The Matchmakers (2023) K Drama Episode 9

Episode 9 of The Matchmakers begins with Soon-deok thinking Jung-woo is going to propose. He on the other hand is hurt she lied about her name rather than the fact that she is a murderer.

It cuts to the docks where Soon-deok looks confused after being accused of murder. Jung-woo walks off and Bong tells her that she and her husband murdered Jo In-hyun, the Deputy Administrator of Pyongyang. Jung-woo is still ready to pay her for the matchmaking but she returns the money. When asked, the bookseller tells Soon-deok that Yeoju’s husband died after being falsely accused and she ran away while she was being moved to prison.

Soon-deok decides to clear Yeoju’s name and looks into it as she ropes in Soon-gu. She reveals that when she was mourning, Yeoju helped her get out of depression. Meanwhile, Jung-woo sulks as he keeps thinking about Soon-deok. The doctor says that Jung-woo is lovesick and the only cure is to see his love.

Ye-jin surreptitiously asks about Bu-kyum but Soon-deok reveals that she knows she likes him. However, she comforts her by saying they are not meant to be. Outside, Sam-wol tells So-hyun that Jung-woo has almost succeeded in getting the Maeng sisters married and Yeoju is helping him.

Jung-woo keeps busy as he coaches the bachelors. He plays on the swings with Ha-na’s bachelor while Park looks disgusted. Bu-kyum wrestles with Shi-yeol and wins in a second much to the men’s surprise. Sam-soon’s bachelor has a fear of heights and is told to sit on the hill above the stream every day till the May Festival. Jung-woo also convinces them that they need to marry on May 25 for good luck. But he still cannot get Soon-deok out of his head.

As for Soon-deok, she is busy telling Madam Maeng about the wedding date when the older woman reveals that she was an Agent of Love. While some could hear or feel it, she could see the strings of fate and is sure that Soon-deok is also an Agent.

Outside, Jung-woo arrives to share the wedding date with the sisters and runs off crying as he misses Soon-deok. Sam-soon tells her and she is surprised. At that moment, Maeng reveals that she knows Soon-deok as she was the last match she made before she lost her eyesight.

Soon-deok is shocked and confused as she thinks it happened naturally. But Maeng was the one who told Jo’s son to head to the bookshop where Soon-deok was. But this just assures Soon-deok even more that her late husband is the only one for her.

However, Sam-soon tries to patch them up. Jung-woo gives in and follows her plan by hiding at the Maengs’ while Soon-deok visits. But the old matchmakers tell the slave hunter that Yeoju is at the Maengs’ and Bong overhears. He runs and makes Soon-deok hide where Jung-woo is while he and the Maengs stop the hunter.

Inside, Soon-deok tries to leave and says she has been framed but he hugs her and confesses to her. He tells her to stay at his place till they find the real culprit but she rejects him as she doesn’t like him. Sam-soon and Bong try to comfort him but Madam Maeng plays the tough love card and tells him it is not meant to be. At home, Soon-deok worries if Jung-woo will die from lovesickness.

Jung-woo decides to look into the murder of Jo In-hyun and finds Soon-gu doing the same. They decide to work together but Soon-gu tells Soon-deok to pretend to have memory loss when Jung-woo interrogates her. She does, but much to his annoyance she also offers to help. Meanwhile, Park warns Jo that Soon-gu and Jung-woo are looking into In-hyun’s death but they cannot let So-hyun know what happened.

According to the investigation, In-hyun was stabbed 8 years ago and Lord Min, Jo’s enemy found the prime suspect – Kwang-moo. Tae-ran is his wife and they made the connection as In-hyun’s silver was found in their home. While being transferred, Kwang-moo died and Tae-ran ran away. The lieutenant in charge lost his job and is the slave hunter looking for her.

At the market, Bok-hee approaches the slave hunter who looks sad and he shows her the poster. She says the woman is much prettier and he is surprised she knows Yeoju. Meanwhile, Yeoju gets the bookseller’s letter, warning her of the hunter.

As the Jungs and Jung-woo investigate, they come across the novel The Scholar’s Man. In it, Lord Min’s daughter disguised as a man and worked in the same office as In-hyun. He was righteous and didn’t turn a blind eye to Park’s misdeeds. She fell for him but they decided to commit suicide as they couldn’t be together. Ashamed, Lord Min collaborated with Jo to stage In-hyun’s death as a robbery turned murder.

Written by Socheon, a monk at Sunhwa’s Temple, 8 years ago, Soon-deok decides to question him. Jung-woo accompanies her but it starts raining. They take shelter in an abandoned courtyard and she believes foxes cause cloudless rain as a spell so humans won’t know they are searching for their mate. Jung-woo uses the spell as an excuse to ask why she lied that she doesn’t like him at the end of The Matchmakers Episode 9.

The Episode Review

While so far the interviews at the beginning of the episodes were just hilarious or informative views of each character, this time it is different. The interviews of The Matchmakers Episode 9 are a funny insight into Soon-deok and Jung-woo’s thoughts, assuring us that despite the misunderstandings, betrayals and murders, it is a rom-com and all will end well.

However, the mystery is really mysterying, almost bordering on confusion. Is Lord Min’s daughter the one So-hyun is rumoured to have killed or a mistress? And is the slave hunter the lieutenant or Yeoju’s husband, Kwang-moo? If he is the lieutenant, why is there a romantic angle between him and Yeoju?