It Gave Us Soft Romance, Political Chaos, And One of the Most Beautiful Endings I Didn’t Know I Needed

TV Drama Name: Snowdrop

Where To Watch: Disney+ ← *Click for direct link*

Average Rating: 8.4/10 (My Drama List)

My Rating: 10/10

One Sentence Description: Snowdrop is what happens when forbidden love, espionage, and emotional trauma link arms and jump you in the dorm hallway.

Trailer:

---

Disclaimer: This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕

---

Just a quick heads-up: Snowdrop did face backlash in South Korea for its portrayal of sensitive historical themes, particularly its connection to the 1987 pro-democracy movement. Some viewers felt the story blurred lines between fiction and real events in a way that could be harmful. That said, my review is purely focused on the drama as a show — the plot, characters, and performances — and isn’t meant to dismiss or ignore the deeper issues tied to its backdrop. Just here to talk K-dramas, not stir the pot! 🤝

---

*Just want the review (no description)? Click here!*

Description

“Snowdrop” tells the story of a girl who unknowingly falls in love with the enemy. He holds her hostage, but in true K-drama fashion, ends up falling for her too — so much so that he’s ready to betray his country for her.

The story kicks off in 1987 at Hosu Women’s University. We meet our main protagonist, Eun Yeong Ro, sprinting down the halls to catch a phone call she really hopes is from someone special. She makes it there a little too late, but thanks to her friendship with the dorm’s phone desk operator, Kye Bun Ok, she gets to answer it anyway. Whether this feels “meant to be” or just slightly disappointing… The call ends up being from her grandma.

Meanwhile, across town, Nam Tae Il and Eun Chang Su — two high-ranking figures in the ruling Aemin Party — are hatching a plan. Their genius idea? Kidnap “the brains” of the opposition party, Professor Han I Seop, and frame the opposition as being backed by North Korea. Because, of course, that’s a huge political no-no.

We cut to the ANSP headquarters, where we hear about Taedong River 1, a legendary North Korean spy. Enter Lee Gang Mu (a.k.a. Black Tiger) and Jung Ha Na — a fiery female agent who seems to have some serious history with Gang Mu. How do I know? Let’s just say she greets him by glaring daggers and firing a bullet his way. Despite that intense intro, she forces herself onto his team.

Elsewhere, we meet Im Soo Ho and Oh Gwang Tae enjoying a rooftop barbecue. It feels random now, but trust me — this will be important later.

Back at the university, Yeong Ro has to pull off a mildly chaotic climb up the school building to avoid being caught out after roll call. Her friendship with the sweet school caretaker, Kim Man Dong, also becomes apparent during this mini mishap. Just another day in the life!

Fast forward to Yeong Ro getting a phone call from Gwang Tae (remember him?) who introduces himself and sets up a group date. Two other girls from her dorm room and Bun Ok are onboard, and Soo Ho gets roped into being the fourth guy. Fast forward to the actual date, and it’s just as endearing as you’d hope. Soo Ho and Yeong Ro share a cute moment trying to catch a collapsing tower of matchsticks, and you can feel the spark.

Months pass, and we return to Tae Il and Chang Su, who are now signing a contract with North Korean officials. This deal involves a massive sum of money that needs to be delivered within 24 hours. Trust me — they are more relevant than they seem. Just wait.

Meanwhile, Gang Mu and Ha Na start connecting the dots and realize that Soo Ho is most likely Taedong River 1. Ha Na uncovers that Soo Ho was never a Berlin University student (despite his claims) and has been suspiciously hanging around Professor Han (yep, same professor from earlier). Later that night, Soo Ho and his team manage to kidnap Professor Han. But before they can catch their breath, another car crashes into Soo Ho’s vehicle, forcing him to flee. With Gang Mu and his crew in hot pursuit, Soo Ho runs into the forest. Even after being shot, he makes it back to the Hosu Dorms, collapsing in room 207 — Yeong Ru’s room.

Cue chaos. Gang Mu and his team catch on and enter the dorms, determined to capture him. But the headmistress, Ms. Pi — in true don’t mess with me fashion — refuses to let them in without a warrant. Meanwhile, Yeong Ro (blissfully unaware of what’s happening) enters her room and sees Soo Ho bleeding out on the floor. Assuming he’s there for the same reason her brother was arrested — for protesting — she decides to help him.

