Love this point:

Her father tells Sang-soo, “She’d rather get hurt than see others in pain.” And her colleague says, “Nothing is worth protecting at the expense of harming yourself” — and we are supposed to think that this is what Soo-young is doing. The problem is that she’s not protecting anyone and, while she may be hurting herself, she’s also hurting everyone around her.

Yes, yes, so much yes! This is exactly the problem I'm having with the writing right now. It's definitely telling us one thing, but showing (or failing to show) another. I like that Soo-young is a complicated, atypical FL, but for this drama to work, I needed the writers to make her less opaque, and/or to show more moments where we have a glimpse of her heart. That way, although her choices might still have been painful to witness, we would have better seen the tragedy of her position. Right now, I only see a woman who has no real compassion or consideration or even interest in those we're supposed to think she loves. She just makes the worst possible decisions for herself with little to no regard as to how badly they'll hurt other people. It really doesn't matter, then, if she's doing this out of insecurity or malice; the results are still the same.

Soo-young did make the right decision to take some time to figure out herself and what she wants, but I wish that she'd simply told Jeong-goo and Sang-su the truth. If they wouldn't let her go, or kept calling and stopping by, then she could have ghosted.

I'm also not quite as enamored with Mi-jeong's growth as others may be. I felt Sang-su was overly patient with her and took too much responsibility for the failure of their relationship. There were many, many times with Mi-jeong was emotionally manipulative, pushy, and selfish, including her declaration that this breakup is something she can unilaterally accept or reject regardless of what Sang-su wants. That's why I really disliked that coin flip scene. Despite the fact that the coin either fell on tails or Mi-jeong pretended it did (I really couldn't tell) I didn't appreciate the way she set up breaking up or marrying within a year as some kind of decision she, and by extension, fate, would determine. I know she thinks she loves him, but that never gave her the right to dictate all the terms of their relationship, including when or if it ends. So I'm not so confident she has really learned anything here.

I was genuinely surprised and oddly pleased that Kyung-pil did, in fact, sleep with Mi-jeong's best friend in college. That seemed more real to me, and in keeping with his character, than the idea that he or the cousin made it up completely. I don't think he's supposed to be a nice guy, and that's ok. But I still think that however you look at it, the plan he and Soo-young hatched was just dumb. I guess Kyung-pil's motivation was to make up for sleeping with Mi-jeong's best friend years ago by ruining any chance for Sang-su and Soo-young...

Soo-Young's plan was completely stupid. She did it to protect Sang-Soo, if he dated her after breaking up with Mi-Kyeong, his life would have been complicated. But it's just a theory and nobody knows what will really happen. But she was cruel and a coward with Jong-hyun. She didn't want to accept she shouldn't have dated him by pity. She never answered him his questions but asked questions instead. She didn't think her act will cause him pain to the point he will give up his dream. She didn't think about him at all. It was really unfair. If she wants to sabotage herself, it's ok, but she shouldn't hurt people in the processus. I don't understand why she's still taking advice from her father, he's really not the one to ask.

Her plan didn't work at all with Sang-Soo, he didn't give up on her, wasn't angry against her just hurt. He was still there for her.

I think it was good she left but she could talk to the bank overall. She really needs to learn to be happy and stop acting as a victim of her father's decisions.

I was happy that Mi-Kyeong finally accepted Sang-Soo's lack of feelings. A marriage between them will be bad. She said it, she wasn't sleeping well becaus she always knew he didn't like her.

