Who dies in the Dear X finale? How shocking twist ending sets up Season 2

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With the finale of the K-drama Dear X now available, we know how the story concludes. It takes a significantly different path than the original webtoon, featuring several surprising turns, including two unexpected deaths.

Baek Ah-jin, played by Kim Yoo-jung, has always depended on Yoon Jun-seo and Kim Jae-oh to maintain the carefully constructed image she presents to the world. Recently, she decided to marry the influential CEO, Moon Do-hyuk, hoping he can help her hide a troubling past.

She quickly discovers his true motives are malicious – he’s been manipulating her mind to gain complete control. In Episode 11, Jae-oh promises to control Do-hyuk, no matter the consequences.

If you’ve read the webtoon, you’ll know what happens to Ah-jin, but the K-drama takes a different path – and it has serious, even fatal, results in the final episode of Dear X. Be warned: spoilers follow!

Who dies in the Dear X finale?

In the final episode of Dear X, both Jun-seo and Jae-oh meet tragic ends, though under vastly different circumstances. Jae-oh sacrifices himself, allowing Do-hyuk’s men to kill him, in order to give Ah-jin a way to influence her husband. Jun-seo, on the other hand, attempts to take his own life while also trying to kill Ah-jin.

In Episode 11, Ah-jin figures out that Do-hyuk is manipulating her. He even had the script for her movie, “Amen to Nothing,” altered to force her to confront the traumatic memory of her father, Baek Seon-gyu (played by Bae Soo-bin), being killed.

When she challenges him, he admits he’s been spreading rumors about her to the media as well. He explains he wants to control her and keep her with him forever, and shockingly reveals that’s what led to his previous wife’s mental breakdown.

Ah-jin finally calls Jae-oh, and he reveals that his main goal in life is to help her. He’s already put a plan in motion to give Ah-jin more control in her situation with Do-hyuk, but the full details of the plan aren’t shown until episode 12.

Jae-oh and his other boss, Ahn Do-kang, set up a camera on the shop’s roof and installed tracking software on Jae-oh’s phone. They asked Do-kang to put the app on a temporary phone so he could secretly control Jae-oh’s device.

Jae-oh guides Do-hyuk’s men to the location with the camera, making sure they capture video and audio proving Do-hyuk wanted him killed. He’s then pushed to his death, but he willingly accepts it as a final act to help Ah-jin.

Ah-jin now has evidence she can use to control Do-hyuk, and it seems she’s finally in a position of power. Her husband will likely leave her alone, and her film, Amen to Nothing, is doing very well.

She’s unaware, but Jun-seo is changing, and Jae-oh’s death is the final event that pushes him over the edge.

Jae-oh made sure Jun-seo received the video files too. He then called Ah-jin to ask about it, but she remained distant and insisted she was simply following Jae-oh’s wishes.

“How long are you going to continue living this way?” he asked. She admitted she was tired of it as well, but insisted she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—change things, and then ended the call.

In the beginning of the story, a reporter noticed similarities between Jun-seo’s book and the gossip surrounding Ah-jin. They asked him if he’d consider making a documentary based on the connection.

At first, Jun-seo refused the offer, insisting his book was entirely made up. But now that he’s seen things clearly, he’s prepared to reveal the truth about her.

The documentary reveals everything: the ways people were manipulated, Ah-jin’s involvement in her father’s death, how Choi Jeong-ho was deceived into committing murder, and the truth about Heo In-gang’s actions.

Additionally, the team plans to reveal the news during Ah-jin’s Best Actress acceptance speech at the Blue Dragon Awards.

As the audience begins to boo her off stage, she spots Jun-seo being interviewed for the documentary backstage. Distraught, she rushes out into the street and unexpectedly comes face-to-face with him.

He asked her where she wanted to go, effectively driving her away. She simply replied that she wanted to go anywhere she could vanish. As they drove, Jun-seo confessed, “I kept hoping you would change, if I just waited. But you didn’t, and it took me a long time to accept that.”

“You’re right,” she replies. “Took you long enough to figure out something so simple.”

Ah-jin feels she has no options left, and Jun-seo replies with a desperate offer: “If you truly have nowhere else to turn, let’s face this together, Ah-jin… If you promise to stop now, I’ll stop too. What will it be?”

Ah-jin calls him her “last tie,” and they share a long look as Jun-seo intentionally drives their car over a cliff, appearing to cause a fatal crash for both of them.

