The Potato Lab- Episodes 9-10

Heartbreak Flashbacks, Lucky Potatoes & Kisses That Count

Episode 9 of The Potato Lab hits hard with heartfelt reveals, exes confronting their ghosts, besties making up, and a long-awaited kiss. It’s an emotional rollercoaster—equal parts sweet and savage—with flashbacks, freak-outs, and even a metal bat chase. Buckle up, because this episode doesn’t hold back.

Six Years Ago: Ghosted at the Gate

We open with a flashback to a heartbroken Mi-kyung, waiting at the airport with Ong-ju and Hwan-kyung, party food in hand, ready to welcome Ki-se home. He never shows. Worse, he coldly tells Mi-kyung he’s busy with colleagues… and then casually flashes a wedding invite to Hee-jin. Ice cold. It crushes Mi-kyung—and explains a lot.

Present Day: Cheek Kisses & Emotional Whiplash

Back in the now, Mi-kyung pieces it all together. Hee-jin is THAT Hee-jin. She storms out of the office, but Baek-ho—ever the softie—follows with coffee and comfort. She gives him a shy kiss on the cheek, and honestly, the healing has begun.

Downstairs, things get spicy between Ki-se and Hee-jin. He accuses her of ghosting him; she claps back that he was never truly present in their marriage. Their once “perfect” love story? More like two people clinging to a lie. She storms off, leaving Ki-se in emotional tatters.

Ramen, Regret & a Third Wheel

Mi-kyung and Baek-ho try to enjoy a cute ramen date, but fate (and drama) intervene. Hee-jin, fresh off her own meltdown, shows up at their table. What follows is a play-by-play of how she fell in love with Ki-se—completely oblivious that Mi-kyung is the ex.

Every sweet memory Hee-jin shares? Another dagger to Mi-kyung’s heart. She quietly exits, telling Baek-ho she’ll see him at work.

Lab Shenanigans & Seung-hoon’s Meltdown

Back at the lab, the team are full-on communicating in code to avoid Seung-hoon, who’s set up permanent camp in his little booth. Why? Pride. As Section Chief, he refuses to be the first to leave. Eventually, he exits in tears, yelling for his mom. Iconic.

Breakups, Bat-Wielding & A Family Fallout

Mi-kyung returns home to find out Ong-ju has run away. Turns out, she broke up with Hwan-kyung to protect her friendship with Mi-kyung. But what Mi-kyung didn’t know? Ong-ju was Hwan-kyung’s first love, and he’s never stopped caring about her.

Baek-ho joins the search squad, and they manage to patch things up—with new ground rules and awkward forgiveness all around.

Meanwhile, Ki-se finally tells Mi-kyung the truth (well, his version of it): Hee-jin left him with no warning, handled the divorce through a lawyer, and never returned his calls. He kept it all secret, buried in shame and ambition. Mi-kyung, in typical boss fashion, gives him some harsh but honest advice: stop wallowing and get your life together.

Potato Meltdown (Literally) & Mi-kyung’s Origin Story

Drama at the lab explodes when they discover the greenhouse doors were left open. Who’s the culprit? Seung-hoon, who shrugs it off with a “they’re just potatoes” line that almost gets him clubbed with a bat by Hee-dong. Mi-kyung steps in with the final threat: “I’m quitting soon—I’ve got nothing to lose.” Legend.

Later, Baek-ho whisks Mi-kyung away for a much-needed breather. Here, she shares her potato origin story—how, in the dead of winter six years ago, she found a lone potato sprouting through the snow. That “lucky potato” became her symbol of survival, hope, and resilience.

Finally, A Real Kiss (!!!)

Moved by her story, Baek-ho leans in and finally kisses her. No forehead. No cheek. A real kiss. Cue screaming. Mi-kyung floats home to find Ong-ju waiting, ready for all the romantic details. Spill it, girl.

A Funeral, A Flashback, A Fake Fairytale

The emotional rollercoaster continues as Ki-se’s father passes away. Hee-jin pays her respects, revealing genuine warmth toward his family… but still keeps her distance.

Then comes the twist: Ki-se’s memories of their happy marriage? Lies. We see the reality—wrong birthday, wrong shoe size, and emotional neglect. He drank, sulked, and pushed Hee-jin away. The “romance” was nothing but lust and denial.

Tears, Regret & a Cliffhanger

Outside, Mi-kyung finds Ki-se crying. He finally admits the truth: he regrets choosing Hee-jin and losing Mi-kyung. He breaks down on her shoulder—and just as she tries to comfort him, Baek-ho shows up… and sees everything.

