The Korean drama Dear X concluded with a finale that left viewers shocked. The story of actress Baek Ah-jin and the two men closest to her ended not with redemption, but with devastating sacrifice and a final, chilling act of survival. The fates of Yoon Jun-seo and Kim Jae-oh were sealed in a tragic chain of events driven by Ah-jin’s relentless ambition and their own desperate love for her.
While based on a popular webtoon, the drama’s conclusion took a dramatically different path from the original story, leading to a unique and somber ending for its central trio.
How Jae-oh’s Ultimate Sacrifice Gave Ah-jin Power
In the final episodes, Ah-jin’s life with her powerful and manipulative husband, Moon Do-hyeok, becomes a prison. He exerts total control over her, even tampering with her memory. Realizing the extreme danger Do-hyeok poses, Kim Jae-oh makes a decisive choice. He devises a plan to give Ah-jin leverage over her husband, knowing it will cost him his life.
Jae-oh’s loyalty to Ah-jin was rooted in his childhood. She was the first person to make him feel useful, and that feeling defined his life. In a final act of devotion, he deliberately provoked Do-hyeok’s men, allowing himself to be killed while secretly recording the entire incident. This video, proving Do-hyeok ordered the murder, was sent to Ah-jin.
“He tells Ah-jin to use him as much as she wants until it’s too late,” one recap noted, summarizing Jae-oh’s tragic commitment.
Ah-jin used this evidence to blackmail Do-hyeok, temporarily gaining the upper hand in their toxic marriage. However, a copy of the video was also sent to Jun-seo, forcing him to confront the brutal reality of Ah-jin’s world and what she was willing to accept.
Jun-seo’s Final Attempt to Save Ah-jin
Jae-oh’s death was the breaking point for Yoon Jun-seo. Having loved Ah-jin since they were trauma-bonded stepsiblings, Jun-seo had long hoped she would change. After seeing the video of Jae-oh’s sacrifice and hearing Ah-jin’s cold justification for it, he realized she never would.
Feeling betrayed that Ah-jin had long hidden the truth about his biological father, Jun-seo decided his only remaining way to “save” her was to destroy the life she had built. He collaborated with a documentary producer, providing details that exposed all of Ah-jin’s manipulations, including her role in her father’s death and the truth behind her ex-boyfriend Heo In-gang’s suicide.
The expose aired nationally on the very night Ah-jin won the prestigious Blue Dragon Award for Best Actress, publicly shattering her carefully constructed image in front of the entire industry.
The Cliffside Crash and Ah-jin’s Survival
In the aftermath, a devastated Ah-jin fled the awards ceremony. Jun-seo found her and drove them away from the city. In the car, he offered her one last chance, framed as a desperate ultimatum.
“If you really have nowhere to go, why don’t we just go to hell together, Ah-jin?… If you say you’ll stop right now, I’ll stop right here with you,” Jun-seo said, according to a detailed breakdown of the scene.
Ah-jin’s reply was final. She called Jun-seo her “final shackle”. Holding hands, Jun-seo then drove the car off a cliff. Authorities later found Jun-seo’s body, but Ah-jin had vanished.
A flashback revealed the grim truth: Ah-jin survived the crash. Injured but conscious, she climbed from the wreckage. She saw that Jun-seo was still alive but gravely wounded. Instead of seeking help, she left him to die, climbing up the rocks alone and looking back at the scene.
How the Drama Ending Differs from the Webtoon
The drama’s conclusion is a significant departure from the source material. In the original webtoon, all three main characters survive the story’s main events.
The webtoon’s plot involves Ah-jin purposely getting pregnant with Jun-seo’s child to secure her marriage to Do-hyeok, who desires an heir. After Jun-seo’s expose ruins her, Ah-jin attempts suicide but is stopped by Jae-oh. They flee to Hong Kong, where Jae-oh helps raise her child. Ah-jin eventually abandons them for another wealthy man but is later pushed down a stairs by his daughter, leaving her severely disfigured.
The webtoon’s final, cruel twist is Ah-jin’s revenge on Jun-seo. She ensures he learns about their daughter but vows he will never meet her or be part of their lives, forcing him to live with that longing forever.
Director Lee Eung-bok explained the drama’s different direction, stating that the adult storyline in the latter part of the series was newly created for the adaptation. He aimed to make viewers feel complex emotions toward Ah-jin, sometimes rooting for her and at other times feeling sorrow or conflict.
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Fan Reactions to the Dramatic Conclusion
The altered ending sparked discussion among fans online. Some viewers who had read the webtoon expressed disappointment that the adaptation did not follow the original plot, particularly missing the pregnancy storyline and the chance to see Jae-oh survive and care for Ah-jin’s child.
Other fans praised the performances, especially Kim Yoo-jung’s portrayal of the complex anti-hero Ah-jin. The shocking finale, with its double death and ambiguous fate for Ah-jin, left a strong impression and led to speculation about a potential second season, though none has been officially announced.
All episodes of Dear X are available for streaming. The series is based on the webtoon by Vanziun and was directed by Lee Eung-bok, known for other hit K-dramas like Goblin and Sweet Home.
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