It wouldn’t be the penultimate week of a K-drama without tension bubbling over like an overfilled cup of instant ramen. As we inch closer to the finale, our story takes a more dramatic turn. Secrets unravel, relationships face turbulence, and, of course, scientific ethics take a backseat to emotional chaos. Read on, because this week’s episodes deliver a potent mix of suspense, romance, and moral dilemmas.
TL;DR
- Family Secrets: Long-buried family secrets resurface, forcing characters to confront their pasts.
- Ethical Dilemmas: Scientific ethics blur as personal emotions take over, leading to questionable decisions.
- Romantic Entanglements: Ryong’s savior complex intensifies, while Eve navigates complex feelings.
- Character Flaws: Characters like Kang-soo reveal deeper layers, moving beyond simple villain roles.
- Suspenseful Climax: The episodes build towards a tense climax, setting the stage for a dramatic finale.
Flashbacks, Abandonment, and a Christmas Without Socks
We kick things off with a tearjerker flashback to 1988. A young, tearful Na-mi leaves her infant behind in the back of a taxi on Christmas Eve—without even a pair of socks. Harsh. The taxi driver does his best to describe the woman to the authorities, but the cops are more interested in shaking their heads at a mother abandoning her child on the holiest of holidays. Flash-forward to the present, and Eve, our protagonist, stares at her bare feet, reflecting on her past. The symbolism? Heavy-handed, but effective. It highlights the lingering wounds of abandonment and the emotional weight Eve carries to this day.
The Web of Deception and a Suspicious Commander
Ryong, meanwhile, finds himself under scrutiny. Tae-hui, ever the sharp-eyed investigator, suspects that Ryong was in league with Kang-soo, secretly hiding more morulas (that’s lab-grown embryos, for the non-scientists) in the spare incubator. Ryong, ever the quick thinker, concocts a convoluted but technically plausible explanation to cover his tracks. Essentially, he argues that the timing wouldn’t make sense—if Kang-soo had truly stashed extra embryos, they would have perished in the space debris incident.
Crisis averted. For now. But Tae-hui isn’t one to be easily deceived, and the way she lingers on Ryong’s every word suggests that this battle isn’t over yet.
A Friend’s Warning and a Not-So-Subtle Threat
Ryong, feeling smug about dodging yet another bullet, celebrates a little too soon. Tae-hui isn’t buying his act and confronts him outside the MCC. Her message? Crystal clear: don’t toy with Eve’s heart or career. If he’s hiding something shady, she’ll ensure he regrets it. While she doesn’t explicitly threaten physical harm, one gets the feeling that Ryong should invest in some protective padding.
Ryong’s response? He boldly declares that he’s the only one who “truly has Eve’s back.” Excuse me? Did he miss the part where Tae-hui has been a rock in Eve’s life? The sheer audacity. This moment underscores a theme the drama keeps pushing: Eve’s supposed “isolation.” Her adoption, her struggles, her feeling of being alone in the world. And, of course, Ryong is positioning himself as the hero who will rescue her from this loneliness. Classic.
Lab Mice, Romantic Gestures, and a Questionable Marriage Proposal
In a turn of events that can only happen in a K-drama, Eve’s experimental lab mouse gets pregnant in space. With no one else around to assist, Eve calls Ryong. To his credit, he rushes to her side—right after stopping by her place for some completely unauthorized snooping. He stumbles upon a letter from the adoption agency and, upon reading it, gets even more determined to become her “family.”
Cue the next scene: Ryong, caught up in the moment, jokes about Eve being a mom now (to the mice, that is). It’s a sweet but slightly bizarre moment that teases a possible future between them. However, the real shocker? Ryong actually attempts to file marriage registration papers—with Yi-man as a witness. Yi-man, wisely, refuses to play along with this impulsive decision. Ryong’s desperation to cement his place in Eve’s life is reaching uncomfortable levels, making us question whether his motivations are rooted in love or a deep-seated savior complex.
Kang-soo’s Downfall and Drunken Confessions
Meanwhile, Kang-soo faces the music for his role in the space station debacle. While Eve and Ryong celebrate a scientific breakthrough, Kang-soo dreads his impending disciplinary hearing. He assumes the excited murmurs in the next room are about his downfall—paranoia at its finest.
Despite having dirt on nearly everyone, Kang-soo takes the fall alone. He loses his job, his credentials, and his custom jumpsuit. Understandably bitter, he drowns his sorrows in alcohol. In his drunken stupor, he mistakenly tries to enter his ex’s hotel room. Go-eun, soft-hearted as ever, helps him to his own room. In his haze, he confesses that he tried to save the embryo because he couldn’t save their baby. A heavy moment in an otherwise chaotic episode. This revelation adds layers to Kang-soo’s character, transforming him from a mere antagonist to a deeply flawed but tragic figure.
A Mother’s Guilt and an Unexpected DNA Test
Just when you think the family drama is over, Na-mi reappears. She shows up at MCC with a boxed lunch for Eve and drops subtle hints, trying to confirm if Eve is her long-lost daughter. Eve, sensing Na-mi’s hesitation, lies. Why? Likely because she realizes Na-mi isn’t exactly eager to reunite with her abandoned child.
Later, Eve conducts a secret DNA test. The result? Confirmed: Na-mi is her biological mother. But before she can process this revelation, a crisis erupts.
A Life-or-Death Emergency—For a Mouse
Eve’s lab mouse is in critical condition. Its babies have stopped breathing. The mother is on the verge of death. The scientists scramble to decide whether to euthanize her, but Eve, now deeply affected by her own mother’s choices, refuses. She holds on to the hope that the mother mouse will find the will to live, even after losing her babies. The parallel here is poignant—Eve’s reluctance to let go of the mouse mirrors her own unresolved feelings toward Na-mi.
My Take on the Drama So Far
Let’s be real—this drama has been a rollercoaster of emotions, scientific inaccuracies, and romantic entanglements that make NASA’s space programs look tame.
- Ryong’s Savior Complex – His insistence on being Eve’s “only” support system is problematic. Love isn’t about swooping in to “save” someone. Eve has a strong friend in Tae-hui, and the show should acknowledge that more.
- Kang-soo’s Tragic Arc – He deserved his consequences, but let’s not ignore the fact that others were just as guilty. He played with fire and got burned, but the rest? They’re practically toasting marshmallows.
- The Na-mi Dilemma – Her regret is real, but her motives remain murky. Does she truly want closure, or is she just trying to absolve her guilt? Eve’s choice to lie was understandable—sometimes, the past is better left buried.
- Science, Schmiance – The scientific ethics in this drama are laughable at best. Unauthorized experiments? Check. Stolen embryos? Check. Emotional decisions overriding logic? Triple check.
Final Thoughts
With only a few episodes the drama left, the stakes are higher than ever. Will Eve confront Na-mi? Will Ryong ever stop treating love like a heroic mission? And will any of these characters face real consequences for their space shenanigans? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure—this drama knows how to keep us hooked.
So, grab your popcorn, because next week’s finale promises to be a spectacle. Just hopefully one with fewer unethical lab experiments.
