Recap "Our Blues (2022)" Episode 13 with Kim Woo Bin, Shin Min Ah

Episode 13 of Our Blues starts with Eun-Hui bringing a very drunk Mi-Ran back home. Her laughter soon turns to sobs, as Mi-Ran is laid down on the bed. Eun-Hui hums a lullaby to her until she’s asleep. Yeong-Ok is there too but she’s not exactly pleased about Eun-0Hui bending over backwards for her. After how Mi-Ran disrespected her last episode, she calls out Eun-Hui for acting like her maid.

There are deep repressed feelings here and Eun-Hui is a complete pushover, justifying being treated this way because she feels she owes it to repay her “friend” for what happened in the past.

Meanwhile, there’s drama between Hyeon and Yeong-Ju when they make noodles in the middle of the night. Ho-Sik laughs incredulously at their attempts to shrug off the noise (at 3am no less!) as the baby’s cravings. Ho-Sik eventually shuffles downstairs and stays at In-Gwon’s instead.

In the morning, Mi-Ran awakens and reflects on the drama happening with her daughter. Ji-Yun has decided to go on a trip with her boyfriend, Mi-Ran’s ex husband and his new girlfriend Sophie. Mi-Ran is not happy and rings her, getting through to voicemail. She tells her not to go, wanting to be the one to take her on holiday.

In the morning, Eun-Hui leaves breakfast for Mi-Ran to eat. She stays there all morning, tidying the place up and even changing the curtains too. During her cleaning, she comes across all the diaries Eun-Hui has left and decides to read them. She claims they have no secrets from one another as a reason for being nosy.

After starting with those from school, she works her way up to more recent entries. Mi-Ran claims that Eun-Hui is a hard worker and a good friend but as she passes through the entries, she reaches the one from yesterday. More specifically, Eun-Hui questioning whether they’re really friends or not.

Mi-Ran continues on, eventually reaching the point where Eun-Hui calls her a two-faced brat and selfish, which cuts her deeply. Ironically, Eun-Hui returns just at that moment and sees how well she’s cleaned up the house. Eun-Hui is elated, but for Mi-Ran she smiles thinly through her pain.

Yeong-Ok’s drama with the old ladies continues, as they all shun her. However, Hye-Ja is there waiting. She’s been told everything from Hyeon Chun-Hui, who happens to be her best friend. Anyway, she now understands exactly why Yeong-Ok is risking her life to make as much money as possible.

After handing over a drink, Hye-Ja decides that they’re going to be partners and go diving together. She’s going to be the boss too and tells Yeong-Ok not to play up and get greedy. This could well be the point for Yeong-Ok reconciling with the old ladies and gaining their trust.

Back with Mi-Ran and Eun-Hui though, and the former quizzes Eun-Hui about when she’s been upset with her. Mi-Ran tries to get some truth from her but Eun-Hui doesn’t break her facade. However, she does give Eun-Hui her necklace to try and smooth over their issues.

When they do karaoke together that night, it brings back old feelings from school. It’s worth noting that just prior to this Mi-Ran completely belittles Myeong-Bo to his wife, telling In-Jeong that she’d never reduce herself to flirt with someone as lowly as him.

This makes her realize how stuck up Mi-Ran is. EunHui eventually sits with her and learns this for herself. Eun-Hui brushes it off but it’s hard not to agree, especially when Mi-Ran takes the limelight during karaoke for herself.

Outside, Myeong-Bo tells Mi-Ran in confidence that he’s going to break up with In-Jeong. She urges him to stay married but when he shows off the abuse he’s suffered at her hands, including scratches across his back and horrible bruises and cuts all over him, it soon changes her tact.He’s been a victim of domestic violence all this time and In-Jeong suffers from delusional jealousy.

Unfortunately, In-Jeong see Mi-Ran and Myeong-Bo together and suspects the worst, especially when she hugs him in comfort. As a big fight breaks out, Eun-Hui jumps in too but Mi-Ran slaps Eun-hui in the face and knocks In-Jeong down.

Mi-Ran walks away without apologizing and is picked up by Ho-Sik, who tells her exactly what he thinks of her. He’s hated her since school and doesn’t hold back on telling her exactly how he feels. When Mi-Ran is dropped off back home, she mutters “shallow brat” to herself but it’s unclear whether she’s talking about herself or Eun-Hui. Either way, when Eun-Hui returns home, drama ensues between the pair.

“Are you addicted to money?” Mi-Ran asks, pointing out how well off she is and how Eun-Hui could just stop and not make money anymore. Eun-Hui bites back though, asking if Mi-Ran is addicted to alcohol. Eventually Mi-Ran plays a recording of In-Jeong mentioning that Eun-Hui believes she’s addicted to men.

Mi-Rn explains the situation, including Myeong-Bo’s abuse and the scars over his body. Eun-Hui though isn’t so sure and claims the pair have a happy marriage. Eventually Mi-Ran repeats exactly what’s written in Eun-Hui’s diary, calling Eun-Hui out and demanding to know her true feelings.

This has been coming for a long time and Eun-Hui lashes out at her friend, demanding to know why she read the diary. Mi-Ran brings up the scenario from Bridget Jones’ Diary as a juxtaposition to their current situation and how different it is for them.

Eun-Hui eventually admits that the list of Mi-Ran’s faults are too long. “It’s in the past, let’s not dig it out now.” She pleads with her friend.

Mi-Ran goads her though, pointing out that Eun-Hui lied and pretended to like her for all those years when really, she never felt that they were friends. Mi-Rn eventually packs up her things and leaves, believing what they had was a long, empty, meaningless relationship. As Mi-Ran leaves Jeju, the state of their relationship is left unknown for now.

The Episode Review

So Eun-Hui and Mi-Ran’s estranged relationship comes to a head here, with the pair hashing out their problems in a pretty destructive way, even if it’s been done indirectly through Mi-Ran reading Eun-Hui’s diary. However, both characters are in the wrong here and they’re arguably the most unlikable in the show.

Maybe it’s just me but Eun-Hui should grow a backbone and tell Mi-Ran exactly how she feels, but instead she comes across as passive-aggressive and more than a little bitter. She’s also very nosy in other people’s business, which makes it ironically amusing that she’d lash out at Mi-Ran for being nosy herself.

At the same time Mi-Ran is just not a very likable character. She’s stuck up, arrogant and believes that the world owes her a massive favour. All of this adds up to a story between two women who need to communicate better, and which makes for a very frustrating watch.

It does look like the attention is shifting back to Captain Jun and Yeong-Ok next though, rounding out this storyline – at least for now. I’m sure it’ll circle back around again but despite this series winning the weekend ratings war, some of these chapters haven’t worked as well as others and the momentum in this show swings like a mismatched pendulum.