‘Brilliant Days’ Jung Il-woo Realizes His Feelings for Jung In-sun Late, Love Triangle Intensifies
KBS 2TV weekend drama ‘Brilliant Days’ is heightening viewer immersion with its delicate portrayal of emotional lines stemming from changes in character relationships.
In episodes 17 and 18, Lee Ji-hyuk (Jung Il-woo) finally realized his feelings for Ji Eun-oh (Jung In-sun), foreshadowing the start of a full-fledged romance. The article delves into the three stages of their relationship changes.
# Stage 1: Jung In-sun's 5-Year Unrequited Love for Jung Il-woo
Eun-oh had long held feelings for Ji-hyuk, whom she met as a senior in a university club. She witnessed his righteous indignation and warm nature hidden beneath a gruff exterior when he stood alone to protect neighbors facing eviction. Although she confessed her feelings to Ji-hyuk with the help of Park Sung-jae (Yoon Hyun-min), Ji-hyuk coldly rejected her and announced his sudden marriage to Chaebol heiress Jung Bo-ah (Ko Won-hee), deeply hurting Eun-oh.
# Stage 2: Enemies Become Uncomfortable Co-habitants
Ji-hyuk's marriage of convenience ended in a broken engagement, and after a period of absence, he returned to Eun-oh's workplace, the cafe 'Azit', with a business idea for his comeback. He turned the cafe's storage room into his office, marking the beginning of an awkward relationship with Eun-oh. Due to past hurt, Eun-oh couldn't look at Ji-hyuk favorably and disregarded his business ventures. Ji-hyuk, in turn, felt self-conscious even eating instant noodles in front of her, leading to constant friction. Eun-oh eventually declared she would quit as cafe manager, but Ji-hyuk's sincere plea swayed her heart, leading to their uneasy cohabitation.
# Stage 3: Jung Il-woo Enters 'Regretful Man' Mode, Realizing Feelings Too Late
A turning point occurred when Ji-hyuk saved Eun-oh from a late-night robbery. Afterward, he showed meticulous care, ensuring she returned home safely and searching the neighborhood when she was out of sight, worried about her. Eun-oh began a business partnership with Ji-hyuk out of guilt towards her adoptive brother Ji Kang-oh (Yang Hyuk), who had learned about his adoption, but still maintained a distance. Meanwhile, the presence of Sung-jae, who stayed by Eun-oh's side, stirred Ji-hyuk's jealousy. When Eun-oh beamed at him after successfully securing a contract they had struggled with, Ji-hyuk finally realized his true feelings for her.
‘Brilliant Days’ delicately unfolds the subtle emotions and relationship dynamics between Ji-hyuk and Eun-oh. Expectations are mounting regarding Ji-hyuk's choices now that he's in love with Eun-oh, and how his feelings will impact the love triangle with Eun-oh and Sung-jae.
Netizens reacted with comments like, "Finally, Jung Il-woo's character woke up!", "Poor Jung In-sun and her unrequited love," and "Looking forward to how the love triangle unfolds." Many expressed anticipation for Jung Il-woo's portrayal of belated regret.