Bad-Memory Eraser: (Final) Episodes 15-16
In Episode 15 of Bad-Memory Eraser, things take a dramatic turn as Gun regains his lost memories, plunging back into a spiral of self-loathing. Hidden away in his old room, he drowns his pain in alcohol, haunted by the past. Meanwhile, Mr. Lee stumbles upon dashcam footage of Shin's desperate leap, a reminder of his failure to protect his sons. Ju-yeon, ever the voice of reason, reveals that Gun’s trauma is rooted in abandonment. Her solution? Flood Gun's mind with good memories to erase the bad ones.
At home, tension brews as Shin scolds Gun, and Mrs. Lee lashes out at Shin, leaving Gun blaming himself for the family’s turmoil. But Mr. Lee storms in with a new resolve: they will be a happy family again. His plan? A family picnic and a ridiculous new family photo in matching hoodies to lift Gun’s spirits. However, nothing goes as planned—the picnic is a disaster as rain and a broken-down car throw them off course. Back home, a half-hearted surprise party awaits, but the mood is beyond saving.
Ju-yeon, in a last-ditch effort, cleans and redecorates Gun’s room, leaving him a heartfelt note. But Gun, consumed by anger and frustration, destroys everything in a fit of rage. Unfazed, Ju-yeon continues to tackle his work, sorting through the chaos in his office. Meanwhile, at the Kyungs’ home, Seung-hyun is consumed by worry for Sae-yan, overhearing Mrs. Kyung and Mrs. Jeon debating whether to warn Ju-yeon about a dark secret they’re keeping.
In a dramatic showdown at the hospital, Ju-yeon decides to resign and face the consequences of her actions, just as Mrs. Cha seeks to terminate a contract. Mrs. Lee intervenes, opening up about her regrets as a mother, warning Mrs. Cha not to make the same mistakes. In another heated moment, Mr. Lee confronts CEO Hong after discovering the dashcam footage has been leaked, leading to a confrontation where Mrs. Lee steps in to protect her sons, striking back at those who wronged them.
As the dust settles, Mrs. Lee has a rare heart-to-heart with her sons over drinks, confessing her past mistakes and apologizing for using them to live out her own dreams. In a tearful moment, Gun reassures her that despite everything, he still loves her. Mr. Lee, who’s been listening in, bursts in to offer his own apologies, bringing the family closer as they huddle together for a sleepover, reminiscing about happier times.
Meanwhile, darker secrets unfold. Sae-yan, trapped by Hyo-myeong, discovers chilling details about his twisted obsession, including a murder board featuring Shin and Ju-yeon. As she pieces together his motives, she begs him to spare Ju-yeon. But Hyo-myeong has been watching all along and claims he's punishing Shin for Sae-yan's pain.
Gun, still reeling from the revelations, stumbles across a starry lamp Ju-yeon gifted him, triggering memories of their happier times. Meanwhile, Shin, now feeling like he finally has a real family, thanks Ju-yeon for everything she’s done, including helping Gun heal. But the episode ends on a haunting note, as Ju-yeon receives a stuffed toy linked to her father’s murder, while Sae-yan struggles to break free, haunted by the suspicion that her father may have been responsible for Ju-yeon’s father’s death.
As Gun holds his medal, Shin offers him one last revelation: his first love is someone he knows. In a flash of memory, Gun recalls the drowning incident—only this time, the face he sees is none other than a young Ju-yeon.
Episode 16 of Bad-Memory Eraser opens with Gun haunted by memories of his first love, while Sae-yan is held hostage, and Ju-yeon faces the crushing weight of regret.
Ju-yeon’s Disciplinary Review: Will She Escape Unscathed?
The next day, Ju-yeon’s disciplinary review kicks off, with Gun stepping in as a key witness. But as soon as he sees her, an old injury flares up, a painful reminder of the past. While Ju-yeon quietly steps out, the ethics board begins questioning Gun. In a surprising twist, he admits that although erasing his bad memories once made him feel like a different person, he now realizes that his past, with all its scars, is still part of who he is. He even credits the trial for helping him grow and accept the painful memories that once tormented him.
Meanwhile, the Health Minister uncovers the shocking truth about the dead mouse involved in Tae-oh’s trial. The hospital director betrays Tae-oh, pinning the unethical practices on him. As for Ju-yeon, her bad-memory eraser trial is suspended for three months, adding to her troubles.
Sae-yan's Rescue: A Desperate SOS
Desperate to escape her captor, Sae-yan recalls Ju-yeon’s kindness and musters the strength to break free. She discovers Ju-yeon’s credit card and starts sending distress signals through coded purchases. Meanwhile, Ju-yeon, clearing out her office, spots these unusual transactions and alerts Shin, who’s already searching for Sae-yan. The clues lead them to a garage, but before they can rush there, Ju-yeon is lured back to the hospital by a cryptic message.
Shin, sensing something is off, checks out the garage himself. Just when he’s about to leave, he notices a basement door. Hearing Sae-yan’s faint cries for help, he breaks the lock and frees her, just in time.
A Deadly Confrontation: Can Gun Save Ju-yeon?
After the tense review, Gun retreats to his office, torn between his feelings for Ju-yeon. As memories flood back, he’s interrupted by new information on Shin’s stalker, Ahn Hyo-myeong. Gun quickly connects the dots—Hyo-myeong is not just a stalker but the man responsible for Ju-yeon’s father’s death.
