And they lived happily ever after! That’s how most fairytales come to an end, and though “Cinderella at 2AM” proved to not be your typical story about a princess and her prince, a fairy godmother, and the villain, it gave us a well-deserved and heart-warming ending for Ha Yun Seo (Shin Hyun Been) and Seo Ju Won (Moon Sang Min). After 10 episodes filled with fun, love, and a tiny bit of drama, this modern love story concludes in the way you’d expect: full of happiness. To bid a proper farewell to this endearing K-drama, here are the most emotional moments from its final episodes.
Warning: spoilers from episodes 9-10 below!
1. Ha Yun Seo fighting for her relationship with Seo Ju Won
Something that’s great to see in this ending is Ha Yun Seo finally gathering her courage to fight for her love. After going back and forth between following her heart or her mind, she shows strength in her character and faces head-on the truth. Though the consequences of her choice don’t take long to arrive, she remains true to herself and her commitment to Seo Ju Won. She doesn’t back down even after losing her job overnight nor when her mother-in-law bluntly refuses to acknowledge her relationship with Ju Won because this time around she is determined to be with the love of her life.
It takes something more than just courage to actually give up on what you’ve worked on for so long in order to be with the person you love. And that’s probably why it took her so long to make up her mind, especially when she has shown to be a very down-to-earth person. However, the magic of this story lies not in a fairy godmother but in the resilience and kindness of Yun Seo. She ultimately wins the heart of Ju Won’s mother when she asks her to reveal Yun Seo’s background to win the public’s favor after the revelation of his mother’s own divorce.
2. Seo Ju Won reconciling with his mother
Contrary to Yun Seo, for Seo Ju Won it is more difficult to come around and accept his differences with his mother. It isn’t only about her not approving their relationship, but it is also about all the things and dreams he has given up to please her ever since he was a child. He had to forget his dream of becoming a sculptor and follow the path that had been designed for him just like his brother did. But differently to Seo Si Won, Seo Ju Won isn’t willing to comply that easily since he knows his happiness can only be complete by staying with Yun Seo.
However, it is Yun Seo who advises him and asks him to try to understand his mother, and this is what ultimately wins the approval from Ju Won’s mother. After all, she isn’t truly the villain of their story but a woman who raised her children as best as she could, making mistakes in the process, of course, but looking after their well-being. It’s truly endearing how, in the end, both of her sons team up and try to amend their bond as a family after the messy divorce of their parents, proving it’s never too late to heal the wounds from the past.
3. Seo Si Won and Lee Mi Jin falling for each other
On the other side of this story, while Yun Seo and Ju Won are all about fighting for their love, Seo Si Won (Yoon Bak) and Lee Mi Jin (Park So Jin) showed that sometimes it’s worth it to give love a second chance, even if it isn’t with the person you dreamed to be with. Their marriage might not have started out of romantic feelings, but as they slowly opened up their hearts, they had no problem falling for each other. In a sense, they are proof that not all relationships born out of convenience lead to unhappiness and misery as long as your partner is generous and honest.
Since day one it’s been easy to root for them, and it was such a delight to see them finally confess their mutual feelings. Admittedly, it would have been wonderful to see more of them and their new lovey-dovey life since the chemistry between these characters was so sparkling from the beginning. But having this couple in this K-drama was the perfect breeze of fresh air during every episode until the end, so hopefully we will be able to see them in another show, this time as the main leads.
4. Ha Yun Seo and Seo Ju Won having a happy ending
And just like that, they finally got their happy ending. After dealing with the major struggle of the disapproval of Ju Won’s mother, all that was left for this couple was to live happily ever after—though not in the most classic way we think. True to the essence of this K-drama, it shows that even with happiness and love, there are disagreements, complications, and misunderstandings. But that is the charm of this show, giving us a sweet fairytale-like story with lots of realistic and relatable scenarios.
Ha Yun Seo and Seo Ju Won might not be your typical princess and prince. Throughout the drama, she remains a hardworking and independent woman, and he never stops being a charming and sweet man. But even after midnight, they find their way to each other, choosing their love above everything. Even if this isn’t a groundbreaking new plot, it does give you the perfect mix of funny moments, lovely romantic scenes, and some tear-jerking parts with twists to this classic story, which is why I will definitely miss “Cinderella at 2AM.”
Watch all episodes of “Cinderella at 2AM” here:
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Andy zar is an avid drama watcher, from K-dramas to C-dramas, she believes any weekend is a good weekend to enjoy 12 hours of binge-watching dramas. She loves romance, web comics, and K-pop. She is a declared “Subeom” and “Hyeppyending.” Her favorite groups are EXO, TWICE, and BOL4.
Currently watching: “You Are My Lover Friend”
Plans to watch: “Family by Choice“