Motel California episode 5 aired on MBC on Sunday (January 24) at 9:50 PM KST. People in Korea watched the fifth episode on TV or streamed it online. K-drama fans from other parts of the world, including the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Mexico, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, China, Japan, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, Turkey, and South Africa, watched the mini-series with subtitles on online streaming platforms, like Viki.
Ji Kang Hee kept pushing away Cheon Yeon Soo in Motel California episode 5. She kept ignoring her first love and hiding her feelings for him. Though she was happy to see him come in search of her, it did not show in her face. Kang Hee kept thinking about her first love and remembering their childhood together.
Yeon Soo kept helping his first love in every way possible without expecting anything in return. Since the former couple struggled to express themselves, their relationship did not progress. Knowingly or unknowingly, Geum Seok Kyeong, Yoon Nan Woo, and Han Ah Reum played vital roles in separating the former couple and never letting them rekindle their relationship.
A Family Gathering
Cha Seung Eon, Ryu Han Woo, Han Ah Reum, and Yeon Soo gathered together at the rooftop of Motel California for a gathering. They organized a welcome party for Kang Hee and waited for her to join the event. Though Ji Chun Pil was the mastermind behind the program, he did not attend the event.
Everybody spoke about their life after Kang Hee left Hana-eup. The female lead felt like a loser and walked out after hearing everybody's success stories. Yeon Soo followed her with Ah Reum. Although the male lead wanted to talk to his first love, his friend did not allow him to do so. She walked him to drop her home because it was unsafe to walk alone at night.
Ah Reum gradually confessed to Yeon Soo that she wanted him to forget his first love because it was difficult to see him struggle because of her. Yeon Soo understood his friend's concern and did not get angry with her. In the meantime, Kang Hee went for a walk with Seok Kyeong. She told him how tough it is to stay in her hometown and live up to the people's expectations.
The Beef Festival
The construction work was going smoothly when a new problem came in. It was impossible to bring in the mixer for construction because of the road blockage. It could pause the construction work for at least four days due to the Beef Festival. It could eventually delay the opening ceremony for nearly a month. Kang Hee wanted to finish her work quickly and go back to Seoul.
The female lead tried convincing the villagers to change the location of the annual event for this year. Yeon Soo secretly helped her first love, while Seok Kyeong requested others to join. Kang Hee faced several challenges while trying to convince the villagers. Though Yeon Soo stepped in to help her, she refused to accept it.
After much effort, the villagers changed the venue, which helped Kang Hee to focus on the construction work. Kang Hee felt guilty for not requesting her friends' help when her manager did it without a second thought. Still, she was happy to see the villagers enjoying the Beef Festival while the construction work progressed on the other side.
Two Couples
Kang Hee felt uncomfortable when she saw Yeon Soo with Nan Woo. The villagers congratulated the couple, and she quietly watched them. When the villagers turned their heads and congratulated her, she thanked them while holding Seok Kyeong's hands. Her actions confused him because he knew the villagers thought they were romantically involved. He became curious to know why she did not correct them. She requested him to play along till they completed the construction work.
Kang Hee met Yeon Soo again at the festival ground and briefly chatted with him. While they were talking, Nan Woo came in looking for Yeon Soo. Kang Hee left the place in frustration and stood alone in the dining hall of Motel California. Mr. Kwon offered her ice cream. She became curious about the person who bought the ice cream for her. When she realized it was her first love, she went to his room and saw her big brown teddy bear.
Kang Hee desperately looked for Yeon Soo everywhere and saw him sitting alone on a bench playing guitar. Before she could say anything, he apologized for bothering her with his feelings. He requested her to give him some time to forget her. She could not confess her feelings after hearing him. The female lead quietly watched her first love walk away.
