The final episode of the K-drama Dear X dropped on December 4, 2025, bringing a dramatic end to the story of actress Baek Ah-jin. On the night she wins a top acting award, a documentary exposing her darkest secrets airs for the whole country to see. This public reveal, set in motion by her oldest ally, leads to a final, tragic confrontation and an ending that has left fans talking. The series is based on a popular webtoon but chose a different path for its conclusion.
How Baek Ah-jin’s Secrets Were Exposed
The chain of events that destroys Ah-jin’s life begins with a sacrifice. Her longtime friend, Kim Jae-oh, agrees to investigate her dangerous husband, Moon Do-hyeok. Knowing the risk, Jae-oh sets up hidden cameras and spyware on his phone before confronting Do-hyeok’s men. He is killed, but his plan works. The video evidence he created, which shows the men admitting Do-hyeok ordered the murder, survives and is sent to Ah-jin.
Ah-jin uses this video to blackmail Do-hyeok, gaining the upper hand in their twisted marriage. However, her other confidant, Yoon Jun-seo, also receives the video. Devastated by Jae-oh’s death and Ah-jin’s cold reaction, Jun-seo realizes she will never change. He decides the only way to stop her is to reveal everything. He contacts a TV producer and helps create a documentary exposing Ah-jin’s past, including her manipulation of people and the truth about her father’s death.
The documentary airs on national television at the worst possible moment for Ah-jin: while she is on stage accepting the Best Actress award at the Blue Dragon Awards. As she gives her speech, the broadcast cuts to interviews with her victims and Jun-seo’s confession, shattering her public image in real-time.
The Final Confrontation and Car Crash
After her world falls apart at the award show, Ah-jin runs from the venue and finds Jun-seo waiting for her in his car. He drives them away, telling her he had to stop her because she was destroying everyone around her, including herself. Overwhelmed by betrayal and a desire to end their painful cycle, Jun-seo declares his love for Ah-jin and then drives the car off a cliff.
Initial reports suggest both died in the crash, but the ending reveals a final twist. Baek Ah-jin survives. Injured but alive, she crawls from the wreckage. She looks back at the car where a critically wounded Jun-seo is trapped, and then walks away, leaving him behind. News reports later state that Jun-seo died on impact and that Ah-jin is missing, presumed dead.
The Fates of Moon Do-hyeok and Kim Jae-oh
The finale leaves several characters’ stories unresolved. Kim Jae-oh dies in Episode 12, sacrificing himself to get evidence against Do-hyeok for Ah-jin. His death is the tragic end of his unwavering loyalty to her.
The fate of Moon Do-hyeok is left open. While the video exposes his role in Jae-oh’s murder, the drama does not show him facing legal punishment. The ending shows him obsessed with finding Ah-jin, but ultimately powerless as she disappears. His story ends with psychological defeat rather than a clear legal conclusion.
How the Drama Ending Differs from the Webtoon
The Dear X drama made significant changes to the ending of the original webtoon. In the source material, Ah-jin becomes pregnant with Jun-seo’s child and later marries Do-hyeok. After a public downfall similar to the drama, she does not die in a crash. Instead, Jae-oh stops her from taking her own life, and they disappear together. The webtoon ends years later, with Ah-jin unchanged and using her child to get revenge on Jun-seo.
The drama’s director, Lee Eung-bok, explained that while the core story follows the webtoon, the adult storyline in the latter part of the series was newly created for the drama to add psychological depth.
“Dear X began with a simple yet striking question: ‘Why do we fall in love with someone who is bad for us?’” said Lee. “There is a line in Jun-seo’s narration—’Why do I love someone so cruel?’—and that line resonated deeply with me.”
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Fan Reactions to the Dramatic Finale
The open ending has sparked strong reactions from viewers online. Many took to social media to express their thoughts, with debates centering on the changed ending and Ah-jin’s fate.
Some fans were disappointed, wishing the show had used the webtoon’s conclusion. One viewer on X (formerly Twitter) expressed frustration, writing, “i just finished dear x and i feel like SCREAMING why did you leave the open ending and not the one from the webtoon”. Another criticized the finale’s logic, posting, “So Junseo dying is Ahjin’s punishment? this ending makes absolutely no sense.”
Others defended the drama’s choice, arguing it fit Ah-jin’s character. A different fan tweeted, “I personally love this ending — it’s logical and grounded in reality. Dear X is a masterpiece.” On a Facebook fan page, one commenter noted, “Ahjin surviving alone while the people who cared for her are gone…” suggesting that survival was her true punishment. Another agreed, writing, “she’s ruined and there’s nobody to console her… I think it ended well.”
The finale has also led to speculation about a second season, as many story threads remain loose. However, there has been no official announcement about Dear X Season 2 from the producers.
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