Episodes 7 and 8 of “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” explore Seo Hye Jin’s (Jung Ryeo Won’s) relationship with the feeling of love. As Hye Jin’s friend Cha So Young (Hwang Eun Hoo) puts it, there are two possibilities: “Either you’re an idiot who has too big expectations or illusions of love, or you’re an idiot who thought too little of it.” Throughout these two episodes, as Hye Jin and Lee Joon Ho (Wi Ha Joon) get closer, we find out which one is true.
Here are three insights into Hye Jin’s relationship with love in episodes 7 and 8 of “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon.”
Warning: spoilers for episodes 7-8 ahead!
Broken cog in the wheel
In the modern world, there are certain steps everyone takes to live a “normal” life: focus on school, get into a good college, socialize with peers, date people you connect with, graduate, find a good job, work hard towards your career, marry a good person, and settle down. But the reality for some people like Hye Jin is quite different from this how-to-live-life-101 guide.
Episode 8 gave viewers a much-needed peek into Hye Jin’s history and family life, explaining not only her character but also her relationship with love. Since the start of “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon,” Joon Ho is shown interacting with his parents and talking about his older brothers. However, when it comes to Hye Jin, she is always shown going back to an empty home.
During a talk with her best friend, we learn that growing up, Hye Jin’s parents were not part of the picture. She had to give up her dream of becoming a lawyer and instead spent her full energy making enough money to pay off her parents’ debt and take care of her brother and herself.
Hye Jin’s childhood was snatched from her, and she had to grow up too fast; she had to become an adult before she could even enjoy being a normal teenager. Those lost years have created a void in her life, making it difficult to connect with her peers. Maybe that’s why she feels so comforted by the presence of Joon Ho as the age difference gives her the freedom to be the woman she would have been if she had not been forced to grow up too fast.
Joon Ho, Hye Jin’s savior
If there was one word to describe life, it would be “hell.” That’s what life is. Every time you get the hope of happiness, it shakes you by your collar and drops you into darkness, making your escape impossible. However, every once in a while, there is a ray of sunshine that peaks through the curtains and brightens up your room, showing you why you should keep going and keep living. For Hye Jin, that ray of sunshine has been Joon Ho.
Knowing that Hye Jin met Joon Ho at one of the most difficult times of her life and that helping him achieve his goals was one of the only reasons that kept her going gives their relationship immense depth. What she felt for Joon Ho in the past was not romantic attraction but the desire to give him something she thought she could never afford: a happy future. And isn’t that the best kind of love?
“How could someone not fall for Joon Ho?”
For the majority of episodes 7 and 8, Hye Jin does not vocalize her thoughts on Joon Ho’s confession. She does reject him to his face, but as we later find out, those are not her actual thoughts. On the contrary, there are scenes sprinkled throughout the episodes that show how she really feels about Joon Ho.
One way the director shows Hye Jin’s true feelings about Joon Ho is through the photos on her fridge. She lives alone and has barely any photos, but she has two photos of her and Joon Ho on her fridge. After Nam Chung Mi (So Ju Yeon) comes to stay over, Hye Jin hides those photos in a frenzy. If she did not feel anything for Joon Ho, there would have been no guilt, and hence no need to hide the photos. A few scenes later, when she is alone in the house, Hye Jin pulls out the photos from her drawer and tucks them in a book, showing that they are meaningful enough to be kept safely.
Another on-the-face confession before the confession scene is when, after talking to Joon Ho, Hye Jin tells herself, smiling, “He’s a teacher now,” showing how she is dipping her toes into the possibility of them being together.
When she finally confesses her true feelings in front of her friend, all she says is, “How could someone not fall for Joon Ho?” She does not list all the things she loves about him because there is no one thing. It is his existence that makes it impossible not to fall for him, making the moment heart-touching.
Watch “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon”:
Hello Soompiers! Do you think Ms. Nam is genuinely on Hye Jin and Joon Ho’s side, or is she pretending to be friendly to take advantage of the situation? Let us know in the comments section below.
Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of cliches are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres but believes no one can top the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You can talk to her on Instagram @javeriayousufs.
Currently watching: “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” and “The Atypical Family”
Looking forward to: “Chief Detective 1958”