Cinderella at 2am – K-drama Episode 3 Recap & Review

Episode 3

Episode 3 of Cinderella at 2am begins with a flashback that explains how Joo-won started dating Yoon-seo. After returning to Korea following two years of studying abroad, Joo-won struggles to adjust to the realities of working as an intern before assuming a leadership role at his mother’s company.

He quickly realizes that he isn’t as exceptional as he once thought—facing scolding from his seniors and being pressured to drink heavily at company gatherings. Yoon-seo overhears him complaining to his brother about wanting to quit. She is the only one who offers him comfort, encouraging him to persevere through the challenges of being a beginner. This marks the beginning of Joo-won’s feelings for Yoon-seo.

The scene then shifts to Yoon-seo and Joo-won outside a restaurant, where Yoon-seo narrowly avoids a kiss from Joo-won. Drunk and upset, Joo-won throws a tantrum on the street, revealing some of Yoon-seo’s embarrassing secrets. The next day, he wakes up with many regrets.

At the office, both Yoon-seo and Joo-won try to avoid each other, feeling awkward after their last encounter. Meanwhile, Yoon-seo’s brother, Ji-suk, witnesses a classmate being bullied. Although he has the power to intervene, he chooses not to, dismissing it as a hassle.

Later, Yoon-seo and Joo-won are forced to have lunch together and agree to talk later in Joo-won’s office. While Joo-won is on an important call, Yoon-seo runs into the department chairwoman, who reiterates her trust in Yoon-seo to break up with Joo-won.

The chairwoman leaves just as Joo-won sees her off. Distracted, Yoon-seo heads to I-rae’s restaurant and works diligently to take her mind off Joo-won. She confides in I-rae, explaining that having never experienced a warm family herself, she understands the importance of one and doesn’t want to come between Joo-won and his family.

The next day, Yoon-seo receives a call from Ji-suk’s teacher, summoning her to the anti-bullying committee. There, she learns that Ji-suk was a bystander during the bullying of his classmate. She apologizes to the classmate’s mother, taking responsibility for not raising Ji-suk properly.

On the way home, she questions Ji-suk about his decision not to intervene, feeling particularly hurt because Yoon-seo herself had been a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of their father. It’s revealed that she eventually escaped with Ji-suk after being accepted into university, making her even more disappointed in him for remaining silent in the face of violence. Ji-suk feels guilty and realizes he should have spoken up.

Elsewhere, Joo-won visits his brother and comes to the realization that by clinging to Yoon-seo, he’s only making her life more difficult. He meets with Yoon-seo, and they finally agree that it’s best to break up. Joo-won suggests they spend one last fun day together before ending things. They visit an adventure park, enjoying the rides, but ultimately, they break up at the end of the day.

Cinderella at 2 AM seems to have lost its momentum with this episode. Much of the content relies on repetitive tropes, echoing the previous two episodes, and the plot appears to lack direction. The show seems to be coasting on Yoon-seo and Joo-won’s repeated attempts to break up, but after dedicating two full episodes to this, it’s starting to feel stale.

Although Joo-won and Yoon-seo finally decide to break up in this episode, it’s doubtful that the story ends here. Hopefully, in the coming episodes, Cinderella at 2 AM will break free from its repetitive cycle and offer something fresh or more engaging to look forward to.