I have a completely different take........ I've recently listened to how the novel depicted Soo Young and how the Novel ends it, however, This series is not about Soo Young but rather how Sang Su came to develop and understand the love that he formed for Soo Young. This series is......if you look at it....... the story is about what Sang Su goes through in understanding himself and what love means to him and what is he willing to do to achieve it. In the Novel Soo Young actually fell in love with Jong Hyun but then fell out of love with him........ The script writers haven't done that in this series. Soo Young only felt compassion for him but not Love. The writers made it a point in episode 11 to show that Soo Young fell in love with Sang Su at first sight and she even tried to get him to follow through on her signals that she wanted him....... Episode 11 when they each told each other the truth Soo Young: " Perhaps it all began because of me........I shouldn't have made it obvious, my pounding heart.........my hesitance........ Should I break up with Jong Hyun..........and my regret........ Because in the end .........I was the one who made him have second thoughts" ......... Soo Young knows what she has made Sang Su go through........episode 14 the main focus of the breakup was directed at Jong Hyun because he was attached to her......... As far as Sang Su she was trying to save him from himself and from her since she can't give him the same love he wants to give her. Episodes 15 and 16 have been kept under wraps without previews because then everyone will know where the writers are headed. Like I said this series is about Sang Su.........even in the promotion poster they have a picture of Sang Su on top and a picture of Soo Young on the bottom........ The caption in the middle " Can You handle all of this for the sake of love and love alone".......... Soo Young's love for Sang Su in her own words : I love him for no reason, even though I have feelings for him, I can't tell the truth because I understand why he is hesitating......... so I have no right to be honest about how I feel..........No Mather how hard I tried, I was stuck in my position and Couldn't go far.......... Soo Young's actions in episode 14 is the only way she knows to show Sang Su that she loves him to much to hurt him because she doesn't know what love really is and he deserves much better than what she is at the moment. She was visibly irritated and confused that Sang Su didn't believe that she slept with Kyung Pil.

Soo Young: Why are you following me........ and why are you smiling........ Why won't you ask me anything?......... I know your curious........ I know you're angry and that you depise me..........Everyone's bad mouthing me and wants answers.......... but why aren't you the least bit curious? ......... How could you be so indifferent?

This is were the series shifts away from the Novel......Sang Su has come to realize that his love for...

This is were the series shiftaway from the Novel......Sang Su has come to realize that his love for Soo Young is unconditional, something Soo Young doesn't know yet. Unconditional love is not based on anything in particular ........ It's not dependent on what the other person does or doesn't do. It is simply there and always present. As difficult as it is to understand, because most peoples views of love is conditional. However, when we let go of our need for conditions and simply accept love for what it is, we can begin to experience true intimacy and connections.......when we can give and receive love unconditionally, it may even heal old wounds and help us move forward in our lives.

Soo Young needs Sang Su to heal herselfand learn to love unconditionally........ that is why I believe this series will not end like the novel....... Sang Su will show Soo Young how to love herself so that she can love him the way he has always wanted. I believe they will get married. We may get two episodes on how to love........ wouldn't that be something?

This series though at times painful to watch shows that love isn't simple......... it takes two people to work, share, and understand themselves before they ever say the words " I Love You"

I have a favorite quote from writer /Artist Kahlil Gibran that summarizes this series and the message that it wants to convey

No Human relation gives one possession in another
Every Two Souls are absolute different.
In Friendship or in Love, the two side by side
Raise hands together to find what one
Cannot reach alone.

To understand Soo Young and why she did what she did........ she has been an island unto herself......... she has been a loner, she has been told no matter how hard she tries she can't go any farther than she is..

Love has been meaningless .........the one person that loved her the most died and she still doesn't know why. Enter Sang Su, her eyes love him immediately, but she can't say how she feels....... Mi Kyung enters the picture and claims him....... further solidifying her position that love can't be hers. Enter Jong Hyun...... kind and considerate, but falls apart at failure....... takes and keeps taking. She can't do it by herself.........she needs Sang Su to get her out of the mental block she's formed.

Soo Young did Jong Hyun dirty. I care less about how she treated Sang Su, mostly because she rejected him several times, directly and indirectly. She should have just been honest, but that is the theme of the drama, miscommunication. I literally cheered when I realized she left. The men needed that, but she needed it more. She was toxic and so were they. She was so used to being dumped on that she just started taking toxicity in and simple not caring about things, which led to these terrible outcomes. So I am happy she got away and I hope if they must meet, it is some years later.

Sang Soo was the absolute highlight this week. He poured out his emotions and it hurt him, but it was cathartic. How he admitted his wrongdoing to Mi Kyung was such a poignant scene. She was speechless.

I was exasperated with the second leads' screentime especially Mi Kyung's whole bit with the coin and two options: break up or get married. That was pointless! Sang Soo already broke up with her before this. She flipped the coin and it was tails (get married), but she said break up out loud. It annoyed me that she wanted some little control left at the end of their relationship. At least she's accepting and moving on.

