Seo Mok-Ha is getting Ran-Joo ready for her big day. Bo-Gyeol is meticulously going over the interview questions with Ran-Joo to ensure she’s prepared for any last-minute changes during the live show.
Ran-Joo, however, has a specific wish to mention Jung Ki-Ho on air, but Bo-Gyeol cautions against it, suggesting that Ki-Ho might not be comfortable being brought up during the interview.
In the end, the production crew gets ready to depart from Ran-Joo’s home. Bo-Gyeol, with a serious tone, emphasizes the importance of staying in contact with Seo Mok-Ha, who surprisingly doesn’t own a phone. She naively proposes to meet them downstairs each day, not realizing the production team doesn’t live on-site. Attempting to express her thanks, she offers Bo-Gyeol a generous basket of grapes, which fails to pique his interest. He straightforwardly suggests she should obtain a driver’s license and a mobile phone. When Seo Mok-Ha questions if she seems pitiful to him, he bluntly affirms she does, leaving her shocked by his candor. Despite his apparent disinterest, he doesn’t leave without taking the grapes with him.
Thus, realizing the pressing need for financial stability, she sees an opportunity at Brothers’ Salon. She offers to assist the parents of both Bo-Gyeol and Wook-Hak, who are delighted to have found help.
In another part of town, Wook-Hak, at the YGN Entertainment Office, is tasked with investigating a story about residential noise pollution. His superior suggests focusing on disturbances during the night. Wook-Hak, trying to be considerate, inquires if his boss has had his meal, only to learn he’s had Pho for lunch and isn’t keen on it again.
Heading to Bo-Gyeol’s with Gimbap, Wook-Hak walks in on him reprimanding Mok-Ha over the phone for not having an email address, which is needed to send a video of Yoon Ran-Joo. Wook-Hak finds Bo-Gyeol’s insensitivity frustrating, especially since Seo Mok-Ha, having lived on an island, might find the concept of case-sensitive passwords challenging—a struggle Wook-Hak himself is familiar with. Bo-Gyeol is left questioning Wook-Hak’s sudden concern.
Woo-Hak arrives home to discover Mok-Ha working at Brothers’ Salon. He’s pleased that Mok-Ha is aiding their parents, as it gives them an opportunity to collaborate, which they never had before. He hands her a USB drive containing Yoon Ran-Joo’s video from 2008, and they share a meal together.
During the meal, Mok-Ha expresses her curiosity about Jung Ki-ho’s whereabouts, wondering if he is still alive. Woo-Hak encourages her to keep hope alive and shares his own experience with amnesia, revealing he can’t recall anything from before his high school years, which has led to the loss of all his childhood friendships. He even reveals a scar as evidence of the incident that caused his memory loss, confessing he couldn’t recognize his parents or Bo-Gyeol at the time. He’s grateful, though, for having a family, suggesting that a similar tragic event might be the reason he doesn’t remember her.
Elsewhere, President Lee is reviewing the artist schedule at RJ ENTERTAINMENT Office and is taken aback to see Ran-Joo’s upcoming appearance on “Heyday Again.”
He decides to summon Mr. Choi from the Sales Team to the office and also instructs him to reach out to the producer of “Heyday Again.”
Ran-Joo and Mok-Ha review Ran-Joo’s performance, with Ran-Joo questioning whether her vocal skills have improved. At the YGN office, the producer of “Heyday Again” reminisces about her challenging past experiences with Ran-Joo, recalling the star’s demanding nature during her peak and their clashes, which once led to the installation of an air purifier and humidifier for a performance. During this time, the producer receives a call from President Lee.
On the other hand, Ran-Joo and Seo Mok-Ha are at the bus stop, with Mok-Ha feeling anxious. Ran-Joo tries to boost Seo Mok-Ha’s morale, advising her to lie confidently if needed. Upon arriving at the set, Mok-Ha is taken aback by the grandeur of “Heyday Again.”
The reunion between the producer and Ran-Joo is a display of feigned affection, as they hug as if they’ve greatly missed each other. The producer then informs Ran-Joo that President Lee has generously provided a feast for the entire set and a designer for her comeback. While Ran-Joo is touched by the gesture, Mok-Ha is skeptical, likening President Lee to a horse chestnut—visually appealing but toxic, suggesting his intentions may not be as benevolent as they appear.
Bo-Gyeol finds himself in an elevator with his brother Woo-Hak, leading to a comical encounter, especially when Woo-Hak, donning the same style of jacket, prompts Bo-Gyeol to take his off. During their exchange, Woo-Hak mentions that today’s shoot is for the Yoon Ran-Joo episode and shares that she might be under the weather due to a cold she caught at the Deodeok festival, which could affect her singing voice. This leaves Bo-Gyeol in deep thought.
As he arrives at the rehearsal space, it’s apparent that Ran-Joo is hesitant about performing rehearsal. Bo-Gyeol recalls her festival performance and his recent conversation with Woo-Hak, piecing together that it was actually Mok-Ha who had sung in Ran-Joo’s stead.
Backstage, Seo Mok-Ha is covertly searching for a microphone to secretly contribute her vocals. Her former manager, encountering her, hands over his phone number, expressing skepticism about Ran-Joo’s ability to perform live, especially since she hadn’t sung during rehearsals. Bo-Gyeol intervenes just in time, calling Mok-Ha backstage to deflect further suspicion.