Eventually, we learn that the whole North Korean spies kidnapping the professor fiasco was actually Tae Il and Chang Su’s idea — a political stunt gone completely sideways. The next day, Yeong Ro and her roommates decide to move Soo Ho to an abandoned attic on the fourth floor. Sweet Man Dong, the caretaker, agrees to help. For the next few weeks (maybe months? time is fuzzy here), Soo Ho hides out with Yeong Ro tending to his wounds, smuggling him snacks, and being an undercover nurse/girlfriend. But this can’t last forever — they agree that once the school opens to the public, he’ll leave.

The day arrives. They make it through a school event and just before saying goodbye, Soo Ho leaves her with his pigeon necklace — a gift from his sister. It’s quiet, emotional, and says way more than words.

Meanwhile, the backstory tea is spilling: turns out Ha Na and Gang Mu were engaged, and he just randomly called off the wedding and ghosted her?? Oof. And Kye Bun Ok, the phone receptionist? We get more of her too. She’s the younger sister of a known communist, and Ms. Pi protects her out of loyalty to Bun Ok’s sister — her old bestie. When Ms. Pi finds out the 207 girls helped hide a spy, Yeong Ro takes the fall and gets kicked out of school.

Things escalate quickly as Soo Ho kidnaps the professor again, claiming his son is stuck in North Korea and needs to be rescued. The professor agrees, and Soo Ho schedules their departure. To prep, Soo Ho heads to Mount Ogong (behind the university) to retrieve weapons and money. On his way down, he spots the ANSP closing in on him and flees, eventually stumbling across a hut with a secret passage leading straight into the dorms.

Inside the dorms, the girls throw a goodbye party for Yeong Ro.

And then — chaos.

Soo Ho bursts into the dorms, with the ANSP right on his heels. Gunfire breaks out. Yeong Ro, poor thing, just walks into the hallway in the middle of it all. Their eyes meet — a soft second of recognition — before Soo Ho grabs her and holds her at gunpoint, attempting to bargain for his escape. Though Yeong Ro is unharmed, chaos erupts — Gang Mu gets shot in the shoulder, Soo Ho’s comrade Joo is injured, and the dorm is left in shambles.

Soo Ho isn’t playing around — he threatens to blow himself and Yeong Ro up if the agents don’t leave. Ha Na tries to argue when Gang Mu is forced to stay behind, but in the end, the agents comply.

Meanwhile, Soo Ho and his crew boobytrap every entrance and exit. Everyone else gets herded into the cafeteria, while a few girls are positioned in front of the windows as human shields so the ANSP can’t fire their way in.

Outside, the military sets up a tent command center, and Chang Su finally hears about the hostage situation. Turns out his daughter is Yeong Ru and he’s so focused on protecting her that he stalls — doing nothing while tensions rise. Inside, Yeong Ro realizes the spy she helped was, well, a spy, and ends up taking the blame for everything. Communication gets established between Soo Ho and the ANSP via a field phone, and Soo Ho & Co manage to strike a deal with Chang Su to flee the country. But just as the plan gets underway, the professor is killed during the boat transfer. The professor’s death flips everything. The new plan? Eliminate all the North Korean spies. Chang Su informs Soo Ho about the professor’s death and warns him of the plan to kill his comrades. Soo Ho, in response, doubles down on his threat — he’s ready to blow himself and the hostages up if needed. Okay, dude. Sure.

Comrade Joo is all for a dramatic death, believing it’s the most honorable way for them and the hostages to go out. But Soo Ho isn’t ready to give up yet — he’s determined to salvage their doomed mission (in other words, his threat was just him bluffing). In a tense exchange, Joo tells Soo Ho that if he senses any ideological shift, he’s supposed to kill him. Friendly, right?

