Can I just say the final episode of Dynamite Kiss almost ruined the whole show for me? Is it really so important to introduce conflict right at the end of a show just to make things more exciting? There was no need to do this memory loss just so that we could go back to the beginning, where it all started. Genuinely, it baffles me that this is what a fun show is trying to end things with. I won’t be the only fan who thinks this was a bad ending. Given everything we went through in the 13th episode, only for it all to be ruined further like this. I’d give anything to go back and end everything at episode 12. Why did they decide to make it 14 episodes? Even the chemistry is not the same anymore. Plus, the show’s ending does seem yet again like it all comes down to baby-making propaganda. I know, I feel like I’m saying this about everything coming out of Korea, but it appears the crisis is too dire, and the only way to get to the masses is through dramas and films, no? Anyway, I can’t deny I’m deeply disappointed by the ending of Dynamite Kiss. But with that said, let’s jump into it.
Spoiler Alert
What Happens to Ji-Hyeok?
Episode 14 begins with the big shareholder meeting that Ji-Hye and Tae-Young are going to use to ruin Ji-Hyeok and his dad forever. It appears Ji-Hye is a puppet of Tae-Young’s, though, because the guy plans on selling the company to a buyer abroad, and once they acquire it, Ji-Hye will take over as a puppet CEO. But Ji-Hyeok comes in at the right time and ruins all of their plans by showing everybody proof that it was Ji-Hye’s assistant who sent the email from Da-Rim’s email and then informed Ji-Hye about it. On the other hand, he also has an interview from the man who lit the fire back in the art exhibition. So there’s undeniable proof that Ji-Hye was the perpetrator. But by this time Ji-Hye has also ruined the reputation of her father. But the biggest blow comes when Ji-Hyeok brings back his mom and tells all the shareholders how she’s the only person who can now take up the position of CEO. There are now papers proving her sanity and how her husband can’t be her guardian. She’s finally free and also capable of being the CEO of the company, so Ji-Hyeok’s finally done what he told Da-Rim to wait for.
However, this is when we’re hit with a shocking twist. Having his ego hurt and his father calling him a useless thief has Tae-Young all up in his feels, so he decides to hit Ji-Hyeok with his car. Seriously? They could’ve just had a fistfight. Anyway, it looks almost like Ji-Hyeok’s dead, lying on the floor bleeding from the head with his eyes open, but obviously he’s not dead. He’s taken straight to the hospital, where Da-Rim spends day and night trying to nurse him back to life. Finally, when he does become conscious again, the second twist comes. Ji-Hyeok has post-traumatic memory loss (sigh).
The doctor tells Da-Rim that Ji-Hyeok may be able to remember things again if he’s been told about past experiences that were impactful in his life. The moms even help her recreate a couple of scenarios like the tangerine picking and the goons chasing them, but nothing ends up making sense to Ji-Hyeok, who only remembers a blurry figure, not a real person, i.e., Da-Rim. He sends her away, but his assistant tells him that he should find some time to thank her, because despite everything, she spent many days nursing him back to health. On the other hand, Ji-Hye, who was the one who reported Tae-Young and sent him off to jail, tells her dad that the reason she betrayed him was that he abandoned her mother and her until her mother died. She thinks he only ever pitied her, never actually loved her. But my question is, if he pitied her, what did he feel about Ji-Hyeok? Clearly, he didn’t love his son either, and only ever felt remorse for him. And no, we can’t say he was just being a dad trying to raise a good son; that’s all crap.
What Happens Between Ha-Yeong and Seon-U?
On the other hand, when Seon-U goes into a crisis related to Jun, the first thing he does is call Ha-Yeong to help him. Ha-Yeong drops everything (i.e., her trip to New York) and goes straight to find Jun. She looks everywhere and finally finds him asleep in the playground. She rushes to him, and he says he fell asleep playing hide and seek. It’s a sweet moment, and they both begin to cry, hugging each other. Ha-Yeong takes him home and falls asleep with him. When Seon-U returns home, he sees them sleeping peacefully together and notices the shoe bites on Ha-Yeong’s ankles. Who the heck wears pumps to the airport? Seon-U thanks her, and we think that’s the end of it. But near the end of the show, the duo are back together, and Ha-Yeong refers to herself as Seon-U’s soon-to-be girlfriend when a foreigner is essentially flirting with the guy, or maybe just asking him questions. It seems the duo are working together now, and Seon-U’s work is on display in Ha-Yeong’s gallery. Or maybe it’s a joint venture? Anyway, they’ll likely get their happy ending, but it might just take some more time.
How Does Ji-Hyeok Get His Memory Back?
To reconcile, Ji-Hyeok’s mother invites Da-Rim to work with them again. She also gives them their house back; it appears she might’ve bought it herself. After approval from her mother, Da-Rim agrees to go back to the company. Ji-Hyeok’s mom wanted to pay them back for how much they helped her when she was in need. A whole year later, Da-Rim finally remembers her sister exists. I’m just kidding, but someone sends her pictures of her sister, and Da-Rim immediately rushes to go find her. She somehow decides to pack the blue dress she wore with Ji-Hyeok for their first big outing. When Da-Rim gets to the location, she finds out her sister is not there, but she works at a resort nearby at night. When Da-Rim gets there, she’s immediately taken back to the memory of her and Ji-Hyeok hanging out together. It’s the same spot at Jeju. Anyway, to make sure her sister is there, Da-Rim has to enter the party area, but she can’t do so because her outfit is inappropriate. Of course, this is when the blue dress comes in handy. Ji-Hyeok happens to be there too, and just as we expected, the stars align, and Da-Rim gets pushed, falling onto Ji-Hyeok, and they end up kissing. Well, touching lips. Suddenly, the “Dynamite Kiss” brings back all of Ji-Hyeok’s memories, and he asks her if they can do it all over again. The kiss, that is, to tell her he finally remembers everything.
In Dynamite Kiss’ ending, a few years have passed, and Da-Rim and Ji-Hyeok aren’t just married (we went from proposal to kids directly!), they’ve got two kids, and they get annoyed when they see their parents kiss. The mom team at work is also still alive and well. Everyone’s great, and the show ends on a very happy note, with everyone dancing together. The “Dynamite Kiss” that led to a family’s happiness.
