The Interest of Love (사랑의 이해) is a Korean romantic-drama series directed by Jo Yeong-min and stars Yoo Yeon-seok, Mun Ka-young, Keum Sae-rok and Jung Ga-ram in lead roles. The series is based on the novel by Sarangui Ihae by Lee Hyuk-jin. The series takes over JTBC’s Wednesday-Thursday 10.30 PM KST timeslot previously occupied by Insider starring Kang Ha-neul.
The Interest of Love episode 8 has a runtime of 73 minutes.
Netflix’s description reads:
FOUR MEN AND WOMEN WORKING AT THE SAME BANK GET ENTANGLED IN A COMPLICATED ROMANCE AS THEY DISCOVER HOW FAR THEY’RE WILLING TO GO FOR LOVE.
– The Interest of Love Episode 8 Recap Contains Spoilers –
The Interest of Love episode 8 starts at Mi-gyeong’s place, with Sang-su opening up to her about his mother and their struggles when he was young. She has a rather romantic notion about it and wishes for him to open up to her but even in that moment it feels like Sang-su’s mind is occupied with other things.
Meanwhile, Su-yeong quashes Jong-hyeon’s worries and welcomes him into her home. The first few moments are a bit awkward, as you’d expect, but Su-yeong makes it work as quickly as possible so that he can have a comfortable and stable stay at her place.
While Sang-su and Mi-gyeong struggle a bit to find their footing, with him not reciprocating all of her feelings, Su-yeong and Jong-hyeon tiptoe around each other as the dust settles slowly. Soon enough, Mi-gyeong arrives at Sang-su’s with the intention of staying over with him.
The next morning, the love birds seem to be in a great mood, with Sang-su teasing Mi-gyeong about her snoring. On the other hand, Su-yeong also wakes up to Jong-hyeon making breakfast for them, putting a smile on her face.
As they walk to office together, Sang-su sees them from his car with Mi-gyeong inside and it’s clear that he’s a bit confused and concerned about their relationship. Later that day, Sang-su and Su-yeong spend some awkward moments in the break room, with her congratulating him about her relationship. She mentions how everyone already knew about it, seemingly feeling a bit dejected about not knowing.
Also Read: The Interest of Love Episode 7 Recap and Review: Hope, Lots of It
Of course, things get complicated when Shi-kyung barges in and opens his mouth about Sang-su’s compliant against him to help Su-yeong. Of course, Su-yeong questions him about it later, but he doesn’t get too into it. She is, thus, left to ask Gyeong-pil about it after Sang-su leaves.
When she finally learns the truth, she wonders about his kindness and thoughtfulness, especially when she sees him wearing a pink apron and selling fish by helping someone out. In the end, she thanks him for his kindness and the two seem to get into a better mindset.
That night, Su-yeong and Sang-su get talking again wherein he asks her about her running away from the car the other day. She tells him not to worry about her anymore and to care for and love Mi-gyeong. When she comes out, Mi-gyeong springs a proposal on Sang-su, citing how her father wants her to get married. In between tensed blabbering, Mi-gyeong gives him a golf ball in a proposal ring box and the two of them go to play golf.
Su-yeong and Jong-hyeon, too, have a sweet night in together.
Also Read: Trolley Episode 8 Recap and Review: The Red Phone
The next day, on Su-yeong’s birthday, Mi-gyeong asks her to deliver something to her place since she will be busy. After her mother feeds her to a birthday lunch, she seems a bit sad to realise Mi-gyeong and Jong-hyeon don’t remember her birthday. However, taking her completely by surprise, it turns out that the two of them had, in fact, thrown a party for her at Mi-gyeong’s place!
In spite of the happy atmosphere, there’s a tension in the air between Sang-su and Su-yeong as they continue to work around each other. Interestingly enough, she finds the painting that she has always loved in Mi-gyeong’s bathroom.
Either way, the dinner isn’t a less awkward situation either, with Mi-gyeong rattling off about college and how much she disliked it. Sang-su realises Su-yeong’s discomfort, especially when she asks Jong-hyeon about his exam. However, Su-yeong swoops in for the rescue and defends her boyfriend eventually steering the conversation down a more positive path.
On their way back home, Mi-gyeong asks Sang-su to drop the others off home but Su-yeong refuses his help in the end.
Back home, Mi-gyeong’s extravagant lamp and their little passion project leave her to think about her friendship but Jung-hyeon’s loving gift leaves her feeling happy and heard. Meanwhile, Sang-su can’t stop thinking about Su-yeong.
The next day, Su-yeong proposes coming clean about their relationship to the office but Jong-hyeon refuses and iterates that he doesn’t want anyone talking behind their backs. When Shi-kyung comes to work later, he asks Jong-hyeon to clean up the floor, leaving everyone feeling rather uncomfortable.
However, the two of them go out on a shopping date, which turns out to be a heartwarming and merry affair for the two. They discuss the costs of getting married and after Su-yeong mentions the wedding ring she wants, Jong-hyun draws a ring on her finger with a sharpie. It’s honestly very teenage love sorta thing, but considering the hard life the two of them have to live, it’s quite cute.
On the other hand, Mi-seon interviews Sang-su about his intentions with Mi-gyeong and seems to have passed with flying colours.
That night, Jong-hyeon discusses what he’d do for Su-yeong once he becomes successful and the two of them share their thoughts and feelings about each other and the life that they want to build together.
The Interest of Love Episode 8 Ending
In spite of everyone feeling loved in their relationships, though, at Seok-hyeon’s wedding, the two of them make it a point to not look or desire the other to respect the choices that they made. That night, as Su-yeong goes to her reserved room, she lies to Jong-hyeon about where she is, and just then, the door bell rings. Meanwhile, Sang-su, too, goes up to a hotel room.
The Interest of Love Episode 8 Review
I am very confused about why Su-yeong and Sang-su are so up in arms to not work through their misunderstandings and actually be with each other instead of lying to themselves and others about their feelings for each other. That cliffhanger at the end of the episode can be very saucy if it does end up playing out the way that they edited it but given everything, I doubt these two are meeting each other at a hotel room.
Either way, I think the most interesting part of the series is the clear differences in lifestyles and backgrounds of all the friendships – Mi-gyeong and Su-yeong clearly do not gel into each other’s lives. Mi-gyeong is totally unaware of what bothers Su-yeong and it almsot seems like she’s trying to keep a close eye on Su-yeong by being friends with her. It’s just uncomfortable to watch Mi-gyeong’s actions around Su-yeong. The latter, too, feels similarly out of place with this relationship.
Jong-hyeon is the innocent bystander who will eventually get very hurt in the long run. And although Mi-gyeong acts all sweet and nice, there’s something going on with her, or she simply can’t read the room with her priviledges.
Either way, I am enjoying the toxicity. It’s dramatic, very cute sometimes and I can just see these relationships imploding in each other within the next few episodes… and I am here for it.
The Interest of Love is streaming on Netflix.
Also Read: All of Our The Interest of Love Reviews