Who Is She- Episodes 3-4
This week’s episodes of Who Is She cranked up the comedy, untangled some backstory knots, and doubled down on its bizarre doppelgänger mystery. Our heroine fully embraces her second chance at life, taking on a new identity, new dreams, and a hilariously bad new haircut (don’t worry, they fix it). With a mix of heartfelt moments and laugh-out-loud absurdity, Episode 3 and 4 are where this drama really hits its stride.
We pick up right where we left off, with our young Mal-soon staring her older self in the face. Any hopes for clarity on this doppelgänger situation? Sorry, not yet. Before they can exchange more than a glance, Doo-ri (young Mal-soon) is dragged off by her girl group "teammates," who waste no time continuing the bullying they started with the real Emily. But Doo-ri, armed with decades of life experience, treats them like misbehaving toddlers, brushing off their antics with sass and confidence. It’s grandma vs. Mean Girls, and grandma is winning.
Meanwhile, Ha-na arrives at UNIS for her audition, giving us a flashback reveal: Doo-ri had refused to sign her own trainee contract unless Daniel agreed to pass Ha-na if she was good enough. And good she is—Ha-na nails her audition and joins the same group as her grandmother, much to the irritation of the other members. Why is this group suddenly filled with special cases? Doo-ri doesn’t care. She’s here to live her dream, and nothing’s going to stop her.
Between idol training mishaps (think hilariously bad dancing and a makeover that transforms Doo-ri into a wannabe Audrey Hepburn), we get major plot and character reveals. First, we finally learn the truth about “her song,” the one that ignited Mal-soon’s decades-long grudge against Ae-shim. In a flashback, we see young Mal-soon working at a club where a boy who admired her wrote the song for her debut. After his tragic death, Mal-soon hesitated to use the song because she couldn’t read music. Ae-shim swooped in, recorded the song under the guise of helping her, and debuted with it herself—claiming she wrote it. The betrayal launched Ae-shim’s career and crushed Mal-soon’s dream.
Now, Doo-ri grapples with whether she should use her second chance to exact revenge or simply chase her dream. Ha-na encourages her grandmother-turned-teammate to focus on success—because “success is the best revenge.” Doo-ri takes this to heart, determined to shine in the spotlight she was denied decades ago.
On the home front, Ji-sook gets a bombshell of her own. Visiting her estranged, terminally ill father in the hospital, Ji-sook learns he only has three months to live. A woman by his side accuses Mal-soon of keeping him away from Ji-sook out of hatred, leaving Ji-sook furious and confused. With Mal-soon missing and no one to confront, Ji-sook is left simmering in her resentment.
The episode also delves into Daniel’s backstory, revealing the scandal that ended his idol career. A stalker was blamed for causing chaos within his group, and rumors of a relationship between them forced Daniel to quit. The truth? The stalker wasn’t just a rumor, and now they’re back in Korea, sending creepy texts and taking photos of Daniel through his apartment window. Understandably on edge, Daniel plans to leave the country once his girl group debuts—but not before forming a surprising connection with Doo-ri. From impromptu duets to protectively defending her at work, Daniel’s budding friendship (or is it more?) with Doo-ri is one to watch.
While the doppelgänger mystery takes a frustratingly slow burn, we do get some tantalizing clues. The older woman—who looks exactly like Mal-soon’s original self—claims she lived at UNIS for four months, but no one remembers her. She carries a plane ticket to LA with the name "Janet," and her U.S. passport matches that identity. Stranger still, the cab driver who transported her is the same man from the photo studio who transformed Mal-soon.
In the final scene, Ha-na encounters the older doppelgänger at UNIS and sends her home in a taxi. When she arrives at the family house, Doo-ri is also there, rummaging for items under the guise of needing a place to stay. Once again, the two versions of Mal-soon come face to face, ending the episode on the same cliffhanger as last week. It’s a frustratingly circular moment, but hopefully next week will deliver answers.
DramaZen's Opinion
Oh Doo-ri’s Glow-Up and More Doppelgänger Drama
These two episodes had me laughing, gasping, and fully invested in Mal-soon’s wild second chance at life. Watching her transform into the audacious Oh Doo-ri, complete with an Audrey Hepburn-inspired makeover, was an absolute treat. Her unshakable confidence and sass, especially when dealing with her mean-spirited groupmates, had me rooting for her every step of the way.
The humor hit all the right notes this week, from Doo-ri’s hilariously bad dance moves to her cluelessness during Daniel’s English interrogation about "Emily's" past. And speaking of Daniel, the sparks between him and Doo-ri are undeniable. Their impromptu duet? Perfection. Plus, his backstory and creepy stalker subplot added a surprising layer of suspense to the episode.
The reveals about Mal-soon’s stolen song and Ji-sook’s estranged father brought even more depth to the story, making me feel for every character involved. However, the doppelgänger mystery is still moving at a glacial pace, and I can’t believe we got the same cliffhanger twice in a row! Come on, show—give us something more.
Despite that minor frustration, this episode was packed with heart, humor, and intrigue. Oh Doo-ri is ready to take on the world, and I’m ready to follow her every step of the way.
