Trolley episode 16 finale recap: As the web of lies unravels, Nam Joong-do faces the consequences. Seung-hee finally comes to the truth about her family.
Hye-joo is struggling to make a decision due to a significant variable – her daughter. If she were to speak out about Nam Joong-do’s sexual assault, it would undoubtedly affect her daughter. However, Hye-joo has learned from past experiences that avoiding reality doesn’t improve the situation. She believes that this is an important lesson to teach her middle school-aged daughter: to confront problems head-on, regardless of their severity.
Assistant Woo-jae gives Rep. Nam Joong-do some advice during a crisis. He reveals that Nam Joong-Do is denying the accusations against him and intends to create a false story that Yeo-jin made up the allegations for monetary gain. “Your marriage is already over. So deny it at all costs. There’s no evidence. And people will have forgotten by then.”
Rep. Nam Joong-do remains silent, without any words or reactions, as his conscience battles within him. He struggles to determine the path he should choose for his future.
In the meantime, Nam Joong-do calls Hye-joo, who has been supporting him all along. Today, she reminds him to take responsibility for his own mistakes. As Rep. Nam Joong-do hears this, tears flow uncontrollably down his face. These tears indicate that, despite his false facade of goodness, deep down, he still possesses a conscience.
When Woo Jae is not paying attention, Nam Joong-do drives to a beach alone with the intention of taking his own life.
Woo-jae quickly calls Hye-joo to inform her of the situation. Upon hearing the news, Hye-joo immediately drives to the beach where she believes her husband might be. She arrives just in time to rescue him from drowning. As she pulls him onto the beach, Hye-joo scolds him for being a cowardly man who commits crimes and chooses to flee.
“I was so ashamed of what I had done. I couldn’t bear it any longer.” Nam Joong-do bows his head in shame and speaks in a sobbing voice that resembles that of a child’s.
“Then live with that shame. Live with shame and accept the punishment! Don’t run away like a coward!” Hye-joo responds with tears streaming down her face. She reminds her husband of his responsibility for his actions. The two of them collapse in tears on the beach, overcome with emotion.
Later, Rep. Nam Joong-do makes the decision to surrender and confess to his mistakes, apologizing to the people who trusted him to represent them. The party leader announces that Nam Joong-do has been expelled from the party. His once-promising political career comes to an abrupt end, leaving behind a legacy of disgrace that can never be forgiven.
Meanwhile, the flashback shows the events of the night when Ji-hoon drowned once again, but this time from a different perspective that is not from the dash camera. Woo-jae sees that Ji-hoon is drowning, but decides not to help because he believes that Ji-hoon is an obstacle in Nam Joong-do’s political path. Shockingly, he watches Ji-hoon drown before his very eyes.
Soo-bin confesses the truth to Jung-dae that the child she had aborted was actually his and not Ji-hoon’s. She explains that the reason she made the decision to abort was because she did not want to become involved with bad people like him again.
Seung-hee discovers the truth that her mother had kept hidden for twenty years – that Seung-ho had indeed sexually assaulted Hye-joo. Seung-hee feels deeply disappointed and hurt that she had been misled for so long. Nevertheless, she acknowledges that the truth is the truth and that no matter how painful it may be, one must accept it.
Seung-hee meets up with Hye-joo to apologize for the misunderstandings that had been present for so long. As they talk, they feel like they’re becoming high school friends again, now that the walls of distortion and lies have been broken down.
Six months later, at the prison, Hye-joo visits Nam Joong-do to file for divorce. As she is about to leave the visiting room, Nam Joong-do repeats the same words, “I’m sorry, truly sorry.”
Finally, Hye-joo’s daughter understands her mother’s actions and runs to embrace her, apologizing for being angry with her all this time. Yeo-jin seeks the help of a psychiatrist and after five years, she finally sees improvement. The psychiatrist notes the difference in Yeo-jin’s relaxed smile during their consultation.
Hye-joo starts living a simple life, running a book repair shop and finally letting go of the wounds that had haunted her for more than twenty years. The ends with a shot of Hye-joo’s happy smile, a symbol of her newfound peace and contentment.
The End
Image: via SBS Korea
Watch Trolley Episode 16 Finale on Netflix: click here