Strangers Again – K-Drama Episode 1 Recap & Review

Perfect Revenge

Episode 1 of Strangers Again begins with a man hanging on a cliff shouting for help. A woman, well-dressed in red, is seen approaching the man. The man calls her Ha-Ra and asks her to pull him up. The man’s name is Goo Eun Beom. Instead of Ha-Ra, pulling him up, she asks why he did not send the month’s alimony.

She takes a phone, holds it to the man’s face, and asks him to smile so the phone can recognize him. When he fails to, she attempts to walk away. He agrees to smile, and the money starts transferring but does not go through since he does not have enough balance. The rock he was holding onto gives, and he plummets down the cliff. Ha-Ra throws the phone off the cliff and says they should never meet, even as strangers in the next life.

Oh, Ha-Ra is a divorce lawyer, and she is seen being introduced on a television show. Goo Eun-beom is hiding in a closet from a furious client. After he leaves, he continues to pack up his office. It seems he is going out of business. On the other hand, Attorney Oh educates people on divorce law in her interview. Attorney Goo watches the interview from a bus station-waiting lounge. Suddenly, the furious client shows up with two guys and roughs him up.

On the bus ride, the previous landlord texts him threatening him with a lawsuit if he does not pay for the window broken by the furious client. As he is about to process the payment, an automatic donation takes up a considerable chunk of the money in his account. He calls them requesting a refund.

Attorney Oh finishes her interview. Outside the station, manager Lee Dong Hyeon approaches her and requests to hire her for a case. She meets with a famous actor Han Do-Woon who wants to divorce his wife, Na Soo Yeon. Back at the office, the team is surprised by the news.

When discussing the issue, one of the colleagues mentions adultery, which infuriates Attorney Oh. Her frenzy button is when a divorce case involves a cheating partner. She goes into a frenzy, and attorney Goo shows up, infuriating Attorney Oh. It turns out they are a divorced couple. CEO Seo, one of the law firm’s partners, hired him, and the work contract was already signed. Attorney oh is furious and gives an ultimatum. He asks him to choose her or attorney Goo.

After the altercation in the meeting room, attorney Kang and Attorney Kwon discuss the issue in the break room. Attorney Kang holds that CEO Seo was inconsiderate of Attorney Oh’s feelings when he brought in Attorney Goo. In contrast, Attorney Kwon thinks that the CEO was right to help Attorney Goo when he had nowhere to go, and it was good that CEO Seo offered a hand.

The discussion with the office assistants reveals more information about Attorney Ho and Attorney Goo’s relationship. The two were college couples who dated for ten years before getting married. They were married for less than three years before they divorced.

Attorney Oh and attorney Goo come out of the meeting room. Ha-Ra is angry, and Eun-beom is trying to plead with her to let him work here since he has nowhere else to go. Eun-beom argues that if he does not work, he will not be able to pay him alimony of three million won per month. He says he does not expect her forgiveness, which snaps her last nerve, and he throws him against a wall and walks into her office. The rest of the office is shaken by the turn of events.

Attorney Oh and Attorney Kang are having a drink after work. Ha-ra is concerned that Eun-beom might be hurt, but Bi-chwi tells her not to care since they are not together anymore. Bi-chwi is displeased by the actions taken by CEO Seo since he betrayed Ha-ra when he brought in Eun-beom without consulting with her first. Ha-ra informs Bi-chwi that Eun-beom might be trying to get back with her. CEO Seo had called her into his office before she got off work and asked her to give Eun-beom one more chance and take him back. Ha-Ra vows that she will never take him back since she is not a pushover.

In a meeting with client Han Do Woon, Attorney Oh advises that during the divorce discussion meeting, he should act like he still wants his wife back. Since she is the one who cheated, she is the one urgent to get a divorce. Hence if he says he does not want a divorce, the wife will insist, and the proof will fall onto her side. Na Soo Yoon’s Attorney said they would proceed with the suit since Do-woon was responsible for breaking off the marriage. The case gains media attention. The media accuse Do-woon of morbid jealousy, which leads to the break off of the marriage.

Attorney Oh thinks the media is spouting nonsense, but Attorney Goo brings her possible irrefutable proof. Na Soo Yeon’s witness at the trial was Do-woon’s psychiatrist. Her client blindsided her and left out the information about seeing a psychiatrist. She confronts her client. He asks her to take care of it.

She had to find a loophole but could not find any. Eun-beom shows up and, despite his colleagues’ warnings, insists on seeing Ha-Ra. He decides to try and strike a bargain. He would help her with the case, and she would allow her to work in the office if she won the case. Ha-Ra throws her out. However, he does not give up and stays in the office, looking for a loophole in the psychiatrist’s questioning. He finds one.

He advises Attorney Oh to agree to morbid jealousy and use it against the wife. She married Do-woon when she knew he had psychological problems. Then, the wife was responsible for a change of heart after finding someone else, which led to the break-up of the marriage. Attorney Oh wins the case, and the wife is found responsible and should honour the prenup agreement. After signing the divorce settlement, in the parking lot, Do-woon finds out that his wife is cheating on him with his manager. He gets angry and almost hits her with his car.

Do-woon wonders what happiness is. Attorney Oh tells him that he went through the same when her husband cheated. Although she has been able to continue with her life, she still does not know what happiness is, and she requests Do-Won to give her an answer when he finds one.

After the divorce, Do-won gets a Hollywood deal. He had an answer to what revenge is; it is becoming happy regardless of the other person. Attorney Oh decides she will be happy since she has close colleagues, a successful career, loves her work, and gets acknowledged. Then she will be happy regardless of his ex-husband.

Eun-beom invites her to dinner at a hotel called moonlight. It is a romantic hotel, and she wonders why she asked her out to a romantic place. Eun-beom had asked Ha-ra for a blind date with his friend Min Jae-gyeom. Infuriated, Ha-Ra wants to stab Eun-beom.

The Episode Review

The episode has hints of comedy and discussion about serious marriage issues. The cast, especially the law office attorneys and assistants, have fantastic chemistry and friendship. They are well-rounded, with CEO Seo being light-hearted and playful while Attorney Kang is modern and progressive; the polar opposite of Attorney Kwon, who seems conservative with traditional views of men and women. CEO Hong is laid back but diligent, and the office assistants have a good relationship and are best at bringing in the office gossip view.

There is not much mystery in the first episode, and the episode does not end with a big cliffhanger. There are open and honest discussions about marital issues that relate to real-life marriage struggles. However, I felt there was more to the issue surrounding Ha-ra’s and Eun-beom’s divorce. Moreover, why would an ex-husband introduce his ex-wife to a friend? We will find out more in the next episodes I’m sure1