And let’s not forget Ms. Pi, who is acting way too suspicious — sneaking around with walkie-talkies and hanging out in secret rooms. (We’ll get to her later.) Outside, they need a doctor, but time’s ticking. Enter Chung Ya — Tae Il’s mistress and a doctor — who gets sent inside the dorms to “help.” Except her real mission? Kill the hostages. Casual. Once inside, it’s clear Soo Ho knows her — but how? Things start to unravel when Chung Ya discreetly tells Soo Ho the building is wiretapped. At the same time, Ms. Pi’s shady history with the ANSP comes to light. She’s been forced to report school happenings to the chief after being tortured by the ANSP for being a “potential” North Korean sympathizer (it wasn’t true- poor Ms. Pi).

Later, everything clicks. After Comrade Joo catches Chung Ya hiding a gun and roughs her up, we learn it was all part of her undercover act. She’s not just some mistress — she’s Moran Hill 1, an elite spy with a reputation. She’s basically a legend.

Meanwhile, things take another gut-wrenching turn when Yeong Ro’s brother dies in the boat shootout alongside the professor. Could it get worse? Yes. Remember Soo Ho’s pigeon necklace? It’s a bigger deal than we thought. It’s revealed that Chung Ya met Soo Ho during a grueling training session (possibly spy school?), where they had to walk for miles in freezing cold temperatures. Soo Ho saved her life, and she noticed his necklace. As they were about to part ways, Chung Ya asked to buy it from him, but Soo Ho refused, saying it meant more to him than his life. Chill, Soo Ho. But also he gave it to Yeong Ru so easily?!

Back to the outside mess: the ANSP lie about how many spies are inside. So, Tae Il decides no one’s getting out alive. Meanwhile, Gang Mu, who managed to escape through a secret tunnel, spots a SWAT team lying in wait — and they shoot at him to force him back inside! That’s when it clicks. Gang Mu realizes this is bigger than a spy hunt — they’re all being set up.

He finds Soo Ho and lays it all out: the Aemin Party (which has ties to the North) plans to kill everyone — spies and hostages — in a twisted political stunt to sway voters during the upcoming election… which is now just 9 days away. Soo Ho doesn’t believe him. He still trusts the Party’s plan.

Oh, honey…

Tae Il admits his plan to kill all the hostages but promises Chang Su that Yeong Ro will be spared. Inside, Gang Mu, Ms. Pi, and Yeong Ro hatch an escape plan. They lock Chung Ya on the fourth floor, knock out one of the spies, steal a gun, and make a break for the entrance. Freedom is so close! But, of course, Chung Ya escapes and shows up just in time — with the detonator. She’s not messing around. When a hostage tries to leave despite her warnings, she presses the button and blows up the dorm.

The end!

Just kidding. Turns out the bombs were mostly in the cafeteria, so no one at the entrance gets hurt. Well, except for one of Soo Ho’s comrades — the one who got knocked out. He’s badly injured but survives. Everyone is sent to the lobby, where Chung Ya, now fully exposed as Moran Hill 1, takes charge. We also learn that Soo Ho’s father is a high-ranking official in the North Korean Party and is willing to sacrifice his son for the greater cause (read: money).

When word comes back from North Korea, the order is clear: kill all the hostages to protect Chung Ya’s identity. Soo Ho is done. He fully switches sides, ties up his “comrades,” and starts helping Gang Mu and the others for real. But of course, drama. Bun Ok, now drunk on power and promised money + a gun, switches to the North Korean side and starts helping manage the hostages. She catches on to Soo Ho’s betrayal and holds Yeong Ro at gunpoint. Just when it seems like all is lost, Ms. Pi steps in like the true OG she is. She calls Bun Ok out — reminding her of her sister’s brutal death for being seen as a North Korean sympathizer — and dares her to shoot. Bun Ok does. Except… the gun was never loaded. Bun Ok was never truly trusted. RIP Ms. Pi… emotionally, at least. Because ouch.

Soo Ho, now realizing he’s just been a pawn, finally lets his walls down. Yeong Ro forgives him and takes him up to the fourth floor (cue déjà vu) for coffee and emotional healing. They share a few sweet memories and then — yes — they kiss. We love growth. We love redemption. We love mess.

Outside, Tae Il and Chang Su realize Soo Ho has betrayed the North. They agree to rescue Yeong Ro but kill everyone else. Surprisingly, Chung Ya decides to help Soo Ho and Gang Mu, clearly not wanting the hostages — or herself — to die.

