3 Things We Loved About The Final Episode Of "Love Scout"

“Love Scout” concluded its hit run on a heart-warming and positive note. Secure and confident in her relationship with Yu Eun Ho (Lee Jun Hyuk), the determined Kang Ji Yun (Han Ji Min) is set to seize the day after a big career setback. She also nudges Yu Eun Ho to no longer undermine his expertise as well as experience by working for her and to seek a more deserving position. The change in Ji Yun’s personality seems to have had a ripple effect on everyone else around her. For Woo Jeong Hoon (Kim Do Hoon), it’s time to mend bridges with his father, Chairman Woo (Jo Seung Yeon), but most of all to confess his true feelings to Su Hyun (Kim Yoon Hye). “Love Scout” maintained its momentum, neatly tying the loose ends, and giving us a wholesome final episode in every possible way.

Warning : spoilers from episode 12 below.

Loved: seeing Ji Yun stronger and happier than before

Kang Ji Yun has come a long way. A self-reliant and independent woman, she has never once in her life slowed down to stop and smell the roses. A force to be reckoned with professionally, Ji Yun has been pushed against the wall as Peoplez, the company she had founded and nurtured for the past five years, is in the midst of a financial scandal. Ji Yun agrees to step down as CEO since that’s the only way she can protect her staff. She is also compelled to hand over her shares and reins of Peoplez to Kim Hye Jin (Park Bo Kyung) of Career Way. But Ji Yun appears unfazed and calm as she goes through the process. She confides in Eun Ho that all her life she had felt she was responsible for everything that happened to her and those around her. But not anymore—she is going to step back and go with the flow.

Ji Yun, well aware of Hye Jin’s manipulative schemes, chooses to remain silent. Hatred can’t be a motivation for revenge according to Ji Yun. As the truth about Hye Jin’s modus operandi is divulged, and Ji Yun’s name is cleared of all charges including the investment scam of the past, Ji Yun remains unperturbed.

Besides, Ji Yun is making the most of being unemployed. She wonders aloud to Eun Ho that she has no clue what she had been doing with her life and wants to make the most of her newfound freedom. From sleeping in and daytime drinking with Eun Ho to indulging in a binge-watching session with him or just going on dates, Ji Yun is finally happy being her own self. She even chooses to dress differently. Gone are the monotoned sharp suits as she embraces casual and free-flowing silhouettes, marking her transition in just going with the tide.

You can take Ji Yun out of work, but not the work out of her. She loves what she does and is also terrifically good at it. After taking a much-needed break, she is back on the desk, this time at home, and starting afresh. Her first successful placement is Eun Ho. She kindly tells him that he should no longer compromise on his skills and expertise by just being a secretary.

Never a people’s person, Ji Yun’s staff admired her dedication and honesty at work despite her being a spaced-out boss. When Peoplez is acquired, the team shows their loyalty by a mass resignation, and even though they are jobless themselves, they know better than to compromise on their principles. Ji Yun proudly announces that her new company “WE” marks the beginning of a new chapter in her life, and she is more than happy to take her loyal staff along.

Loved: Ji Yun and Eun Ho serving relationship goals

Ji Yun and Eun Ho have raised the bar for relationship goals. The couple not only trusts the other but also respects the other’s decisions and communicate their feelings openly. There are no power dynamics at play despite the uniqueness of their professional positions.

A supportive couple, they empower the other every step of the way. Eun Ho is patient with Ji Yun, respecting her space, feelings, and decisions. When she confides in him that she is going to give up her position as CEO, he doesn’t talk her out of it, but instead tells her that whatever she does, he will always stand by her.

As Ji Yun starts her new venture, Eun Ho is the happiest. Even though he would love to continue working with her, she tells him the position doesn’t complement his potential and abilities. As Ji Yun starts WE Company and Eun Ho takes on a new position at a corporation, their professional equation undergoes a change. He is now a client, and she is the agent in charge of placements. The gravitas in their relationship is evident even in the professional sphere. As Eun Ho and his management disagree with Ji Yun’s choice of shortlisted candidates, the moment is matter of fact yet poignant. Personal feelings should never come in the way of work, and the way the two handle it is in a level-headed and mature manner.

Parenting comes with its own challenges, but Eun Ho has proved he is a trooper as a dad in the way he has brought up his daughter, Byeol (Gi So You). The fact that he includes her in every aspect of his life and decisions shows that he treats her as an equal. The same approach is taken by Ji Yun, who wins Byeol over with her candid and straightforward attitude. Byeol, who has been made conscious in school by her classmates that she comes from a single parent home, finally sees her world complete with Ji Yun by her dad’s side.

A special word of appreciation for Eun Ho, who won several brownie points for his home-making skills. He cooks like a dream and keeps the house spick and span, much to the relief of Ji Yun, who is lacking a bit in that department.

Loved: Jeong Hoon & Su Hyun’s new beginning

It isn’t just Ji Yun and Eun Ho who had viewers rooting for them. Kim Do Hoon’s Woo Jeong Hoon and Kim Yoon Hye’s Su Hyun won hearts as well. Su Hyun and Jeong Hoon get close to each other, discovering that they both belong to the one-sided-crush club. Jeong Hoon has a soft spot for Ji Yun, while Su Hyun carries a torch for Eun Ho. Su Hyun, an author of children books, is also raising her nephew as her own son. She takes no notice of the small talk around her, that she has compromised on her own life by choosing to be a single mother to a child who is not even hers. But she remains strong and positive in every situation.

On the other hand, Jeong Hoon doesn’t get along with his father, Chairman Woo. He feels his father’s high expectations caused the death of his older brother. He also doesn’t approve of the Chairman’s ruthless ways when it comes to business and people. In spite of the emotional baggage he carries, Jeong Hoon is playful with a happy-go-lucky vibe to him.

Through the course of their drunken banters on the futility of love and infatuation, Su Hyun and Jeong Hoon strike an easygoing friendship. It isn’t long when the camaraderie between the two turns into something deeper. However, both seem hesitant in confessing their feelings, thinking the other may not share the same sentiment. It takes a fortune teller to nudge them into expressing their feelings to each other. And Jeong Hoon offloads his emotional baggage, accepting the olive branch extended by his father, who is regretful of his actions from the past. It was interesting to see the second lead characters also getting their own distinctive arc and plot. And as everyone finally gets to embark on a new journey, it certainly isn’t the end, but a new beginning for all in “Love Scout.”

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Hey Soompiers! Have you seen the finale of “Love Scout”? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.

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