On the evening of January 25, Our Golden Days officially aired its 50th and final episode. Instead of delivering a satisfying conclusion to its long-running narrative, the drama was met with a wave of fierce criticism, as viewers expressed frustration over what they described as a forced, absurdly tragic ending that undermined the entire viewing experience.

In its final arc, Our Golden Days takes a sharp turn into melodrama as male lead Lee Ji Hyeok falls critically ill with a terminal disease. His younger brother, acting as his legal guardian, urgently contacts their father. In a panic, the father rushes across the street to catch a taxi—only to be struck in a severe traffic accident.

The tragedy escalates further when the father ultimately dies after donating his organs to save his own son.

The son survives, the father dies—and the drama pushes its tragedy to such an extreme that many viewers were left reacting with bitter laughter rather than tears. On social media, sarcastic comments flooded in, with audiences mocking the climax as “forced tragedy at its peak” and even labeling the ending outright “ridiculous.”

While the male lead’s life is spared, the cost is his father’s death—a resolution that few viewers found comforting or meaningful. Rather than a bittersweet or hopeful conclusion, the finale was widely criticized for lacking emotional balance and narrative logic.

In comment sections across platforms, audiences voiced anger and disappointment, stating that the ending single-handedly ruined the entire 50-episode journey they had patiently followed. Many bluntly described the final 80 minutes as a complete waste of time, accusing the drama of desperately trying to emotionally manipulate viewers into crying.

For those unfamiliar, Our Golden Days follows Lee Ji Hyeok, a talented and successful man who appears to have everything—career, charm, and love. Cold and decisive yet subtly humorous, he hits rock bottom before gradually rediscovering the true meaning of life through his relationships with Ji Eun O and Park Seong Jae.

Ji Eun O is portrayed as an optimistic, energetic woman working as a café manager and interior designer. Despite being rejected after developing unrequited feelings for Lee Ji Hyeok, she chooses to stay by his side. Meanwhile, Park Seong Jae—Ji Hyeok’s wealthy childhood friend—presents himself as calm and refined, but internally struggles with loneliness and emotional conflict between love and friendship.

Before its premiere, Our Golden Days was considered KBS’s biggest hope, backed by director Kim Hyung Suk and writer So Hyun Kyung—the duo behind My Golden Life, which once achieved a peak rating of 45.1%. Expectations were high, and many believed the drama would replicate that success.

However, as episode 50 came to a close, what lingered with viewers was not nostalgia for “golden days,” but a profound sense of disappointment. Instead of warmth or reflection, the drama’s legacy has become a cautionary tale about how an ill-conceived ending can overshadow even the most promising of beginnings.