In a final emotional showdown, Yeong Ro meets her father and begs him not to rescue just her. He pretends to agree but tries to grab her. She escapes just in time to shield Soo Ho from gunfire. Chang Su orders the shooting to stop, but Tae Il, watching from the sidelines, shoots Chang Su instead. Ooo, the tea!

Tae Il, now fully unhinged and high on delusion, storms the dorm himself. Not because he’s brave or noble — but because he’s trying to save Chung Ya, his mistress, whom he’s in love with (He still doesn’t know she’s a literal spy). Soo Ho and co. clock this and immediately turn the situation to their advantage: they threaten to blow Chung Ya up if Tae Il doesn’t back off. It works. He leaves, tail tucked. But there’s no celebration — just the grim realization that they still don’t have a plan.

Once again, Chung Ya steps up and agrees to go intercept the money to buy them more time. Gang Mu, being Gang Mu, doesn’t trust her and tells Ha Na to arrest Chung Ya at the airport, grab the money, and return to the dorm to arrest Soo Ho too. Um, betrayal much?

The tension ramps up to its peak. Midnight looms, and the dorm — with all the girls — is set to blow up. Soo Ho and Gang Mu are at odds after the betrayal, and Chung Ya is their last shot at survival. But when she realizes Gang Mu’s plan, radio silence ensues. Soo Ho is left hoping and praying she comes through because he’s stuck with an impossible ultimatum: blow himself and the dorm up by midnight, or his sister in North Korea will be killed.

Chung Ya comes through (again!!) — she intercepts the money and promises to return. Meanwhile, Bun Ok, still committed to being everyone’s worst problem, snitches to the chief about Chung Ya’s true identity. The chief, An Gyeong Hui? THRILLED. Especially when he finds out about her affair with Tae Il. Tae Il, meanwhile, finds out the hostages know about the election scheme and is ordered to kill them immediately. Not to be outdone, Bun Ok starts working with the ANSP and leaks the plan to help the hostages escape — which only fuels the ANSP’s eagerness to blow up the school. Just when it seems like all hope is lost, Chung Ya makes her grand return and saves the day. Cue slow clap.

With the extra time, Chang Su (finally healed) agrees to help the hostages and spies escape safely. Chung Ya, now loaded with cash, plans for all the spies to stow away on a boat and even offers Soo Ho a chance to access the money she stole. Bittersweet goodbyes are exchanged, and it seems like everything’s ending on a hopeful note — until the caretaker, sweet ol’ Man Dong, is revealed to be a North Korean loyalist spy. Not the house dad!! He’s tasked with killing Soo Ho and his comrades and dragging Chung Ya back to the North. But by the time they find out, it’s too late — everyone’s already left.

Comrade Joo and Comrade Eung Chul, the first to arrive at the meet-up point, talk about their dreams and plans for the future. It’s actually sweet. It’s soft. It’s suspiciously too soft.

And just like that — BANG. BANG.
They’re both killed on the spot by Man Dong.

I am unwell.

Now, Tae Il launches a new plan: frame Yeong Ro for aiding the spies and promise to kill them by day’s end. Soo Ho, realizing the stakes, has no choice but to say goodbye to Chung Ya and head back to the dorm — a move that’s essentially a death sentence.

Meanwhile, Chang Su wants to save the hostages, but the chief, Gyeong Hui, refuses. His order? Shoot anyone who steps outside the dorm. And with that, the tension hits a boiling point.

The final showdown begins. The SWAT team storms the school, searching for the hostages, as Yeong Ro and the others race toward the secret exit where Chang Su has arranged buses to pick them up. But in true K-drama heroine fashion, Yeong Ro can’t leave without tending to the injured dorm cook (because of course she can’t). That’s when she sees Soo Ho. He’s in the building. Still alive. Still hers. She’s dragged away but barely makes it ten steps before turning around and running back to him. Because what is self-preservation when love is on the line?

With bullets flying, Yeong Ro helps Soo Ho to the attic (cue déjà vu) to shield him from the trigger-happy SWAT team. And as the SWAT closes in, Soo Ho — our king of heartbreak — pulls one final move. He calls Tae Il and gives up the bank account number to the stolen money. But not before telling him that only Yeong Ro knows the password. If she dies, so does his precious payday.

