Episode 3 of Dear Hyeri brings a unique and emotional twist to the story, diving deeper into Eun-ho’s dual personality. In this episode, both of Eun-ho's personalities are struggling with different aspects of their lives. Eun-ho is dealing with the pressures and challenges of her career as an announcer, while Hye-ri's storyline continues to evolve as she grows closer to Ju-yeon.
For me, if Eun-ho were a "normal" person, her mental health would be in serious crisis. The stress and struggles she faces seem to have contributed to the creation of his alternate personality, Hye-ri. In the previous episode, we learned that Eun-ho has a sibling, and this episode expands on the idea that the root of his dual personality may be tied to his relationship with his sibling.
A key event is when Hye-ri goes missing during a field trip and still not found up until today. This loss profoundly impacts Eun-ho, and it is here that we see her start to read through Hye-ri’s diary. As she reads, she seems to absorb Hye-ri’s thoughts and desires, such as her dream of working as a parking lot attendant. Eun-ho even goes so far as to pretend to be Hye-ri and live out her life, only to gradually forget her own identity and memory as she immerses herself in hers.
This leads Eun-ho to begin seeking therapy. However, it's still unclear whether zhe fully understands the existence of her other personality. Perhaps her psychiatrist hasn't explicitly told her, or maybe Eun-ho is aware and is just trying to understand it better. One clue to this is her actions—Eun-ho looks up Ju-yeon and even visits his company, suggesting that she may be trying to piece together the different facets of her identity.
The episode ends with Eun-ho visiting the company and being spotted by both Ju-yeon and Hyun-O. This raises the stakes even further and leaves us uncertain about how Eun-ho will resolve the tension between her two personalities. I've seen stories like this before, where characters experiencing stress or trauma can relapse into a different personality, but in Eun-ho's case, it’s still unclear if he can regain control or if her dual nature will continue to evolve.
In many ways, Hye-ri seems to be Eun-ho’s escape from the overwhelming pressures of her life. Compared to Eun-ho, Hye-ri’s life appears much simpler and freer. It’s as if, through Hye-ri, Eun-ho can find peace and happiness, even if temporarily, whereas her own life is mired in complications and stress.
So far, I’m really enjoying this series. It’s an intriguing exploration of identity, mental health, and the struggles people face when dealing with overwhelming emotions. The complexity of Eun-ho's character and his dual personality keeps me hooked, and I'm curious to see how the story will unfold in future episodes.