Motel California Episode 4 Review: Their Chemistry is Too Nice to Be True and I Love It

In Episode 3 of Motel California, the past and present collide as Yeon-soo’s flashback reveals his life-changing weight-loss journey inspired by Kang-hee. In the present, Yeon-soo confesses his feelings for Kang-hee, but their vulnerable moment is interrupted by a call from his troubled mother. Kang-hee rejects Yeon-soo’s love, returning his necklace and choosing to work with Seok-gyeong on a motel project, which stirs up painful memories.

Meanwhile, Yeon-soo juggles family tensions, his veterinary practice, and rumors of a budding romance with his assistant Nan-woo, which sparks jealousy in Kang-hee. As emotions run high, the two find themselves navigating unresolved feelings and misunderstandings in their new lives.

– Contains Spoilers –

Motel California Episode 4 Recap

The fourth episode of Motel California begins with a dramatic twist. Kang-hee stands outside a church, riddled with regret, as Yeon-soo’s wedding ceremony takes place inside. Determined to intervene, she sneaks in, checks on the bride, and quickly discovers the woman’s true motives: she’s only in it for Yeon-soo’s money. Fueled by anger, Kang-hee grabs the bride’s hair in a wild attempt to confront her—but just as the tension peaks, the scene cuts to Kang-hee in her bed, gripping A-reum’s hair in her sleep! A-reum yelps in pain, waking Kang-hee from her chaotic dream.

Embarrassed, Kang-hee apologizes to A-reum and, in a bid to change the subject, asks whether it’s wise to take up work in their hometown of Han-eup. A-reum reassures her, pointing out that both Kang-hee and Yeon-soo have seemingly moved on with new partners, so things shouldn’t be awkward. Despite her initial hesitation, Kang-hee decides to lead the project in Han-eup after all. She requests Seok-gyeong’s help, but to her dismay, she learns that the CEO has already gone ahead to Han-eup. Concerned, Kang-hee and Seok-gyeong check on the CEO after hearing about a minor accident. Relieved to find the CEO unharmed, Kang-hee agrees to take the lead, and Seok-gyeong is assigned to assist her.

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The next day, Kang-hee and Seok-gyeong dress up and set off for Han-eup. To Kang-hee’s surprise, the project they’ll be working on turns out to be her father Chun-pil’s new hotel. Both father and daughter maintain a professional façade, with Kang-hee pretending he’s just another client. During their meeting, Kang-hee proposes the idea of a rooftop swimming pool, triggering Chun-pil’s memories of his dream to build a hotel with such a feature. Touched that his daughter remembers, Chun-pil agrees to award the project to her team.

Kang-hee is also reminded of her father’s past aspirations to replace the family’s motel with a grand hotel. After checking out the site, the duo returns to Seoul, where they run into Yeon-soo and Nan-woo. Kang-hee quickly excuses herself, but Yeon-soo follows her. She tells him about the project and asks him to keep her presence in Han-eup a secret from the townsfolk. When Yeon-soo asks how long she’ll be in town, Kang-hee replies “until Christmas,” a bittersweet reminder of the Christmas night she asked him to stop loving her.

As she walks away, Seok-gyeong catches up with her and asks whether Yeon-soo was her first love. Kang-hee admits he was more than that—he was her savior. A flashback reveals how they met as children when Yeon-soo joined her school as a new student. Their bond deepened over the years, culminating in Yeon-soo’s heartfelt confession of love, which Kang-hee reciprocated.

Despite Seok-gyeong’s offer to return to Seoul to avoid discomfort, Kang-hee insists on staying and focusing on her design work. They check into a local hotel, and the next day, Kang-hee visits Yeon-soo’s veterinary hospital. There, she meets Nan-woo and is struck by her beauty and kindness. Watching Nan-woo interact with Yeon-soo, Kang-hee concludes that she’s the perfect match for him. When she asks for chamomile tea, Nan-woo reveals that Yeon-soo bought the expensive tea because someone he knows loves it—hinting it was for Kang-hee. While Kang-hee plays with a cat, Nan-woo is shocked to see how calm the normally aloof animal is around her. She even records a video to show Yeon-soo the unusual moment.

Overwhelmed, Kang-hee leaves without saying much and heads to a restobar to drink her feelings away. As she rants about Nan-woo’s perfection, Yeon-soo, meanwhile, is on a different mission. His friends have told him Seok-gyeong might have a shady past involving drugs, so he decides to follow him. To Yeon-soo’s surprise, he finds Seok-gyeong rescuing an abandoned dog. The two men team up to save the pup, and Yeon-soo realizes Seok-gyeong isn’t the bad guy he’d imagined. Seok-gyeong even offers to cover the dog’s expenses, leaving Yeon-soo with a newfound respect for him.