It’s a trap. It’s protection. It’s love.

But the SWAT doesn’t care. They break in. Guns drawn. Soo Ho throws himself in front of Yeong Ro — shielding her with his body. He’s shot. Repeatedly. But still manages to give her the cassette before going limp in her arms.

He dies.
In the attic.
With her.
Just like we feared.
But more beautifully than we could’ve imagined.

Aftermath:

Time skips. The world moves on.

Tae Il and Chang Su get arrested for their part in this. Gang Mu and Ha Na (finally!) leave and get together. Ms. Pi and Bun Ok are still working in the dorm like none of this madness happened (??). Everything seems normal again.

But Yeong Ro? She’s frozen in time.

She goes back to the little café where she first met Soo Ho. She presses play on the cassette. His voice, soft and broken, spills out through the speaker.

He talks about how happy he was to meet her.
How much she changed his life.
And finally,
“I love you.”

Cue emotional devastation.

Bonus Epilogue (aka the part that finished me off):

During the hostage situation, Soo Ho and Yeong Ro have a conversation about what could’ve been if they’d met as ordinary people. Soo Ho imagines himself singing at a café with her in the audience, smiling at him. Fast forward to the final episode’s epilogue, we’re taken to an alternate reality. A soft daydream of “what could’ve been.” Yeong Ro is sitting in a café. Soo Ho is there, singing — just like he said he would be. She smiles. He smiles back. There’s peace. There’s love. There’s the life they should’ve had if only the world had been kinder.

And with that…

The End

---

The Review

The Good

Plotline Perfection (aka Genre Soup That Actually Worked)

This drama was so good for me. I loved how it blended so many genres — and actually did it well. Usually when a show tries to juggle too many genres, it ends up being a hot mess. But not this one. It had romance, action, suspense, some unexpected comedy, and a little something-something else I can’t even label.

The plot twists? Chef’s kiss. That final twist where sweet ol’ Man Dong turned out to be a spy and killed the other spies?? Absolutely unhinged — I was gagged. Who would’ve thought freedom was right there, and they missed it because of the house dad?!

Sure, it had its slow moments, but once it picked up? It kept the momentum. And let’s not ignore how naturally the romance was woven in. It didn’t feel forced or overly dramatic — it was just enough to get us hooked and keep the emotional stakes high.

Jisoo’s Acting Debut = Slay

I was genuinely surprised by how good Jisoo was in this — especially for her first acting role. There were some incredible, well-known actors in the cast, so the fact that she held her own? Big respect.

That said… I do think there were moments where it felt like Hae In had to work overtime to make their chemistry feel believable. And let’s be real — that kiss? It was more like two lips shaking hands. But I get it — first drama, nerves, the whole thing. So I’ll allow it.

Overall, she did really well. Her performance didn’t break the immersion, and that’s all I ask. Nothing worse than bad acting ruining an otherwise amazing show, and thankfully, that did not happen here.

The Romance: Chaotic, But Cute

I absolutely adored Soo Ho and Yeong Ru’s little love story. It was sweet, it was soft, and it gave me the breather I needed in between hostage scenes and chaos.

Was it awkward at times? Yes. But in a way that felt real. I appreciated that their relationship didn’t take over the entire plot or make him act completely out of pocket. He gave her special treatment, sure, but it was subtle. He didn’t lose all his brain cells for love — and that alone puts him miles ahead of some other male leads I’ve seen.

You know the ones. The ones who’d let her take long bubble baths and do spa days in the middle of a hostage crisis. Thankfully, this wasn’t that type of romance. Soo Ho stayed focused and in love. Balance. We love to see it.

The Ending (A Beautiful Tragedy)

That ending… whew. Of course I wanted them to end up together, or at the very least have him survive. But honestly? I’m not mad at how it played out. It was beautifully done and, more importantly, believable.

I’m so glad they didn’t go the unrealistic route where he jumps out the window, dodges bullets, and somehow lives. His death actually meant something. It hit hard — in the best way.

