A scene released ahead of the finale of the JTBC drama We Are All Trying Here has sparked a heated debate among viewers.
The controversial scene aired on May 16th. In the episode, Hwang Dong Man (played by Koo Kyo Hwan), who is about to debut as a film director, struggles with anxiety even after signing the Korean Film Council support contract. His fear of failure and guilt outweigh his excitement, leading him to speak words that feel more like repentance than a wish for success in front of a celebratory cake.
Seeing Dong Man’s inner turmoil, Byun Eun Ah (Go Youn Jung) notices his distress. She says, “If you want to run away, I’ll help you,” she said. Then she opened her oversized cardigan and pulled Dong-man into her arms. In a comforting, almost motherly gesture, Eun Ah whispered, “If you want us to run away together, we’ll run away together. If you want to hide forever, we’ll hide together.” From inside her embrace, Dong-man murmured, “That sounds perfect.”
Go Younjung and Koo Kyohwan’s hug scene in ‘We Are All Trying Here’ receives criticismhttps://t.co/tRIynA0stN pic.twitter.com/N9uu7YtTDO
— pannchoa (@pannchoa) May 18, 2026
The scene immediately sparked controversy. Some viewers felt uncomfortable, questioning, “Why is the romance between two adults shown as a mother-and-child relationship?” and “It weirds me out to see a man crawling into a woman’s clothing.” Others criticized the dynamic, saying, “It feels like women are reduced to emotional caretakers for men,” “It looked like a mother comforting a whiny child,” and “Even knowing the context, it felt disturbing.”
At the same time, many defended the scene, emphasizing the characters’ emotional context. Eun Ah is portrayed as someone who, having lacked maternal love in her childhood, wants to offer the warmth she never received. Fans praised the scene as more than a romantic moment: “It’s about embracing each other’s flaws,” “I felt a deeper love than any kiss scene,” and “It was impressive as a unique way of offering comfort.”
We Are All Trying Here is set to conclude on May 24th. As the drama continues to draw attention for its unconventional direction and emotional storytelling, viewers are eager to see how the ‘cardigan hug’ scene controversy will be remembered alongside the series finale.
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