T-minus 1 Month
Episode 12 of Now, We Are Breaking Up begins with Jae-guk suggesting to Young-eun that they should move to Paris together to escape the constant criticism. At The One the following day, rumours of an acquisition keep gaining traction. Na-ri and Sun-ju work on their portfolios for the interview Sun-ju arranged with a potential employer. Young-eun won’t stop them but she does expect them to continue to do their best for Sono while they’re still on her team. Unlike her seniors, So-yong hasn’t joined the frenzied job hunting. Uninterested company politics, she’s more concerned with doing her job well so that she can see people wearing the shirt she designed. Chi-hyung is impressed with her mindset and asks her out. Though she rejects him twice in a row, the mood between them stays playful. Taek-soo and Jung-ja threaten to take their divorce proceedings to the courts. Jung-ja’s lawyer has advised her to compose a letter explaining why Taek-soo is responsible for the breakdown of their marriage so that he will be ordered to pay her alimony. Taek-soo cannot see the whole impact of all the smaller things Jung-ja has included in the letter. The two argue over the division of their assets while Young-eun finds Jung-ja’s discarded letter drafts. In them, Jung-ja writes that Taek-soo would only refer to her as his wife or Young-eun’s mother and he never gave her room to be anything but those titles. In the company cafeteria, Chi-hyung and Chi-sook discuss their grand plans for after The One is bought out. Do-hoon joins them with a lecture on how they should be pillars of support for their employees through this uncertain period. Overhearing this, CEO Hwang’s opinion of Do-hoon skyrockets. Soo-ho’s mother drops by his apartment unexpectedly after learning that he quit his job. She finds Soo-ho in the kitchen while Mi-sook is resting and launches into a hurtful tirade about how Mi-sook is dragging Soo-ho down. Soo-ho tries and fails to get his mother to cease her ranting. After standing up for herself, Mi-sook leaves to get some air. She ends up at Young-eun’s apartment and they complain about her mother-in-law together. Mi-sook also remarks that she would prefer for Soo-ho to go back to work. Yoo-jung finds Jae-guk at his studio and reflects on whether her relationship with Soo-wan would have really been perfect if Young-eun hadn’t gotten between them. With only “what-ifs” left, Yoo-jung will continue to resent Young-eun and miss Soo-wan. However, she now encourages Jae-guk to hold onto Young-eun to avoid the same fate. Soo-ho comes to collect Mi-sook from Young-eun’s apartment, but Mi-sook’s medication has left her in a deep sleep. Young-eun tells Soo-ho that Mi-sook would like him to go back to work and act like nothing has changed in their lives. The next day, Jae-guk shows Young-eun pictures of the properties they could buy in Paris. She decides that she cannot go with him while Mi-sook is sick, her parents are divorcing, and Sono’s future is in the balance. Back at the office, Young-eun contemplates La Fayere’s continued silence since Sono stuck to its original designs. She will no longer wait for La Fayere’s response and wants to put on an online buyers show for Sono’s 2022 SS season. Still planning to jump ship, Gwang-soo easily agrees to the plan despite the risks. CEO Hwang also signs off on the idea after Young-eun, Chi-sook, and Do-hoon laud its merits. He discloses that the due diligence team was sent by an investor, and he will use the investment to finance the buyers show. Young-eun goes home that night to find Taek-soo waiting outside her door. She calls Jung-ja, who says that Taek-soo hasn’t been home for two days. Young-eun tells Taek-soo that Jung-ja is trying to break up with him before her love for him turns to hate. She also asserts that Taek-soo is not returning to his house for the same reason. In a concept meeting the next day, Young-eun and Chi-sook fit Mi-sook – who giddily agreed to model for them – with her outfit for the show. Soo-ho is employed again with Vision PR and is also there discussing logistics with Do-hoon and Jae-guk. The day of the show arrives, and Mi-sook asks Min-kyung to look after her daughter for its duration. The broadcast begins with less than 20% of the buyers joining. Just all hope seems lost, the connection rate reaches over 70% and all the big buyers join. Eventually, Olivier himself also joins. Mi-sook is the last model down the catwalk. In a flashback, Young-eun reveals that she made Mi-sook’s outfit especially for her and will not sell it. When Young-eun hopes it will bring Mi-sook happiness, Mi-sook displays contentment with her life as it is. The flashback ends as a healthy applause accompanies the show’s end and buyers place their orders. Meanwhile, Jae-guk tells Hye-ok that he went to Soo-wan’s grave. In a flashback to his visit, he tells his brother that he will break up with Young-eun. In the present, he asks Hye-ok for one month of bliss with Young-eun before he finally breaks up with her.
The Episode Review
This episode opened on a scene so ridiculous that it was unintentionally fun to watch – Jae-guk flashing back to when he asked Young-eun to run away to Paris with him while he was randomly catching up on some rock climbing. Because, of course, we should be reminded of his physical prowess while he broods. When not passing his time at the local climbing gym, Jae-guk is also showing us just how selfish he can be. His “drop it all and think only of me” comment shot passed romantic into the realm of amazingly narcissistic. At least Young-eun knew the importance of her own wants. Unlike the tormented leads, Do-hoon and Chi-sook’s relationship is progressing without a single hitch. It felt almost too good to be true… perhaps the writer is gearing up to throw a spanner in the works and push them apart.
