'Museum Of Innocence' Full Recap: Did Fusun And Kemal Get Married?

What happens when attraction turns into obsession? Netflix’s Turkish romantic drama series Museum of Innocence is pretty much about a man’s lifelong obsession with a young woman. Kemal met his distant cousin, Fusun, at a boutique store, and he was completely mesmerized by her beauty. She had just turned eighteen two weeks ago, and her innocence immediately attracted Kemal. Now, Kemal was in a relationship with Sibel, and they planned on getting married soon. Both Kemal and Sibel came from privilege, and they were considered the perfect match in their elite circle. Unlike Sibel, Fusun didn’t belong to the affluent class. Although they were cousins, they weren’t blood relatives. Fusun and her family were heavily criticized by their relatives for sending Fusun to a pageant competition when she was underage. It was considered a desperate and shameful move on her mother’s part. But none of that bothered Kemal; Fusun was the most beautiful woman he’d laid his eyes on, and he was determined to win her over.

Spoiler Alert

Why did Sibel break up with Kemal?

Fusun was a little apprehensive about getting involved with a man who was about to get married, but Kemal assured her that she was all that mattered to him. She took pleasure in knowing that Sibel and Kemal weren’t physically close. While she couldn’t be his wife, at least she felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that at least she was the only woman he slept with. This wasn’t the first time an older man was attracted to her; she didn’t sleep with her previous suitors because she was underage. Kemal didn’t find comfort in knowing that she got physically intimate with him only because of legal age. His jealousy started to show, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Fusun was seeing someone else as well. He was so consumed by the thought of not having Fusun completely to himself that it started to affect his everyday life. He attended parties, but he was barely present. Sibel noticed that he’d grown distant towards her, though he refused to admit what was going on. When Sibel and his parents were finalizing the details of the engagement party, Kemal added Fusun and her family to the list. He didn’t think it was cunning to invite his mistress to his own engagement party; he thought it would be the perfect excuse to see a glimpse of her on his special day. Fusun obviously was devastated when she received the invitation, but she decided to attend the event. Probably because she wanted to see for herself if Kemal was as devoted to her as he claimed to be. Kemal didn’t realize how heartbreaking the situation was for Fusun; he was simply happy for himself. He was envious seeing Fusun dancing with another man, and he quickly grabbed hold of her to establish that although he was engaged, he belonged to her. He planned to meet her the next day, but when Fusun left, Kemal found out from his friend that she’d discovered that he and Sibel make love in his office chamber almost every evening. It had become quite obvious to her that Kemal had lied about the nature of his relationship with Sibel. Fusun was devastated, and although Kemal waited for her every day at his apartment in the Merhamet building, she never came. He stopped by at the store where she used to work, but according to the owner, she and her father had left town. Kemal visited her house, where her mother, Nesibe, lived. He discovered that after attending the engagement party, Fusun was so heartbroken that she left her exam midway in tears. She refused to go to university, and she could barely concentrate at her job, so she chose to quit. She figured she needed to distance herself from Kemal to cope with her emotions. During this time, Kemal slipped into depression, and he found comfort in the objects that he closely associated with Fusun. One morning, Kemal confessed the truth to Sibel, and she was heartbroken. She couldn’t consider forgiving him at first, but then, when she thought about how she would be perceived by society, she decided to give him another chance. Although the elite circle took pride in their western outlook, if a woman who’d slept with her partner before marriage broke off her engagement, she would be heavily criticized. Out of her fear of being ostracized and also losing the man she’d envisioned her future with, she decided to give their relationship another chance. She decided they must live together and stay far away from the Merhamet building. But none of it positively impacted Kemal’s state of mind. He was still completely lost and depressed. Sibel had refused to accept the reality at first, but as days passed, her frustration only got worse, and she eventually accepted defeat, realizing she alone couldn’t save their relationship. Kemal was still in love with Fusun, and although Sibel had tried to dismiss the young girl as just an attractive sales clerk, she knew she was so much more than just that in Kemal’s life. Sibel ultimately walked away from the relationship. 

What led to Fusun’s divorce?

After years of staying apart, Kemal found a ray of hope when he received a letter from Fusun. She had invited him to dinner at their new house. Kemal was overjoyed, and he was also determined to finally ask for Fusun’s hand in marriage. He no longer cared about the difference in social status; all he wanted was just to be with her. Kemal’s heart was shattered when Fusun introduced him to her husband. He soon realized that she’d invited him for dinner because she hoped he would agree to produce the film her husband wanted to make. She had decided to become an actress, and her husband supported her. Kemal realized he was nothing more than just a rich relative for Fusun, and while the whole situation was quite insulting for him, he decided to play along simply because he cherished being with Fusun. He started to regularly have dinner at Fusun’s place and even agreed to start a production company with her husband simply because it was a good excuse to be near Fusun. Perhaps she knew that he would agree to produce the film, but she didn’t consider the possibility that Kemal might not let her become an actress. Fusun’s captivating beauty had attracted the attention of producers, directors, and actors. They saw potential in her, but Kemal was an envious man who refused to let her face the camera. The thought of her romancing another man on camera left him terrified, and he ultimately convinced Feridun to drop Fusun from the lead role and instead cast Papatya. Since he was funding the film, Feridun had to abide by his request. Feridun soon got involved with Papatya, and he barely returned home. Kemal used his absence to his advantage and spent more time with Fusun and her family. As a result of Feridun’s absence and their growing distance, Fusun decided to end their marriage. Fusun’s mother requested Kemal to give complete ownership of the production company to Ferdiun; then she believed their divorce case would wrap up smoothly. Kemal didn’t care about the company; he readily agreed to give away his stake just to be with Fusun. They finally got divorced, but before getting involved with Kemal, Fusun had some conditions. She didn’t want to have sex before marriage, she wished to travel to Europe, and she expected his mother to ask for her hand in marriage. Kemal happily agreed to all her conditions. 

