Bitter Sweet Hell – K-drama Episode 9 Recap & Review

Episode 9

Episode 9 of Bitter Sweet Hell provides a brief explanation for the previous episode’s cliffhanger. When Young-won reached the church where Se-na’s older sister had been living after surviving the fire, it was revealed that she had died a few years later, suffering from severe PTSD and other complications.

Se-na’s twisted sense of love led her to consciously start a fire in her parents’ room, believing her sister would love her more if their parents were gone. Her older sister rushed into their parents’ room, which is the last thing Se-na remembers before she was rescued.

Using this information, Young-won orchestrates a plan to catch Se-na red-handed. In the studio, they prepare an actor to pass off as Se-na’s older sister to lure her in. As Se-na proceeds to strangle Young-won, Kyung-tae, along with Young-won’s team members, rushes to catch Se-na before she can flee. After an exhausting chase, Kyung-tae finally arrests her.

In the interrogation room, Se-na manipulates the conversation in her favor, citing Young-won’s hatred for her due to Jae-jin and Se-na’s relationship. When Young-won talks to Se-na, she begins to understand that Se-na might be acting on an old grudge against her.

Elsewhere, Sa-gang realizes that Secretary An is possibly working with Se-na. Meanwhile, Young-won gathers evidence against Se-na. She meets with Dr. Oh, but since Dr. Oh is under Tae-o’s influence, she declines to testify against Se-na unless Young-won leaves her family alone.

Sa-gang then has An come over for dinner with Kang-sung. While Kang-sung gets him drunk, Sa-gang sneaks into Secretary An’s car and discovers his involvement with Se-na through dashcam footage. She later shows the footage to Jae-jin and Young-won, shocking Jae-jin with Se-na’s betrayal. The next day, Sa-gang and Young-won confront Secretary An, presenting the evidence and persuading him to testify against Se-na. He agrees.

The three visit the police station to get a warrant against Se-na to keep her in custody. However, Secretary An, instead of testifying against Se-na, takes all the blame himself, leading to Se-na’s release.

Meanwhile, in Young-won’s office, Do-hyun and his girlfriend meet Young-won to reiterate their desire to relocate abroad.

After they leave, Young-won receives a message indicating the sender knows Do-hyun’s secret. She confronts Do-hyun and persuades him to tell her everything so she can protect him. He finally confesses that the pregnancy is a lie and that he’s gay. He wants to go abroad to be with Tae-o, who he truly likes. Young-won is shocked but reiterates her support for Do-hyun.

Simultaneously, Jae-jin confronts Sa-gang about her controlling nature. It’s revealed that Jae-jin knew the truth about his parents, which shocks Sa-gang. This discussion makes things awkward between them, pulling them further apart.

The next day, Young-won relays the truth about Do-hyun. Later, while talking to Do-hyun, he tells Jae-jin that Tae-o said Young-won wouldn’t understand him, which is why he didn’t tell his parents. Jae-jin is furious and visits Tae-o, who is drunk, leading to a scuffle. It’s also revealed that Moon Tae-o is not Jae-jin’s senior’s son, but we don’t yet know how Jae-jin met Tae-o.

Later, while Young-won is at her show, news breaks about Do-hyun’s sexuality. When she visits his school, Do-hyun jumps off the building. This is when Young-won wakes up! A few days later, Sa-gang treats So-yi and Do-hyun to a meal, revealing that So-yi helped Do-hyun because she likes him and feels relieved that Do-hyun’s family is supportive. Sa-gang also realizes her ways are not quite correct and indirectly extends her support to Do-hyun.

At her show, Young-won receives a text message about a location. She ends up at the vacation house where she discovers Secretary An dead with Sa-gang holding the murder weapon.

The Episode Review

The drama and thrill in this episode were both extremely enjoyable and engaging. The show continues to surprise with significant reveals in almost every episode and ends with similar cliffhangers. This episode is no different. Bitter Sweet Hell has definitely taken a turn for the better.

One memorable scene amid the plot tension is the moment between Do-hyun and Young-won. Young-won’s support and acceptance of Do-hyun’s identity and respect for his choices are heartening to witness. At the same time, Sa-gang’s character is intriguing due to her complex nature. Despite her flaws, she acknowledges her mistakes and embraces change.

On a different note, Tae-o has always been a suspicious character, and it was expected that he would be involved with Se-na somehow. We still do not know much about him and hope the next few episodes will finally reveal his true identity. Now that Se-na is out, it’s only a matter of time before she makes her next move.