Lee Jae-Wook & Jo Bo-Ah’s Dear Hongrang Ending Explained: Is The Real Hongrang Dead?
Dear Hongrang’s shocking finale reveals heartbreaking truths. What really happened to the real and fake Hongrang? Here's the emotional ending explained.
Lee Jae-Wook Holding Jo Bo-Ah Tearfully (Photo Credit – Netflix)
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Spoiler Alert: The following article contains major details about the plot and ending of Dear Hongrang.
On May 16, 2025, one of the most buzzed-about K-dramas, Dear Hongrang, premiered on Netflix, and all of the episodes were aired together. Directed by Kim Hong-Sun, the series features Lee Jae-Wook and Jo Bo-Ah in the leads, and this is the first time that they have been paired together. Ahead of the release, fans were too excited to see them share screen space, and now that the drama is out for the viewers to enjoy, rave reviews are circulating everywhere.
For those who don’t know, the storyline of the series revolves around the disappearance of the Young Master of the Min family, Hongrang, when he was a kid, and how his step-sister Jae-Yi spent all of her years in search of her little brother. In the meantime, 20 years later, a man (Lee Jae-Wook) returns, claiming to be the lost Hongrang. While everyone in the family starts to believe him, his sister (Jo Bo-Ah) doubts him as an imposter. The story slowly unfurls, and more twists and turns are introduced in the plot.
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What Happens To Lee Jae-Wook’s Character?
Dear Hongrang is an 11-episode drama, and in the finale episode, the real Hongrang’s identity comes out in public. Jae-Yi, the step-sister who has been searching day and night for 20 years, finally reunites with her little brother. He gets found under a well. When the skeletal remains of Hongrang are presented in front of the Min family, one of the maidservants recalls a past story of how the little Young Master had hurt his head while trying to protect his sister from getting voodooed by the Shaman. While the maid left him to get some help, the Shaman got rid of him. Jae-Yi asks her parents to get her brother a proper funeral, but when they refuse to do so, she settles for a make-shift grave for Hongrang in the backyard.
In the previous episodes, it’s disclosed that Lee Jae-Wook is not the real Hongrang; rather, he was one of the kids whom the painter used to draw one of his vulgar paintings on his back to make him a talisman for a greater purpose. That painter is none other than the Royal Highness, portrayed by Kim Jae-Wook. On the other hand, despite playing a fake Hongrang, Jae-Yi falls for the imposter, and they get married to each other away from the Guild and everyone’s scrutiny.
When all the truth gets revealed, the imposter realizes that to settle everything, he needs to take charge of it. Jae-Yi goes to the government to file a complaint against his father, Sim Yeol-Guk’s corruption, but in the process, the King kidnaps her to reach the Soul Reaper (the imposter). On the other hand, he sets out to kill everyone in his way to save his group and the love of his life before his health further deteriorates.
Meanwhile, to capture the imposter, Sim Yeol-Guk sends his man to the group and tries to end the team. In the process, he harms his former love (whom Yeol-Guk’s wife once tried to kill and who, in return, formed the group to end the Min family) and her brother. But Yeol-Guk fails. Shortly after, she arrives at Sim’s place and takes his life.
On the other hand, Mu-Jin (Jung Ga-Ram), the boy who was adopted by the Min family to replace Hongrang’s place after his disappearance, sacrifices his life to save Jae-Yi from the King’s plans. Mu-Jin had lots of love in his heart for Jae-Yi, but she only loved the fake Hongrang. In the meantime, the imposter walks into the King’s room, confronts him, and chops off his arms while delivering the final blow. He does get injured but sustains the distress, returns to Jae-Yi, and takes his last breath in her lap while she comforts him while talking about their dream future.
Cut to two years later, the series shows Jae-Yi (Jo Bo-Ah) becomes the head of the household and the guild. She takes care of the rescued kids and everyone who has suffered all the trauma. The last few minutes showed that she still sits on the rooftop where she used to sit to talk to her little brother, but now she does so to converse with her lost love, holding on to their brief bond. And, Dear Hongrang ends on a bittersweet note.
The action sequences, the thrill, and the twists were enough to keep you hooked to the drama till the end. Lee Jae-Wook, Kim Jae-Wook, Jo Bo-Ah, and Jung Ga-Ram gave their best performances in the series. Stream Dear Hongrang on Netflix now.
https://youtu.be/BfCrKi-ifl4?feature=shared
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