In What Comes After Love Episode 5, during a book signing event, Min-jun, Hong’s fiancée, approaches Jungo, urging him to distance himself from her. He criticizes Jungo’s book, revealing his plan to propose to Hong that very night. When Jungo challenges him to ensure Hong never feels lonely, Min-jun claims it will be effortless. Yet, as Jungo walks away, he reflects on why keeping Hong happy was anything but easy for him.
In a flashback, viewers see how Jungo’s childhood shaped his emotional scars. When his mother left his father, she asked young Jungo who he wanted to stay with, and though he said he wanted to stay with her, she left him behind. From that moment, Jungo realized the painful truth that words don’t always change outcomes. This unresolved trauma foreshadows his adult struggles in connecting emotionally, particularly with Hong.
Back in the present-day South Korea, Jungo watches Hong finally open the green envelope containing a letter he wrote a month after she left. He expresses regret over letting her go and hopes to meet her again as he pursues his dreams. At the book signing event, Kanna, invites him for a drink, hinting at her interest in him.
After leaving the book signing, Min-jun returns to the hospital, where he learns he’s been accepted into a prestigious U.S. training program, a decision he must confirm soon. Unsure of how Hong will react, he worries about what this means for their future.
Later, Jungo encounters Hong’s father, Choi Han, who is intrigued by Jungo’s book and questions whether love truly ends. Han notices Hong’s blue keychain at her desk, sparking memories of their past together. Meanwhile, Hong tries to avoid the event but is persuaded to join a dinner gathering celebrating Jungo’s birthday, where she quietly brings out a Mont Blanc cake, the very one she selected for him.
During the dinner, when asked about the inspiration behind his book, Jungo admits he failed to see his former lover’s loneliness, which led her to leave. Hong counters that Jungo’s love has changed, but Jungo insists it hasn’t.
In another flashback, Hong calls Jungo during a crisis: her family is facing financial ruin. Jungo misses her call due to work, and when he finally returns, he shares about a work-related tragedy. Yet Hong, feeling emotionally abandoned, criticizes him for his broken promises and lack of empathy. This confrontation leads to their breakup as her pain from unmet needs and his inability to provide reassurance come to a head.
In the episode’s climactic scene, Hong meets Min-jun at a fancy restaurant, where he shares the news of his U.S. opportunity and proposes, promising her a fresh start. However, as he slides a ring across the table, Hong’s unresolved feelings surface. Through tears, she confesses that she’s not over Jungo and doubts she’ll ever be. Min-jun asks if their timing would have changed things, but Hong’s lingering love for Jungo remains undeniable.
Heartbroken, Hong leaves the restaurant, only to find herself thinking of Jungo. She learns he’s at a nearby hotel and heads there, bouquet in hand. Yet, upon arriving at the bar, she sees Jungo laughing with Kanna, adding a bittersweet ending to What Comes After Love Episode 5.
In What Comes After Love Episode 6, it begins with Jungo and Kanna sharing a quiet moment at a hotel bar. Kanna reflects on her inability to control love, and they share a laugh just as Hong enters with a bouquet of flowers. Spotting them together, she turns to leave, but Kanna notices her and tells Jungo, prompting him to chase after Hong. This emotionally charged scene sets the tone, pushing each character toward a final reckoning with their feelings.
Outside the bar, Hong’s frustration boils over. She had hoped to thank Jungo for the love he once showed her and convey her wish to let go of their regrets. However, she leaves before Jungo reaches her, driving away and leaving him to reflect on their shared past. Jungo realizes, painfully, that while they were together, he failed to understand Hong’s loneliness—a failure he now feels deeply.
The following morning, Jungo and Kanna share breakfast, where she encourages him to be transparent with Hong about his feelings. At work, Hong’s colleagues remind her of an upcoming interview with Jungo, but she opts out, trying to distance herself from him. Meanwhile, Jungo visits her office, leaving his keychain on her desk to complete the pair they once bought together. When Hong returns to find it, she feels the bittersweet weight of their unresolved connection.
During the interview, Jungo is asked to explain the meaning of “what comes after love.” He answers that true understanding of love often comes only after it ends, calling this insight a “sad irony.” This moment, paired with Hong reading his book, reveals Jungo’s lingering attachment and his regret over their lost happiness. Flashes of memories and Jungo’s introspective writing process punctuate this scene, underscoring the depth of his remorse and lingering affection for Hong.
Hong finishes Jungo’s book, which vividly recalls their happy memories and shared belief in everlasting happiness. She finally reaches out, calling him to thank him for the keychain. Jungo seizes the opportunity to clarify there’s nothing romantic between him and Kanna, and they agree to meet. Over dinner, Hong lies, saying she accepted her boyfriend’s proposal, but asks Jungo why he never tried to stop her from leaving, particularly when she was at her lowest. Jungo admits he didn’t appreciate her loneliness back then, and regrets not being there for her.
Hong assures him that he needn’t dwell on the past and expresses her gratitude for his book, which immortalized their love. Before parting, he makes her promise to be happy, and she tearfully nods, leaving Jungo to absorb the finality of her departure.
A flashback shows Hong meeting with Ms. Shizuko, who shares insights from her own relationship with Hong’s father. She reflects on her gratitude for avoiding a life of reliance on a single person, yet emphasizes that every love, regardless of duration, has profound meaning. Her words underscore the episode’s central message: that love leaves a lasting imprint, even if it doesn’t last forever.
In the present, Jungo checks out from his hotel and receives Hong’s forgotten bouquet along with a message: “Sorry for earlier. Happy birthday.” The next day, Hong wakes up feeling lighter and plans a family outing, heading out for a run by the lake. Unexpectedly, Jungo joins her, and they stop to talk, rekindling an old connection. Jungo admits he continued running after their breakup because he missed her, while Hong reveals she couldn’t run at all during that time due to the pain. They apologize to each other, finally acknowledging their shared faults and regrets.
As snow begins to fall, they walk hand in hand, symbolizing a new chapter. In the episode’s closing scene, viewers see them running together beneath blooming cherry blossoms, their story coming full circle as they find peace in each other’s company.
What Comes After Love Episode 5-6 beautifully captures the nuances of love, loss, and forgiveness. By embracing their shared past and expressing genuine remorse, Jungo and Hong find a way to move forward, suggesting that while love may not last forever, its impact resonates long after.
My rating 8/10