? She still took it head on like a champ and talked to her family. I'm heartbroken for her, really.

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Thanks so much for the recaps @sailorjumun! I only followed the recaps for this, as I attempted to watch the first 2-episodes but couldn't get through to the end. I think it was a nice story, quite emotionally heavy, but still nice. Maybe because I read through this, but I feel like that ending fits well with the overall tone of the story. It would have made more sense though, if the show was more explicit as to what will happen to the two leads, in terms of their relationship: friends? best friends? lovers? pen pals? It's one of those rare cases I would have appreciated a time jump...

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In my honest opinion, I loved this ending. As someone who went through the ups and downs of a relationship, I can understand the draw that a person has to their first love. Especially when the relationship didn't really have the closure necessary to move on. They both had to grow up. Also, I think that if YJ hadn't lost her daughter, they would have most likely have seen the other in the future and remember their days with fond memories, but not do anything about it.

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I had also contemplated what would have happened if they had met while YJ was still happily married. I think YJ allowed herself to establish a happy life, however, JY let his past relationship loom over him. Had he maybe seen YJ and her family in Portugal then maybe he would have probably been able to truly let go. Then, maybe, he could have dedicated a more genuine relationship to SE or anyone else for that matter. However, until he resolves those feelings for YJ he'll never be able to fully commit to another relationship.

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Esom is such a great actress. I hope she will sign up for another drama because I cannot rewatch this drama (same as SailorJumun). I think YJ has truly moved on, I don't see any lingering romantic feelings on her part towards JY. Her marriage and her daughter must have changed her. It is better for her to be alone and get over the lost of her daughter. JY should remain as a bachelor right from the get-go. This guy does not know how to cherish a girlfriend. He is always jealous (when with YJ) and take things for granted (when with SE). I blame his parents for that because his father has a very inferior character always being overpowered by his wife, not setting a good example for his children. JY is a mama's boy and better to stay this way for life. I ff all his father's scenes in ep 16, why hit the son? He should see that JY's heart is not with SE! He should have stopped his son from hurting SE's feelings. Selfish parents just wanting a nice & kind daughter-in-law to serve them when they get old or what? I don't see any third charm. This drama should have ended with the second charm. The writer is so messed up. Disappointed!

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So they meet again in the spring, twelve years after their first meeting, completely different, yet still preferring to walk a rough, uncertain path together. Intellectually, I like it. There was no other way for it to end for YJ and JY.

I have to agree with SailorJumun -- the show gave JY the story and YJ the agony. It really felt like his bildungsroman rather than theirs, and I would have much rather preferred, after watching the last scene, seeing the drama start from there, with them on the same page, moving forward together.

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I’m happy with the ending. It shows YJ and JY at a good mental and emotional place and that is great. It also concluded SJ and JR’s story arc and SH and RW’s story arc well.
I was most happy with YJ beginning to heal and live. Her visit toher past life was wonderful and we could see how much light and potential YJ had before life beat her down. YJ is a survivor and did her best every step of the way. I guess that’s why the character was very appealing to me. YJ is now slowly finding her light and spirit again. It will always be tinged with the sadness from So-ri’s and HC’s loss but it can still be peaceful and beautiful.
JY has finally begun to find himself. I finally understand JY and can empathize with him. He is someone who has always lived for others. He never asks himself what he wants and always just does what is expected. I think that is why YJ shook him up because she is what he himself wanted/liked/loved. It wasn’t because it was comfortable or expected but because he wanted it. And that explains his jealousy and pettiness and it explains his inability let go of his feelings for her. The only other thing that he did all for himself was becoming a chef. JY’s journey was to find himself and also the ability to distinguish between what he wants and what is expected of him. It appears that he is on his way of doing that. So we leave both our protagonists in a better place than when we started so I’m happy.