Sang Soo looked so freaking hot when he grabbed that jerk's collar and shoved him. Then he made me super giddy when he gifted Soo Young a plant for her veranda!

Part of me hopes there is no time skip, but it may be the right move for this story. I wish Soo Young had communicated to Sang Soo better before ghosting him though. They both need time to heal and take care of themselves before getting together. I agree that we need to learn more of her inner thoughts.

I'm biased, but Soo Young isn't irredeemable. She needs therapy. Her parents need to tell the truth. I still don't think her father cheated.

Feeling a bit sad that this show is almost over. I did not know this drama was based on a novel~ Avoiding spoilers. Hoping this drama ends well.

@dramaddictally this was a powerful review and recap and perfectly encapsulates my feelings at the end of episode 14 (and I’m glad you gave us your thoughts and not just a summary of the plot. :))
There is so much I like about this drama. The complex relationships between all the different people within the confines of this one bank office is skillfully drawn and intriguing. The effect of money and social status on people’s lives is also well done. That short scene where Mi-kyung’s father calls Sangsoo to come over with some papers on a weekend while he is playing virtual golf, just to ask when they will move in together and to tell him that he can support his career and get him the promotion he has been seeking- that just perfectly depicted the arrogance and bullying of the uber-rich. Mi-kyung has at least grown enough recognize how insulting her father’s behavior is and tells him not to bother Sang-soo anymore (while also protecting him from any work repercussions for breaking up with her).
Sang-soo’s growth as a person is also well depicted, by both the writers and actor. From someone who was hesitant and unsure of whether to follow social expectations or his feelings (and who was even unsure of what his feelings were), he delved deep into himself, knew that he loved Soo-young regardless of the effect that would have on his career, and tried as compassionately as he could to extricate himself from his relationship with Mi-Kyung. (And Mi-Kyung, knowing that he is soft-hearted, curses him by hoping that he will always feel bad when hearing her name or seeing a 500 won coin.)
And Soo-young? She decides on the most destructive, hurtful, irrevocable act she can think of to break up with Jong-hyun which also coincidentally will snuff out (or at least test) the romantic embers between her and Sang-soo. Did she fear that if she just told Jong-hyun she wanted to break up he would pressure her to stay and she wouldn’t be able to go through with it? Didn’t she realize that in that small office this would be bound to come out and she would be slut-shamed? Is she leaving without a trace because she’s truly following her own wishes and desires, or because she can’t handle the destruction she’s caused to herself and others around her and needs to escape? Did Sang-soo overstep her boundaries by following her home every night and leaving a plant in her veranda after she had just removed traces of Jong-hyun? Who knows? MKY’s acting of Soo-young is beautifully done and nuanced but even she can’t convey what’s not in the script. I really hope we get some explanation of Soo-young’s actions and that she turns into a real human character in the last two episodes, and that we are not just left with the other characters dealing with and resolving the force of nature that hit them.

My heart!
So much pain this week. And Sang Soo’s tears was so real, I felt his pain.
YYS acting this week was 💙.

At this point I think it’s good Soo Young left. Yeah, she burnt a village before she left, but I hope she finds some peace and self love.
She ain’t finding any love until she learns to love herself.

'If anyone is looking for a dissertation topic, this show’s got a lot to analyze' Does it what!!? Thanks @dramaddictally, another two episodes that have put me through the ringer.
I hope, as mentioned, that we get better insight into why the FL acts as she does. There was a malicious edge to her actions that felt like revenge and she is difficult to empathise with at the moment.
I loved the MLs development in these episodes, he's no holds barred in his devotion at this stage.
I like that I'm unsure of how this drama will be concluded, but I hope it will make sense!

Aww... the pangs again. I just couldn't help but cry this week. Here goes my dissertation in why Soo-young did what she did.
How I understand these episodes is that Soo-young was out for revenge. She was aiming for max impact of her "irrevocable" reason. I think the trigger was when her motherly co-worker reminded her that the nasty Manager Kim who uploaded the video was going to be her new co-worker. She was probably at her breaking point than indicated by her snarky interview. That was sign of her lashing out.

