The hit K-drama Dear X has kept fans talking, not just for its dark romance but also for the dramatic changes made to the webtoon’s ending. While the show retains the story’s core, nearly all final chapters were rewritten for television, leaving fans questioning whether they were misled from the start.
In the webtoon, Baek Ah-jin (Kim Yoo-jung) aims to marry Moon Do-hyeok (Hong Jong-hyun) to enter the upper class. She reveals Jun-seo’s (Kim Young-dae) true identity to console him in a vulnerable moment, leading to a secret sexual encounter and a pregnancy. Ah-jin plans to use the child as leverage to force Do-hyeok—who is infertile—into marriage. The plot includes falsified DNA results and Jun-seo ultimately exposing the truth, leaving the story with an open-ended finale.
The drama, however, significantly alters these plot points. Heo In-kang’s (Hwang In-yeop) death and the leaked video, which in the webtoon help Ah-jin climb to career heights, are portrayed differently. The TV adaptation removes the CCTV storyline, showing Ah-jin’s downfall through public criticism and rejection by her company, Longstar.
Moon Do-hyeok takes a more proactive role in the drama, approaching Ah-jin earlier, manipulating her ambition with marriage, and becoming a symbolic “shackled demon” rather than the passive figure in the webtoon. Jun-seo’s true identity is revealed publicly at his father’s funeral, and the series appears to have removed scenes of intimacy and pregnancy between the main couple.
Episodes 11–12 provide no indication that Jun-seo and Ah-jin maintain a romantic or sexual relationship. Jun-seo and Jae-oh quietly observe or support Ah-jin, rather than intervening, highlighting the drama’s thematic focus on the consequences of ambition and manipulation.
Other changes include Choi Jeong-ho (Kim Ji-hoon) being released from prison earlier than in the webtoon, though his full narrative closure remains uncertain. Temporal shifts in storytelling—such as flashbacks to Ah-jin in a silver dress appearing out of sequence—suggest the drama may be deliberately misleading viewers, playing with narrative chronology.
With only two episodes left, fans are intensely discussing how the notorious Baek Ah-jin will face consequences. While the writers have altered the webtoon’s narrative, many viewers hope the drama does not soften her punishment, as she has caused immense harm throughout the story.
The differences between Dear X’s TV adaptation and its webtoon source illustrate how adaptations can transform key plot elements, creating fresh suspense but also dividing the fanbase over story fidelity.
Sources: HHTO,QQ
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