Did Fusun and Kemal get married?

Kemal’s mother was not completely in support of his relationship with Fusun. She had asked him a very integral question: did Fusun love him back? But Kemal didn’t have an answer to that. He’d assumed she did, he wanted to believe that she did, and he never really cared to find out what she thought of their relationship. She thought that Kemal simply wanted to believe in the idea that he would find happiness if he could be with her, but his mother said it was all an illusion. She didn’t think it was possible to find love in Istanbul, where men and women were kept separate, and even if they spoke to one another, it was looked at suspiciously. She reminded her son how women in the country were only seen as objects, targets that they had to own, and in the process they never cared to find out how these women felt. Kemal and Fusun’s case was exactly this. Kemal wanted to believe that Fusun felt the same way about him that she did when they first met some eight years ago. And he didn’t try to find out if her feelings had changed or her dreams had evolved. Although his mother wasn’t sure if her son’s feelings for Fusun could be called ‘love,’ she adored her son, so she agreed to meet Fusun and her mother. She couldn’t really ask the young woman’s hand for marriage, but she indirectly established that she had accepted their relationship and looked forward to their marriage. In the meantime, Fusun learned how to drive. She felt a sense of independence when she sat behind the wheel. She had to take the driving test a number of times because women weren’t considered responsible drivers, and they’d assumed she would just eventually give up. But she didn’t, and so they had no choice but to give her the license. For their trip to France and Vienna, Fusun had to get her passport and visa ready. However, Fusun felt humiliated when the authorities asked her if she had a job, indirectly insinuating that she didn’t have the means to travel. She found the whole process insulting, as if reminding her that women from her background weren’t supposed to dream big. Kemal used his influence to get her visa approved, and Fusun was finally happy. They embarked on their journey to Europe, and on their first stop at a roadside hotel, Kemal pulled out a ring from his pocket and suggested that they get engaged. That night Fusun and Kemal exchanged rings, and although Kemal had intended to spend the night with Fusun, she seemed a little distant. 

How did Fusun die?

Fusun reminded Kemal that she didn’t wish to get physically intimate with him before marriage, and she expected him to respect her wish. Although Kemal was desperate to hold her close, he returned to his hotel room, disappointed. After some time, Fusun knocked on his door, and Kemal figured she too didn’t want to stay apart anymore. Kemal’s life was finally turning out the way he’d always envisioned, but things took a drastic turn in the penultimate episode of “The Museum of Happiness.” The next morning, Kemal found Fusun seated outside near the sunflower field. She was day-drinking, and there was a sadness in her eyes. Fusun had tried to convince herself that this was her happy life, but after spending the night with Kemal, she continued to feel a sense of emptiness, and she didn’t know how to cope with it. Fusun had always wanted to become an actor; it was her only dream, and Kemal took that away from her. She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of love it was that didn’t let her live or breathe freely. Kemal suffocated her, and she couldn’t escape him. He was persistent, and since he’d decided he would win her over, she didn’t really have a choice but to ultimately give in. Kemal controlled every aspect of her life. Her parents had always been too afraid to ever question his obsessive nature. They figured that Fusun would be happy if she married an affluent man, even if the man’s method of persuasion was questionable. She thought a trip to Paris and Vienna would make her happy, but perhaps in that moment, she realized that even the trip wouldn’t have been possible with Kemal. She wondered who she was without him, and perhaps she went down an existential rabbit hole thinking about it. Fusun neither could completely accept him nor could she just get rid of him. In fact, she resented Kemal deeply. She’d worn a pair of earrings that Kemal stole during their brief affair and had returned them when they reconnected, but Fusun had mentioned that she never found the earrings. The previous night she wore the earrings to surprise Kemal, hoping it would bring back fond memories. But Kemal didn’t notice it, and Fusun couldn’t help but wonder if it had always been just bodily desire for Kemal. Of course, it wasn’t that big of a deal, but for Fusun it was a culmination of a lot of repressed emotions. She tried to walk away, but Kemal followed her in his car and asked Fusun to come with him. She continued arguing with him, stating that all she ever wanted was an acting career. Kemal lost his cool and blurted out that she too couldn’t move around without a strong man by her side, insinuating that she lacked the courage to be truly independent. Fusun didn’t say much, but clearly his words had deeply offended. She asked Kemal to let her drive, and Kemal didn’t object. Fusun stepped on the gas, and the car sped at 150 km/hr. She tried to stop the car when they were almost about to run into a dog, and in the process, she ended up driving the car into the sunflower field, and they ultimately crashed into an old tree. Fusun died on the spot. She was dead, but free. Kemal survived, and after recovering, he decided to build a museum with the objects he’d collected over the years that reminded him of Fusun. He was still obsessed with her, and perhaps in her death he found a sense of peace knowing that she now belonged to him and him alone. Kemal wanted the world to know his epic love story, his devotion, and his Fusun. So, he converted the house Fusun had spent her final years in into a museum and dedicated every corner of the house to the memories they’d shared. Later, at the age of 62, Kemal suffered a heart attack that took his life. He’d asked Orhan Pamuk, the author who wrote the novel ‘The Museum of Innocence,’ to let the world know that he lived a happy life. One is reminded of what Kemal’s mother had told him: he believed that his happiness was intertwined with taking possession of her, but it was a mere illusion. Clearly, Kemal preferred the illusion, and perhaps after her death, he felt a sense of contentment in knowing that she ultimately belonged to him, and that might have made him feel some joy. 

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