6 Heartbreaking Moments From The Finale Of "Encounter"

Me watching the latest episodes of “Encounter.”

We saw the preview to episode 15, and if that wasn’t enough to break you, then I don’t know what is. Watching Park Bo Gum being sad is like watching a puppy suffer.

I don’t know if it was because I was watching “Encounter” late at night, but I’ve never felt so emotionally connected and broken for the characters as I did while watching the latest episodes – especially in episode 15. It was to the point where every new scene would just top the previous one in terms of heartbreak. Just in case you need a recap of just how monumentally sad episodes 15 and 16 were, here’s a look at six moments.

Warning: Spoilers for episodes 15 and 16 ahead.

1. Woo Seok not being able to let go of Soo Hyun

To start off, we can’t leave Woo Seok in the dark, because this man was so desperate to bring Soo Hyun back into his life. Although he’s not second-lead syndrome worthy, it was definitely sad to see how much he loves Soo Hyun but can’t be with her. It was especially sad that he felt like he had to push her away in order for her to have a life.

He just looked so woeful being all alone in his big, cold house at the end of episode 16.

2. The breakup

We all saw this coming from last week’s episodes. After Jin Hyuk’s mother asks Soo Hyun to break up with her son, she makes up her mind.

But when the moment happened, as predictable as it was, it didn’t prepare us for Park Bo Gum’s reaction and just how broken he was.

Park Bo Gum broken = us broken. 

Especially when he said these words:

3. When Jin Hyuk finds out his mom had asked Soo Hyun to break up with him

Jin Hyuk overhears his mom talking to his dad about meeting Soo Hyun. The dad thinks Jin Hyuk’s mom made a big mistake, but she doesn’t regret it because she doesn’t want Jin Hyuk to get hurt. The part that made this situation really heartbreaking was the fact that Jin Hyuk didn’t even get the tiniest bit upset at his mom. This shows Jin Hyuk’s maturity, understanding, and how he’s pretty much perfect.

4. When Jin Hyuk goes and sees Soo Hyun

After Jin Hyuk learns about his mom meeting Soo Hyun, he takes the initiative to go and see her again. It’s his desperate attempt at trying to get her back, but she doesn’t change her mind.

This leads to the part that really shattered our hearts:

Despite Jin Hyuk’s efforts, Soo Hyun can’t imagine living in Jin Hyuk’s world and doesn’t want her public lifestyle to have any sort of negative effect on him or his family. This particular part was sad because we could totally feel Jin Hyuk’s anguish and heartache. The writing in this scene was also perfect as Soo Hyun’s reasoning was so realistic and made complete sense. It almost convinced me that he was better off without her.

Still can’t get over seeing Jin Hyuk so alone, crying on his hands and knees after she leaves the room.

5. Jin Hyuk’s mom meeting Soo Hyun again

After having a talk with Jin Hyuk, his mom starts to regret having told Soo Hyun to break up with her son. She understands Jin Hyuk’s sincere feelings for Soo Hyun and decides to meet with her to apologize and take back what she had said.

This part was mainly sad because not even Jin Hyuk’s mom could convince Soo Hyun. I was hoping that it would give some sort of incentive for Soo Hyun to get back together with Jin Hyuk, but it seemed like she had firmly made up her mind.

6. The reconciliation

When Soo Hyun finally realizes that she wants to be with Jin Hyuk, she goes to find him. The entire scene is pretty perfect with the lightly falling snow, the background music, and their facial expressions.

Although this part wasn’t heartbreaking in the sense that it was sad, it did break our hearts because we could see just how much Jin Hyuk loves Soo Hyun. He was so persistent and determined on never giving up on his love for her. It’s unconditional and so touching.

Bonus: This OST

As if the episodes weren’t mournful enough, we had this OST playing in the background, making everything monumentally sadder.

Side note: One of the best parts about this series was the OST. Every song was perfection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYEl3pHlLw0

Final thoughts

After hearing that Park Bo Gum and Song Hye Kyo were going to star in a drama together, I was pretty apprehensive and didn’t have a strong desire to watch it. However, I wanted to give the premiere episodes a shot. What was really surprising was just how enjoyable it was to see the beginning stages of Cha Soo Hyun and Kim Jin Hyuk’s relationship. I loved the developing romance between the two characters and especially appreciated a lot of the lines in the script. By episode 4, I was totally intrigued and couldn’t wait to watch the next episodes. I even almost forgot about Song Joong Ki (except for maybe during the kiss scenes).

Towards the middle of the series, things started to slow down a bit. There weren’t too many dramatic moments, and a lot of focus was on Cha Soo Hyun’s mother and whether she was going to get in the way of their relationship. Other than that, there really wasn’t much going on. Despite this, I appreciated the simplicity of the script and was able to chalk it up as being a simple fairy-tale story with two gorgeous main leads. Seriously, you could watch the two watch paint dry and it’d be picturesque.

The last two episodes came as a surprise in terms of being pretty emotionally invested in Jin Hyuk’s character and his desperate pleas in trying to get Soo Hyun back. His love was so pure, so innocent, and Park Bo Gum was able to pull it off flawlessly. What the series started to lack in dramatic moments was definitely made up for in the last two episodes.

While I can’t say that it’s a series that is super exciting to watch, this one hits all the notes if you like a good classic romance K-drama. It’s also perfect to watch this winter season while you cozy up in bed. Park Bo Gum’s charm will sure to warm your heart!

Hey Soompiers, how did you like the series “Encounter”? And how sad were you watching the latest episodes? Let me know in the comments below!

Watch the final episodes of “Encounter”:

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binahearts is a Soompi writer whose ultimate biases are Song Joong Ki and BIGBANG. She can often be seen singing her heart out at karaoke, walking her dog, or indulging in desserts. Make sure you follow binahearts on Instagram as she journeys through her latest Korean crazes!

Currently watching: “Clean With Passion For Now”
All-time favorite dramas: “Secret Garden,” “Goblin,” “Because This Is My First Life,” “Star In My Heart”
Looking forward to: Won Bin‘s return to the small screen and Song Joong Ki‘s next drama