Why is Dear X under fire? K-drama leaves out “major” Ah-jin webtoon reveal

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Okay, so the finale of Dear X is almost here, but a lot of us fans are starting to get a little worried. It looks like they skipped a pretty big storyline from the original webtoon in episodes 9 and 10, and honestly, it’s got me a bit anxious about how things are going to wrap up. Just a heads-up though – if you keep reading, there might be some spoilers, and the stuff that was left out is pretty intense, so be warned!

The newest episode of the TV show Dear X reveals how Baek Ah-jin (played by Kim Yoo-jung) successfully repaired her image following the suicide of Heo In-gang (Hwang In-youp). She was able to do this with the help of Moon Do-hyuk (Hong Jong-hyun), a rich and influential CEO.

Do-hyuk proposes to Ah-jin with a deal: he’ll keep her past hidden and make her a star if she marries him. She accepts, and they marry in Italy, but she soon discovers a troubling side to his personality.

Yoon Jun-seo (Kim Young-dae) faces a double blow: he loses his grandfather and discovers a shocking truth about his father’s identity. To make things worse, his mother reveals that Ah-jin has known all along, and she reacts with typical coldness when he questions her.

Why is Dear X under fire?

While the adaptation of Dear X has been generally well-received, episodes 9 and 10 have drawn criticism for deviating from the original webtoon. Many fans are particularly concerned that a key plot point – the pregnancy – won’t be included in the show’s ending.

If you haven’t read the original webtoon, the K-drama has followed it closely so far. Just like in the webtoon, Ah-jin marries Do-hyuk after In-gang’s death, and she eventually discovers a troubling side to her husband.

In the webtoon, she discovers Do-hyuk divorced his former wife because she couldn’t give him a child to inherit his wealth. This wouldn’t be an issue for Ah-jin, but the surprising truth is that Do-hyuk is actually the one who can’t have children.

Desperate to hold onto him, she reveals the truth about Jun-seo’s father. Realizing this will leave him shaken, she then drugs Do-hyuk before going to Jun-seo’s home, pretending to offer comfort.

The characters from the WEBTOON series Dear X are just as captivating and intense in the live-action adaptation! Kim You Jung and Kim Young Dae star as Ah Jin and Joon Seo in the new series, now available on Viki. You can read the original WEBTOON story online.

— Viki (@Viki) November 13, 2025

Her ultimate goal is to attract Jun-seo, become pregnant by him, and then present the child as Do-hyuk’s own. This deception and the resulting pregnancy are the central events that drive the entire plot forward and ultimately lead to the story’s conclusion.

However, the television series presents a different story: Jun-seo learns about his father through his mother, Hwang Ji-seon (played by Kim Yoo-mi), when she is intoxicated.

The show likely won’t feature a pregnancy storyline. Do-hyuk revealed he divorced his wife after she required psychiatric care, and he feels responsible, believing he was overly accommodating.

The show hasn’t addressed the topic of infertility, and with only two episodes remaining in the first season, viewers are concerned about how the storyline will be resolved.

Someone on Reddit expressed disappointment that the show is significantly changing the original webtoon story, specifically mentioning the removal of a major plotline involving a pregnancy.

It’s still possible, but fitting all of that into just two episodes seems difficult. They’ve also introduced a lot of new plot points – like the mystery of the third floor – that still need to be resolved. I wonder if that new storyline is meant to replace something else?

Interestingly, Do-hyuk hasn’t expressed any desire for a son, which was a major part of his character and motivation for marrying her in the original webtoon.

I really hope they find a way to keep that part of the story, because I’m not sure what will happen with Jun-seo’s character if they don’t.

By episode 10, he’d already learned he was illegitimate. However, in the webtoon version, he finds out from Ah-jin later, which is even more upsetting because she’s pregnant with his baby but intends to raise the child as Do-hyuk’s.

I’m not sure how they’re going to finish the story now. If that scene is removed, the ending will be completely different and change the whole meaning of the story, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Dear X webtoon reveal K-drama has “lost” key element 

Many viewers have also noticed other new developments in the story. For example, Ah-jin ends up sharing a home with her former high school bully, Shim Sung-hee (played by Kim Yi-kyung), and some feel Ah-jin should have been more wary of Do-hyuk.

Someone commented that they’d completely forgotten about the kidney transplant storyline. They also said the show had strayed significantly from the original manhwa, with almost nothing remaining the same.

I’m confused about why Ah-jin is living with her high school bully. Also, I’d like to know what the connection is between Jun-seo and the actress Re-na – are they just friends?

Honestly, I’d be super wary of this CEO offering Ah-jin everything. It just feels…off. I mean, anyone would be, right? Especially her – she’s not someone who’d fall for that easily, so something’s definitely up.

I’m worried they’ll try to reunite; their relationship seems beyond repair. She was really mean to him when she revealed the news about his father… and I’m also wondering why Jun-seo is still living with his mother.

As a fan, I’ve been hearing a lot of discussion about where the story is headed, and honestly, it feels completely unpredictable now – it’s really diverged from the original manhwa. What I loved about the beginning, even though it was dark, was this sense of Ah-jin carefully building something fragile, knowing it was all going to come tumbling down eventually.

It feels like the show has lost its way a bit. I’ll finish the last two episodes, but I’m honestly disappointed with how things are going. Ah-jin’s character doesn’t seem to be making sense anymore – I think she would have immediately been suspicious of the CEO.

Someone else agreed, saying this was the first episode that really strayed from the original webcomic. They were surprised by the change, especially since the show had followed the story closely until episode eight, even with minor differences.

Some viewers are happy the TV series is diverging from the original webtoon, since fans already know the story’s ending. Also, if the show gets renewed for another season, the storyline about the pregnancy could be explored later on.

One Reddit user expressed excitement about the drama potentially deviating from the original webtoon’s ending, saying it gives viewers something to anticipate in future episodes.

I’m hoping the series ends well, especially since it’s gotten off track from the original story lately.

New episodes 11 and 12 of Dear X will be available on Viki starting December 4th. If you’re looking for other shows to watch, check out what’s new in 2025, the best shows of the year so far, and some all-time favorite binge-worthy series.

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2025-12-03 17:50