The show is on the verge of starting. Mok-Ha slips onto the stage discreetly, swapping the microphones so she can sing without being seen. As Bo-Gyeol oversees the production and Woo-Hak watches via his mobile, an old video of Ran-Joo begins to play. Ran-Joo, backstage, imparts to Mok-Ha that she must outdo her past performances for everything to fall into place.
With that, Mok-Ha begins to sing with all her might, pouring her entire being into every note and melody, embodying the spirit of the performance as if it were her own.
The performance is met with high praise, and even the producer is unexpectedly impressed. A vote is called for the audience to decide between Ran-Joo’s performances from 2008 and the current year, 2023, with the latter securing the majority of votes. Yoon Ran-Joo then graces the audience with her presence. As the host begins the interview, she performs live, while Seo Mok-Ha provides the vocals from behind the scenes. This collaboration results in Ran-Joo winning the show by a historic voting margin. Gratefully, she acknowledges those who supported her journey and dedicates the triumph to the muse behind her song, revealing the muse to be connected to a fan. Amidst the success, Bo-Gyeol grows concerned and quietly disconnects his microphone.
Ran-Joo uses the platform to send a reassuring message to this muse, a friend of a fan, signaling that she is doing well and hopes for a future encounter.
Jung Ki-ho’s father also tunes into the performance from his location. He pauses to consider Kang Woo-Hak’s business card thoughtfully.
As the broadcast concludes, Yoon Ran-joo is showered with congratulations. She suggests visiting the restroom to overhear the genuine audience reactions, a trick to gauge the true success of the show, which evidently has been a hit. Woo-Hak reaches out to her with a message, proposing they grab a meal together. She, curious and hopeful, inquires if Jung Ki-ho might have watched the show.
Lost in daydreams of one day taking centre stage herself, Mok-Ha is snapped back to reality by Bo-Gyeol, who’s looking for Yoon Ran-Joo. He’s frustrated that Ran-Joo deviated from the script during the show. When Mok-Ha explains that it was Mok-Ha who asked for the impromptu addition. Bo-Gyeol is curious to find out why Mok-Ha wants to get in touch with Jung Ki-Ho. He dismisses it with concern that the person she mentioned could be a criminal by now, after 15 years. Mok-Ha’s temper flares, and she sharply tells him to keep his opinions to himself since he doesn’t know the people involved.
The following morning, Yoon Ran-Joo and Mok-Ha are jubilant over the show’s high ratings.
Overwhelmed with joy, Ran-Joo finds herself moved to tears. Mok-Ha reaches out to Woo-Hak to share the emotional moment. Concurrently, Woo-Hak is asked to accept a flower delivery, which turns out to be for Seo Mok-Ha, sent by Jung Ki-Ho. Woo-Hak’s mood sours upon this discovery. The accompanying note from Ki-Ho invites Mok-Ha for a meeting at Seoul station.
At lunch, the “Heyday Again” team enjoys VIP treatment. Bo-Gyeol, joins Woo-Hak, who expresses a desire for solitude. Curious about his interest of eating alone , when Woo-Hak clearly does not like to eat alone, Bo-Gyeol asks what is wrong about him.
However , Woo-Hak is curious about Jung Ki-Ho, who seemed steadfast and wise, prompts Woo-Hak to reflect on Ki-Ho’s support for Mok-Ha’s aspirations, noting a similarity to his own protective instincts. Bo-Gyeol, skeptical, questions how Woo-Hak could be so sure, given Ki-Ho’s distinct identity. Woo-Hak concedes that Ki-Ho is indeed a different person. Bo-Gyeol is taken aback by Woo-Hak’s easy acknowledgment of this fact. The conversation takes another turn when Woo-Hak reveals that Seo Mok-Ha has received flowers from Jung Ki-Ho asking her to meet at Seoul Station. Surprised by this news, Bo-Gyeol hastily leaves the table, his lunch forgotten.
Seo Mok-Ha arrives at the designated meeting spot for Jung Ki-Ho, holding the bouquet he sent her. Simultaneously, Yoon Ran-joo makes her way to President Lee’s apartment, hinting at a possible intimate connection. She enters with ease, the password unchanged. Meanwhile, Kang Woo-Hak is in the editing room working on his news story. As he attempts to focus on the audio, a sudden, intense headache strikes, causing him to collapse, unconscious.
In this state, fragmented memories resurface—of a door being forced open, someone inquiring about Jung Ki-Ho, and a voice addressing someone as “Abuji,” which is Jung Ki-Ho’s father. Woo-Hak comes to, finding himself on a sofa surrounded by concerned colleagues. Confused and disoriented, he recalls Mok-Ha, and driven by a sense of urgency, he rushes to his car, intent on ensuring Mok-Ha’s safety.
Amidst the rain, inside President Lee’s apartment, he serves coffee and offers her chocolates. She questions the motives behind his elaborate preparations, admitting that while she usually sees through his actions, this time she’s at a loss. As she moves in for a kiss, he halts her, confessing a sense of guilt. He reveals that he instructed the sales team to pull her albums from the shelves, ensuring she would never reach the milestone of selling 20 million copies.
Meanwhile, Seo Mok-Ha stands waiting for Jung Ki-Ho, only to find that it’s his father who has deceitfully drawn her into a snare. Alarmed at his appearance, she flees, but in her haste, she slips and tumbles to the ground. A man in a green hoodie swiftly comes to her rescue, concealing his face as he aids her. He grasps her hand and they dash away, evading Jung Ki-Ho’s father’s pursuit.
In a twist, it’s revealed that the man in the hoodie is none other than Bo-Gyeol.