Motel California episode 10 recap: Kang-hee recalls what caused her mother’s death

Motel California is an MBC drama featuring Lee Se-young and Na In-woo that premiered on January 10, 2025. Directed by Kim Hyung-min and written by Lee Seo-yoon, the 12-episode series airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 pm KST. The narrative centers on Ji Kang-hee, who returns to her hometown after a 12-year absence and rekindles a connection with her first love, Cheon Yeon-soo, now working as a veterinarian in the village.

Growing up at Motel California, Kang-hee faced constant criticism due to her mixed-race background and family struggles. Having left at 20 to build a successful career as an interior designer in Seoul, her return brings unresolved emotions and unforeseen challenges to the surface.

In episode 20 of Motel California, after the accident, Kang-hee is able to recall the event leading to her mother's death. After waiting for Chun-pil for an entire day, Mia decides to leave with Yeon-soo's father the next day.

However, Kang-hee stuffs her toy in their car's exhaust, causing the accident.

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Motel California episode 10 recap - Kang-hee reveals who is responsible for Yeon-soo's parents' death

In episode 10 of Motel California, after Soon-ja finds Chun-pil to complain about Kang-hee and Yeon-soo, he receives a call from Yeon-soo informing him about Kang-hee's situation. Fortunately, Kang-hee is fine.

In a flashback, Kang-hee and her mother, Mia, are shown waiting for Chun-pil. Unknown to them, Chun-pil has been scammed of the money that he needed to take them to California, Mia's birthplace.

As night falls, Chun-pil is put behind bars, and Mia gives up on him. Kang-hee and Yeon-soo sneak into Chun-pil's car when she finds that there has been an accident. As Chun-pil reaches the spot, Kang-hee finds her mother crushed under a car.

In the present, at dawn, Kang-hee visits the place where her mother used to take her. In the morning, Yeon-soo finds her sitting on a bench there. She tells him that she felt like he was calling her name at that place.

Later, as Yeon-soo is about to leave the hospital to meet Kang-hee, he receives a call from Han-woo's ex, Min-jung. Seung-eon, worried that Ah-reum is late for their lunch plans, goes to find her.

He finds a man trying to pull her into his car. He is the person Ah-reum's father has arranged for her to marry. Seung-eon interferes and helps her.

Ah-reum decides to tell her mother about her wanting to marry Seung-eon. However, her mother slaps her and insults Seung-eon. Kang-hee finds Seung-eon and comforts him. Seung-eon was abandoned as a kid and taken in by Kang-hee's parents.

Kang-hee has to go to Seoul for work. There, she finds Seok-kyung absent-minded again. She finds that this was because of him finding out about Victor cheating on Esther. She tells him that Esther is already aware of the situation.

Back at Hana-eup, Nan-woo runs to Han-woo, worried that Min-jung is taking him back to Seoul. However, Min-jung had come to tell Han-woo that she was getting married, much to Nan-woo's delight.

Meanwhile, Kang-hee, while cleaning her apartment, recalls having lost a stuffed toy on the day her mother met with the accident. As Chun-pil and Yeon-soo have a chat, Kang-hee recalls the day when they were packing to go to California.

After having waited for Chun-pil outside Motel California the entire day, Mia suggests they go back inside. Worried that Mia might leave, Kang-hee ties a thread to her leg as Mia tells her she loves her.

In the morning, however, Mia is not in bed with her. Kang-hee sees her talking to Yeon-soo's father and leaving in a car.

Before they left, Kang-hee had put her stuffed bear in the exhaust pipe. Later that day, Mia had met with the accident, and seeing this, Kang-hee had fled, only to be found by Yeon-soo.

In the present, Yeon-soo comes to give Kang-hee a ride back to Hana-eup, but she asks him to leave, saying they should stop dating. Yeon-soo refuses to listen to her. He leaves, asking her to take some time alone if she needs to.

While taking funeral pictures for the elderly, Chun-pil asks Seung-eon to take his picture as well. Seung-eon, understanding that something is wrong, tears up as he takes a picture of Chun-pil smiling.

Kang-hee asks Chun-pil to stay healthy and well till she can accept his apology and make one herself. Next, she meets Soon-ja and apologizes to her for causing discomfort. Yeon-soo finds Kang-hee and tells her that he loves her.

However, Kang-hee reveals that she is the reason his father and her mother are dead. She explains it to him as he listens in disbelief. With this, episode 10 of Motel California ends.

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The next episode of Motel California is scheduled to be released on February 14.