2 Happy Moments & 1 Sad In Episodes 9 And 10 Of "Motel California"

“Motel California” is using its drama genre privilege to its fullest potential, making the audience cry with every episode. However, as Kang Hee (Lee Se Young) and Yeon Soo (Na In Woo) finally decide to be together, the recent episodes give us some happy moments sprinkled throughout. But, true to “Motel California,” no episode is complete without ending on a low note, and this time it was with a traumatic revelation.

From Kang Hee and Yeon Soo’s sweet engagement to Kang Hee’s guilt, here are two happy moments and one heartbreaking moment from episodes 9 and 10 of “Motel California.”

Warning: spoilers for episodes 9-10 ahead!

They finally choose each other

Since the premiere episode, Yeon Soo and Kang Hee have been going back and forth like a pendulum. While their complex history justifies their character motivations, it can make the story feel repetitive and somewhat tedious. At the start of every episode, our leads reflect on how much they love each other. Throughout the episode, they yearn for their love interest. By the halfway mark, they realize they can’t live without one another and make an effort to get closer. However, much like Cinderella and her midnight curfew, Kang Hee and Yeon Soo seem to have an end-of-the-episode reset button that undoes all their progress, forcing them apart again. Thankfully, at the beginning of episode 9, they finally get together.

At the end of episode 8, Kang Hee tells Yeon Soo that they cannot be together because he would never choose her over his mother. However, Yeon Soo defies her expectations. He tells his mother that he is done letting her dictate his life and that, for once, he will live without guilt. And that is exactly what he does. He tells Kang Hee that he is all hers now. He has always had someone taking care of him, but since Kang Hee has been alone for over a decade, he promises to take care of her and be hers.

Even though the couple kind of breaks up by the end of episode 10, it’s heartwarming to see them happy and in love for at least two episodes.

Yeon Soo and Kang Hee’s unofficial engagement

Hana-eup’s residents are notorious for spreading rumors and making people’s lives miserable for their own entertainment. However, with a little preparation, even someone’s worst trait can be turned into an advantage. Seok Gyeong (Kim Tae Hyeong) does exactly that to protect Kang Hee from being labeled as a home-wrecker. The plan is simple: he proposes to her. If she is engaged, people will believe she cannot possibly be in a relationship with Yeon Soo, who is already engaged. Seok Gyeong executes his plan flawlessly, giving Kang Hee the most extravagant proposal Hana-eup has ever seen.

The only problem? Kang Hee and Yeon Soo have already decided to date, and now her fake engagement is ruining their newly found happiness. While this situation is stressful, it leads to one of the cutest moments of “Motel California.”

After witnessing Seok Gyeong’s grand proposal, Yeon Soo feels self-conscious and decides to gift Kang Hee a piece of jewelry as a symbol of their love. However, when he visits the jeweler and sees the ring Seok Gyeong gave Kang Hee, he is shocked to learn that it costs more than a house. Determined, Yeon Soo takes on extra jobs in nearby towns to save money. He later takes Kang Hee to the same jeweler and tells her to pick a ring without worrying about the cost—he has been saving up. But instead of choosing the most expensive or beautiful ring, she selects two simple silver bands. The couple also has an unofficial engagement ceremony that completely overshadows Seok Gyeong’s grand proposal.

Kang Hee’s guilt

Episode 8 provided a deeper look into Yeon Soo’s character. The reason he allowed his mother to control every aspect of his life was guilt. As a child, he knew about his father’s affair with Kang Hee’s mother but never told his own mother. Not only that, but he even prayed that Kang Hee’s mother would be his mother instead. Since Yeon Soo’s mother blames this affair for his father’s death, he has carried the guilt of not speaking up.

In episode 10, we finally learn about Kang Hee’s guilt, which explains the depth of her trauma. She confesses to Yeon Soo that on the night of the accident, she saw her mother packing her things. Realizing she was about to be abandoned, Kang Hee acted out of anger and stuffed a teddy bear into her mother’s car exhaust pipe. That act caused the fatal accident that killed their parents. Since childhood, she has carried this burden, unable to get close to Yeon Soo as she wished because, in her mind, she is the reason his father died.

The recent episodes, as traumatic as they were, finally revealed why Kang Hee is the way she is. While Yeon Soo’s guilt over not telling his mother about his father’s affair was heavy, Kang Hee potentially being the reason for their parents’ deaths is truly life-altering. It will be interesting to see how the couple comes to terms with this reality.

Start watching “Motel California”:

Watch Now

Hello Soompiers! What is your prediction for the finale episodes? 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: “Motel California,” “Study Group,” and “Coffee Prince.”
Looking forward to: “Reborn,” “Weak Hero Class 2,” and “The Witch.”