Tell Me That You Love Me 2023 K Drama Episode 9-10

Last week, Mo-eun’s parents met Jin-woo for the first time and we saw that they had a reaction, but we were kept from the conversation that followed. This week, we’re filled in on the aftermath between Mo-eun and her parents, where Mom (Kim Mi-kyung) is concerned for her future and Dad (Kang Shin-il) has a look of outright disgust.

But when it comes right down to it — and Mo-eun explains she just wants to live her life without regrets — her parents are supportive (I’m so happy we skipped the usual parental drama here). They may not agree with her path but they won’t go against it. Mo-eun is afraid of disappointing them but also brave in her actions to do what she wants. And we get a good sign much later on when Mom asks if she should pack Jin-woo some kimchi — so, I think she’s coming around already.

To pick up on last week’s bullying thread, Jin-woo gets a new student in his art class, and it’s the boy who was being bullied, AHN TAE-HO (Han Hyun-joon). Tae-ho can hear fine, and doesn’t know any sign language, but wants to join Jin-woo’s class because he feels inspired by his life story.

We learn that Tae-ho dropped his wallet during the fight last week and when Mo-eun sent it back to him, she included an interview with Jin-woo about his life and career. Tae-ho read about how Jin-woo went to a regular school and was the only one who couldn’t hear, and so, now Tae-ho will be the only one who can hear in the art class. It’s an interesting dynamic when we see the students interact because the tables are turned. The hearing student feels like a nuisance to the rest, slowing them down when they have to translate from sign language to writing.

When Jin-woo asks Mo-eun how Tae-ho ended up with the interview in his hands, she says she hates it when people misunderstand Jin-woo, so that’s why she sent it. They have one of their sweet moments, on a park bench, holding the yellow scarf that first led them to meet each other that day on the beach in Jeju.

At his studio, they have another quiet and lovely moment when Mo-eun tells Jin-woo that Seo-kyung is interested in his work and he should use that interest to have his own exhibition. He sits her down and says he has something to tell her. Then he lets out the truth that he and Seo-kyung “were in a relationship for quite a while.” Mo-eun admits she already knew (she pieced it together when she stumbled on some old letters), but she was waiting for him to say something to her. There’s no drama here, just two people being honest. And their passion is captured so well with Jin-woo turning up all his charm.

Later on, he tells her about his fears. He’s hated having feelings for anyone because he fears he can’t help them. He won’t be able to protect Mo-eun when she’s in danger. Mo-eun responds that he doesn’t have to protect her, she just wants to be with him. And then she says she loves him. He gets misty-eyed, as he often does with her, and they hug to seal their feelings for each other.

Meanwhile, Seo-kyung gets confirmation that Jin-woo is the mural artist she’s been looking for and we see more flashbacks of their time together as a couple. I can’t get over how adorable and in love they were, making their breakup all the more mysterious. We still only have bits and pieces to understand what really happened between them. But we know that Seo-kyung left to live abroad at some point afterward, and this week we learn that Jin-woo disappeared for seven years following the trauma of it all.

Jin-woo tells Mo-eun that he has no work prior to 2013 because he was living in an abandoned shipping container before that. All he did was draw, sleep, and draw some more for seven years. Then one day, the container flooded and he lost all his work. But, he says, thinking that he lost everything actually made him feel at ease. “Even the paintings I made weren’t mine. I realized that there was nothing I could keep forever.” It consoled him.

Before that, he felt that his family, his hearing, and the people he loved were taken from him. He was sad for a long time. But when he accepted that they weren’t his to keep in the first place, he could get back up. I just love this conversation and his philosophy on loss. Jin-woo has gone through a lot in his life, already learned so much, and now we see him sharing those things with Mo-eun and pushing ahead into new and scary territory.

Ultimately, Jin-woo gets up the courage to have a solo exhibition because of Mo-eun’s kind words. It’s exciting, but it also means that Jin-woo and Seo-kyung are working more closely together and Mo-eun becomes a little insecure about it. I get the feeling that Mo-eun looks up to Seo-kyung in a way — since she’s powerful but good-hearted — and Mo-eun also wants Jin-woo to succeed, but she’s intimidated by the deep bond he once shared with Seo-kyung.

When Seo-kyung learns that Jin-woo disappeared for seven years after she left, we can see how bad she feels about it. The two run into each other at the art gallery after hours and Seo-kyung apologizes for leaving him alone like she did. She wishes she could say she’s sorry to the Jin-woo she knew back then, but she realizes he might not exist anymore. It’s a really painful scene and the actors’ faces say it all. But we’ll have to wait until next week to see how Jin-woo responds.

These episodes felt slower to me than the previous weeks, but the moments between Jin-woo and Mo-eun hit so well that I believe every second of their story. They seem like real people, getting to know each other naturally, in a way that makes sense. And the same goes for Jin-woo and Seo-kyung. There’s no evil here. They’re just people, using their best defenses to survive tough times. And it hurts because the pain is still so present. Even if it feels like nothing much is happening, this drama has me hooked to see what’s next.

We still have some mysteries to solve regarding the fire and the final moments between Jin-woo and Seo-kyung, but the more interesting part is how they’ll resolve their feelings. I get why Mo-eun is insecure about their relationship and seeing them work together. But we know Jin-woo has already grown so much. Seeing Seo-kyung now might be a way to get full closure on the past, so he and Mo-eun can move on with their calm, quiet, and love-filled life.