Encounter (2018): Love is Just a Chance Way #426

I started watching Encounter (2018) after finishing a few episodes of Reply 1988 (2015–2016). I had already stumbled across some clips of Encounter on YouTube earlier, but honestly, I wasn’t interested at first—mainly because of Bo-gum’s long hair in those clips. It just didn’t sit right with me, and I couldn’t tell if he kept that look for the whole series. But after Reply 1988, which is so heavy on family, friendship, and childhood nostalgia, Encounter felt like a change of air—something different to sink into.

---

Cast of Encounter (2018)

1. Song Hye-kyo as Cha Soo-hyun – the poised yet lonely daughter of a politician, now divorced and living under constant public scrutiny.
2. Park Bo-gum as Kim Jin-hyuk – a free-spirited young man who finds joy in the simplest of things, the complete opposite of Soo-hyun’s carefully caged life.
3. Supporting characters include Jang Seung-jo as Jung Woo-seok (Soo-hyun’s ex-husband), Go Chang-seok as Lee Dae-chan, and Kwak Sun-young as Jang Mi-jin, who all add color to the narrative.

The pairing of Song Hye-kyo and Park Bo-gum itself stirred a lot of buzz when the drama first aired—her elegance and his boyish warmth made for a truly unique dynamic.

---

Plot of Encounter (2018)

Soo-hyun is on a trip to Cuba with her secretary, but one day she goes sightseeing on her own and ends up losing her phone and purse to pickpockets. At a tourist spot, while watching the sunset, she unintentionally falls asleep on Jin-hyuk’s shoulder. Soo-hyun had actually taken a sleeping pill earlier, intending to go to bed after what felt like an uneventful day, but on impulse, she decided to go out instead. Drowsy and unsteady, she leans on Jin-hyuk, who lets her rest on his shoulder to keep her from falling. After an hour of sleeping on a complete stranger, Soo-hyun wakes up, and the two share a brief but memorable chat.

Reserved as she is, Soo-hyun still gives in to the vibe of the surroundings and shyly asks Jin-hyuk for a beer, promising to pay him back later.

Jin-hyuk, a 29-year-old fresh graduate from Korea, is backpacking across Cuba on a tight budget. Yet somehow, he manages to buy her a beer, a pair of slippers, a lovely dinner, tickets to a salsa performance, and even arrange a ride for her back to the hotel. Honestly, I still can’t imagine how Soo-hyun kept asking for more—“Can we do this? Can we do that?”—though she did promise to pay for it all later. Maybe the explanation is simple: the two just clicked instantly. Soo-hyun, in her mid-30s, doesn’t try to intimidate the younger, handsome stranger with the warm smile. And Jin-hyuk, enchanted by her beauty, willingly fulfills her requests just to spend more time with her. Before parting, Jin-hyuk asks Soo-hyun to meet for coffee the next morning—their last day in Cuba.

But Soo-hyun misses the date because of work commitments. The two only meet again at the airport, where Jin-hyuk refuses her money—and even her phone number.

Fast forward a month, Jin-hyuk joins the company he had interviewed for before his Cuba trip… which turns out to be the Donghwa Hotel, where Soo-hyun is CEO.

Soo-hyun feels conflicted—she’s not only the CEO but also older than Jin-hyuk, and she lives under constant media scrutiny as the daughter of a politician and the ex-daughter-in-law of the Donghwa Group’s chairwoman. Her marriage had been a strategic move to help her father’s political career. When it ended in divorce, Soo-hyun was handed Donghwa Hotel (then a failing business) as alimony.

Jin-hyuk, on the other hand, couldn’t be more different. The carefree, hardworking son of a fruit seller, he’s held countless part-time jobs before landing this one. When their growing closeness begins to turn into public scandal, Jin-hyuk steps forward, offering Soo-hyun his hand—determined to share her burdens rather than let her carry them alone.

For Soo-hyun, who had walked such a lonely path—always the target of scrutiny with no one beside her—this was new, almost frightening. She resists at first, closed off and cautious, but slowly she starts opening up. She begins to enjoy little things in life she never allowed herself before, becoming livelier, bolder, and learning to live for herself instead of always pleasing others.

But of course, their relationship is not without opposition. Soo-hyun’s mother strongly disapproves and conspires with her former mother-in-law to reconcile her broken marriage. Jin-hyuk’s family too feels uneasy, worried about the endless gossip, scandals, and harsh spotlight. Neighbors and acquaintances whisper that Jin-hyuk only got his job because of Soo-hyun.

Overwhelmed, Soo-hyun eventually breaks up with Jin-hyuk—wanting to protect his future from the baggage of her complicated life. But Jin-hyuk never gives up on his love. Eventually, he wins her back, and the series ends with the couple casually talking about marriage and future travels—as if quietly vowing to be each other’s lifelong companions.

---

The Good and the Bad

The Good:

• Every scene in this drama looks like it has an Instagram filter—soft, dreamy, and aesthetic.
• I loved the simplicity of the story and the slow development of the romance. It made it feel more realistic and heartfelt.
• The shooting locations, especially Cuba, were breathtaking. It honestly made me want to book a trip somewhere just to breathe in that kind of atmosphere.
• Although the story had every chance of slipping into the usual CEO-trope mess—a kind of nasty office romance I’ve seen way too often in American TV shows—I was glad that Encounter kept things gentle and respectful. The romance felt tender, almost like it was protecting the dignity of both characters rather than exploiting the workplace setup.

The Underwhelming Aspects:

• Jin-hyuk’s character sometimes feels too good to be true. He shines in everything he does, never insecure, never afraid, never second-guessing. And Soo-hyun, despite their completely different financial backgrounds, somehow blends seamlessly into his world.
• We don’t see much of Soo-hyun as the powerful CEO. How did she turn around a dying business and become so deserving of her position? Instead, the drama highlights Jin-hyuk’s impact on the company’s image more than Soo-hyun’s actual hard work.
• The constant poetry/literature/art/music discussions between Jin-hyuk and Soo-hyun went over my head at times. Honestly, I just didn’t get it.
• I was disappointed that the side characters weren’t given more attention. Their stories could have added more richness and depth to the drama.

---

My Favorite Scene from the Series

• The New Year’s kiss between Soo-hyun and Jin-hyuk out on the balcony really solidified their passion for each other—it was that turning point where their feelings became undeniable. I also loved how the drama chose to show their intimacy in quieter, more tender ways. Jin-hyuk never rushed things—he wouldn’t spend the night at Soo-hyun’s place, but he’d cook dinner with her, lie beside her until she drifted off to sleep, and tread gently around her beautiful apartment with a kind of hesitant respect. Those little moments made the slow progress of their relationship feel so much more real and endearing.

---

Final Verdict

All in all, I loved the chemistry between Song Hye-kyo and Park Bo-gum. It wasn’t fiery or explosive—it was gentle, tender, and quietly romantic. The drama felt like a soothing journey, taking me from a chance encounter to a budding romance and eventually, companionship.

I’d rate this 8/10—not perfect, but a beautifully aesthetic and emotionally healing watch.

---

---