Tomorrow (내일) is a Korean drama-fantasy series directed by Kim Tae-yoon and Sung Chi-wook and stars Rowoon, Kim Hee-seon, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Yun Ji-on, alongside other cast members. The series has 16 episodes and is based on the webtoon of the same name by Ra Ma. Tomorrow episode 10 is titled Breath and has a runtime of 59 minutes.

Netflix describes the series as:

MADE HALF-HUMAN AND HALF-SPIRIT BY ACCIDENT, A YOUNG MAN IS EMPLOYED BY A COMPANY OF GRIM REAPERS IN THE UNDERWORLD TO CARRY OUT SPECIAL MISSIONS.

– Tomorrow Episode 10 recap contains major spoilers –
– TW: Suicide/sexual assault and violence –

Tomorrow episode 10 starts with Ryeon thinking back to her time as a human – a time when she had to choose between dying by someone’s hand or dying with honour. Later on, just as she’s about to get murdered, Jung-gil comes to her rescue, a thought that fills her eyes with tears. She later talks to the Director and asks her how Jung-gil can be the person whom she met all those years ago? Why is he trying to remember her, since she’s someone who was supposed to only resemble the person from her past but has no bearings to him whatsoever?

The Director asks whether she’s afraid because of that because she killed someone whom he loved. When Ryeon doesn’t answer, the Director realises that that should be it. Ryeon asks why she was entrusted with the RM team and the Director tells her it’s so that she can achieve what she desires. Plus, she was intrigued by her boldness.

Sometime later, Ryung-gu is still looking at the pregnant woman from the last episode. After spending a few emotional moments, the three get together to mull over their newest case – it’s regarding a pair of twins. Before she can discuss any further, though, Ryeon asks Ryung-gu to get his coffee and tells Jun-woong in the meantime to be alert since this case is sensitive for their teammate. The sexual assault case resulted in Yun-hui’s assaulter not getting enough jail time and thus, it is up to the team to reduce the twins’ negative energy levels so that they can file an appeal.

Also Read: Tomorrow Episode 9 Recap: Rowoon and Kim Hee-seon in an Adorable Episode

It is here that we learn why Ryung-gu is especially sensitive about this case – his mother was gang-raped and she subsequently ended her life. Ryeon elects to talk to Yun-hui while she sends the other two to talk to Yun-jae. Yun-hui is absolutely uninterested to go through another trial that might end in nothing while Yun-jae blames himself for his sister’s hardship but accepts the help from the boys.

When Yun-jae retells his story to Jun-woong and Ryung-gu, it really is heartbreaking. More so because she wanted him to go home with her but he refused to go and that’s what resulted in this horrible tragedy. I want to take a moment here to mention – it’s no one fault other than the assaulters. No one deserves this or asks for this and what happened to Yun-hui is 100% the despicable man’s fault who decided that they can do whatever they want.

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Anyway, the assault and the trial are all discussed in painful detail by Yun-jae and it clearly affects Ryung-gu. Even Jun-woong has nothing to say after this horrible incident is retold. Meanwhile, Yun-hui has a mental breakdown in the hospital and tells Ryeon that hurting herself is the only way she can forget the fear. Yes, it’s painful but it takes her mind off the fear that she felt – the pain takes away the fear. She tells her to let her be, to look the other way and to just let her die. However, Ryeon reminds her that she is the victim here and none of this is her fault.

Back at the office, the team goes over how to approach the incident. Since there still is time for the appeal, they need to try to help them get out of this horrible mental situation. However, that conversation is cut short when Ryeon realises that Yun-hui’s negative energy is increasing extremely fast. The team rushes to the apartment where they find Yun-hui ready to cut herself with a box cutter. Ryeon asks her to calm down and an inconsolable Yun-hui tells them that she doesn’t need her family’s help now when all they did at first was blaming her for the situation.

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As Jun-woong and Ryung-gu rush to find Yun-jae, whose negative energy meter is also increasing, Ryeon tells Yun-hui something about her life when she tries to tell her to let her die. She tells her that she had done something similar a long time ago, thinking that this was the answer to everything. However, that’s not how that went and she ended up regretting that decision afterwards. Ryeon’s words move Yun-hui, who appears to calm down a bit.

On the other hand, overcome with anger, Ryung-gu pays a visit to the rapist with Yun-jae and beats the shit out of him. Jun-woong gets there a bit late and is horrified to see the scene unfolding before him. He tries to stop him but Yun-jae takes him outside and tells him that it’s best to let the guy die. Jun-woong gives him solid advice – that nothing will be solved if anyone dies. That instead of protesting, he needs to be by his sister’s side. She is alone and struggling with this entire thing without anyone by her side.

Ryeon stops Ryung-gu just in time and slaps him when he refuses to stop punishing the rapist. Justice seems sweet when he says something disgusting about Ryeon and she proceeds to kick him in the soft spot and erases his memory. In court, Ryeon makes some excellent points about sexual abuse and the stigma around it – a crime where the victim is ridiculed, harassed and demonised along with the perpetrator. She asks for a huge life sentence and from the looks of it, she is able to bring the perpetrator to justice. By the looks of it, the twins forgive each other after they realise that they were only hurting each other because of their pain.

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Meanwhile, the perpetrator gets a surprise visit from Jung-gil, who mentions that although he was supposed to die of a heart attack, it’d be unfair to let him go down so easily. As the bus catches fire and he is burnt alive inside, you believe that there might just be justice in this world. On the other hand, the siblings are doing well and Yun-hui looks happier and healthier. However, Ryung-gu is still reeling from his past experiences and his mother’s memories.

Final Thoughts: Tomorrow Episode 10

This is a very loaded episode. For all those who are sensitive about the topic, I would, again, advise you not to watch this episode. Although it’s not terribly graphic, it’s graphic enough and has very heavy implications to trigger you.

Tomorrow episode 10 is an enjoyable episode that truly does a good job at bringing forth the joke that is the law when it comes to sexual assault and protecting its victims. We’ve seen time and time again how the law disappoints those who want justice for the crime that has been committed against them. Plus, add to that the victim-blaming in society and court – you have a recipe that can only end in the victim reliving their trauma over and over again.

The episode empathetically brings this forward with much hope and sensitivity. I am pleasantly shocked as to how sensitive the episode is because this can get very risky if you don’t handle it carefully. The way Ryeon and Jun-woong talk to the people reeling from a tragedy of this magnitude is admirable and the writing is careful and very empathetic. Ryung-gu and Ryeon’s personal connections to the subject matter also add another great layer that helps us sympathise with the protagonists and victims. Plus, we love watching the forever glum Jung-gil doling out punishments!

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Tomorrow episode 10. It’s sensitive, well-handled and brings forth a story that is just so important in today’s world.

Tomorrow is streaming on Netflix.

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