When I Was the Most Beautiful – Episode 5 Recap and Review

Jin’s Decision

When I Was The Most Beautiful returns for a dramatic episode, one that turns the attention away from Hwan and onto Ye-Ji and Jin instead. This changed focus brings a slightly more mature tone to this Korean drama but also one that loses some of its built up momentum. All of this builds up to a dramatic climax that leaves the door wide open for the next episode.

We begin episode 5 of When I Was The Most Beautiful a few months after the wedding. Seo-Hwan is at university studying with his friend Amber. As she hands over a book, it reminds him of his time with Ye-Ji. She enthusiastically invites him along to her party and the duo start to connect.

Meanwhile, Jin and Ye-Ji start to settle into married life. Only, when she looks through the photos she finds ones of his ex girlfriend. It’s here she realises that Carry Jun – the girl who showed up at her wedding – is actually his ex girlfriend.

To make matters worse, Jin learns that his Mother is dividing up the company to other shareholders. With nowhere else to turn, he’s forced to speak to Carry Jung again about his predicament. She tries to spin the situation, seducing him and telling the man they’re perfect together. Only, he tells her that he’s resigning because Ye-Ji has made him a better person.

With him retiring from motor sports for good, he heads up to see Ye-Ji who happens to be at her Aunt’s. After an entire evening of being berated, she has enough and refuses to be walked all over anymore. Given it’s his Father-in-law’s memorial, Jin showing up only makes things worse. Her Aunt taunts him too and threatens to reveal who killed her Mother. Instead, he tells her he knows everything and walks away.

Back home, Ye-Ji and Jin talk, with the former asking her to join him and move to Seoul. For now she agrees to think about it. Back home she turns on the TV and briefly watches motor racing until Jin turns it off. That evening, after falling asleep, Ye-Ji awakens to find Jin gone and out driving.

Meanwhile, Seo Hwan heads to the party where Amber ends up kissing him. He’s shy to begin with but the duo soon get into the party spirit. He’s not returning for the summer break though and this is enough to get Ye-Ji thinking about her time with him.

While golfing together, Jin is met by one of his fellow racers called Mark. He proposes a brand new opportunity for him to get back into racing. When Jin returns home to mull this over though, he finds Carry Jung’s car outside. She doesn’t want to coach Jin but instead is there to look at artwork. Ye-Ji smartly remains guarded around what she wants.

After overhearing her and Jin’s conversation, she confronts Jung and tells her to stay away. She, unfortunately, will do anything but and threatens to have her way in the end. When she heads back inside, she overhears Jin turn down another offer to return to racing. As they talk, she supports him and encourages her husband to get back into racing given it makes him feel alive.

Later that day, Hwan hears from his friends that Jin is heading to the US to compete again with racing.

Not long after, Ye-Ji is approached by Jin’s Mother at the workshop. They sit together and she gives Ye-Ji an ultimatum. She needs to put on a show and stop her son from racing no matter what. When Sung-Gon finds out, he convinces her to stand up for herself.

That evening, Ye-Ji and Jin head out together and go on a wonderful walk. That walk leads to them sitting together and discussing his trip. On top of that, he also admits the truth about her Mother arriving. After kissing, the duo decide what to do next in their life. Although he’ll go to the US and race alone, she promises to travel with him.

As he heads over and starts racing, it turns out the rival Korean team are actually there too. Their manager also happens to be Carry Jung. This happens to be a bigger distraction than he first thought as Ye-Ji receives a devastating call about Jin. Hwan receives the same news too and as he races out the building, the episode comes to a close.

The Episode Review

What’s happened with Jin? It seems likely he’s had a really bad accident but it’s not initially clear what’s happened here. I’d imagine he’s still alive but probably in a really bad way.

Hwan is pretty much sidelined for most of this episode in favour of Jin and Ye-Ji’s relationship. While this does help give a slightly different vibe to the series, Ye-Ji and Hwan have much better chemistry compared to Ye-Ji and Jin.

The ending though leaves the door wide open for this Korean drama and who knows what will happen next.