Love, Take Two episode 3 review—Stay By My Side—Surf rivalries, unhealed scars, and a village full of meddling neighbors

The end of last week’s Love, Take Two episode left Ji-an reeling when Hyo-ri told her about the aggressive brain tumor that gives her little time left. Determined to help her heal and convince her to take the surgery that might prolong her life, Ji-an follows her daughter to Cheonghae Village.

Episode 3 of Love, Take Two blends tenderness with frustration, showing progress in small, clumsy steps, surrounded by a meddlesome yet oddly warm community.

Echoes of the past

It opens in 1998, when Ji-an’s mother announced she was leaving for Vietnam with another man, abandoning her in Korea. That heartbreak still shapes Ji-an’s choices and fuels her determination to stay close to Hyo-ri. Yet Hyo-ri, cautious about their fragile relationship, asks Sun-young to take Ji-an back before their bond is damaged further. Meanwhile, Ji-an becomes fixated on an abandoned mansion and ropes Jeong-seok into another impulsive project until his resistance fades.

This flashback is more than backstory. It mirrors what could happen between Ji-an and Hyo-ri if they let distance take over. It also highlights the irony of Ji-an criticizing her own mother’s reckless decisions while diving headfirst into a risky renovation herself.

Small victories on the waves

When Sun-young arrives, she questions Ji-an’s mansion idea, but the enthusiasm catches on. While the adults debate repairs, Hyo-ri tackles surfing alongside competitive peers. She finally stands on the board during her last attempt, long after the others have left.

That moment is a small victory that speaks volumes. It’s a glimpse of the vitality Hyo-ri keeps hidden behind cynicism, suggesting she still wants more from life. It also reinforces how Love, Take Two values gradual growth, letting its characters heal in real time through small but meaningful wins.

Gossip and confrontations

By the time Jeong-seok agrees to renovate the mansion for Ji-an and Hyo-ri, village gossip has already transformed their work into a romance. The meddling follows them to dinner at Jeong-seok’s place, where Tae-oh points out that divorce is no barrier to dating.

Later, Ji-an tells Hyo-ri she left her job, triggering a furious response. Hyo-ri accuses her of making reckless choices because she is dying, then leaves feeling unwell.

The tonal contrast works in Love, Take Two. Light village banter keeps the drama grounded while tensions between Ji-an and Hyo-ri carry real weight. Hyo-ri’s frustration comes from watching her mother mask pain instead of confronting it openly.

Breaking the armor

The next morning, Ji-an finds her daughter almost unconscious and rushes her to the hospital, where they learn it is tonsillitis. Relief soon shifts to deeper truths. Ji-an reveals the reality of her mother’s abandonment, contradicting the softened version Hyo-ri had believed. Hyo-ri accuses her of pretending to be fine, placing an emotional burden on her.

It is one of the most intense confrontations in Love, Take Two so far, and it lands because it feels earned. The show respects the time needed to process deep wounds instead of offering quick emotional fixes.

A fragile truce came in Love, Take Two

In one of the most vulnerable scenes of the drama yet, Ji-an admits she does not know how to be a good mother and that she is terrified of losing her daughter. Hyo-ri confesses her own fear. They comfort each other with no pretense, allowing their walls to drop.

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This is not a resolution, but it is a step toward one. Love, Take Two continues to balance sincerity and warmth, showing that even amid illness, mistrust, and old scars, there is room for humor, care, and moments worth holding on to.

Rating with a touch of flair: 5 out of 5 gossip-loving neighbors who cannot resist sticking their noses where they do not belong.

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