[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Make a Woman Cry" Episode 30

Technically speaking I think Hong-ran is supposed to be the bad guy right now. She knows where Jin-han is, and is withholding this information from the rest of her family out of sheer spite. There's just one problem- Eun-soo has proven herself to be a substantially more unlikable person. It's actually pretty enjoyable just watching Eun-soo squirm, because this isn't a problem she can't solve through browbeating and threats. Not like that ever solved any problems in the first place, mind you.

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Eun-soo is pretty smart, though. Her deductions sounds like something Hercule Poirot might come up with. Of course, finding another path to Jin-han that doesn't go through Hong-ran isn't all that helpful, because Eun-soo has managed to make an enemy of nearly every other character in the drama. And it's delicious watching Eun-soo receive these explanations in very slow, measured terms. It's not a genuine apology if you only make it because you obviously want something.

Elsewhere Kyeong-cheol manages to come off much more sympathetically, even though he too was a total jerk earlier in the drama, because the man's willing to admit to some vulnerability. It's hard to imagine Kyeong-cheol getting back together with Deok-in, but there's still an emotional connection there. Kyeong-cheol is scared, and somewhat paradoxically, he cares too much about the rest of his family to want to worry them about this.

It's a genuinely noble sentiment on his part. Which makes it kind of hard for me to care that much about Jin-woo at this point. He does close the episode out with a pretty genuinely heartfelt scene, but even so, Jin-woo has been a long time coming in terms of managing real character growth. Even as he's now the only obvious avenue for anyone finding out where Jin-han is, beyond that, his story lacks much urgency. Should Deok-in really be pushing to try and get him back?

I don't know whether "Make a Woman Cry" has been all that convincing on this point. Although I suppose that's a big part of the leap of faith required by love in the first place. Is a horrible betrayal something that can be forgiven with time, if only because the longer you think about it, the more you really miss this other person? It's not like Deok-in has much else going on in her life at this moment. Maybe that's enough- it's not like Jin-woo is a bad person.

Review by William Schwartz

"Make a Woman Cry" is directed by Kim Geun-hong and Park Sang-hoon-III, written by Ha Cheong-ok and features Kim Jung-eun, Song Chang-eui, Lee Soon-jae, Ha Hee-ra, Oh Dae-gyu and Lee Tae-ran.