Who is She – K-drama Episode 12 Recap & Review

Episode 12 

Episode 12 of Who is She begins with a fictional court case where Ae-sim charges Mal-soon with deception for coveting a “second spring.” Her dream ends with Mal-soon questioning, “Is there a country for old folks?” The music video concludes, and Du-ri rushes out. Later, outside Mr. Park’s house, she encounters the taxi driver again, who gives her three days to decide whether she wants to revert to her old self or live six more months as Du-ri before facing “annihilation.”

Here, we learn why Kkeut-soon returned to see her sister. She had been unwell, and her children had abandoned her. She wanted to live with her sister, but upon arriving as Mal-soon, Ji-sook immediately recognized that Kkeut-soon was not her mother.

Back at the dorm, members of Element take care of Du-ri while the men, including Daniel and Min-seok, celebrate Joon’s championship victory. Later, Du-ri reflects on the choice she must make. When she meets Ji-sook, Ji-sook reveals that she knows Du-ri is Mal-soon. Ji-sook encourages her to live a new life entirely for herself, without looking back.

The next day, Ae-sim visits Du-ri, asking her to protect Daniel and wanting to apologize to Mal-soon. However, Du-ri conveys Mal-soon’s message—that she had forgiven Ae-sim and that the song was always Ae-sim’s because it was her voice that introduced it to the world.

Later, Du-ri prepares a hearty meal for Daniel, silently praying that he never forgets her. She then meets her sister and thanks her for reuniting with her.

Elsewhere, Ji-sook resigns from her job, intending to follow her dream of becoming an architect and finding happiness again. Min-seok’s restaurant business thrives as Mal-soon’s restaurant gains renewed attention.

On the day of Element’s debut stage, Du-ri makes her decision. The debut is a seamless success, and Du-ri shares a meal with her family. One fine day, however, she simply disappears.

A year later, Element has become a huge success, and Min-seok’s restaurant business flourishes with Mr. Park as its investor. Kkeut-soon continues to live near her family, while Ji-sook passes her architect exam. Ji-sook receives a call from the hospital, learning that Mal-soon had been suffering from Alzheimer’s, which prompted her decision to sell the restaurant. Meanwhile, Daniel remains in the country, opening his own firm, as his friend becomes the CEO of UNIS.

The episode ends with Daniel meeting someone who looks like Du-ri, working at a café.

The Episode Review

Who is She ends on a feel-good note after teasing viewers with Du-ri’s possible “annihilation.” However, the show’s conclusion feels extremely underwhelming and chaotic. For instance, the taxi driver mentions that Du-ri has six months to live as her younger self before “annihilation,” and we see her disappear from the playground, implying her possible death.

However, because Who is She is a romantic comedy K-drama, the ending sequence suggests that she is, in fact, alive but may have forgotten her memories. The ending is deliberately open-ended with multiple interpretations, but it lacks the emotional buildup needed to make the final scene impactful.

In terms of the overarching theme—Mal-soon’s chance at a second youth to fulfill the dreams she sacrificed in her original life—Du-ri’s decision to accept annihilation and not return to her old life does make sense. However, throughout the show, this theme feels inconsistently explored, like blotches of ink on paper.

For most of the series, this concept is muffled and poorly executed, overshadowed by forced romance and the stalker subplot. As a result, while the finale attempts to highlight this theme through the fictional court case at the beginning, its rhetorical impact feels diluted and fails to achieve its intended goal. All in all, among series finales, this one is quite disappointing.