Racing against time, Gun tries to warn Ju-yeon, but it’s too late. Hyo-myeong, having tricked her, confronts her at the hospital. As she faints, he prepares to kill her, but Gun arrives just in time. The two men fight fiercely, with Gun suffering a brutal blow to his injured wrist. But before Hyo-myeong can deliver the final strike, the police storm in, arresting him. Sae-yan, who reported her father, stands firm, telling him that Ju-yeon and the Lees are her true family now.
A Dark Past Revealed: The Day of Dr. Kyung’s Murder
In a gripping flashback to 2007, we learn of the tragic events that shaped these characters. Sae-yan and Ju-yeon became fast friends when Sae-yan’s family moved into the neighborhood, but their happiness was short-lived. Hyo-myeong, furious at seeing Dr. Kyung near his ex-wife, follows the doctor and murders him in cold blood. Meanwhile, Ju-yeon, after saving a drowning Gun, stumbles upon the horrifying scene of her father’s death. This traumatic event wiped out her childhood memories and left scars that would haunt her for years.
Ju-yeon’s Awakening: Can She Reclaim Her Past?
Back in the present, Ju-yeon wakes up in the hospital, her wrist adorned with the charm bracelet Gun had lovingly designed. Mrs. Jeon arrives, overwhelmed with guilt, while Mrs. Kyung reveals the full extent of Ju-yeon’s trauma after her father’s murder. Finally, Ju-yeon hugs Sae-yan, and in a powerful moment, she reveals that all her childhood memories—of Sae-yan, Gun, and that fateful day—have returned.
Gun’s First Love: A Heartbreaking Truth
Sae-yan meets with Gun to set the record straight—she isn’t his first love. She merely found his lost medal years later. But in a heartfelt confession, she tells Gun it doesn’t matter who his first love was; what matters is the bond they’ve built now. As Ju-yeon prepares to leave the country for medical research, Gun, learning the truth about his past, is torn between rushing to her side or letting her go.
Gun’s Redemption: Can He Forgive Ju-yeon?
After three long years, Gun has transformed—his agency is thriving, and he’s regained his confidence. But when he learns that Ju-yeon is back in the country for an award ceremony, he realizes that his feelings for her have never faded. As she heads to the village bridge, Gun follows, joking that she’s both his first and last love. The two share a tender reunion, finally finding peace in each other’s arms.
The Rest of the Cast: Where Are They Now?
As the series draws to a close, we catch up with the other characters. Sae-yan has moved back to Italy, keeping close ties with Seung-hyun and Mrs. Kyung. Nurse Song and Dr. Han continue their secret (yet obvious) romance. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are hilariously struggling to learn tango together, while Shin has become a teacher, working hard to overcome his OCD. Shi-on shines as a successful athlete, and Guk-bong has taken up a coaching role at Gun’s agency, rounding out this memorable journey.
DramaZen's Opinion
This K-drama's finale takes a sharp turn into disappointment, leaving viewers with a confusing and lackluster conclusion. What started off with promise unravels into a rushed, half-hearted ending, as if the writers gave up on delivering a compelling narrative. Instead of exploring the intricate love story between Gun and Ju-yeon, we're handed a lazy time-lapse that skips over crucial character development. Gun's forgiveness of Ju-yeon feels ambiguous, leaving his thought process frustratingly open to interpretation.
The finale also fails to deliver on some of the most anticipated dynamics. The sibling bond between Gun and Shin, as well as Shin and Sae-yan's strained friendship, are glossed over entirely, leaving viewers craving more depth. Ju-yeon’s redemption arc, which had potential, veers off into an unsatisfying direction, with her past trauma being used as a weak excuse for her toxic behavior toward Gun. Instead of addressing the emotional damage she inflicted on him, the show brushes it under the rug.
To make matters worse, Gun’s sudden personality flip is never explained. One moment, he reverts to his old self, and the next, he claims his new self is still part of him, despite acting completely out of character in the previous episode. These gaping plot holes and contrived resolutions leave the finale feeling incomplete and unsatisfying, a far cry from the intriguing potential this drama once held.
This drama had the potential to be so much more impactful if it had focused on the strength of its familial and platonic relationships. By cutting out the unnecessary hospital antics and over-the-top comedy fillers, there could have been room for a more meaningful story centered around healing from trauma and valuing the bonds that truly matter.
Ironically, despite its constant emphasis on romance, the show completely missed the mark by not exploring the pairing with the most chemistry—Shin and Sae-yan. Not even a hint of closure for them in the final stretch, especially after the series went out of its way to pair everyone else off! sighs At least we got to see the adorable dynamic between real-life uncle-niece duo Ahn Nae-sang and Yang Hye-ji as family, though their scenes together didn’t last long.
In the end, this drama, a patchwork of overused tropes and puzzling plot decisions, has finally wrapped up. While I can’t say I’m particularly sad to see it go—considering its wasted potential, shallow portrayal of mental health, and underdeveloped character dynamics—it did manage to deliver a few touching moments along the way. It’s just a shame that it lacked the clear direction needed to fully embrace the uplifting messages it set out to convey. Oh well.