In episode 7 of We Are All Trying Here, Dong-man comes into work in an unusually high spirit. Since the emotional breakthrough he had with Eun-a in the last episode, he seems to have found a new sense of purpose. For the first time in a long time Dong-man starts to look at life with real optimism, even confessing that he wants to age naturally now, to live without fear.
Meanwhile, Jae-gyeong takes a major professional step by deciding to credit Eun-a under a new pen name. She chooses “Yeong-sil,” perhaps a major new chapter for Eun-a.
Later, Dong-man and Eun-a eat a meal together and Dong-man reveals that it was Jin-man who first made him feel the emotional “Help me” signal from his watch. The conversation soon turns personal when Eun-a talks about her painful relationship with her mother. She says she was deeply affected by being abandoned as a child and vowed to herself that she would never be weak or run away from responsibility. This is the promise that drives her dream of being a strong woman and a caring mother.
Meanwhile, Hye-jin encourages Gyeong-se to find a co-writer for his latest script. He interviews an aspiring writer, Jeong-min, whom he does not want to. The meeting gets off to a bad start, with Gyeong-se openly doubting her capabilities and showing blatant bias. Jeong-min won’t back down, despite his gruff exterior and the fact that she’s been told she may not get official credit for her work. Eventually her confidence and wit soften Gyeong-se’s glacial demeanor and the pair agree to work together.
Dong-man waits nervously for Eun-a to finish reading his revised script. She puts the book down, pauses, and quietly gathers her things, the silence almost unbearable. Dong-man doesn’t know what she’s thinking, and can only wait for her reaction.
Later, at the bar, Dong-man has an awkward run-in with Jeong-hui. Jong-hui looks at him with blatant disdain. She questions his achievements and makes him visibly uncomfortable.
Things get even more complicated when Eun-a arrives and unexpectedly encounters her mother. Eun-a is shaken as if she had seen a ghost after the encounter.
Back inside, Hye-jin has a new script called Knock, Knock, Knock that looks promising and hopes to get Director Choi’s support. She is obviously irritated by his patronizing attitude, but he agrees to pass it along.
Before long, Eun-a finally delivers her verdict on Dong-man’s script – and it’s overwhelmingly positive. His writing made her weep, she confesses, and in a fit of passion runs to him and embraces him. Mi-ran joins them and lifts the mood, breaking their heartfelt moment.
The group drinks together later that evening, but the mood takes a turn when they discuss Jeong-hui and her strange behaviour.
On the way back Dong-man sees something extraordinary, his emotional watch is glowing green meaning he’s feeling truly better. In a rare show of affection he even rests his head on Gyeong-se’s shoulder, making one of the lighter and funnier moments of the episode.
Eventually the group ends up at the beach, dancing and laughing and enjoying the night together. The upbeat atmosphere encourages Yeong-su to begin writing a new scene for his film.
But the night gets awkward when Mi-ran confesses her feelings for Dong-man. His watch lights up red immediately, a sign of uneasiness. Finally Dong-man responds by admitting that his feelings are for Eun-a. The revelation adds immediate tension, and the group’s drive home almost ends in disaster when their car spins out of control.
The next day brings grave complications. Director Choi tells Eun-a to get out of Jun-hwan’s expensive project as the financial risk is too great. Eun-a suspects her mother is another player in the game.
Jeong-hui’s request for a private meeting confirms her suspicions. What follows is one of the series’ most powerful confrontations to date.
Jeong-hui compares Dong-man to Eun-a’s missing father in a cruel way, trying to shake both her confidence and her choices. But this time, Eun-a will not remain silent. She stands up to her mother’s snobbery, “who thinks she is better than everyone else and throws away anything that does not suit her image.”
Even when Jeong-hui confesses that she has been secretly following Su-ja and planning to move them into a luxury apartment to prevent public embarrassment, Eun-a refuses to be manipulated. She bluntly tells her mother not to pretend they have a meaningful relationship and warns her that when she finally does succeed, Jeong-hui will not be allowed to partake of it.
Emotionally exhausted from their confrontation, Eun-a sends Dong-man a simple message asking him to help. Eun-a attempts to get through to her, and she begins to have severe nosebleeds, which set off immediate alarm bells.
The episode ends with Dong-man leaving work and rushing desperately to find her.
Episode review:
Episode 7 is one of the best emotional payoffs of the season so far. And the long awaited confrontation between Eun-a and Jeong-hui does not disappoint, giving Eun-a a key moment of her own to demonstrate her strength, independence and refusal to be controlled.
Plus, Dong-man’s emotional growth continues to be one of the series’ best storylines. The episode gets a certain warmth and sincerity from his newfound optimism and his budding feelings for Eun-a.
With Eun-a’s health now a question mark and Dong-man racing to get to her, Episode 7 ends on an intense cliffhanger that marks a major turning point for both characters.