With Jong-hyun, she probably intended to hurt him for a good reason. When you are a giver, no matter how graciously you do it, you'd want a response to fill your cup back so you can keep giving. Soo-young probably wanted him to give back not in a financial sense, but in a practical manner like thanking her and getting out of his headspace of inferiority. However, Jong-hyun, tried as he may, just never owned up to the fact that he did fail, and his circumstances sucked and that her support was helpful. He just kept repeating that he should be providing for her because he's the man in the relationship and continued on "woe is me" attitude- that can get tiring sometimes. They never talked about what wasn't working in their relationship, all that pent up feeling turned to resentment. So, she probably intended to hurt him, just like a bomb exploding.

Oooh, that's a lot, and I don't even know if I'm making sense!

Many people said SY is selfish and psychotic to have invented the cheating saga and now take off without notice. But I can understand why she does so (maybe because I'm also psychotic like her, haha).

She does not want SS to pursue her RIGHT AFTER his breakup with PMG. It will be too obvious to everyone that he dumps PMG for her. This will piss off PMG's father, cause gossips everywhere in the bank, and negatively impact SS's reputation and future career prospects (as Gueng-Pill and other colleagues have warned SS). So even if SS has broken up with PMG, SY wants SS to stay away from her, at least for a period of time. She thought the cheating bombshell would make him stay away from her but it didn't. So now the only way left is to completely disappear from his life. Although SS claims he can deal with whatever comes their way (after breaking up with PMG and starting a new relationship with her), she's afraid he will regret once the aftermaths kick in.

My prediction is that SY will not actually go back to her hometown with her parents. She may remain in Seoul and try to reinvent herself by going back to uni and pursue an art degree. The only thing that puts SS and SY in different social classes is really just her lack of uni degree I feel. I have been wondering since Ep 1 why, given all the sh*t she got in her work life and love life due to her lack of uni education, why doesn't she just go back to uni, get a degree and then resume her work and love ambitions. After a few years of working at the bank, surely she got some money saved up to focus on study. She can also take a part-time job to support her study.

The story may leap a few years. At that time SS is still single, waiting for SY to return to him. SY has started a career in art. She will then look for SS. It will be ok for her to start a relationship with him then, because it has been a few years since his breakup with PMG, so nobody can blame his cheating or her being the 3rd-wheel for the breakup. She and SS will also be in the same social class, now that she has a uni degree. It will be what she dreamed of (in her conversation to SS after their kiss): to leave the bank one day and just hold SS's hands.

The most frustrating female lead ever.
Isn't this how people who take love for granted look like? Never been at the other end of the spectrum eh? Someone said too much love bring you bad karma. Hah

Whatever Soo-young's reasoning was, nothing beats just straight out honesty. Just telling your truth as openly and simply as you can is pretty powerful as evidenced by Sang-soo's conversation with Mi-kyung. I find Soo-young tiresome and I hope she stays gone.

This was the recap I've been most looking forward to, because 1) what a ride and 2) as @Dramaddictally said, the characters are worth a dissertation. Thank you beanies for rising up to the challenge! Love reading the perspectives.

I felt echoes of Strangers Again when SY used her fake cheating to break up with the men in her life. And just like the other workplace drama, I felt the means in no, no way justified the end. And then after finally letting SS in her life, SY just ups and leaves without any explanation. It's just cold, really cold. She definitely needs time to heal/work on finding her happiness but given how cruel she can be, I just don't know if I want SS to end up with her. I get why SY has been played flat by the actress (until now) and written opaquely by the writers. But I think they've leaned too far so her character has become more frustrating than interesting.

I predict our leads will meet after a time skip. But whether they get-together, leave us with an open ending, or find it's too late for them, I don't know. A HEA will be hard to swallow after SY's actions, as desperately as we want it for poor SS. I suspect the last is the least likely because it's too realistic. People move on, but not in drama world. The open ending might be a good compromise, but let's see.

Also, did they deliberately have JH call SY a bitch, as SS had done at the beginning of the drama? Is it too demonstrate a change in SS because her behavior was way worse now but his love has become unconditional?

