DNA Lover – K-drama Episode 2 Recap & Review

The Man’s Pheromones

DNA Lover episode 2 picks up with Yeon-u arriving at So-jin’s lab. He plays it cool, waiting to see her reaction. On the other hand, So-jin tries to keep calm and act like she has no idea about why Yeon-u’s sideburn looks messy. The lead technician asks So-jin to show Yeon-u around and discuss the patient files with him.

So-jin tries to subtly bring up Yeon-u’s sideburn and the anti-balding serum comes up. She forgets herself and starts talking about how effective the serum is. She mentions it works so well, and Yeon-u becomes more distressed. He realises that So-jin is trying to act innocent and plans his revenge. 

After the tour, they talk about Yeon-u’s patients. So-jin worries that one of his pregnant patients won’t be able to carry the pregnancy to full term. The patient, Yoo-young, has pulmonary hypertension, and the child has Edwards Syndrome. Either way, it is a tough decision, as only one person can be saved.

However, So-jin wonders if there is a way to at least carry the pregnancy to term and allow mom and child to meet even briefly. She talks about how desperate and healing such a meeting can be. Sadly, Yeon-u doesn’t think the same, but he still listens to her. After the meeting, he asks for So-jin’s number and she reluctantly gives it to him.

So-jin panics after Yeon-u leaves and he sends her a message saying he is glad to be part of her experiment. She realise that she said this to him on the fateful night and that Yeon-u knows what she did. She was already stressed out about leaving the serum in his house and now her secret is out too. However; she convinces herself that Yeon-u deserves the punishment.

Later that night, she takes her colleague’s dog for a walk and tries to train the dog to find the scent of her dream man. The dog leads her to Gang-hun, who is also walking a friend’s dog. He mocks So-jin for trying to find an ideal man and doing experiments outside the lab.

He also gives her a safety bell for when she visits his dad’s restaurant. He knows So-jin causes trouble when she gets drunk and wants to be there for her. So-jin wonders if Gang-hun is her ideal man, but realises that he is sweet with everyone and feels she is not special to him. She returns the dog home and promises to help her colleague, A-ri, to help her find a man too. 

The next day, Jung-tam runs into a woman and follows her to a gym. Even though she is not his type, he is strangely attracted to her. He talks to Yeon-u about his predicament and the doctor advises him to date the woman and get it out of his system.

Yeon-u admits that he has a type. It seems he likes an old friend, Jang Mi-eun, who is a famous polyamorist. She also likes him, but none of them wants to cross the boundaries and try.

Later, Yeon-u meets with Yoo-young and tells her about the condition of her pregnancy. Sadly, it turns out to be the same woman who Gang-hun once saved. She chose to live after learning she is pregnant, but life keeps throwing her curveballs.

Yeon-u advises her to think carefully about her condition but admits that it will be harder to save the mother if she chooses to keep the pregnancy.

After trying to deal with his hairy situation, Yeon-u calls So-jin and demands to meet at his office the next day. So-jin agrees to meet and take responsibility for her actions. Yeon-u asks her to find an antidote within 24 hours.

She takes his DNA samples, but Yeon-u starts to feel some attraction after she gets close to him. Even though she knows it is hard, So-jin pours herself into finding the antidote.

After a long day at the office, Yeon-u visits his mom to honour his parent’s anniversary. We learn that after Yeon-u’s dad left them, his mom sunk into a deep depression. She barely knows how much time has flown and lives in a different reality, mourning the loss of her relationship.

After the visit, Yeon-u drops by Gang-hun’s dad’s restaurant and admits his parents ruined his belief in love. That is why he prefers to play around instead of getting into anything serious. He doesn’t understand how Gang-hun can stay in love with one woman.

In the meantime, Yoo-young contemplates her options and calls Gang0hun to talk to him. Unfortunately, he is at work, dealing with a crisis, and misses her calls.

Simultaneously, So-jin continues looking into Yoo-young’s case and realises there is a change in the new tests. She has the dying gene, which means she is suicidal. She calls Yeon-u to warn him, but it is too late.

A nurse informs Yeon-u that Youn-young is on the hospital rooftop. So-jin overhears the conversation and starts running towards the hospital. The firefighters also arrive on time and start setting up the inflatable jump bag.

 By the time So-jin gets there, she finds Yeon-u using her words to comfort Yoo-young. She moves towards Yoo-young and shares her experience with dealing with depression after her family died. She begs Yoo-young to reconsider and give Yeon-u a chance to save the child.

Just as Yoo-young deliberates on her decision, So-jin gets closer and reaches out her hand.  However, Yoo-young chooses to jump. So-jin-grabs on to her and pulls her back.

The other doctors grab Yoo-young and Yeon-u jumps to grab So-jin. Unfortunately, they both trip and start descending towards the inflatable jump bag set by the firefighters

The Episode Review

We went from laughing to crying real quick. The episode did a fantastic job displaying how hard it can be to deal with depression. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming because life keeps happening and things keep going wrong.

Yoo-young was so happy after learning she was pregnant and decided to live. However, the news that she has to end her pregnancy to save her life hit hard. Even after the delivery, the doctors still believe that her child won’t live long. It is a heartbreaking dilemma and we can see why Yoo-young felt overwhelmed. 

This episode also explains both So-jin and Yeon-u’s emotional wounds. So-jin is obsessed with finding a DNA lover because she wants to recreate the family she lost. Yeon-u is scared to love someone and ends up like his mom when they leave. He has created walls to protect his heart. Sadly, in his effort to protect himself, he is hurting other people.