[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Make a Woman Cry" Episode 38

By William Schwartz on 2015/08/23 at 17:03 PST

Deok-in solves the mystery of what really happened with the death- well, technically the cops solve it but they do convey through Deok-in their genuine appreciation for Eun-soo giving the tip that ultimately allowed them to crack the case. The look on Eun-soo's face throughout that exchange really is priceless. Apparently it's never occurred to her that a good deed can be its own reward. Eun-soo didn't get the result she was expecting, so instead of doom and destruction all that happens is reconciliation.

It's very appropriately ironic that this issue is apparently what finally helps Tae-hwan to realize that he's kind of a jerk. Really. Having his own children not be sure whether or not he committed a serious crime ends up being enough to make Tae-hwan completely rethink his worldview. Tae-hwan's mercantile attitude is the main reason why he can't manage appropriate conflict resolution. Now that he understands Deok-in's point of view...well, that finally resolves that plot point.

We're also very near to closure on Deok-in and Jin-woo's loveline. I wasn't expecting Eun-soo's blackmail attempt to factor in to that but in the long view their reaction does make a lot of sense. As completely lousy as Deok-in may feel about the greater situation, she knows she can trust Jin-woo at least. That's why Deok-in gives him a chance, and consequently, that's also why Jin-woo is able to better open up and unburden himself.

That leaves Eun-soo. And while she's done her best to be a terrible person for a very long time now, what Eun-soo tries to do at the cliffhanger is just...well, it's in character mostly. Eun-soo tries to solve every single problem in the most overdramatic and aggressive way possible. Which fortunately enough is why the other characters are able to catch on to what she's doing. I'm not sure this qualifies as redemption so much as it is an establishment of how Eun-soo has consistently failed to understand that Tae-hwan loves Hyeon-seo as a grandson, not a potential heir.

The ending trajectory is getting to a feel a little too tidy, but at the very least "Make a Woman Cry" is moving convincingly into the finale. Kyeong-cheol puts his affairs into order, and all that's left to do right now is hope that his redemption is able to last longer than the runtime of the drama itself. That's what a happy ending is going to have to be here- not resolution, but hope that the major struggles are all finally done with.

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.