Lee Jae Wook, Jo Bo Ah's Dear Hongrang Ending Explained: Know Hong Rang's dark past and fate of Jae Yi-Soul Reaper's love story

Pink Villa

18-05-2025

The finale of Dear Hongrang, titled Forever and After, ends on a tragic note. It was filled with sorrow, sacrifice, and painful truths. The Netflix K-drama unravels a dark tale of revenge, mistaken identities, and haunting memories.
Lee Jae Wook shines as the Soul Reaper, a man torn by past trauma and a thirst for purpose. Directed by Kim Hong Seon, the story begins with the mysterious disappearance of young Hong Rang. Twelve years later, he returns, but his half-sister Jae Yi, played by Jo Bo Ah, questions his identity. Jae Yi's long search for her lost brother leads to a heartbreaking discovery. As secrets resurface, the drama explores the cost of truth and the weight of memory in a beautifully tragic finale.
Jae Yi discovers the tragic truth about her brother
Jae Yi's search for her brother ends in heartbreak rather than reunion. After breaking free from Prince Han Pyeong's control, the Soul Reaper, who had been living under the identity of Hong Rang, confesses his true feelings to Kkot Nim. He admits he has fallen for Jae Yi and can no longer hide the truth about her real brother.
As the story unfolds, Jae Yi, along with a group of maidservants, stumbles upon a chilling discovery: skeletal remains buried in a well. This grim find confirms that Hong Rang died long ago, ending Jae-yi's desperate hope of finding him alive. Though the truth is painful, it finally brings clarity to her years of longing and unanswered questions.
Truth behind Hong Rang's disappearance shocks Jae Yi
At Min Palace, a longtime maid finally unveils the truth about Hong Rang's mysterious disappearance. Years ago, during the memorial for Jae Yi's late mother, young Jae Yi and Hong Rang performed the rites together. Their moment was cut short when Yeon Ui, Hong Rang's mother, stormed in and forbade him from honoring his stepmother. That night, Yeon Ui, burning with resentment, asked shaman Gwigokja to craft a cursed doll bearing Jae Yi's name, placing it on a rooftop.
Hong Rang, having seen the ritual, climbed onto the roof to retrieve the doll but tragically slipped and fell. The maid discovered him barely alive but returned to find him gone. Gwigokja had found the boy and ordered his body thrown into a well. It is later revealed that Gwigokja sought revenge. Her mother was once killed by Yeon Ui. In the present, Jae Yi confronts Yeon Ui, then mourns Hong Rang at his grave, comforted by the Soul Reaper.
Soul Reaper's tragic origins and dire future
Following Hong Rang's funeral, Jae Yi begins a quiet life alongside the Soul Reaper, who finally shares his painful history. He was born into slavery under a royal family and later captured by Prince Han Pyeong. The Prince used his back to paint a yin-yang talisman. Though he escaped, he was eventually taken in by Kkot Nim, leader of Geomgyedan.
She trained him as an assassin and forced him to live as Hong Rang to carry out her revenge against the Min family for the loss of her unborn child. Soon after, Jae Yi discovers through Mu Jin that her father aided the prince in harming children, using toxic substances to mark talismans. As a result, the Soul Reaper is now gravely ill, suffering from seizures, lung damage, and worsening health.
Prince Han Pyeong's ambition crushed by Soul Reaper
Prince Han Pyeong captures In Hoe, the Soul Reaper's only close friend, hoping to lure him out. Despite his failing health, the Soul Reaper promises Jae Yi he will rescue In Hoe and return safely. Before he can act, the prince also kidnaps Jae Yi. Filled with rage, the Soul Reaper launches a solo attack on the palace, overcoming the prince's soldiers.
Though he is unable to save In Hoe, he manages to free Jae Yi and other imprisoned children, ensuring their escape. During a final confrontation, the prince reveals his twisted plan to attain godhood by marking humans with talismans and offering them as sacrifices. The prince believed this would cleanse and uplift the world. Horrified, the Soul Reaper disables the prince by cutting off his hands and ultimately kills him, stopping his sinister scheme.
What became of Jae Yi and Soul Reaper in the end?
After defeating Prince Han Pyeong, the Soul Reaper returns to Jae Yi as promised, but his injuries are too severe. He passes away in her arms, leaving behind the memory of a life they were never able to share. His death highlights a tragic fate: used and discarded, his true identity remains lost until the very end.
Two years later, Jae Yi leads the Min family, quietly carrying the pain of her losses. She cares for her stepmother, Yeon Ui, who has fallen into madness, still clinging to hope for Hong Rang's return. In the final moments, Jae Yi hears the Soul Reaper's voice and turns with a gentle smile, whispering, 'There you are.' The scene then shifts to a snowy Joseon, where they reunite in her imagination, their love continues to live on.