Love To Hate You – K-Drama Episode 8 Recap & Review

The Way You Change Me

Episode 8 of Love To Hate You starts with Se-na realizing that Mi-ran really loves Kang-ho as well because she was going to sacrifice her relationship for Se-na and Kang-ho to find love again. Kang-ho jumps in and ushers Mi-ran to his room to end the fuss leaving Se-na alone in the hotel lobby.

In his room, Kang-ho clarifies to Mi-ran that he has no feelings for Se-na whatsoever. He explains how despite being each other’s first loves, Se-na had ditched him when she was caught in a dating scandal. Upon hearing how Kang-ho was over his ex, Mi-ran sleeps on the sofa to ensure the actor can sleep on his comfortable bed.

Kang-ho is snobby but chivalrous as he forces Mi-ran to sleep on the bed instead. However, their awkward interaction is interrupted when Kang-ho starts confessing how much she shocked him that day. He wonders how instead of waiting for a man to run and have the crew member, Mi-ran risked her life to save someone.

Mi-ran starts lecturing the actor about how the gender of the person doing the saving does not matter as long as a life is saved. She discusses how Se-na’s character is wasted away by the movie’s patriarchal storytelling. Hearing Mi-ran’s explanation seems to have softened Kang-ho’s stance about women being selfish and greedy.

Looks like the director of the movie was also in awe of what Mi-ran had done so he starts making changes to the original script. On their way to drop Na-eun home, the flight attendant feels a wide range of emotions. What starts off as her crush deepening for Won-jun soon turns into awe when the CEO gives the actor endearing tips on how he should take care of Mi-ran.

The two halt at a restroom and Na-eun does her best, including sticking her face in a hand dry to curl her bangs so that she can look beautiful for Won-jun. However, on her way out, she hears how Won-jun telling Kang-ho to get physical with Mi-ran. Na-eun suddenly despises Won-jun.

Meanwhile, Mi-ran pretends to be asleep when Kang-ho is done washing up. The actor is so in awe of Mi-ran that he starts explaining to, him what he thinks is a sleeping Mi-ran, details and details about how he has fallen for her. Attempting to stop her from sleeping on her back, Kang-ho tries many positions before eventually spooning her in bed.

Na-eun and Won-jun have a fight about his advice to Kang-ho. The CEO explains Kang-ho’s anxiety issue and states that he wanted the couple to date in reality because Kang-ho had honest feelings for the lawyer. Na-eun easily buys the explanation and goes back to liking Won-jun for defending his best friend.

As they drive back, Won-jun gets a call from Grace which he ignores. Na-eun asks about his relationship with the caller but he is unable to define it leaving Na-eun heartbroken. She ends up being totally against the CEO and claims that she will take no part in setting Kang-ho up with her best friend.

In the hotel room, Kang-ho and Mi-ran sleep in each other’s arms as the actor confesses that he likes her for real. The next morning, Mi-ran wakes Kang-ho, asking him to get the door. Kang-ho awkwardly tries to explain why he was spooning her but Mi-ran acts unimpressed by his explanation. Kang-ho and Se-na are talking to the director and his team.

The crew explains the story was changing to give Se-na’s role a significant twist just like Mi-ran had imagined the night before. Meanwhile, Mi-ran is being praised by everyone on the team for her sacrifice. She thanks them and starts driving back home. At the meeting, Se-na is confused by the new changes in the story.

Kang-ho is worried about Mi-ran’s safety now that she is injured. He is not having this new change in the role and calls Mi-ran, asking her to decline the role. The lawyer wants to do as she pleases and ends up blurting that she had heard his confession from the night before.

Na-eun is a totally different person now and is unfazed when Mi-ran tells her about Kang-ho’s confession. Kang-ho is moping about Mi-ran’s rejection or lack of response to his confession. He drags his boss and best friend into his time of wallowing in self-pity. Both besties, Won-jun and Na-eun are giving the opposite advice to Kang-ho and Mi-ran respectively.

Won-jun forces the actor to call Mi-ran and Kang-ho asks to meet her. Na-eun acts like she does not care but low-key wants to see Won-jun too. The couples meet up on a double date at Kang-ho’s house. Won-jun notices how Kang-ho poured himself a glass of fruit juice to accompany Mi-ran who was still recovering from her injury.

The discussion takes a chaotic turn when Mi-ran reveals she had casually dated more than 100 guys. The awkwardness of the conversation causes the group to split up with Kang-ho giving Na-eun a tour of the house while Mi-ran and Won-jun chat with each other.

Kang-ho and Na-eun discuss Mi-ran’s distrust of men and the actor finally understands why Mi-ran doubts men on first instinct. Won-jun tells Mi-ran how the break up with Se-na emotionally scarred Kang-ho and that he developed anxiety and panic attacks as soon as he came close to any woman but Mi-ran.

On their way back home, Mi-ran and Na-eun end up defending Won-jun and Kang-ho respectively. Mi-ran thinks about Won-jun’s story and links it to Kang-ho’s confession about feeling liberated as he hugged Mi-ran on the bed that night in the hotel room.

A few days following that, Mi-ran is back on set and is the unsung hero. Se-na feels left out but Mi-ran rushes to console her. Mi-ran is trying to reassure Se-na about the changes in the script and claims that she was willing to help her get back with Kang-ho. Kang-ho overhears the conversation. He yells at Mi-ran for disregarding his feelings for her and for trying to set him up with his ex.

Mi-ran mentions how dating a celebrity was pressurizing to her adding how she did not want to put herself through something like that voluntarily. She accepts that she was attracted to the actor a couple of times but does not want to complicate her life. After rejecting Kang-ho, Mi-ran attends her mother’s book publishing event.

Soo-jin is the chief guest and speaks about how Mi-ran’s mother was so brave for voicing her struggles, living in a patriarchal household through her novel. Mi-ran’s father is grumpy and furious as ever at his wife for defaming him and his family in her novel. At dinner, everyone is wondering why Kang-ho was missing from the feast.

Soo-jin goes out for a moment and gives Kang-ho a call. Mi-ran finds Soo-jin and finally confesses that she was fake-dating Kang-ho. Soo-jin is shocked but consoles her friend. However, once the women get back to the table, they are shocked to see Kang-ho seated with Mi-ran’s family. Soo-jin leaves the party leaving the family and Kang-ho to bond.

At the table, Kang-ho respectfully shuts down her father’s remarks about Mi-ran’s personality. Mi-ran’s mother is drawn to tears when she hears how Kang-ho stands up for Mi-ran in front of her family. After dinner, Mi-ran tells Kang-ho how he was the only person to meet her family.

Kang-ho takes this as a win. Mi-ran mentions that her mother really appreciated how Kang-ho treated her and adds that she would like to date Kang-ho, a guy she likes unlike when she dates 100s of guys she did not even like as much.

The Episode Review

The show is slowly coming to an end with Mi-ran and Kang-ho finally dating but I am sure there are many unanticipated twists that will follow us in the final two episodes. The fact that Kang-ho is a celebrity and Mi-ran a commoner; their relationship will certainly be surrounded by controversy.

From an outsider’s perspective, I do not understand why Na-eun is pushing Won-jun away when they both clearly have feelings for each other. There is a whole lot of miscommunication on that side of the story. This has me worried if the two will even make it as a couple after all or will they eventually part ways for good?