Dear X ending explained

But the “Dear X” ending has one more surprise. Although Jun-seo’s body was discovered, Ah-jin is now missing.

Do-hyuk is worried and determined to learn the truth about Ah-jin. He watches another part of the documentary and sees video evidence confirming she was in the car at the time of the accident.

The host said that after they filmed that, the person in the video just disappeared and nobody’s heard from them since. It’s super creepy, honestly.

The scene shifts to Ah-jin appearing to place a flower at the memorial for herself, followed by a flashback revealing the events that occurred immediately after the accident.

Ah-jin woke up hurt, after the crash, and crawled out of the car. Jun-seo was still breathing, but barely. Instead of helping him or calling for help, she climbed onto the rocks overlooking the wrecked car and laughed cruelly.

How the K-drama differs from the webtoon

This ending is quite different from the original webtoon, where Ah-jin, Jun-seo, and Jae-oh all survive. Here, after losing her career, appearance, and influence, Ah-jin uses her child with Jun-seo in a final act of revenge against him.

In the ‘Dear X’ storyline, Ah-jin learns that Do-hyuk divorced his former wife because she was unable to have children, even though he was actually the one with fertility issues.

Desperate to hold onto Jun-seo, Ah-jin reveals a shocking secret about his father, anticipating it will make him feel lost and dependent. She then secretly drugs Do-hyuk, goes to Jun-seo’s home under the guise of offering support, and they have sex, resulting in her becoming pregnant.

Ah-jin changes the results of a paternity test to trick Do-hyuk into believing he’s the father. Surprisingly, even after discovering the deception, Do-hyuk still wants to be with her.

Just like in the TV series, Jun-seo discovers Ah-jin’s real character and creates a popular documentary based on a bestselling novel that reveals her wrongdoings, ultimately ruining her public image.

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

— Viki (@Viki) November 13, 2025

She escapes to Hong Kong with Jae-oh, and they start a bar while raising their child together. However, Ah-jin later leaves Jae-oh and their daughter to be with a different, richer, and more influential man.

I was absolutely shocked when I found out what happened to Ah-jin! This man’s daughter clearly disliked her, and it escalated to something truly awful – she actually pushed Ah-jin down the stairs! It left her with terrible injuries, and it’s heartbreaking because not only was her life completely changed, but her beautiful face was never the same. It completely destroyed her reputation and everything she once was.

Jae-oh shared everything with Jun-seo, then asked if he’d like to meet their child. Jun-seo said he would, and Jae-oh handed him a letter. “Ah-jin asked me to give this to you if you ever wanted to meet him,” Jae-oh explained.

At a book signing for his new release, Jun-seo was approached by a young girl who wanted him to sign a copy. When he asked who the book was for, she surprisingly said it was for Ah-jin.

Still stunned, he signed the book as the girl left. Then Jun-seo understood it had to be her, and he rushed outside, but only saw Ah-jin and their daughter walking away from him.

This is when we learn the true meaning of Ah-jin’s letter: she reveals to Jun-seo that her greatest act of revenge is to keep him from having a relationship with their child, leaving him to spend his life wishing for a connection with a daughter who doesn’t know him.

She promises to remain in his thoughts always, leaving him to grieve and regret until his death.

The letter exposes the full extent of Ah-jin’s sociopathy, and how she uses love as punishment. 

How Dear X ending sets up Season 2

Although the show ‘Dear X’ hasn’t been officially picked up for a second season, the ending strongly suggests a continuation is possible. The deaths of Jun-seo and the disappearance of Ah-jin have motivated several characters to investigate what really happened.

Do-hyuk is deeply embarrassed and feels betrayed, so he won’t likely ignore her vanishing act, particularly since there’s video evidence linking him to Jae-oh’s murder. Meanwhile, Seo Mi-ri (Kim Ji-young) could reappear, as she’s still seeking answers about In-gang’s death.

Re-na (Lee Yul-eum) may come back to Korea to investigate what happened to Jun-seo. Meanwhile, Jun-seo’s mother won’t easily accept his death, especially considering his last act was directed at her.

Also, Shim Sung-hee (played by Kim Yi-kyung) seemed very troubled in the documentary, hinting she might return in a potential Season 2. This suggests many different paths the show could explore if it’s renewed.

You can now watch Season 1 of Dear X on Viki. If you’re looking for more recommendations, check out our lists of new shows coming in 2025, the best shows of 2025 so far, and the all-time most addictive series.

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2025-12-04 18:51