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Another week has gone by, and a couple of Dear X episodes have dropped. In episodes 7 and 8, we saw a range of emotions from Ah-Jin that truly showcase Kim Yoo-Jung‘s incredible acting.
The episode also marks the return of Ah-Jin’s Xs, and we’re curious to know if anyone gets their sweet revenge on the manipulative anti-hero. The ending also brings us one important question: Who Beat Up Jae-Oh in Dear X episode 8?
If you’ve got questions on Dear X episodes 7 and 8, we’ve got the answers. Spoilers are heavily included in this explainer, so if you still haven’t watched these two episodes, it’s better to skip this article.
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In episodes 7 and 8 of Dear X, tensions explode in Ah-Jin’s manipulative world. We’ve got a messy break-up, a couple of deaths, the return of two of Ah-Jin’s enemies, and a possible new villain who’s ready to enter Ah-Jin’s world.
Let’s answer some of your burning questions:
Did Ah-Jin Kill In-Gang’s Grandmother?
There was a moment in episode 8 where it looked like Ah-Jin might have had a hand in In-Gang’s grandmother’s death. But according to CCTV footage, Ah-Jin was telling the truth about the death of the beloved character Hong Kyung-Suk (played by Park Seung-Tae).
It turns out that her fall was an accident, not murder.
Despite Ah-Jin’s reputation for scheming, she did not intentionally kill In-Gang’s grandmother. Even though neighbours speculated that the grandmother and Ah-Jin had argued, it turned out the kind-hearted lady had forgiven her future granddaughter-in-law.
The old lady went out to the staircase of her apartment complex to feed the stray kittens. Ah-Jin was walking towards her when she suddenly felt dizzy and fell down the stairs behind her.
As Yoon Jun-Seo (played by Kim Young-Dae) and Kim Jae-Oh (played by Kim Do-Hoon) waited below, the two men rushed to Ah-Jin’s aid. Like the rest of us, Jun-Seo was secretly hoping that Ah-Jin did not kill the grandmother, but would not be surprised that she had succumbed to her dark side.
Meanwhile, Jae-Oh was ready to cover the lead’s tracks. But she declined his offer and said it was better to admit she was there during the incident.
Why Did Ah-Jin Manipulate In-Gang?
After his grandmother’s death, Heo In-Gang (played by Hwang In-Yeop) fell into depression again. When rumours of his planned proposal broke, In-Gang hoped that Ah-Jin would choose him over her budding career.
Unfortunately, Ah-Jin grew cold towards him overnight. The sweet and kind girl he fell in love with over the past year had suddenly become distant and a stranger to him.
Without batting an eyelid, Ah-Jin told In-Gang of her plans to be with him to propel her acting career. She also gave him reason to suspect that she had something to do with his grandmother’s death (along with the nosy neighbours’ rumours), which ate his conscience.
In the end, In-Gang was the casualty.
Did Ah-Jin Love In-Gang At All?
We’d like to believe that for a moment, Ah-Jin felt real love for In-Gang and his family. There were moments in episodes 7 and 8 when Ah-Jin held herself back because she feared it was all too good to be true.
While it started as a ploy for Ah-Jin to reach stardom and revenge for Le-Na (played by Lee Yul-Eum), she had begun to feel something for In-Gang. It was his grandmother’s kindness that won her over, allowing her to let down her guard and give him the door security code so she could enter anytime.
And Jun-Seo had to step in to remind Ah-Jin that her one-year promise was up. During that time, Ah-Jin didn’t want to end that story yet. But with In-Gang’s grandmother’s death, Ah-Jin remembered that a happy and good life wasn’t for her.
It was also revealed in the episode that Ah-Jin hated her stepmother, Hwang Ji-Sun (played by Kim Yu-Mi), the most whenever Hwang Ji-Sun showed kindness to her. It was because of these moments that Ah-Jin would allow herself to trust Ji-Sun again, only to find that it was fake.
With the grandmother’s death, Ah-Jin remembered that nothing in her life comes easily or straightforwardly. And that was enough to shield herself once again and continue her plan.
Did Choi Jung-Ho Get His Revenge on Ah-Jin?
One surprise in episode 7 is Choi Jung-Ho’s (played by Kim Ji-Hoon) return to the show. After serving five years in prison for the death of Ah-Jin’s father, Baek Seon-Gyu (played by Bae Soo-Bin), Jung-Ho was released early.
At first, it seemed like he would be the biggest villain of all– after all, he lost valuable time and opportunity when Ah-Jin used him. But during the grandmother’s funeral, Jung-Ho attended and made a surprise revelation.
When confronted by In-Gang’s brother about whether Ah-Jin had something to do with her father’s death, Jung-Ho said no. Later, Ah-Jin confronted Jung-Ho and asked why he didn’t tell him the truth. Jung-Ho answered that during his five years in prison, he focused on five different things. The last one led him to wonder what had happened to Ah-Jin’s childhood to drive her to do such a thing.
Instead of taking revenge on her, Jung-Ho decided to be the adult in Ah-Jin’s life who would show kindness to her. He promised to always root for her.
Who Beat Up Jae-Oh in Dear X?
Lastly, after Ah-Jin breaks up with In-Gang, Ah-Jin calls Kim Jae-Oh to meet her. Unfortunately, he discovers that a car has been tailing her.
He confronts the car and plans to beat up the driver. But it turns out to be a set-up. The confrontation spirals into violence: Jae-Oh is beaten up badly by several men, ending up in the hospital.
During the attack, Jae-Oh notices a cross tattoo on the wrist of one of his assailants, suggesting a more sinister organization is involved. At first, we could assume that it was one of Ah-Jin’s enemies. Or it could even be at the orders of her agency.
But for those who have read the manhwa, this ending only leads to a more sinister character who’s about to join the show: Moon Do-Hyuk. The webtoon describes him as Ah-Jin’s fiancé and another sociopath who instantly sees who the lead truly is.
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