Dong-man bears the pressure of bringing his screenplay to life as his debut as a filmmaker draws near, but Eun-a comforts him in We Are All Trying Here episode 9.
On May 16, We Are All Trying Here episode 9 aired on Netflix. This episode highlights the mounting pressure on Dong-man as his screenplay nears production, marking his first film as a filmmaker. Eun-a comforts and reassures him that he is doing well. She even lets him practice his acceptance speech for the day he receives an award for his film.
Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers and key details from the series. Read at your own risk.
Pressure Mounts After Dong-man’s Big Break in We Are All Trying Here Episode 9
We Are All Trying Here episode 9 opens with Dong-man anxiously waiting beside Hye-jin. She finally reveals her thoughts on his screenplay. To his surprise, she genuinely likes it. Furthermore, she admits she originally wanted him to fail. However, the quality of his writing changes her mind and leaves her tempted to believe in him.
After signing the contract, reality quickly hits Dong-man. The legal language overwhelms him, and he starts worrying about disappointing everyone around him. Hye-jin only adds to the pressure. She warns him to clean up his social media accounts and remove anything damaging before the media discovers it ahead of his debut.
Although many production details remain unfinished, The Eight still celebrates Dong-man’s success. However, the atmosphere feels very different now. Yeong-su and the others continue discussing filmmaking, but their behavior carries an awkward edge.
Meanwhile, Hye-jin stays firm in her philosophy. She believes pressure creates greatness. In addition, she pushes Dong-man relentlessly, convinced he will either break under the pressure or emerge stronger from it.
The stress begins consuming Dong-man. He spends his time deleting problematic posts and traces of his past online activity. Unfortunately, his problems extend far beyond social media. He also owes money to loan sharks. Despite already paying back 5 million won, he remains buried in debt.
Jin-man notices his brother’s growing anxiety and asks questions. However, Dong-man snaps at him and refuses to open up. Even so, his emotional state becomes impossible to hide. Elsewhere, Gyeong-se continues provoking Dong-man. He mocks him about the betting pool surrounding his future failure. Moreover, he keeps teasing him about how badly everyone expects him to collapse.
Eun-a Stands Beside Dong-man
Dong-man pushes aside the stress and goes to see Eun-a. Together, they celebrate his new opportunity. During the small celebration, Dong-man blows out a candle and quietly wishes for forgiveness. Furthermore, he admits he feels afraid of what lies ahead.
Eun-a reassures him immediately. She comforts him and promises support no matter what happens. In addition, she tells him they can run away or hide together if the pressure ever becomes too much.
The moment turns tender. They embrace before heading home. Later, while standing near a railway crossing, Eun-a makes Dong-man practice an acceptance speech. During the speech, Dong-man credits Eun-a as the reason he stands where he is today. His words reveal just how important she has become in his life.
Elsewhere in We Are All Trying Here episode 9, tension continues building around Jeong-hui. She hears about the screenplay Knock, Knock, Knock, which Choi Film currently develops. Curious, she asks to read the script. The moment she sees the dialogue, she recognizes Eun-a’s writing style. Moreover, she quickly realizes that “Yeong-sil” serves as Eun-a’s pseudonym.
Meanwhile, Knock, Knock, Knock begins shaping up as serious competition for Weather Maker. Hye-jin confidently states that Dong-man’s revised screenplay shows massive improvement compared to the original contest submission.
That praise deeply irritates Director Choi. His frustration grows even more after learning Eun-a helped strengthen the screenplay. As a result, he publicly scolds her at work. Furthermore, he warns her not to involve herself in other screenplays again unless she wants serious consequences.
After Eun-a leaves Jun-hwan’s movie, Mi-ran contacts her and asks to meet. During their conversation, Mi-ran vents about everything happening around her. Moreover, she admits her emotions feel completely scattered.
Mi-ran also confesses her insecurities. She says she cannot act well and believes people see her as embarrassing. Furthermore, she opens up about her breakup with Hyeong-u, who claimed he never truly loved her. As Eun-a listens, she starts seeing Mi-ran differently. The vulnerability slowly softens her attitude toward her.
Dong-man Fights Back
Meanwhile, Dong-man continues dealing with harassment from his loan shark. This time, however, he pushes back. He shouts over the phone and calls the man predictable. In addition, Dong-man mocks him for acting like a stereotypical thug. Before hanging up, he sarcastically asks whether the man wears a gold chain—which turns out to be true.
Realizing the loan sharks are heading toward his place, Dong-man quickly leaves. Jin-man remains at home and faces the men instead. When one of them acts aggressively, Jin-man responds immediately and punches him in the face.
Afterward, the loan shark escalates the situation. He messages Dong-man and reveals that he sent details about the debt to everyone in Dong-man’s contacts. Furthermore, he includes photos to humiliate him publicly.
Dong-man later apologizes to Eun-a about the money he borrowed. He explains that he used it for emergency surgery for his cat. Eun-a reacts calmly. Instead of judging him, she encourages him and gives him the emotional support he needs.
Her words strengthen Dong-man’s resolve. He heads directly to confront the loan shark in person. During the confrontation, Dong-man finally sees through the intimidation. He realizes the man is not as frightening as he once believed. Moreover, Dong-man warns him to stop the harassment or face consequences himself.
Dong-man declares their business finished. Since he already repaid the loan with interest, he refuses to remain trapped by fear any longer. Then he walks away with his head held high.
Episode 9 of We Are All Trying Here feels comforting not only for Dong-man, but also for people who continue carrying the pressure of life while still hoping someone will stay beside them. Eun-a remained by Dong-man’s side even when he was not winning in life, yet she still believed in him. Sometimes, that is exactly what a person needs—someone who believes in them and reassures them that they are doing okay.
Catch the next episode of the series on Netflix. It airs every Saturday and Sunday at 10:40 PM KST or 9:40 PM PHT.
Sources: JTBC Love, JTBC Drama, JTBC (Instagram)
