A Virtuous Business Episode 3 Review: Graffiti, Guilt, and a Mother’s Grief

In Episode 2 of A Virtuous Business, Jeong-suk is devastated after discovering her husband Seong-su in bed with her friend, sending her into an emotional spiral. As she copes with heartbreak, she encounters the town’s new detective, Do-hwan, during a drunken night out. Meanwhile, her friend Young-bok faces mounting pressure in her lingerie sales career, driven by her supportive husband’s belief in a fortune teller’s prophecy.

As Jeong-suk, Young-bok, and their friend Geum-hui embrace their newfound business, they gain confidence, but face personal challenges, including vandalism targeting Jeong-suk. The episode ends with Detective Do-hwan uncovering a mysterious subplot, leaving viewers in suspense.

– Contains Spoilers –

A Virtuous Business Episode 3 Recap

In Episode 3 of A Virtuous Business, the story picks up with Jeong-suk finding herself at the center of neighborhood gossip when someone vandalizes her wall with offensive graffiti. Instead of offering support, her landlord and some neighbors blame her for the trouble, with the landlord accusing her of bringing shame upon herself through her business. Things worsen when Jeong-suk’s mother, Bok-sun, arrives and reinforces these negative views, expressing disapproval of Jeong-suk’s choices.

Standing her ground, Jeong-suk tries to defend her business, reminding her mother that her ex-husband, Seong-su, is the real source of the problems, not her. She even argues that the items she’s selling could help married couples, but Bok-sun refuses to see her point. Making matters worse, Bok-sun refuses to watch Jeong-suk’s son, Min-ho, in the evenings anymore, leaving Jeong-suk in a bind as she struggles to balance work and childcare.

Meanwhile, at school, Min-ho begins forming a bond with a boy named Dong-u, who happens to be the son of Ju-ri. This connection becomes a silver lining when Ju-ri offers to help Jeong-suk by watching Min-ho, providing some much-needed support. The graffiti incident reaches the local police, where Da-hyun, a kind-hearted officer, decides to check on Jeong-suk. By the time Jeong-suk returns home with paint to cover up the vandalism, Da-hyun is already there, ready to assist.

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He takes her statement and suspects the graffiti is a personal attack by someone holding a grudge. Da-hyun helps Jeong-suk scrub off the graffiti, finishing just before Min-ho comes home from school. Da-hyun’s investigation leads him to a local paint shop, where the shopkeeper, Son Beom-su, mentions selling paint to someone the previous evening. However, this turns out to be a dead end, as the buyer doesn’t match the suspect’s profile. In the midst of all this, Jeong-suk, along with her friends Geum-hui and Young-bok, continue to sell their products.

After a day of work, they decide to grab some food, but their meal is interrupted by Park In-tae, who proposes that Jeong-suk host a party at his place. As they chat, In-tae reveals that he’s having marital issues, particularly around intimacy and starting a family, which leaves Jeong-suk shocked. She manages to keep her thoughts to herself, but the conversation clearly unsettles her.

Back home, Min-ho receives a package from his father, Seong-su, containing a letter and a toy robot. While Jeong-suk is unhappy about Seong-su trying to win over Min-ho, she hides her frustration and moves forward. Her day takes another unexpected turn when Young-bok, her friend and coworker, injures herself after a run-in with an overly affectionate dog. Jeong-suk steps up to take over Young-bok’s shift.

However, Ju-ri becomes unavailable to look after Min-ho, and Jeong-suk is left with no choice but to bring Min-ho along to In-tae and Mi-hwa’s place for the party. This leads to an uncomfortable situation for Jeong-suk as she hosts the event. Thoughts of her ex-husband and Mi-hwa together weigh heavily on her mind, especially as the couple’s intimate conversations swirl around her. As the night progresses, things take a darker turn when Min-ho suddenly disappears. In-tae, who had gone to grab snacks, realizes Min-ho is missing, sparking a wave of panic. Jeong-suk is frantic, and Da-hyun is notified immediately.

He reassures Jeong-suk, noting that Min-ho is likely nearby, given the small size of their village. However, as time ticks by and darkness falls, the situation becomes more worrisome. In a particularly emotional scene, Jeong-suk’s mother, Bok-sun, shows up, but instead of offering comfort, she harshly criticizes Jeong-suk. Bok-sun goes so far as to accuse Jeong-suk of having no shame, leading Jeong-suk to push back, questioning her mother’s lack of support during such a critical moment. Her defiance earns her a slap from Bok-sun, adding to the emotional strain.

Fortunately, Da-hyun pieces together that Min-ho might have gone to visit his father’s old workplace, the factory where Seong-su was fired. Sure enough, Min-ho is found there, curled up outside the building with his toy robot. The little boy had wanted to speak to the CEO in hopes of getting his dad’s job back. Relieved, Jeong-suk brings him home, with Da-hyun staying to help out and offer comfort. As things calm down, Da-hyun advises Jeong-suk to rest and take care of herself, reminding her that it’s natural to feel overwhelmed when a child goes missing.

He leaves her some first aid for the cheek her mother slapped, showing his thoughtfulness and care. The next day, Jeong-suk receives a bit of good news—it’s payday! She and Min-ho celebrate their hard-earned salaries, but the celebration is slightly dampened when she runs into her mother, who is still cold and distant. As they walk in the same direction, Bok-sun refuses to acknowledge Jeong-suk, but her tough exterior begins to crack when she sees her ex-husband, Yong-deok, laughing with his mistress.

This encounter brings back painful memories for Bok-sun, and later, as the rain pours down, Jeong-suk approaches her mother at a bus stop. She offers her an umbrella and listens as Bok-sun opens up about her past, sharing how Yong-deok humiliated her by neglecting his responsibilities as a father and openly flaunting his affair. Bok-sun reflects on how her blind love for him shattered her life, explaining why she’s been so harsh on Jeong-suk.

As Bok-sun leaves, it’s clear she’s beginning to understand Jeong-suk’s struggles and choices, recognizing that her daughter’s actions are a means of survival, not a reflection of shame. Back at home, Jeong-suk is left to process her emotions. She feels the weight of her mother’s pain and realizes that, in many ways, she’s reliving the same heartache her mother once experienced. Holding back tears, she gives her mother a beautiful shirt, a small gesture of love and an attempt to help Bok-sun feel like herself again.

A Virtuous Business Episode 3 Review

Episode 3 of A Virtuous Business deepens the emotional complexity of Jeong-suk’s journey, highlighting the heavy burden she carries from both her past and present struggles. The episode excels in showcasing Jeong-suk’s resilience, as she stands her ground despite the neighborhood gossip, her mother’s harsh judgment, and the pressure to provide for her son, Min-ho. The dynamic between Jeong-suk and her mother, Bok-sun, is particularly gripping, as Bok-sun’s own unresolved trauma from her failed marriage spills over into her harsh treatment of Jeong-suk. The heartfelt scene where they finally share a moment of understanding at the bus stop adds layers of emotional depth, making this one of the most poignant moments of the series so far.

The episode also balances suspense and intrigue with Da-hyun’s investigation into the graffiti incident and Min-ho’s sudden disappearance. The tension builds effectively as Jeong-suk grapples with her own fears while Da-hyun works to track down Min-ho. This subplot adds an exciting layer of mystery to the story, keeping viewers engaged as more secrets in the village begin to unravel. Overall, Episode 3 delivers a solid mix of drama, emotion, and suspense, leaving viewers eager to see how Jeong-suk navigates the challenges ahead while mending her fractured relationships.

Watch A Virtuous Business on Netflix.

Also read: All Reviews of A Virtuous Business!