[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Make a Woman Cry" Episode 7

The cliffhanger ends up going rather anticlimatically. There's no larger discussion this episode regarding bullying or proper filial piety. It's just kind of a weird opening gag about how sometimes punches go wrong and then it's time for everyone to go scooting off. Beyond that one punch, by the way, this episode is mostly a pretty nonviolent one. At least from Deok-in's end. She's had a stressful enough time lately to not be going around looking for trouble.

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Trouble does find her, and while Deok-in remains calm, it is beginning to sink in that she can't keep doing this. A very sweet conversation between Deok-in and Jin-woo clarifies for both ends what exactly they're going through. Jin-woo now knows that Deok-in's resistance to the divorce is mainly a result of the drama involving her son's death, and Deok-in now mostly has a picture of why Jin-woo's relationship with his son is on such skittish territory.

We also get a better visual on the strained, complex relationship between Deok-in and Kyeong-cheol. In many ways this marriage dispute is a reflection of their very different reactions to the death of their son. Kyeong-cheol desperately wants to move on, but he isn't willing to create a crisis just to selfishly resolve his own personal issues. Deok-in can sympathize with this- and yet at the same time, she's just selfish enough to prioritize her own lingering attachment over the well-being of everyone else.

It's a fascinating contrast because it's clear that in any other context Deok-in is a very giving, loving person willing to do whatever she can for anyone. Once again, it makes me curious about her history. Has Deok-in always been like this- or has this change in attitude been a sort of penance for what happened to her son? Either way, it's easy to see why Kyeong-cheol wants a divorce. Deok-in is not, at present, a particularly satisfying partner.

What he wants from Jin-hee is less clear- Jin-hee at her best often seems childish, although I suppose Kyeong-cheol does balance that out as long as Jin-hee isn't in morally indignant mode. Most of the rich family stuff is dull, although I admit I'm warming up to the immature romance storyline. It's just funny to see a young woman act so immature in a dating context- and we know that's what she's doing because "Make a Woman Cry" does a good job showing us how mature adults act. Even if it doesn't always go that well.

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.