But what really got me was that final epilogue. The callback to their “what if we met under normal circumstances” convo? I was done. 끝났어요. That scene of him singing while she smiled at him? Ugh. RIP me.

Bun Ok: Annoying But It’s Understandable

As annoying as Bun Ok was, I get her. You already know I love digging into the deeper layers, and her story really stood out. Everything she did was out of desperation — her sister was dead, her family was broken, and she just wanted to survive.

Yes, she caused chaos. Yes, she was exhausting. Yes, she was a massive inconvenience to everyone. But her actions made sense. She was trying to escape a painful life and get even a little bit of control back. I can’t even hate her for it.

Also, can we talk about the quiet little thing she had going on with Comrade Joo? The unspoken understanding? The subtle stares? That moment of eye contact before everything went down? Chef’s kiss part two. I loved the way he was a little gentler with her. The softness was unexpected but very welcome. Sometimes it’s the things left unsaid that hit the hardest.

The Bad

Slow-Motion Start-Up

Look, I know dramas need a setup. I get it. But this one took its sweet time getting to the good stuff. Sure, once it took off, it soared, but the first few episodes were so slow — like, mind-wandering, phone-scrolling, “should I be watching something else?” kind of slow.

Sure, there were some cute moments sprinkled in, but overall, I was bored out of my mind. I wasn’t even fully following the plot until I started reading episode reviews — that’s how much I mentally checked out.

And don’t get me started on the wives. Their boutique gossip sessions were beyond dull — I fast-forwarded every time. I know they added some relevance (some — not much) later on, but it didn’t make up for how tedious their scenes were. The whole “13 virgins death” subplot? Irrelevant. Honestly, I think their heavy presence in the beginning is why those episodes dragged so much.

Plot Convenience (Or: The spy’s Personality Switch)

Okay, here’s the thing — I get that people change, but Soo Ho’s sudden shift felt way too convenient. While I’ve thankfully never been ruled by a dictator, I did go through a North Korea obsession phase, so I know a thing or two about how deeply indoctrinated their citizens are. From birth, their rules and loyalty are etched into their brains. And as spies? It would’ve been way more intense; I mean, you saw their training sessions.

Given that, Soo Ho and the others switching sides so quickly felt unrealistic. Comrade Joo was the only one who felt the most realistic. He was ready to die at any point and pushed that fact every chance he got. Family was so important to them, so for Soo Ho, once his sister’s life was on the line (the person he cared about most in the world), there’s no way he wouldn’t have blown himself — and everyone else — up. I mean, isn’t that what he was trained to do?

Realistically, he would’ve never risked his family’s safety for a dorm full of strangers or a girl he met a few months ago. If we’re being honest, the second his mission fell apart, he should’ve blown everyone up and called it a day. Then with Chung Ya switching and then in the end even Man Dong switching? It was too much of a stretch for almost every spy (except Comrade Joo) to be so quick to throw their beliefs away and go on the run. Plot convenience saved the day here, and while I get it (it’s drama magic), it didn’t fully make sense. That mental switch was too quick for people raised in that environment.

Can Someone Please Die Already?

Okay, hear me out before you call me heartless: for a hostage thriller, this show was weirdly… soft. The stakes weren’t high enough because no one really died. Comrade Joo? I wish he’d gone full villain and actually killed people like he wanted to. It would’ve added some much-needed intensity. Soo Ho was a softie from the jump, and while that’s endearing, it would’ve been far more gripping if the spies didn’t hesitate to take lives when necessary. I mean, I’m not saying we needed a massacre, but if you’re going to sell us a “high-stakes hostage crisis,” at least show us the stakes.

Even Gang Mu surviving felt like a stretch. He was more of a liability than anything else — there was no reason for the spies to keep him alive that long. There were so many moments where hostages should’ve been shot, but for some reason, they weren’t. It was just threat after threat after threat with no action. If I were a hostage, I probably would’ve started slacking off. Man Dong’s son had taken a gun and still didn’t die — like, what are we doing here? Why follow rules if no one’s dying anyway?