Later, Yeon-soo gets a call from Han-woo, who informs him that Kang-hee is drunk at the restobar. He rushes to find her, where Seung-hon and Han-woo are debating what to do. Kang-hee, now fast asleep, clings to Yeon-soo, making things awkward for everyone. Her hands wander in her drunken stupor, but Yeon-soo manages to keep his composure, singing softly to himself to stay calm. He carries her out, and the group decides to let her sleep at Motel California. Chun-pil, her father, discreetly directs them to let his “baby girl” rest in her old room, 304.

As Yeon-soo tucks Kang-hee into bed, she half-wakes and asks him why he lost weight and stopped wearing glasses, breaking his promise to her. He jokes that he’ll gain the weight back and start wearing glasses again, but she falls asleep before responding. He reminisces about the nights they shared as teens but is soon interrupted by Seok-gyeong, who has been frantically searching for Kang-hee. When he finds out she’s at the motel, he angrily demands to take her back. Yeon-soo then reveals the truth: Chun-pil is Kang-hee’s father, and the motel is technically hers. Stunned, Seok-gyeong struggles to process the information.

The next morning, Kang-hee wakes up embarrassed, remembering bits of the previous night. Seok-gyeong confronts her about what Yeon-soo told him, and her silence confirms the truth. She also learns that her three friends, Han-woo, Seung-hon, and Yeon-soo, have all been living at the motel. During breakfast, she notices Yeon-soo rushing off to work without eating properly. Nearby townsfolk gossip about his health and praise Nan-woo for being a great woman by his side, further agitating Kang-hee. Understanding her emotions, Seok-gyeong suggests they leave, but Kang-hee insists on staying.

Later that day, Kang-hee observes Yeon-soo’s hospital from the top of the project site. Seok-gyeong suggests they visit under the pretense of checking on the rescued pup. At the hospital, Kang-hee watches Nan-woo’s warm interactions with Yeon-soo, feeling an ache in her chest. Yeon-soo notices Kang-hee and joins them inside. When Nan-woo addresses the cat as “Kkam-hee,” both Kang-hee and Seok-gyeong realize the name sounds suspiciously like Kang-hee’s own.

As they leave, Seok-gyeong remarks that Yeon-soo and Nan-woo seem to be in love, but Kang-hee counters, saying only those who have truly loved before can see what’s really happening. Later, she stops by an ice cream shop and spots Yeon-soo at the doorway. Seeing Nan-woo join him, she assumes they’re on a date and sneaks out unnoticed. At a nearby field, she sits on a bench, crying and calling Yeon-soo a “punk.” She recalls how, as teens, Yeon-soo would always plan ice cream dates to cheer her up, even though he hated ice cream himself.

Suddenly, Yeon-soo appears, asking whom she’s cursing. Startled, Kang-hee looks at him through her tears. Concerned, he asks why she’s upset, and she tells him he’s changed. The episode ends with the two locking eyes, both weighed down by misunderstandings and unresolved emotions.

Motel California Episode 4 Review

This episode of Motel California packs a delightful mix of chaos, nostalgia, and just the right amount of emotional tension to keep us hooked! Kang-hee’s vivid dream of Yeon-soo’s wedding (and her dramatic reaction) kick-starts the drama with a bang, setting the stage for an episode filled with hilarious misunderstandings and heartfelt moments. Kang-hee’s visit to the vet hospital—where she learns that Nan-woo is not only gorgeous but also kind enough to calm the grumpiest of cats—adds another layer of emotional conflict.

Her drunken antics at the local bar are pure comedy gold, but Yeon-soo’s quiet care for her brings the feels in full force. And that classic almost-a-love-confession-but-not-really moment? Chef’s kiss. The back-and-forth tension between these two is maddening in the best way possible.

Meanwhile, Seok-gyeong’s clueless-yet-determined attempts to play the protective knight add a humorous edge, especially when he learns the motel’s big secret. Throw in the townspeople’s nosy commentary and Kang-hee’s spiraling jealousy over Nan-woo, and you’ve got a simmering pot of small-town drama that’s as relatable as it is entertaining. By the end of the episode, we’re left with Kang-hee and Yeon-soo staring at each other, drowning in a sea of miscommunications and unresolved feelings. It’s messy, it’s emotional, and we absolutely love it. Bring on the next episode!

Motel California is streaming on MBC and Viki.

Also read: All Reviews of Motel California