Cue the awkward silence. Cue the end credits. Cue the drama next episode.

Secrets, Sweet Potatoes, and the Truth Bomb We’ve Been Waiting For

Episode 10 is not here to play. This one cracks open Baek-ho’s guilt, digs deep into Mi-kyung’s trauma, and finally—finally!—serves up the truth we’ve been bracing for since Episode 1. Mix in a petty potato vs. sweet potato rivalry, a child snitch, and a failed almost-kiss, and you’ve got classic Potato Lab chaos.

Funerals, Flashbacks & Quiet Confessions

The episode kicks off on a somber note: Mi-kyung comforting Ki-se outside the funeral hall. She hands him a kerchief, says her peace, and walks away—unaware that Baek-ho is watching from his car, silently spiraling.

Flashback to six years ago: Baek-ho was the one tasked by CEO Yoon to quietly "handle" the Ki-se/Mi-kyung situation.Translation? He was complicit in pushing Mi-kyung out of her role at Wonhan before he even knew her. Yikes.

Back in the present, guilt eats at Baek-ho. He shows up at the guesthouse and hugs Mi-kyung like he’s about to fall apart—but still can’t bring himself to say why.

Grief, Fireflies & Unspoken Words

Ms. Hong, the sweet cow-saving ajumma, returns to drop some unexpected wisdom about grief and letting go. Baek-ho takes this to heart and later walks with Mi-kyung under the stars, trying so hard to tell her the truth… but keeps getting distracted by fireflies and phone calls. He shelves it—for now.

The Worst Picnic (And Best Plot Twist)

The Potato Lab heads out for a company picnic at a location so run-down it’s practically haunted. Still, Mi-kyung powers through with good vibes and ball games—until their mortal enemies arrive: the Sweet Potato Lab.

Yes, apparently sweet potatoes and regular potatoes have been beefing for years (???) and this accidental run-in gets very awkward. Baek-ho steps up, flexes his power, and upgrades the team to a much nicer venue—because of course he does.

Almost Kisses & Tiny Tattletales

Later, Baek-ho and Mi-kyung lie together in bed—just about to kiss—when Su-jin bursts in. The tiny princess-in-chief has been searching for Baek-ho… and casually drops the bomb that he fired Mi-kyung. Everyone is stunned. The mood plummets. Baek-ho is mortified.

To make up for it, Mi-kyung takes him to her secret greenhouse—her personal sanctuary. She tells him she’s happy now, no matter what happens. But Baek-ho? He’s drowning in guilt and runs.

Truth, Spies & Some Serious Regret

Meanwhile, Ki-se plays the regret card again. He tells Mi-kyung not to trust Baek-ho, vaguely hinting there are secrets she doesn’t know. And he’s right—because Seung-hoon, the undercover mole, confirms that Baek-ho was involved in the events that wrecked her career six years ago.

And if that wasn’t enough, Ong-ju hears about Baek-ho crying at Ms. Hong’s, which leads Mi-kyung to wait for him outside his place. But Baek-ho’s already made up his mind.

Finally, The Truth Comes Out

In the most devastating moment of the episode, Baek-ho confesses everything. He tells Mi-kyung that back then, he was instructed to push her out quietly—to isolate her, to break her down emotionally so she’d leave on her own. And he did it.

He was just following orders. But now? He’s in love with the woman he helped destroy.

Mi-kyung listens. Her face crumbles. This is the man she’s fought so hard to love—and the very one who broke her years ago. It’s brutal. It's honest. And it leaves her shaken to her core.

DramaZen's Opinion

ruth Bombs, Secret Greenhouses & Firefly Feels!

Okay, so The Potato Lab just went from cozy rom-com to emotional heavyweight, and I am living for the dramaaa! 🥔💥

Episodes 9 and 10 gave us everything: adorable cheek kisses, steamy almost-kisses (thanks a lot, Su-jin 😂), secret greenhouses (!!), and Baek-ho playing princess with a child like the softie he secretly is. But then—BOOM—truth bomb alert. Baek-ho’s big confession left me clutching my heart. I mean, he was part of Mi-kyung’s past pain? Excuse me while I scream into a potato sack.

Also, the petty rivalry with the Sweet Potato Lab? ICONIC. More of this absurd energy, please.

Despite all the angst, the emotional payoff is soooo good. Mi-kyung remains the strong, potato-loving queen we deserve, and Baek-ho? A guilt-ridden cinnamon roll who needs a hug (and maybe a therapist).

Honestly, these episodes hurt in the best way. Bring on Episode 11—I need closure and more potato metaphors. 🥔❤️😭