Dorm Drama (AKA “Blame Her For Existing”)

This one’s minor, but it irked me. Remember when it was revealed that Yeong Ro’s dad was the head of the ANSP? Why were all the dorm girls suddenly mad at her like she was the one out here approving torture reports? She had nothing to do with it besides sharing some unfortunate DNA. And yet, they turned on her so fast — like she personally stormed their homes and took their loved ones. I’ve seen this kind of thing in other dramas too, where people start hating someone because of what their parents did. And I get it — emotions are high, trauma is real — but let’s not act like Yeong Ro was in the torture chamber taking notes.

The worst part was when they stood up one by one, told their tragic backstories, and collectively decided to exile her from the group. Like, are you guys serious? That scene was so frustrating, and after that, the hostages all kind of annoyed me. Like be so for real — you guys have been locked up in there together for days and now suddenly she’s public enemy number one? Their misplaced anger was so unfair, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the whole ordeal.

---

What I Would Do

He’d be alive and they’d reunite one day, obviously

While I loved the ending we got (tears were shed, tissues were sacrificed), I can’t lie — I couldn’t help but imagine an alternate ending — something a little happier. A tiny part of me was holding out hope for a reunion.

In my version, they wouldn’t have gone to the attic. Soo Ho would’ve fled, they’d spare Yeong Ro because of Chang Su, and years later, they’d reunite. Maybe he thought she died. Maybe she thought he died. Then boom — recordstore deja vu moment, dramatic eye contact, cue the memory flashbacks.

Whether they walked away from each other or picked things back up, I just wanted that chance for closure. A little mystery. A little magic. A little emotional destruction. Like imagine:

Option A:

Years pass. She’s in a music store, just browsing. Somewhere in another aisle, she hears the song she danced to before. Drawn to it, she walks over and reaches for the cassette (or something more up-to-date for the times) — only to touch hands with someone else grabbing it too. It’s him.

They stare at each other, recognition slowly dawning.
Two things could happen:

1. A friend calls her. She hesitates. He breaks eye contact, apologizes softly, and leaves. She’s left stunned, her heart racing, but she eventually walks away.
2. Or — their hands touch, they realize who the other is… and the show ends right there, “One Way Ticket” playing in the background.

Option B:

(Flip the roles and it still works.)
Years later. She’s in that same store again. The cassette (or whatever) is still there. She picks it up and listens to the song through the store headphones. Lost in it.

A man walks past her in slow motion. Something about him… she hesitates, then runs out after him. She shouts his real name — not Soo Ho, but his real name.

He stops. Time slows. He turns around.
Fade to black. End.

Option C:

She’s walking down a quiet street, deep in thought. “One Way Ticket” is playing softly in the background. As she passes a storefront, she notices a suit in the display — the kind Soo Ho once wore. Her heart clenches, but she keeps walking.

A man brushes past her. Nothing unusual. But she suddenly stops, something tugging at her memory. She turns around slowly.

He’s already turned, already looking at her. Their eyes lock across a sea of passersby. Both of them on the verge of tears.
And then… fade to black.

---

Final Thoughts

As you can tell, I loved this drama. “The Bad” section was honestly a stretch for me, and even the things I nitpicked didn’t ruin the experience.

Sure, the beginning dragged, but once the story picked up, there was no stopping it. Each episode had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly clicking “Next Episode.” The tension, the plot twists, the romance that didn’t feel cheesy or forced — it was all there.

And the ending? Ugh. The ending. That epilogue will haunt me (in the best way) forever. I know this show sparked a lot of controversy in South Korea, which is why I focused on the hostage story and left the political side out of it. But from a purely storytelling standpoint, this was a beautifully executed drama.

The romance was mature and grounded. Soo Ho wasn’t a simp bending over backwards to cater to Yeong Ru’s every whim, and Yeong Ro wasn’t some damsel — it was just the right amount of chaos and softness.

In the end, this drama was nothing short of a masterpiece, and I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t watch it again. Just push past the first two or three episodes — you’ll see what I mean.

And if you’re anything like me, you’ll go in expecting a political thriller and come out emotionally ruined over a man who was lowkey supposed to kill everyone.

---

What were your thoughts on the show? Did the ending hit as hard for you as it did for me? What about my “What I would do” section? Which option was your favourite?

Let me know! I’ll see you next week! 💕