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The K-drama Romance in the House made its debut with the first episode on Saturday, August 11, 2024, and continued with the second episode on Sunday, August 12, 2024, airing on JTBC and Netflix.
The new drama centers on Byeon Moo-jin (Ji Jin-hee), who was once married to Geum Ye-yeon (Kim Ji-soo). Together, they had two children: Byeon Mi-rae (Son Na-eun) and Byeon Hyeon-jae (Yoon San-ha).
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Despite several business endeavors, Moo-jin's ventures failed, leading to his estrangement from his family.
Eleven years later, the sudden reappearance of Byeon Moo-jin in Romance in the House, now the owner of the apartment building where they live, disrupts their lives.
Romance in the House episodes 1-2 recap: what impact will Byeon Moo-jin's return have on his family's life?
In the premiere episode of Romance in the House, viewers are introduced to Byeon Mi-rae, who aspires to a prosperous future but is jolted awake by her mother’s morning call to prepare for work.
As the family’s sole provider, Mi-rae supports her mother, younger brother, and their pet dog, Medal, through her demanding job at a food mart. Despite her exhaustion and lack of sleep, she manages to impress her boss with her tteokbokki-selling skills alongside her mother. However, her fatigue catches up with her, causing her to collapse as soon as her boss leaves.
The mart’s security guard, Nam Tae-pyeong, (Choi Min-ho) takes her to the hospital and stays by her side until she regains consciousness. Soon after, Mi-rae receives alarming news from her mother: their rental apartment, "Family Villa," has caught fire, resulting in the death of the landlord residing in Apartment 302.
Romance in the House also reveals that the morning when the fire broke out, an unexpected visitor approached the landlord with an offer to purchase the property, which angered the landlord and led him to refuse the offer. Soon, a new landlord buys the Family Villa.
We also learn that in 2012, the father deserted the family. A decade later, in 2022, they came to believe he had died in an accident after seeing a news report. In the latest episode, the new landlord informs three families, including Mi-rae's unit, that their leases are about to expire and they need to vacate the building.
Geum Ye-yeon cleverly persuades the new landlord to show her some leniency by appealing to his sympathy for her situation as a widow. As she prepares for her late husband's first death anniversary, Mi-rae feels conflicted but decides to support her mother by participating in the memorial service.
The situation takes a dramatic turn when a knock at their door on the day of the service reveals Byeon Moo-jin, the father who was thought to be deceased. The episode concludes with Byeon Moo-jin announcing that he is, in fact, the new landlord of the villa.
In Episode 2 of Romance in the House, the story picks up with Moo-jin's unexpected return and his revelation as the new landlord. The episode then flashes back 11 years to the time when Moo-jin and Ye-yeon separated. It details Moo-jin's failed business attempts, including a dumpling shop and a snack bar funded by Ye-yeon, which suffered due to his poor financial management.
Returning to the present, Moo-jin decides to move into the upper floor of the same villa where his family lives. He begins purchasing high-end furniture and electronics for his new home, and renovations on the damaged apartment start. Mi-rae remains wary of her father and insists they will find a new place to live, though their search proves fruitless. Despite the tension, Hyeon-Jae tries to see the positive side of his father's return.
The episode shifts focus to Nam Tae-pyeong (played by SHINee’s Minho), who enjoys a simple life in his small apartment, cycling around town, and working at the mart. Meanwhile, Mi-rae receives persistent calls from her ex-boyfriend Kwon Oh-hyeon, who creates a scene outside when she refuses to meet him.
Tae-pyeong witnesses this and later offers Mi-rae a ride on his bicycle, which she accepts reluctantly. The bike ride becomes a highlight of the episode, touching viewers with its heartfelt moments.
Following their ride in Romance in the House episode 2, Mi-rae, visibly distressed, thanks Tae-pyeong for his kindness and the hospital bill. Back at home, tensions between Moo-jin and Mi-rae escalate, while Ye-yeon and Hyeon-Jae show reluctance to leave their current residence.
Ye-yeon meets Moo-jin for a drink, where he admits to working hard to get to this point and expresses his lingering feelings for her. Moo-jin’s attempt to embrace Ye-yeon is misinterpreted by Mi-rae as an assault, leading her to confront her father.
Just in time, Tae-pyeong, who was nearby for a martial arts class, intervenes by kicking Moo-jin, which brings a humorous moment to the scene. Ye-yeon helps Moo-jin up, and Tae-pyeong clarifies that he acted under the impression that Ye-yeon was in danger from a stranger, not her ex-husband.
As Mi-rae realizes her life will become more complicated, the episode concludes with a flashback to the day before the fire at the Family Villa. An old tenant recounts seeing Moo-jin and the now-deceased landlord drunk together on the street, and later, Moo-jin visiting the landlord's house. The episode of Romance in the House ends with Moo-jin ominously saying:
"Sir, it's over. Give up."
Romance in the House is a 12-episode series that will be broadcast twice a week, on Saturdays and Sundays, on JTBC and Netflix.
