Nice to Not Meet You: Episodes 15-16 (Final)
by mistyisles
Our story comes to an end, but it’s only the beginning for our characters as they wrap up the work they’ve dedicated the last several years of their lives to and step into something new. They may not have had the nicest of first (or second, or third) meetings, but they might just be able to work together and create a happy ending.
EPISODES 15-16
Following Hyun-joon’s announcement that he has feelings for someone at the press conference — and by the way, he can’t say who they are, but it’s NOT Se-na — rumors swirl about which staff or crew member he’s secretly in love with. Some speculate that it could be Byung-ki, given their history and obvious tension, but no one seems to consider the reporters who were also present.
But harmless rumors are the least of our characters’ worries, because they’ve got a couple of corrupt, powerful men to take down. Now that Jung-shin is actively digging back into his case, Dae-ho sends one of his men after her late one night. Fortunately, Hyun-joon happens to be heading her way to show her the business card she left in his car way back when he still worked at the print shop and she got drunk and accidentally stowed away. He arrives just in time to stop Dae-ho’s henchman from attacking Jung-shin with a taser. This, of course, puts Hyun-joon firmly in Dae-ho’s sights, so he summons Hyun-joon to threaten him discuss business. Hyun-joon doesn’t put the pieces together until he recognizes Dae-ho’s assistant as Taser Guy from last night, at which point Dae-ho starts choking the guy with his own necktie to show Hyun-joon what happens to people who anger him. Hyun-joon gets the message loud and clear, but he also vows to help bring Dae-ho to justice ASAP.
But first, Jung-shin comes down with the flu for a few days. Hyun-joon has invited himself and Hyun-woo over to her place (as he’s fond of doing these days), so when she plans to stay at a hotel to avoid spreading the virus, he insists they simply swap homes until she’s better. Which is how she ends up having a heart-to-heart with his mother. Ae-sook is totally cool with the idea of Jung-shin and Hyun-joon dating, but more importantly, she’s touched to hear Jung-shin say that Hyun-joon has always looked up to her. Thanks to their conversation, Ae-sook makes up with Mi-ran and then cooks a big meal for Hyun-joon so she can properly thank him for providing for the family all these years. It’s a truly touching scene, and they both tear up as she says the words Hyun-joon has desperately needed to hear for so long.
Finally, though, it’s time to go public with the report about Dae-ho and Assemblyman Ha. Hyun-joon books a live interview on a major TV network under the pretense of promoting the final Kang Pil-gu season. Se-na is there, too; though she’s unaware of what Hyun-joon is planning, she’s secretly steeling herself to do exactly the same thing. In any case, Hyun-joon announces that he wants to be a champion of justice like Kang Pil-gu and calls Jung-shin out from the wings so she can give her report. At the same time, Hwa-young and Jae-hyung post Jung-shin’s article laying out all the evidence she’s collected. Everyone involved is nerve-wracked, but Hyun-joon presents an especially brave front worthy of the “Nice Detective” himself. When it’s over, Se-na thanks him and Jung-shin for doing what she was almost too scared to do.
In the aftermath, Dae-ho is arrested. Hyun-joon and Se-na both suffer a major hit to their reputations due to their company ties, never mind that they helped expose his crimes. Hyun-joon has to sell his sports car and a building he owns to cover the contract fees for withdrawn ad deals, and Se-na eventually leaves the entertainment industry altogether to study fashion overseas. Jung-shin feels terrible for dragging Hyun-joon down with Dae-ho (it doesn’t help that everyone keeps saying she used him to get the scoop), but Hyun-joon adamantly repeats that this whole thing was his idea and he has no regrets.
Jung-shin has another article all ready to go that can — and eventually does — sway public opinion back in favor of Hyun-joon and Se-na, but for some reason she can’t post it right away without inciting dating rumors between her and Hyun-joon (and for some reason, she believes that would be worse). Instead, she takes an assignment as a correspondent in an active war zone. She pulls the classic I’ll take you on one last date without telling you I’m saying goodbye, which completely crushes Hyun-joon when he realizes what she’s doing. But there’s no changing her mind now. She flies out on the last day of Kang Pil-gu filming, which happens to be a sad cemetery scene. Hyun-joon sobs his heart out for real, forgetting where he is until Byung-ki runs over to praise him for an incredible last performance.
Because this has to be a complete (but brief) separation, Jung-shin loses her phone and lands in the hospital with a foot injury. When she finally gets her phone back, she sees a flood of text messages from Hyun-joon… and a listing on the marketplace app for the lone Kang Pil-gu sock she accidentally left at his place when she was sick. She responds to the listing first, and they playfully dance around when and where to make the exchange and whether he’ll actually come or send a proxy. One month later, foot and sock are reunited, as are the happy couple, and everyone moves on with their lives.
Ji-sun is reinstated as CEO and continues to represent both Hyun-joon and Hong-shin as actors. Hyun-woo, however, has returned to medicine, and looks much more at home interning in the ER than he did on set. Hyun-joon lands a huge Hollywood role, and now that Kang Pil-gu has wrapped (to record-high ratings at that), he realizes he’s open to trying more detective roles after all. As for Byung-ki, he tries his hand at writing a rom com about the rice cooker exchange, which he titles “Nice to Not Meet You.” (And I’m sorry, Show, but you can’t blame him for all of this!) Jae-hyung and Hwa-young get married and raise their son together, after she apologizes for leaving him in the dark.
Hyun-joon plans to propose to Jung-shin, and we end with them going on more dates. They stroll through a park reminiscing on their relationship and then watch Byung-ki’s “Nice to Not Meet You” at the theater. Hyun-joon is recognized in the middle, and the whole audience stops watching the movie to take photos of them instead, and they smile and wave for the cameras.
I think I’ve made my overall feelings pretty clear, and I’m starting to feel like a broken record, so I’ll leave my complaints in 2025 and close with what I liked about this finale. Throughout, the strongest thread of the show for me has been Hyun-joon’s relationship with Kang Pil-gu, and this week was no exception. No matter how frustrated he was with being typecast, the role did make his longtime dream come true, and he poured his heart and soul into it for years. So it was nice to see it end on a high note with a satisfied audience, and to see him admit that he’ll miss it. Likewise, despite all the missteps to get here, I enjoyed seeing genuine reconciliation between both Hwa-young and Jae-hyung and Hyun-joon and his mother, an amicable parting for Hyun-joon and Byung-ki, and a joyful reunion between Hyun-joon and Jung-shin. May we all be as fortunate as they were to find happiness, love, success, and a fresh start in the year(s) to come!
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