Doona! Episode 8 Recap & Review – A heartbreaking decision

* This review contains spoilers for Episode 8 of Doona!

Now that they have reconciled, Doona and Won-Jun begin openly dating. They start going out in public, even buying matching rings from a street vendor. While at a rock concert with Doona, Won-Jun receives a phone call from his mother telling him his sister needs an operation.

Left alone, Doona begins to remember her days as an idol. Despite having left DREAM SWEET, she begins longing to perform onstage again. Later, while on a beach date with Won-Jun, and he tells her that she was born to perform. He adds that he would support her if she decided to sing again. She asks what he would do if the public decided that they couldn’t be together, and he is unable to answer.

READ | Doona! Episode 7 Recap & Review – An obstacle to love

Deal with the devil

Won-Jun returns to his hometown to watch over his sister, and Doona is left to deal with her feelings alone. To make matters worse, she receives a legal notice from her, demanding that she pay a penalty for leaving DREAM SWEET so abruptly.

In desperation, she arranges to meet Mr. Park at the student house. She accuses him of initiating the lawsuit, but he denies it, while admitting that he would have demanded more. He adds that while he may have washed his hands of her, the agency’s president is not so forgiving.

He warns her that a trial would smear her reputation, eliminating any chance of a music career after DREAM SWEET. If she wants a last chance at a comeback, she will have to give up Won-Jun, otherwise the tabloids and fans will “tear him to shreds”.

Doona visits Jin-Ju at her new apartment. Despite everything, the two girls are still on good terms. They begin talking about Jin-Ju’s father, and Doona admits that she guessed the truth about her father’s abusive behaviour. She tells Jin-Ju that there is nothing wrong with the way she’s living her life now, and admits that she misses her friendship.

The fateful decision

Won-Jun returns from his hometown, and notices that Doona has taken off her ring. He also finds an empty pack of Mr. Park’s cigarettes in Doona’s apartment, causing him to doubt her again. He later confronts Mr. Park at the agency, and asks him to leave Doona alone.

Mr. Park tells him that a lot is riding on Doona’s comeback, and that having a boyfriend would ruin any chance of her having a career. He suggests that Won-Jun leave Doona alone, instead. A distressed Won-Jun leaves to consider the idea.

We then shift to sometime in the future. Doona has a meeting with Mr. Park and her agency’s president to discuss her return to the company as a soloist. Mr. Park brings Doona to her new apartment overlooking the city. She tells Mr. Park that she can’t believe that she can sing again, and asks Mr. Park to teach her how to break Won-Jun’s heart, as she is unable to do it on her own.

Mr. Park takes back her phone and casually mentions his earlier meeting with Won-Jun. Doona demands to know what they spoke about, but Mr. Park says that there wasn’t much to say, and that he “doesn’t entertain kids”.

Doona! Episode 8 Recap & Review - A heartbreaking decision. Will Doona rejoin Dream Sweet?
Doona performing on stage without DREAM SWEET for the first time.

She then recalls the night of the rock concert from earlier in the episode. We learn that the band’s singer recognized her and invited her to join him onstage. Despite hesitating, she steps up to the mic and performs her own song. We see that Won-Jun was looking on and realized that he was holding her back from her calling as a singer. The episode ends with a scene of Won-Jun running in the street, screaming in frustration.

What we thought of Doona! Episode 8

Just as we thought that all was going well with Doona and Won-Jun, reality set in and slapped them both in the face. The most painful part is how justifiable their separation is. Doona was clearly feeling the call of the stage, and even Won-Jun noticed that she would never be truly happy without her music. And once she made the decision to return to being an idol, maintaining a relationship with Won-Jun would be too much of a risk.

The only bright spark in this downer episode is the B-plot romance between Jeong-Hun and I-Ra. The two of them finally confess their feelings for each other, although there is heartbreak even there, with Yun-Teak left out in the cold.

Is this truly the end for Doona and Won-Jun? It is unclear what ultimately led up to their separation, but with just one episode left, we’re sure that the answers lie there.

Join us for the final episode of Doona!.

READ | Doona! Episode 9 Recap & Review – The bittersweet ending

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