Don’t Give Up
Episode 8 of She Would Never Know begins with Jae-Shin talking to Song-A at the elevators in work. He tells her that there’s an announcement about the Europe project coming up but her name isn’t on the list. He promises that this will be the last time they talk privately, as Jae-Shin decides to put the past behind them. When Hyo-Joo shows up, she speaks to Jae-Shin in the parking lot about the dynamic between Song-A and Hyun-Seung. Back in the office, Hyun-Seung decides to help Manager Ahn. This, as it turns out, is a direct result of her seeing him and Song-A holding hands outside the office earlier in the day. Manager Ahn knows too, and tells Hyun-Seung that she’s rooting for him. Meanwhile, Jae-Woon heads out for his date with Ji-Seung. Only, they run into trouble later that evening when he runs into a dog – which happens to be his phobia. Ji-Seung helps him out though but when the dog owner arrives, Jae-Woon feigns fear in order to hold Ji-Seung’s hand for longer. At the same time, Ryu and Yeon-Seung head out for their cooking class but they’re mistaken as a couple by the others in attendance. They quickly mention that they’re friends, but it’s clear there’s chemistry between the two. Well, to try and clear the air Ryu heads out with Woo-Hyun that evening and shares some drinks with him, mentioning how he’s going to host a cooking class soon. At work the next day, Manager Ahn sports a big grin and begins spreading news about Song-A and Hyun-Seung. In fact, the three managers all begin talking together excitedly and seem to think our main duo are dating. This, as it turns out, hits a major snag when Hyun-Seung’s ex girlfriend Seo-Yeon shows up. He’s pretty cold toward her though, eventually leaving to head up to the bar that evening. Song-A and Hyun-Seung have a good time, especially with the kids from campus there too, drinking and laughing. After, they sit on a bench together and discuss Hyun-Seung’s time in college. Despite seeming to sober up, Hyun-Seung tries to stand up and it seems like the alcohol has gone to his head (then again, he could also be faking!) He rests his head on Song-A’s shoulder for 5 minutes to rest. Jae-Shin is invited along to an exclusive dinner with Jae-Woon, while Jae-Shin’s Father shows up to see Hyo-Joo. Despite being told to leave and paid off by his son, he sits with Hyo-Joo over a tea and tells her he’s going to show up at the wedding. That evening, Jae-Shin learns about his Father meeting Hyo-Joo and isn’t happy. He tells her not to speak to him again and walks away in annoyance. Meanwhile, Hyun-Seung returns to work and finds his ex girlfriend Seo-Yeon there. He’s still angry at her for cheating on him, and as they head out for a drink that evening, Hyun-Seung tells her he’s not interested and makes her leave. This inevitably stems over to Song-A when they head out for noodles later that night. She understands how he’s feeling and offers some encouraging words of wisdom. Hyun-Seung takes that as a hint to tell her how he’s feeling, admitting that he doesn’t want to try and hide his feelings anymore. Instead, he’s going to give her up and move on. The next day Hyun-Seung does his best to keep his distance, hanging around Manager Ahn instead. With Hyun-Seung making the presentation list, he thanks Song-A but it’s clear that she misses their closeness they’ve had these past few weeks, especially when he talks with honorifics. That evening, the team head out for drinks and food, leading to them all once again keeping what’s happening between Song-A and Hyun-Seung a secret. When Song-A heads out for some air, they encourage Hyun-Seung to go and check up on her. Instinctively, he protects her from a speeding car arriving and splashing up water, but they continue to act awkwardly around one another. The next day, Song-A and Hyun-Seung find themselves alone together at the campus, ready for Hyun-Seung’s presentation. Just before she leaves, Song-A opens up and admits she doesn’t like their new dynamic. She tells him not to become distant or give up, as the episode comes to a close.
The Episode Review
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder and that much is definitely true in the case of Song-A and Hyun-Seung. Both of them are clearly very compatible and after a couple of slower episodes near the start, these later segments are much better and have a real lively bounce to them. The dynamic involving all the girls at work is a really nice touch here too. All of them know about Song-A and Hyun-Seung’s flirting, and their whispering in private is quite funny and definitely reminiscent of what an office romance is like. There’s some good humour in here too, and this mixes really well with the main drama between Song-A and Hyun-Seung. That ending will definitely leave many people satisfied as this pair grow closer together. Less satisfying however, is the subplot involving Jae-Shin and Hyo-Joo. Despite Jae-Shin’s interesting background, these two just don’t have a lot going on and it’s quite unclear what direction this is heading in relation to the cosmetic company. Still, we march on and as we cross the halfway point of this drama, She Would Never Know continues to deliver a pretty entertaining slice of k-drama action.
