Lee Sung-kyoung accepted Chae Jong Hyeop's "3-month trial neighborhood friend" offer, marking a turning point in their relationship.
In episode 3 of MBC's Friday-Saturday drama In Your Radiant Season, which aired on the 27th (planned by Namgung Seong-woo, written by Jo Seong-hee, directed by Jeong Sang-hee and Kim Young-jae), Sunwoo Chan (played by Chae Jong Hyeop) has his childhood wounds revealed for the first time, as Song Ha-ran (played by Lee Sung-kyoung) ultimately takes his hand, signaling the full-fledged start of a "mutual salvation" romance. That day's ratings recorded 4.3% nationwide and 4.1% in the Seoul metropolitan area according to Nielsen Korea, ranking first in its time slot and making it the No. 1 Friday-Saturday drama for two consecutive weeks. In particular, the scene in which Sunwoo Chan, who once tried to end his life, steadies himself after reading a message from Song Ha-ran drew attention as the momentary peak rating reached 5.5% according to Nielsen Korea.
The episode opened with Sunwoo Chan's past. Raised under the pressure of a father who resented painting after the death of a mother who loved art, Chan carried guilt and loss for a long time. Even after entering an engineering school in the United States, he could not let go of painting and once again found himself on the edge. Seven years ago, just as Sunwoo Chan was about to give everything up, he received a message from Song Ha-ran saying "You saved me," and those words became the reason Chan chose to live again.
Facing each other again after seven years, the two stood in completely different seasons. Unlike Sunwoo Chan, who saved her and now wants her to smile again, Ha-ran drew a line, saying, "I won't be getting close to anyone personally." Ha-ran, who has locked herself in memories of loss, stepped back from Chan's "3-month neighborhood friend trial" offer, adding to the poignancy.
Meanwhile, another ripple occurred in the Nana house. Youngest daughter Song Ha-dam (played by Oh Yeju) announced her marriage to her boyfriend Cha Yoo-gyeom (played by Kim Tae-young) just before the college entrance exam. As the family stirred, Kim Nana (played by Lee Mi-Sook) unexpectedly showed composure, saying, "Let's at least meet him," and the contrasting ways of love across generations foreshadowed another narrative axis.
Song Ha-ran tried to avoid Sunwoo Chan by saying she would skip the animation collaboration work, but her resolve crumbled each time thanks to Chan appearing like a ghost wherever she went. Especially during a motorcycle accident risk, Sunwoo Chan pulled Ha-ran without hesitation and prevented the danger. His actions in the sudden situation came with a weight different from before. When Sunwoo Chan said he would leave Ha-ran's only safe place, the cafe "Rest," and step back from her, his choice only further shook Ha-ran's heart.
A palace visit brought a subtle change between the awkward Song Ha-ran and Sunwoo Chan. Dressed in the gonryongpo and commanding the scene with his characteristic friendly manner and bright energy, Sunwoo Chan caught the gaze of Song Ha-ran, who had tried to push him away. At that moment, Song Ha-ran stopped when she heard a woman's voice resembling her mother's voice, who died in an accident 13 years earlier. The long-suppressed longing burst into tears from Song Ha-ran, and Ha-ran's flashback to losing her parents right before her eyes left viewers emotionally moved.
Facing the belatedly arriving Sunwoo Chan, Song Ha-ran lowered her guard for the first time. Apologizing for her past behavior, she honestly confessed that after losing both family and her boyfriend Kang Hyuk-chan (played by Kwon Do Hyoung), she became afraid of getting close to someone. Hearing her confession that the wall she had built to protect herself now seemed to trap her, Sunwoo Chan carefully revealed his own wounds and sincerely said they should find a way together this time, not alone. The scene in which the two seasons first touched foreshadowed a turning point in their relationship and left a deep lingering impression.
At the end of the broadcast, Song Ha-ran began to feel curiosity toward Sunwoo Chan, who had experienced similar pain and overcome his scars. Song Ha-ran asked Sunwoo Chan whether the "3-month neighborhood friend trial" was still valid and requested, "Please tell me how to get out of winter." Chan, as if he had been waiting, replied, "So now I can openly be good to you, right? Let's try to do well from now on. Like we're on a spring picnic, excitedly," and the two stood side by side at the starting line as 3-month neighborhood friends. But the excitement was short-lived: with a strong headlight flash, Chan's hearing abnormality was revealed. The sudden sign of Sunwoo Chan's anomaly raised curiosity about what variable it would introduce into the relationship that had just begun.
[photo] MBC In Your Radiant Season broadcast capture
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