I don't know if TIoL is YYK's best drama or best character, but damn he's performing heartbreak brilliantly. I was suffering right along with him by the end. We should have waited till the end of this drama for the votes on the best YYK performance.
https://www.dramabeans.com/2023/02/you-can-only-pick-one-yoo-yeon-seok-drama/

Over the past few weeks, I thought of Mi-kyeong as a manipulative and selfish person who would do anything t get her way. But this week she got her redemption arc and I am glad she broke up with Sang-soo. I really want her to find happiness again. Be it with Kyung-pil or whoever.

As for Jong-hyun, he got hurt in the worst way ever and I can't buy the idea of Soo-young doing this to protect him since the result is the utter opposite. He is now hurt and lost, perhaps more than before. I hope he can move on and pass the police exam.

The one who takes the cake is Soo-young. Am I supposed to sympathize with her? Sorry, I am not into self-sabotaging and doing myself harm under any pretext. After doing all of this for a transfer, she hands in her resignation and goes off the grid really.
And if you don't want to be in a relationship with Sang-soo, why meet with him in the restaurant and give him hope?
Also, the whole fake affair thing is cruel to everyone involved. I hate stupidity and Soo-young is the epitome of that.

Last but not least, I wasn't fond of Sang-soo at first but he atoned for his hesitation moment for more than enough. Now all I want for him is to move on. An ending with the leads getting together isn't a happy one for me.

I’ve never seen a kdrama where both the main and secondary leads were this emotionally stunted. What are the chances irl of finding 4 people who are that broken and damaged in one small branch of a bank?

I’ve tried to, but I have not enjoyed this show as I’d hoped because of the constant inexplicable actions of the characters. And even though they dangled hope in front of us every week, we got zero relief.

Soo-young is the absolute worst. We’ve all been trying to second guess her motivations for the destructive and brutal tactics she continues to use. If she’s this fractured now, how well does that bode for her future self?

Also, how many men irl would truly hang on and on to an unrequited love the way they portrayed Sang-soo? He was made miserable in every episode. Add in the horribly selfish and spoiled Mi-kyung, and the cavalier, surprisingly superficial Kyung-Pil and you’ve got a cast of characters I hope to never see together again. Yes, there are sad, complicated love stories out there and we’ve all seen our share, but this was billed as a romance. And that begs the question, did anybody see ANY real romance in the last 14 episodes?

No matter what explanations we may or may not get in the last 2 episodes, I will no longer hope for a redemptive arc from anyone in this group. I, for one, will be happy when this gloomy, joyless story ends.

I don’t remember seeing one genuine smile of happiness all these weeks. It’s pathetic that I even have to question that. I really thought this was going to be a realistic portrayal of life’s ups and downs regarding finding love.

Watching from a parent's perspective, showing your children how to love is absolutely key. Our characters here are just reiterating their way of showing love the way they were raised.
Sang-soo: He might be considered the "normal" one of all the leads simply because he and his mum has what we label as "healthy relationship". He, however, cares not to overburden his mum knowing that his mum has had a lot of her plate being a single mum. And that is probably why he over calculates his action because that's how he managed to be the honour student in high school without letting his mum worries too much. His way of control is that he needs to figure a solution out before he could take any form of action.
Mi-kyung: Well, her dad shows love through money. She was brought up in a condition where having control is important and money is the avenue to power and then power.
Soo-young: Typically Korean, this family lived on "nunchi", non-verbal communication based on the awareness of your surrounding and social cues. It did seem that her mum just sacrificed herself for the sake of her children as her form of love, not much word of affirmation or allowance for any conversation on any hard topic. The only person she was truly open with her feelings was her late brother. With him gone, she was left to grieve on her own as her parents weren't open about what really happen. Sacrificing herself to whatever extend is her way of controlling the situation, however stupid it may be.
Jong-hyun: He was probably brought up in a deeply patriarchal family, not uncommon in his world. In his quest to be successful in his life, he was not given much to lead with beyond any patriarchal ideas. That's his way of controlling his life.

Great work here, @Dramaddictally ! I find myself in agreement with you. By the time you read this, you will have probably seen the final two episodes. I hope they do not prevent you from sharing your thoughts with us.

I think it’s time I thanked Dramaddictally for the recaps. This one was especially superb. Your analysis that the drama was trying to paint her as a martyr but she was … hurting everyone around her— hits the nail on the head. I too have lost sympathy for her, though the actress made me pull for her early on.