As for the frustrations, there were many. The lack of focus on YJ, the unnecessary focus on SE and the assassination of JY’s Dad’s character in the last episode. I know a lot of folks loved SE’s character ( and I did think she was sweet) and I can see why. SE is seemingly selfless and giving and understanding and always THERE for our hero! SE was written almost as a contrast to YJ and it was a disservice to both the women. I did not like that and I did not like that the writers focused on SE at the expense of YJ. It also looked like half way through the show the writers realized that they had made YJ unsympathetic and SE sympathetic and tried to balance the deck by heaping tragedies on YJ. It was unnecessary and as @alex8825 and many other beanies commented bad writing. That brings me to the other bad writing -JY’s Dad’s reaction in episode 16. Essentially the writers made Dad the proxy for all the viewers who think that JY should get an ass kicking for not ending up with SE. The writers did not want SE (or her family) to do the deed because SE is always supposed to be a sympathetic character so they made Dad do it which made it uncharacteristic of the character we had seen till then and the whole thing weird and uncomfortable. Again bad writing. Instead they could have just shown the mental and emotional beating that JY would anyway give himself but they waited too long and wasted too much time and had to rush the finale! I could go on but I’m going to stop now. I wasn’t mad at Dad but I was mad at the writers!

On the...

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I wrote too long a comment and got cut off!
Final thoughts:
The drama did do a great job of keeping it real. Thank you @sailorjumun for recapping and all the other beanies for participating in the discussion. It was a wonderful journey!

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I like the actor but im very disappointed with the Drama. The message has been through all the story that the more u r selfish and bad in a relationship the more u ll be loved. Joon was a big disappointment. Why to leave a woman that brought him comfort and love and respect for one that dumped him for another man with whom she was happily married till her tragedy happened. I rly dont like young jae.

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the story was more centered on Joon young's character i think. for me, it was showcased more as to how he was more in love with young jae. His naive first love, and how she was a key factor in the changes in his life. I guess, as frustrating it may be, the ending or the third charm to be precise, is more for him. For him to find himself and be happy.

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"The show spent way too much time focusing on him, his struggles, and his struggles about Young-jae. All of that was great, but it would’ve been better to see Young-jae get the same treatment. Instead, we were given more reasons to feel bad for her, which actually made me angry at times. "

Main feelings. It made me angry a lot of times towards the end. It was a case of bad writing of their characters, I swear.

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Okay, where to start with my emotions?

I know this drama was trying to be that relatable "human" drama.. but I wanted it to be that positive effect on you type of relatable, ya know? Like we're on the same situation but we gon do it right, yeah? But this was all kinds of wrong for the main characters.

First off, I rooted for Se Eun. So I watched the lat ep up until reaching that part where JY chickened out of this wedding (why he even propose if his love wasn't strong enough to fight for their relationship, I wouldn't know) and said he can't go to their families lunch. Then I skipped everything else and learned that was the last of Se Eun. I mean, what a douchebag? Where are your balls, man? Her family travelled long for this and he just went up and chickened out because of his first love? He could've pushed through and man up and talked to her family alone or something? Instead, he had let her anchor the weight of this falling out, letting her say it was on her. Letting her tell her family to just go around Seoul and go home. Letting her cry alone in her room. Is that the human part I'm supposed to relate to? NO, I wouldn't want to relate to that. He was a weak shit on that. Her good pure heart deserved so much better from him.

I didn't like the main characters writing the most. I like most of the other supporting characters, they knew what to do right by. Se Eun, it was normal what she felt when he didn't even tell her YJ was his ex. She made a mistake and she said sorry then trusted him. I can't believe they gave her that kind of ending. No justice for her and her family and her feelings.

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Young Jae
That moment when she was not feeling it anymore (and when or why or how whatever) and asked for a breakup? That was the start of the downfall of her character for me. I mean, that's when I started to wish well for JY that he meet someone good and love her and have her love him wholeheartedly (why I'd wanted Se Eun character so much to end up with him). I mean okay, it was human to feel that way okay, but in my thoughts "You better not be asking him back later on. You asked for this. You better not get help or even pity from him." And she did.

