Episodes 11 and 12 of the SBS romantic comedy “Dynamite Kiss” have aired, culminating in a controversial scene that has drawn significant criticism from viewers for depicting workplace violence as a narrative device.
The episodes, which premiered on SBS TV on December 17 and 18, 2025, saw the central romance between Ko Da-rim (Ahn Eun-jin) and Gong Ji-hyeok (Jang Ki-yong) blossom, only to be disrupted by corporate sabotage and a shocking act of physical aggression by Ji-hyeok’s father. The show is available for streaming on Netflix with new episodes released weekly.
Relationship Milestones and Mounting Tensions
Episodes 11 and 12 marked a significant shift as the main characters officially began their secret relationship. Following a dramatic rescue from a fire, Ji-hyeok confessed his love to Da-rim, telling her he likes her simply for who she is. Da-rim reciprocated, admitting her feelings date back to their first encounter on Jeju Island.
However, their personal happiness was immediately challenged by professional turmoil. Ji-hyeok’s half-sister, Ji-hye, who is determined to undermine him, strategically reassigned his entire Task Force (TF) team—including Da-rim—to the customer service department. There, Da-rim was burdened with a particularly difficult case that escalated when the client posted a manipulated audio recording online, falsely accusing Da-rim of misconduct. The incident led to public protests outside the company where Da-rim was attacked by the crowd.
The situation was resolved when Da-rim, while attempting to speak with the client, saved the woman’s baby from a runaway pram, injuring herself in the process. The client, overcome with guilt, publicly apologized and revealed she fabricated the story out of resentment after being rejected for a position on Da-rim’s own TF team. While her name was cleared, the experience weighed heavily on Da-rim, deepening her guilt over having lied about her marital status to secure her job. This led her to submit her resignation.
A New Project and a Devastating Betrayal
Ji-hyeok discovered that Ji-hye had intentionally selected unqualified candidates for his TF team from the start, aiming for its failure. He refused to accept Da-rim’s resignation, persuading her to stay by arguing that she was the only one who believed in the team and was key to their success. He negotiated a deal: if the TF team successfully developed a new product, all members would receive permanent positions.
Motivated, Da-rim confessed the truth about her fake marriage to her supportive colleagues, and the reunited team threw themselves into the new project. Da-rim played a crucial role, contributing a key idea for an innovative baby carrier designed to be less strenuous for parents. The team successfully created a prototype and prepared for its market launch.
Their triumph was short-lived. Just before the launch, a rival company announced an identical product, mirroring the TF team’s design. As the team reeled from the apparent corporate espionage, Chairman Gong Chang-ho, Ji-hyeok’s father, entered the office with Ji-hye and other executives. He demanded to see Da-rim and, as she stepped forward, slapped her hard across the face in front of the entire team. Ji-hyeok immediately moved to shield Da-rim, openly defying his father as the episode ended.
Widespread Criticism of the Slapping Scene
The slapping scene at the end of Episode 12 has become a major point of controversy and discussion on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Many viewers expressed discomfort and frustration, arguing that the depiction of a CEO physically assaulting a female employee was a disturbing and unnecessary narrative choice.
“Sorry but a CEO hitting his female employee is NOT character development it’s violence, plain and simple. This scene was unnecessary and infuriating,” one viewer posted on X, using the hashtag #DynamiteKiss.
A common critique is that the violent act seemed primarily designed to serve as a catalyst for the male protagonist’s character arc, positioning Ji-hyeok as Da-rim’s rescuer. Viewers noted that the conflict could have been advanced through other means, such as a verbal confrontation or dismissal, without resorting to physical violence.
“in a drama that already puts women on a pedestal like this that whole move was totally unnecessary. they could’ve just said sth like ‘you’re fired’ or ‘you got sued’ and that would’ve been enough,” another viewer commented.
Amid the criticism, some audience members credited the lead actors, Jang Ki-yong and Ahn Eun-jin, for maintaining interest in the series through their on-screen chemistry.
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Setting the Stage for the Finale
The preview for the final episodes indicates intense fallout from the product leak and the assault. The company appears to blame Da-rim for the leak, with Chairman Gong accusing her of being a corporate spy and leveraging her initial lie about being married to discredit her. He presents Ji-hyeok with an ultimatum: choose between protecting Da-rim or securing his future as the company’s next Vice President.
Facing this pressure, Da-rim is shown making the difficult decision to resign permanently and end her relationship with Ji-hyeok to protect him. The final two episodes of Dynamite Kiss, Episodes 13 and 14, are scheduled to air on December 24 and 25, 2025, on SBS and Netflix. They will determine whether the characters can navigate the corporate conspiracy and familial conflict to find a resolution for their relationship.
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