REVIEW: ‘Crash Course in Romance,’ Episodes 9-10

We were left with a pretty substantial cliffhanger to leave us on the edge of our seats last episode and, for the most part, the payoff going into Crash Course in Romance Episodes 9-10 paid off. Nam Haeng-seon (Jeon Do-yeon) and Choi Chiy-yeol (Jung Kyung-ho) are finally discovered in cahoots by Jo Su-hee (Kim Sun-Young) and her gaggle of moms which, ultimately, leads to Su-hee reaching peak Karen. She stops at nothing to ruin Haeng-seon and Chiy-yeol once she realizes the star instructor refuses to bend to her whims anymore. Episodes 9-10 have Haeng-seon and Chiy-yeol reevaluating their relationship and, in the case of Chiy-yeol, realize what truly matters to them.

Episode 9 of Crash Course in Romance has more direct consequences for Haeng-seon. We also get a glimpse into the more conservative aspects of Korean society, with the inclusion of slutshaming and attacks against adultery. Up to this point, it is assumed that Haeng-seon is a married woman, a lie told to make life for Nam Hae-yi (Roh Yoon-seo) easier. We see in Episodes 9-10 how this lie comes to backfire against the family as well as Chiy-yeol. The misogyny and attacks against these characters are further amplified by social media influencers capitalizing on the drama for their own gain.

With that said, the drama and intensity seemed underwhelming. Part of this is because we had all of this build-up because Su-hee is so quiet in her underhanded deliveries of destruction. She moves in the shadows with no real care or emotion that what she is doing is wrong. She’s getting what she wants regardless, and no one can stop her. There is a fight that breaks out at Hae-yi’s school, but that’s about as far as physical violence goes. I was just expecting something more explosive given the build-up over the episodes.

Despite my complaints, Crash Course in Romance Episode 9 truly is Kim Sun-Young’s shining moment. We’ve seen how both her performance and the writers have peeled back the layers of her character, creating a woman that we all know and equally despise. In the States, we’d know her as a Karen. Going above and beyond to get what she wants, she utilizes her connections and money to crush everyone beneath her. She needs to be seen as a leader and, if anyone steps out of line, she has no problems batting them out of the way. All of this comes to a head in this particular episode and it is both delicious and vexing. Sun-Young is so good.

For those eager on seeing our two romantic leads finally admit their feelings, we get this in Crash Course in Romance Episodes 9-10. With such a natural build-up in their performances, Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Kyung-ho make their characters’ confessions and the subsequent emotional aftermath feel like a gut punch. After all their struggles, you want the best for Haeng-seon and Chiy-yeol.

The murder mystery that’s been developing over the season circles back towards the end of Episode 10 and, based on the preview of the next two episodes, may end up being the primary focus moving forward in Crash Course in Romance. Since there was a hint at the end of the episode that supports a theory of mine, I won’t go too much into detail. I’m just glad that we’ll fully pivot to that after dancing around it for so long.

The confrontation that we’ve all been waiting for and its aftermath was mostly everything we could have wanted in Crash Course in Romance Episodes 9-10. Nothing is more terrifying than the wrath of a Karen, especially one with wealth and connections. Yet, nothing can stop love in the end. With the big reveal from Hae-yi at the end of Episode 10, we can expect the path to our main duo’s romance to be a little more smooth moving forward.

Crash Course in Romance Episodes 9-10 are now available on Netflix, with new episodes airing on Saturdays and Sundays.