Who is She – K-drama Episode 8 Recap & Review

Episode 8

Episode 8 of Who is She opens with Joon and Daniel ready to fight before Du-ri steps in and clarifies that Joon is her childhood friend—not a love interest or a stalker.

Meanwhile, Min-seok continues investigating who Ji-sook has been talking to and manages to track down the address of a hospital.

We’re then given a glimpse into Mal-soon and Kkeut-soon’s separation. Their father had been gravely ill (“half-dead”), while their mother remarried an American man. Mal-soon, a self-proclaimed daddy’s girl, resented the American stepfather, while Kkeut-soon left for the States with her mother and stepfather.

Back in his room, Joon reflects on his desire to become younger, spurred by his envy after seeing Daniel for the first time. He feels determined to win Du-ri, now that he’s achieved it. Elsewhere, Du-ri cooks for her sister for the first time and confronts Ji-sook, who announces plans to leave the house. Kkeut-soon, stepping in as her sister’s spokesperson, expresses how abandoned Mal-soon has been feeling. Later, Kkeut-soon shows Du-ri her retirement pension’s maturity and uses it as leverage to convince her to allow Kkeut-soon to continue pretending to be Mal-soon. Du-ri finally agrees.

At the company, one of the trainees collapses after practicing too hard and is rushed to the hospital. Du-ri visits her there and leaves food for her, showing care for her sickly condition. Later, Du-ri has dinner with Daniel, and the two share a meaningful conversation. Du-ri begins to feel something for Daniel. Upon the trainee’s return to the dorm, the dynamics between Du-ri, Ha-na, and the rest of the members improve significantly.

Meanwhile, Joon writes a letter to his son to let him know he’s doing well, all while engaging in petty battles with Daniel.

Min-seok follows Ji-sook to the hospital and discovers that her father is terminally ill. He also learns that Mal-soon has been hiding the fact that he’s still alive from Ji-sook.

Elsewhere, Ae-sim runs a background check on Du-ri and is surprised to find nothing about her. At the company, Du-ri discovers a spy camera hidden inside a soft toy that a supposed fan had gifted to Ha-na. Daniel drives Du-ri home, and they run into Ae-sim at Mr. Park’s guesthouse. Ae-sim orders Du-ri to leave the company, but Daniel stands his ground, firmly supporting Du-ri’s debut.

The Episode Review

This episode finally unravels the reason behind Mal-soon and Kkeut-soon’s estrangement. Despite their separation, Kkeut-soon still sees Mal-soon as family, whereas Mal-soon’s “all or nothing” attitude reflects the difficult life she’s endured. Her personality feels authentic, shaped by a lifetime of abandonment—starting with her own sister. This also sheds light on how Mal-soon’s tough demeanor has influenced Ji-sook’s upbringing and contributed to their troubled mother-daughter relationship.

As for Joon, his character feels like the classic second-lead scapegoat. Despite his efforts, it’s disheartening to see him overshadowed by Daniel. Hopefully, the show does justice to his underrated character arc.

On the character front, this episode highlights significant growth. Ha-na and Du-ri begin to mend their strained relationship with their team, and Kkeut-soon serves as a bridge between Mal-soon and Ji-sook, interpreting Ji-sook’s feelings for her mother. By pointing out the sadness behind Ji-sook’s words, Kkeut-soon facilitates an unspoken understanding between mother and daughter.

Overall, more than a rom-com, it’s the deeper, heartwarming relationships between its characters  which truly steal the spotlight.