Trolley Episode 15 recap: Hye-joo goes on TV to reveal her past to the public. Yeo-jin later confesses her horrifying secret to Hye-joo — turning her world upside down.
Hye-joo appears on a TV show to tell the story of her experience as a victim of sexual violence 20 years ago. She wants to raise awareness about the issue and show her daughter that it is a serious problem. However, she is uncertain of her husband’s motives that he is only interested in using the issue for political gain.
Following the TV show, Hye-Joo informs her husband of her intention to file for divorce immediately. However, Nam Joong-do insists that it can only happen after the bill is passed in parliament. In the meantime, he requests that she maintain a normal public appearance.
Hye-joo looks at her husband with an expression of even greater disappointment, “How can you be so shameless?”
The Five-year-long
During that time, Hye-joo receives news that Yeo-jin has taken drugs and committed suicide, prompting her to rush to the hospital immediately.
When Yeo-jin wakes up, she reveals to Hye-joo the reason why she tried to take her own life. Yeo-jin had been sexually assaulted by Nam Joong-do five years ago, and had been living in agony ever since. She shares with Hye-joo the heartache and pain that have plagued her for the past five years.
On the same night that Nam Joong-do had assaulted Yeo-jin, he returned and knelt before her, uttering the same words he had used countless times before: “I’m sorry.”
Nam Joong-do’s behavior was characterized by a familiar cycle: he would make a mistake, apologize, repeat the mistake, apologize again, and continue the pattern until he could write it off as a mere mistake.
To Hye-ju’s dismay, Seung-hee overhears Yeo-jin’s confession about Nam Joong-do and uses it as leverage to pressure her into retracting her earlier statements at the press conference. Seung-hee is willing to exploit the humiliating details of Yeo-jin’s story to force Hye-ju to publicly admit that she had lied.
For Oneself or For the Public?
That night, Hye-joo confronts Nam Joong-do once again. He bows his head and apologizes, repeating that it was a mistake and an accident. The words from her husband’s mouth shatter Hye-joo’s composure. She screams in disbelief, unable to accept that these words came from the man she believed was a gentleman. Yet, he says something so vile, acknowledging that sexual assault can happen to anyone, and that it was merely an accident. It was an intention so despicable!
And once again, Nam Joong-do utters the same words, “I’m sorry, I made a mistake.”
But Hye-joo no longer sways by his hollow apologies. She is determined to expose the scandal to the public and demands that he surrender. “You have betrayed Yeo-jin, me, and the trust of all the people who voted for you. Turn yourself in. If you don’t, I will reveal everything.”
Big Decision
Hye-joo is feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to handle the situation, so she decides to meet with the president of the party. The president had been the one who had initially convinced Nam Joong-do to enter politics, but when Hye-joo brings up Nam Joong-do’s scandal, the president asks her to keep it a secret. The president provides many reasons why Nam Joong-do is a good politician who can make a positive impact on the country in the future. However, Hye-joo is still uncertain about what to do.
Soo-bin follows Yeo-jin to the hospital and learns the truth that Nam Joong-do had abused her. She asks Yeo-jin to report the matter to the police. Hye-joo arrives and stops Soo-bin, saying that the whole matter is Yeo Jin’s own decision.
When Soo-bin speaks a sentence, it leaves Hye-joo speechless. “You [Hye-joo] claim to want to reveal the truth, yet you are ignoring another truth,” Soo-bin points out.
The next day, Hye-joo held a press conference in front of the media and the entire nation. “My son [Ji-hoon] did not commit sexual assault. I lied, even though I knew the truth. And my husband [Nam Joong-do] sexually assaulted a woman five years ago!”
Image via SBS Korea
Watch Trolley Episode 15 on Netflix: click here