Destined With You Episode 5 Recap and Review: The South Korean fantasy romance drama, (이 연애는 불가항력) stars SF9’s Rowoon and Jo Bo-ah in lead roles. The supporting cast also includes Ha Jun, and Yura. The JTBC series is directed by Nam Ki-hoon and written by Noh Ji-sul.
The series revolves around Lee Hong-jo (Jo Bo-ah), a civil servant and Jang Shin-yu (Rowoon), a lawyer who come face to face under unexpected circumstances. Hong-jo is revealed as the owner of an old wooden box that has been sealed over 300 years ago which contains a forbidden book that has a connection to Shin-yu. He is suffering from a mysterious illness and its cure lies in the book. Soon, they both realise that the key to saving Shin-yu from the curse is in the hands of Hong-jo. Amid the same, a romance blossoms between the two.
As for the cast, Jo Bo-ah recently starred in 2023’s Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 as Nam Ji-ah whereas Rowoon starred in 2022’s Tomorrow. Also, Ha Jun starred in Missing: The Other Side Season 2 as Shin Joon-ho and Yura previously played the role of Chae Yoo-jin in Forecasting Love and Weather. Destined With You airs on JTBC at the 10.30 PM slot on Wednesday-Thursday.
– Destined With You Episode 5 Review Contains Spoilers –
Destined With You Episode 5 Recap
Hong-jo visits the nearby barbecue where Shin-yu joins uninvited. She tells him that it is not the chair he is supposed to sit on. When he asks why he isn’t allowed to sit there, Hong-jo reveals that it is her father’s death anniversary and that she leaves that chair empty for his presence. Shin-yu feels bad for annoying her and sits near her. They order large amounts of food to commemorate Hong-jo’s father’s memorial.
Then the couple go to the beach again and the drunk Hong-jo starts talking to her father (not literally). She states that she promised her dad that she would come with her boyfriend but sadly has come with a stranger. Shin-yu joins her and tells that he is neither her boyfriend nor a stranger but someone whose destiny can’t be severed.
This sentence strikes Hong-jo and he reveals to her that he has found the secret. They both decide to go against their destiny as they don’t have an interest in each other. Back in the car, the drunk Hong-jo lies on Shin-yu’s shoulder and starts talking unconsciously. The next day at the office, Hong-jo receives a complaint stating that Mount Onju is covered in blood. She and some other officials visit the mountain and see sign boards covered in blood, supposedly of chicken.
After a while, Shin-yu calls Hong-jo to his office and irritates her once again. After she leaves, he remembers Na-yeon the wedding proposal. He feels saddened by the thought he is in love with Hong-jo while also engaged to Na-yeon. Shin-yu and Na-yeon then go to a festival. Over there, he finds a woman looking like Hong-jo running away from him. When he follows her she disappears. To confirm, he visits Hong-joo’s place and asks her whereabouts.
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She states that she went to see the Shaman. Shin-yu asks Hong-jo why would he like someone like her when he has a girlfriend whom people term as a goddess. This hurts Hong-jo and she goes inside her home. Hong-jo remembers a memory of Na-yeon bullying her back in school. She wonders how Shin-yu likes such a girl.
The next day, Shin-yu nags Hong-jo to eat with her and they visit a restaurant of Hong-jo’s choice. During the conversation, when Shin-yu states that he is her destiny she replies saying her destiny is on the first floor. Unable to interpret what she told, Shin-yu lets it go. Later Hong-jo goes and buys some plants for the yard in front of Jae-kyung’s home. When Jae-kyung finds her planting the shrubs, he invites her for dinner.
Hong-jo and Jae-kyung have dinner together and watch the rain. The two have a nice conversation before it gets interrupted by Shin-yu’s call. When Shin-yu figures that Hong-jo is with a man, he gets furious but thankfully, Hong-jo cuts the call and continues her time with Jae-kyung.
The next day, Shin-yu’s mother visits Wook to file a divorce. That night, Shin-yu joins his friend Wook and drinks. Initially, we learn that Shin-yu has never drunk due to his sickness. But to forget Hong-jo, he decides to drink. After getting drunk, Shin-yu remembers what Hong-jo told him inside the car when she was drunk. She revealed how her father lost his life to save two kids. To date, Hong-jo believes that she killed her father because if she hadn’t dropped out of school, they wouldn’t have gone to the beach and her father wouldn’t have drowned.
The drunk Shin-yu goes to Hong-jo’s home that night. He sends off his driver and meets Hong-jo. When the couple have a talk, Jae-kyung comes and asks Shin-yu to leave as it is not well-mannered to visit a woman at night while drunk. Shin-yu learns that Jae-kyung is living on the first floor and connects the dots figuring that Hong-jo’s mention of destiny is him.
Shin-yu says that he has no feelings for Hong-jo but the latter is responsible for how he is feeling. Jae-kyung finds it hard to understand and replies that he will drive him home. But Hong-jo clarifies that she is at fault and that she will take him home. During the drive, Shin-yu feels sick and the two pull up in the neighbourhood.
Shin-yu asks why Hong-jo likes Jae-kyung to which she says they’re similar. Shin-yu keeps adding that he has similar vibes as well. Hong-jo asks him whether he can come out on coming 19th night as there is going to be a full moon. She suggests that she does another spell to get rid of the love potion’s effect. Shin-yu startles her by asking how she has never had feelings for him all this while. When she starts blushing, Shin-yu says that he has found his drunk habit which is to kiss someone near. He leans in for a kiss and the episode ends.
Destined With You Episode 5 Review
The episode showed how Jae-kyung is starting to like Hong-jo but sadly Shin-yu is also hitting on her. Slowly, the love triangle will effectively develop leaving Hong-jo caught between her destiny and her desire. The cause behind the curse is yet to be known which we will learn in the upcoming episodes.
Na-yeon is sure to get a heartbreak as Shin-yu isn’t truly interested in her. Moreover, since she has bullied Hong-jo in the past, if she learns about Shin-yu’s feelings for Hong-jo, Na-yeon will torment the woman. There is a mystery behind Jae-kyung as well as he is seen often looking calm and lost in his thoughts.
So far, the romance aspect is feeling a bit rushed and it would be nice if it slows down. Shin-yu is making a fool out of himself involuntarily. Hopefully, the comedy aspect will also look natural because it just isn’t too good as of now.
Destined With You airs on JTBC and is also streaming on Netflix. Share your thoughts about the drama in the comment section below.
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