4 Secrets Revealed In Episodes 5-6 Of "Motel California"

Even though “Motel California” is not a suspense or thriller drama, since the premiere episodes, certain questions have lingered in viewers’ minds, and it seems like we are finally getting the answers. From the truth about Kang Hee’s (Lee Se Young’s) mother and her tragic fate to Yeon Soo’s (Na In Woo’s) fake relationship, here are four secrets revealed in episodes 5 and 6 of “Motel California.”

Warning: spoilers for episodes 5-6 ahead!

Ji Kang Hee’s origin

Kang Hee’s identity has been a central focus of “Motel California” since the premiere episode. The very first scene even shows her being called a slur for looking mixed-race. However, until the latest episodes, we never saw who her mother was.

In episodes 5 and 6, a young Kang Hee visits her friend’s house, where a villager tells her to be nice to her own father. At first, the comment seems harmless, even sweet, but it quickly turns cruel when he blames Kang Hee’s birth for Chun Pil’s (Choi Min Soo’s) life circumstances. He claims that Chun Pil could have pursued his dreams but instead ended up working at a small-town motel because he had an affair with a woman of no background. He adds that Chun Pil was once matched with women from good families but chose to be with Kang Hee’s mother instead because of Kang Hee’s surprise conception.

From this entire sequence, the audience is led to believe that Kang Hee was an accident and that her mother might not have wanted her, hence, she left her with Chun Pil. However, it is later revealed that Kang Hee’s parents were actually married and expecting their second child. But because her mother was not Korean and did not have the backing of an influential family, she was considered a nobody, and Kang Hee inherited that hate for being her daughter.

What happened to Kang Hee’s mother?

One of the biggest mysteries of “Motel California” has been the fate of Kang Hee’s mother, followed closely by the question: Why does Kang Hee hate her father so much? As it turns out, both of these secrets share the same root cause.

Episodes 5 and 6 reveal more about Kang Hee’s past than the previous four episodes combined. Kang Hee asks Yeon Soo if he knows why she calls her father by his name, Chun Pil, instead of “Dad.” Her question is answered through another flashback: Kang Hee’s pregnant mother lies in bed, crying, while the white bedsheet beneath her turns red with every passing second. She desperately asks Kang Hee to call her father, and the little girl tries to do just that, but Chun Pil does not answer. The scene shifts to Kang Hee sitting in a hospital, confronting her father. She tells him he is no longer her father because he stole her brother’s life and almost let her mother die.

What makes this revelation even more tragic is that Chun Pil was not out partying or having an affair. He was in Seoul, trying to save Yeon Soo’s mother from a scammer. This new information adds another layer of complexity to Yeon Soo and Kang Hee’s relationship. Even if Kang Hee overcomes her insecurities, how can she possibly be with a man whose mother indirectly caused the greatest tragedy of her life?

Kang Hee and Yeon Soo’s Seoul escape plan that never happened

“If Kang Hee loved Yeon Soo, why did she leave him and go to Seoul alone? Were her insecurities really stronger than her love for him?” These are questions “Motel California” viewers have been asking for a while.

The latest episodes reveal that Kang Hee never planned to go to Seoul alone. She wanted to escape the town and the judgment she had faced her entire life with Yeon Soo by her side. However, Yeon Soo rejected her offer without giving her a reason. Seeking an explanation, Kang Hee approached Yeon Soo’s grandfather, who told her that Yeon Soo refused to leave because his grandfather was ill.

At first, Kang Hee appears understanding, even saying that Yeon Soo should have told her himself. But what ultimately leads her to sever ties with Yeon Soo is something else entirely.

After explaining Yeon Soo’s reason for staying, the grandfather takes out a small box containing two engagement rings. He tells Kang Hee that he would have given them to Yeon Soo himself, but he doesn’t believe he will live long enough to see him get married. The smile on Kang Hee’s face suggests she believes the rings are meant for her and Yeon Soo. However, her hopes are shattered when the grandfather tells her to give the rings to Yeon Soo when he finds a “nice girl,” one who is kind and grew up with the love of both parents. Someone Kang Hee could never be, no matter how hard she tried.

The truth behind Yeon Soo’s engagement, or the lack thereof

Ah Reum (Lee So Yi) has repeatedly told Kang Hee that Yeon Soo is dating a junior doctor at Hana Veterinary Hospital. She even claimed the two were considering marriage. At first, this seemed like a ploy to keep Kang Hee away from Yeon Soo, preventing him from getting his heart broken again when she left for Seoul. However, when the entire village starts congratulating Yeon Soo’s mother on having such a “wonderful” future daughter-in-law, Yeon Soo does not correct them. Yet, when Yeon Soo and the doctor are alone, they show no romantic affection toward each other, only professionalism.

While viewers were still trying to piece things together, “Motel California” reveals the truth: Yeon Soo and the doctor are fake dating. When they started working together, rumors about their relationship spread throughout the village. They were too tired to correct everyone, and the doctor liked that the gossip kept her mother from pressuring her to find a husband.

This means that, of course, Yeon Soo never moved on. How could he? He has loved Kang Hee his entire life, and he waited for her for over a decade when she was in Seoul. Of course he could not get over her in just a year. While his inability to move on might have seemed melancholic in different circumstances, as we know Kang Hee is equally in love with Yeon Soo, his love seems endearing.

One of the most frustrating aspects of “Motel California” is its overuse of the misunderstanding and lack of communication trope. However, now that Kang Hee knows Yeon Soo is not engaged, and he also suspects that she is single, the two have even shared an intimate kiss. So, hopefully, the next episodes will focus less on misunderstandings and more on romance.

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Hello Soompiers! Do you think we will finally get to see Kang Hee and Yeon Soo dating in episodes 7 and 8? Let us know in the comments section below!

Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of cliches are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres and stans the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You can talk to her on Instagram @javeriayousufs.

Currently watching: “Namib,” “Love Scout,” “Motel California,” and “Doom At Your Service.”
Looking forward to: “Reborn” and “Weak Hero Class 2.”