The Kdrama “Not Others” Ending Explained- Episode 12 Recap

“Not Others” has wrapped up its ending today, let us discuss the finale!

“Not Others” episode 12 recap

The episode starts with a young Eun-Mi and Mi-Jung going on a trip with grandma who is Mi-Jung’s mother. The grandma carries baby Jin Hee up the mountain they climbed because they fought. They end up having lunch and singing together.

After spending the night together, Jae-Won cooks them breakfast but recalls what his senior said about not holding Jin-Hee down. He’s a bit quiet during their breakfast and she asks if he’s angry with her, he avoids answering, then she receives a message, her grandma passed away.

The three women dress for the funeral and are all chief mourners. Everybody comes one by one and Jin-Soo visits too, he says he broke up with his partner and he’s not feeling good. He might move into Seoul.

After the first night, Mi-Jung’s relatives argue over the inheritance. They ask why the inheritance will be divided among Jin-Hee and Eun-Mi who are not biologically related to her. Mi-Jung explains how they were family and always took care of her.

While sleeping at the funeral location, Eun-Mi mentions how she was her mother, the mother she chose.

A while later

The appointment back to the HQ is announced for Jin-Hee who acts happy but isn’t.

At night, Jin-Hee mentions in passing she’s thinking of moving out. Eun-Mi flips out and says she can’t leave now especially since its has not been a while since grandma died.

The next day, Eun-Mi talks to Jin-Hong and mentions what the daughter said, he said they should let her do what she wants. He then asks her to workout with him moving forward, she agrees.

At night, while walking back home, Eun-Mi sees her daughter and Jin-Soo coming out of a rental office, she flips out but then sees Jin-Soo’s boyfriend coming out too. They all have dinner together.

Walking back home after dinner, the girls stumble upon Jae-Won, they sit down for a beer at the convenient store. They discuss Jin-Hee’s moving away plans and the mother suggests she moves into where Jae-Won is staying, she disagrees while he spits his drink. He’s a bit afraid of being left alone with her mother so he tags along back to the store after they wrap up that conversation.

At work the next day, Ga Eul comes and asks for pads, she’s doing fine. At the resting area, Jin-Hee talks about how she’s not ready for letting go and returning to HQ. Jae-Won assures her and says she’s not ready yet because she didn’t anticipate it.

At the farewell dinner and party, Jin-Hee sprains her back and is escorted home.

The next day, Mi-Jung visits Jin-Hee to check up on her and they accidentally watch a show about monuments of Paris. The idea occurs to Jin-Hee. She takes the next day off.

She begins preparing to leave, books her ticket to backpack around the world. She then tells her mother when she returns from shopping and such. The mother is not happy to find out she’s not tagging along.

The next day, Eun-Mi tells the dad who says they should wait for her, tolerate that and allow her to do what she wants.

On another day, the three women take a family photo together along with grandma’s photo.

Eun-Mi changes her tune and becomes supportive of her daughter’s trip. On the day of her trip, she goes out but her mother leaves to work out not saying goodbye. Outside her apartment, Jae Won waits for her, he gives her a book of recommendations and such for her long one year trip. He says he’ll wait for her.

At the hotel, she opens an envelop of her mother gave her that has money, along with it was a document that shows their names registered together along with Mi Jung, they’re now officially in the family registry. She cries.

The next day at the airport she runs into her mother. She’s shocked, her mother says she’s going on a trip of her own. She’s going to Santiago pilgrimage. They part ways.

Mi Jung visits Dr Park at the clinic, but since she has an illness in her digestion, he wants to suggest the right doctor but she flips off and walks out.

As she’s leaving, a car runs into her, its Dr. Park who apologizes for doing so.

In the neighborhood, both the mother and daughter boyfriends awkwardly say hi to each other. They’re waiting for their lovers.

The end.

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“Not others” episode 12- review

I don’t know how to feel about the ending.

To be honest, I binge-watched the drama over the weekend, I waited for all the episodes to come out to do so. For the most part, I enjoyed this drama, however, it has some issues with its writing and pacing in some areas.

Despite that, I liked the way it handled many situations and the calm unconventional way it approached many topics. Very unique and fresh, unlike what a normal Kdrama screenwriter would do.

And for that, I am thankful. It must have not been an easy decision to make.

I would’ve loved it if the mother didn’t ‘accompany’ the daughter on this trip. They went some separate ways but must’ve come across each other. It sort of makes sense because they’ve always been together but it would’ve been nice to do it separately, un-influenced by the daughter, and to give her space. I understand they might inspire each other, but this was the daughter’s moment to break free. Given the mother’s character, it’s a relief she even let go to that degree.

I honestly didn’t walk away from this drama liking the mother’s character and I don’t think the screenwriter was trying to make us do so. I think it’ll be up to each person to decide whether they like her or not. I think as a friend she’d be amazing but as a mother, she was a nightmare in some areas. I felt bad that Jin Hee had to struggle. But again, what can you expect from a teenager who got pregnant at such a young age? Chances are they won’t have the life experiences or resources to make the best decisions. Despite that, I wouldn’t say its the child’s problem for being born into the said environment. Its a very difficult nuanced topic to discuss, thats for sure.

There are many things I wished were covered in this drama but weren’t, this includes the daughter not having any particular conversation with her biological father. This includes the very ambiguous ending, or lack thereof, of Jae Won. Their relationship level is at ground one, and him saying he’ll wait for her for a year is a bit…. Not saying he’s a bad guy or what but I felt there was a lot to discuss there.

I felt they needed to have a deeper discussion about where they stand and I felt that their relationship should have definitely begun earlier. I understand why it didn’t, but I would have loved it if we devoted a little bit more time because the script definitely could have allowed for that. Less concentration on the stalkers and more concentration on the relationship between the two leads.

The drama is definitely unique and a fun watch. I think if those things were properly accounted for and included, it would’ve made this drama among the best of 2023.  

Its like when you find something and its really good but you know it could have been even better is the type of feeling I feel right now. Still thankful I got to watch this drama. I enjoyed the chemistry between everybody, such a cute cast.