REVIEW: ‘Castaway Diva’ Episodes 11-12

Castaway Diva has come to an end. It’s been an emotionally devastating and heartwarming journey from beginning to end, with Castaway Diva Episodes 11-12 hitting audiences straight in the feels. And for our faves Seo Mok-ha (Park Eun-bin), Kang Bo-geol (Chae Jong-hyeop), and Yoon Ran-joo (Kim Hyo-jin), audiences will be moved and ecstatic over where things end for them. For the purpose of continuity, I will refer to Jung Ki-Ho as Kang Bo-geol. But, in Castaway Diva Episodes 11-12, Bo-geol goes through a name change.

Castaway Diva Episode 11 starts with Mok-ha and Ran-joo trying to figure out their statements after news broke surrounding Ran-joo’s interest in RJ Entertainment’s shares. Not knowing what to say, Mok-ha meets Kang Woo-hak (Cha Hak-yeon) for a late-night snack, and he offers her advice on responding to reporters so that she doesn’t make a fool of herself. The advice works somewhat, but her pure statements regarding her hopes for Ran-joo inevitably get twisted by the more cynical media reps at the press conference.

Speaking of the press conference, Ran-joo and Mok-ha admitted to the reporters that the rumors surrounding the shares are true. Ran-joo, for the most part, assumes all responsibility, knowing there is no way out of this media circus. President Lee Seo-jun (Kim Joo-hun) realizes too little too late that he was the one who accidentally started this rumor due to a reporter overhearing his conversation at a golf club. This truth is revealed after the press conference when the reporter introduces himself to everyone, and this only further cracks the strained relationship between Seo-jun and Ran-joo.

The main focus of Castaway Diva Episode 11 is the case cross-examination between Bo-geol, Woo-hak, Kang Sang-doo (Lee Joong-ok), and Song Ha-jung (Seo Jung-yeon) versus Jeong Bong-wan (Lee Seung-joon). While the audience knows the truth going into this cross-examination, this situation finally presents Bong-wan at his weakest. Faced with a savvy case worker that he can’t manipulate, the cracks in Bong-wan’s story start to form. Seeing the differences between Bong-wan’s approach to fatherhood and Sang-doo’s approach, it becomes clear to the cross-examiner who the real husband and father figure is in this family.

What ultimately shifts things against Bong-wan completely is the reveal by Woo-hak that Han Dae-woong (Kim Min-seok) is awake. Bong-wan’s immediate defense raises the cross examiner’s suspicions, who insists they contact Dae-woong for an interview. Repeating the last conversation he had with Bong-wan, Dae-woong backs up what the family has said so far while also warning Bo-geol to get away.

We also have it rightfully pointed out by Bo-geol that the laws surrounding domestic abuse and protections for victims weren’t around 15 years ago when the family assumed new identities. This has been the reality since it was revealed that Bo-geol is Ki-ho. Castaway Diva has highlighted from the beginning how easily the law can be manipulated in favor of the abuser, especially those like Bong-wan who have worked in law. This reveal by Bo-geol to the cross-examiner is another win for the family.

While things are looking up for the family, their fates remain uncertain. What is certain is how much love they have, especially as Mok-ha greets them outside the courthouse to keep them dry. Confronted with the depressing image of a downtrodden Bong-wan in the rain, Ha-jung offers him some grace and her umbrella. But that final gesture adds salt to the wound. This perpetually unhappy man can’t let them be happy for too long.

The focus of Castaway Diva Episode 11 then shifts to Ran-joo and the decline of her mother. We learn the origins of Ran-joo’s name (which was her mother’s former stage name). Through Ran-joo, her mother has been able to live her dream. Knowing that the last thing her mother would love is to see Ran-joo performing on stage again, Mok-ha sneakily arranges a music video shoot for Ran-joo, who performs a song inspired by her mother titled “As If Today Was Your Last Day.” The song does well for Ran-joo, and the audience gets to witness them share this happy moment together one last time before it is revealed that Ran-joo’s mother has passed.

Castaway Diva Episode 11 ends with both triumph and heartbreak. From a monologue given by Ran-joo discussing the nature of people, it is revealed that Bong-wan has lost the case against his family. No charges will be placed against Bo-geol, Woo-hak, Sang-doo, and Ha-jung. Unfortunately, Bong-wan refuses to let them be happy. Instead, he tries to kill Sang-doo the day of Ha-jung’s birthday, culminating in a heartbreaking final scene.

Castaway Diva Episode 12 picks up immediately where we left off, with the family learning that Sang-doo has been stabbed and has been rushed to the emergency room. We hear Bong-wan’s final testament and motivation for his actions before he commits suicide. Ultimately, he couldn’t stand for his family to be happy without him and was determined to ruin them however he could out of sheer bitterness. Unfortunately, he would never learn how much he failed.

After many heartfelt words among the family members, Sang-doo miraculously survives. Bong-wan’s ashes are left unclaimed while the family walks free. Sang-doo and Ha-jung register their marriage officially, and things are looking up for everyone.

For Mok-ha, her debut becomes her focus, but it’s not without bumps. President Lee makes the decision to swap one of Mok-ha’s songs with Eun Mo-rae (Bae Gang-hee), which causes tensions to flare, but thankfully, the two realize that their anger is directed in the wrong place. With Mo-rae in both episodes, we see her feelings towards Ran-joo change, as some netizens have commented on her posts, remarking that she will follow in Ran-joo’s footsteps if not careful. For Mo-rae, Episode 12 is where we see her trust in Ran-joo again to the point where she asks the singer to be her producer.

This song switcheroo also leads to a much-needed conversation between Ran-joo and President Lee. Ran-joo found a document in her mother’s belongings that showed she had already sold the number of albums required to get the shares. Accusing Lee of always intending to swindle her, Lee points out that it was her mother who tore apart the document. While it’s unclear as to why, the possibility that her mother didn’t want her to become an executive is suggested.

Lee also explains the logic behind his reason for switching the songs, which ultimately calms things down. A suggestion is made to put the shares back on the table if Mok-ha manages to out-pace Mo-rae, and the remainder of the episode shows us the rest of that journey. With Mok-ha’s song steadily climbing the charts, everything comes full circle when Mok-ha performs at the festival where she first met Ran-joo in person. Ran-joo is aided by Bo-geol, Woo-hak, and assistant Park Yong-Gwan (Shin Joo-hyup), who has now switched to working for Mok-ha entirely in pursuit of something fun rather than something safe.

Creating a lovely tableau of balloons for Mok-ha to take in when she goes on stage, we watch as she transitions from the festival performance to her first concert. With the help of Bo-geol, we see her finally achieve her dream with the love of her life by her side. With little vignettes shown of Mok-ha with Bo-geol and his family, this is a happy ending that truly feels earned. No other ending could have worked.

Castaway Diva Episodes 11-12 end the series on a hopeful note. These final two episodes perfectly wrap everything up while simultaneously taking us through the most epic rollercoaster of emotional journeys. What ultimately brings everything together, and truly has for the entirety of this series, is how talented and believable the cast is. Everyone brought their A-game to this series. But, particularly, actors Park Eun-bin and Chae Jong-hyeop did such a great job with their character development and chemistry, making the final leg of Mok-ha’s and Bo-geol’s happy ending so much sweeter.

Castaway Diva Episodes 11-12 is the ending we all hoped for. Much deserved.

Castaway Diva Episodes 1-12 are now playing on Netflix.