Despite getting married and having a family and a happy life after their breakup, she calls on to him when she has no one else. She had a good life and when it was not good anymore, she came dragging him back (take note that he was already on his way to his own good life). Not a fan of her character. I mean, what was she doing just talking so long with the cashier long enough for her child to step out the store? Then asking for divorce and wallowing in self pity as if she was the only one who lost a child? What about her husband/exhusband? I can't believe she had married him and had a child with him and then forget about him (did she even mention him even in the last ep I skipped it after knowing there wasn't a happy ending for Se Eun).

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Joon Young
He's been with Se Eun for 4 years (?)? His organiser is full of activities with her. He even proposed to her. Then he became a wimp. It was YJ all over his head again. He did not take reponsibility for Se Eun because he still has his heart for his ex who broke up with him then got married and had a family. He could've gotten the happy life he deserved. I mean why did he even have Se Eun's name all over his planner and proposed to her if he didn't love her enough? If he can't fight for her and their relationship? Why was his mind so fickle that he had to affect both of their families? And still he didn't take responsibility for that. Why he always need to take care of YJ when she was the one who was not considerate of him? I'm so angry of their treatment for YJ and SE's character. It was like YJ did everything wrong then in the end we had to feel sorry for her.

This drama had so much potential but had gone to different kinds of wrong for me. Se Eun being the main reason, then bad writing of characters for main leads, second.

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Different ppl have different perspective & judgement. Okay! When u do a story, u should cater to the upliftment of the viewers, but never put urself with ur own ideas or opinion. There's no redeeming values to consider abt this drama. Its a disaster. Third Charm should be a win win situation from all the struggles. That's why I stopped at episode 9, coz I could already guess the ending. They're all losers. It would have been better if they've overcome all their shortcomings & mistakes, that would be more encouraging. When we talk of love & life, its an everday learning, coz we're in a journey everday. And that's only if u really know the meaning of what's really love & life is. I'll rate this kdrama ad in (-0 ). Acting wise of Seokangjoon, very much commendable. He was able to deliver all the necessary emotion with depths. I only enjoyed episode 2-3 after his makeover, it really gave me so much laughter.

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So it's cute, however, Korea needs to glue and destroy a couple of things to destroy the viewers heart and then in the end be like ''but we wete okay in the end, just living our lifes.''
There's too much of this and as the girl was not appealing anough and frustrated me from the beginning, i guess I will skip this one for now.
Maybe one day, but for now I just need some love, stability, security and feel good rom com.
Where is a second season of Romance is a bonus book when you need it...

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I watched the drama, I liked it but I never understood the reasons for the problem in the relationship. I think the problem had to she, I think it was a toxic relationship! I liked Se-eun! His feeling was special! very valiant!🤷🏻‍♀️😒 greetings

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i dislike the YJ character. she broke up with JY twice and divorced Ho Chul and like the reasons she broke up with them is not realistic. like she can find ways to overcome those probs instead of breaking up/divorcing. she doesnt take the relationship seriously and gives up and choose to break up/divorce instead of making things work out. also JY was kinda too devoted to YJ like he was so good to her and even decorated his car boot to propose to her and yet YJ broke his heart twice its quite frustrating to watch. and JY could have just lead a happy life with SE and forgot about YJ like how she forgotten him and got married. like JY was kind of gullible and foolish in the show and puts too much trust in YJ the ending wasnt very satisfying.

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At the end , they are not together??

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Oh my gosh, this drama left me so depressed. I kept thinking that all of the characters could really do with some serious therapy. The endless make-up/break-up was so tiring and once I got to the end, sheesh! It's been a while since I've disliked a drama this much.

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I agree the ending left a sour sad feeling. Why did he break up with his fiancé then if not to give his heart you Young Jae. It was a pointless gloomy ending. I felt I wasted those hours of my life which I will never get back! Sad stupid ending for the mainx characters! Booooo!!?

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