In Divorce Attorney Shin, Kim Sung-kyun plays the part of Hyeong-geun, who refuses to divorce his wife for the longest time, but when he receives some shocking news, he finally gets convinced to sign the divorce papers.
Hyeong-geun works as a paralegal at Shin Sung-han’s office, but he is more of a friend to Sung-han than an employee. While Sung-han easily gets agitated, Hyeong-geun is mostly calm and composed.
Sung-han, Hyeong-geun, and their third friend, Jeong-sik, are known as the three weirdos, and no matter how much they bicker, at the end of the day, they are always there for each other.
Hyeong-geun’s two friends know that he is fighting his own battles and try to help him make the right decision, but Hyeong-geun is not yet ready to face the reality. He works for a divorce attorney but cannot bring himself to divorce his wife.
Why is Hyeong-geun not divorcing Ji-eun?
In the first few episodes, Sung-han and Jeong-sik ask Hyeong-geun to finalize his divorce, but he shrugs it off. He is not ready to listen to anyone and is determined to hold on to his marriage for as long as he can.
He meets his wife, Ji-eun, and talks to her as if nothing is amiss. He asks her about her life and her job, but her answers remain dry. He tries to keep things the same as before between them, but it does not work.
It is revealed that Hyeong-geun used to work at a trading company before working with Sung-han, and he barely had time for his wife even on the weekends. Ji-eun hated his job, and it started affecting his health as well, so he decided to quit.
However, it was a little too late, and their relationship could not be saved. Ji-eun is now dating another man and lives with him, but Hyeong-geun is not ready to accept that.
The two once dreamed of opening a cafe together, and while Ji-eun’s dreams have changed, Hyeong-geun still wants the same things. He has money saved up for the cafe because he hopes that Ji-eun will come back to him.
Ji-eun tells him that she does not want anything other than divorce. She requests him to sign the divorce papers, but he continues to be stubborn, even when she makes it clear that she is not going to come back to home.
She knows that Hyeong-geun is a good man, but she does not want to be with him anymore because she loves the man she is dating a lot and wishes to be with him.
Why does Hyeong-geun agree to divorce Ji-eun?
A few days after meeting Ji-eun, Hyeong-geun gets a text from her, telling him that she is pregnant. An upset Hyeong-geun leaves Sung-han’s office crying. He is forced to confront the reality that there is no hope left for his marriage.
Sung-han and Jeong-sik come to keep him company, but he kicks them out. Before leaving, they take everything in the apartment that Hyeong-geun could use to harm himself because they know how upset he is.
Soon after, Ji-eun calls him, asking for help. Hyeong-geun rushes to her house with Ms. Kim, the ramen restaurant’s owner. Ji-eun is in a lot of pain but refuses to call the ambulance because she is ashamed.
Hyeong-geun stays at the hospital and does not leave until the man she is dating arrives. The man works as security somewhere and rushes to the hospital from his workplace. When he sees Hyeong-geun, he does nothing but apologize over and over again.
Hyeong-geun realizes that he is a good man and would not leave Ji-eun in the future. He cries and finally comes to terms with his reality. Hyeong-geun buys a stroller for Ji-eun’s baby as a parting present.
He gives her the signed divorce papers along with the stroller. He wishes her good luck for the future and apologizes for taking so long to sign the papers. Hyeong-geun finally lets Ji-eun go and watches her leave with tears in his eyes.
However, all hope is not lost for Hyeong-geun, as the show hints that something might happen between Hyeong-geun and Ms. Kim. Until then, Hyeong-geun has his two friends to comfort him in their own odd ways.
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