Dear X- Episodes 7-8
Episodes 7 and 8 of Dear X mark a dramatic turning point in Ah-jin’s rise, her relationships, and the dangerous forces closing in around her. These episodes are packed with tension, betrayal, heartbreak, and those quiet emotional beats that make the show so addictive.
Episode 7 – “The Wheels of Fortune”
This episode begins with trouble brewing instantly; Le-na’s cousin, Reporter Lim, snaps photos of Ah-jin and In-gang kissing. Meanwhile, Jun-seo ends up in a fight defending Ah-jin’s honor without even thinking about the consequences. That alone says everything about how deeply he’s tied to her.
When Mi-ri warns Ah-jin that a dating scandal could shatter her career, Ah-jin stands firm: she won’t hide a relationship that means something to her. Instead, in typical Ah-jin fashion, she flips the situation to her advantage. She meets Reporter Lim and recruits him onto her side, promising controlled exclusives in exchange for loyalty. Soon, the public is charmed by the news of her romance with In-gang, just as she predicted.
But Ah-jin isn’t done making strategic moves. She takes down Le-na in one clean sweep, sending Jae-oh on a date with Hyang-i to expose a buried DUI scandal, letting the video spread right as Mi-ri suspends Le-na from work. Ah-jin’s message is clear: stay out of her way.
We then see Ah-jin and In-gang enjoy a rare period of happiness together, a montage of warmth that feels almost too peaceful for this drama. A year passes. Jun-seo is still strangely connected to Le-na, and when she drags him to Ah-jin’s movie premiere, he remembers Ah-jin’s promise that she would only date In-gang for a year.
From here, the tone shifts. Ah-jin becomes harder to reach. Jun-seo’s home life collapses further, Ji-sun tries to force her way into his life again, only to discover he’s secretly invested in Longstar Entertainment. Ah-jin quickly reminds Ji-sun that she still holds the secret of Jun-seo’s parentage, silencing her instantly.
Then a new scandal erupts when Sung-hee, Ah-jin’s old school bully, posts accusations online. But justice comes swiftly as former classmates expose Sung-hee’s hypocrisy, and the post disappears.
One night, Ah-jin falls ill. In-gang’s grandmother, Kyung-suk, comes to take care of her and surprises Ah-jin with unexpected acceptance, even if the rumors are true. It’s one of the most touching moments the show has given Ah-jin so far.
Meanwhile, In-gang seems on the brink of proposing, dreaming of a family with Ah-jin. But danger is circling: Choi Jung-ho is released from prison, a reminder that Ah-jin’s past continues to shadow her future.
Tensions rise even further when Ah-jin confronts Jun-seo about the contract he orchestrated to get her attention. Their emotions are volatile and tangled, and Le-na walking in on them only stirs the pot.
Everything explodes on Ah-jin’s birthday. A double date with Le-na and Jun-seo turns disastrous, ending with In-gang questioning Ah-jin’s honesty. While he rushes to check on his grandmother, who has just discovered her long-lost diary, Ah-jin heads there too.
A sudden thud echoes through the building. Ah-jin stands frozen at the top of the stairs. Below her, Kyung-suk lies motionless.
Episode 8 – “Before God Judges Your Sins”
Kyung-suk is rushed to the hospital, but despite the doctors’ efforts, she dies. It’s a heartbreaking moment. Ah-jin appears devastated, praying with her head bowed, while Jun-seo wonders if she’s praying for forgiveness… or concealment.
At the funeral, Ah-jin stands by In-gang’s side, telling the police that Kyung-suk fell while feeding the stray kittens. But flashbacks reveal Kyung-suk had confronted Ah-jin shortly before her fall, accusing her of hurting In-gang.
Choi Jung-ho appears and reveals something unexpected: he believes Ah-jin is innocent in her father’s case. Prison gave him perspective, and he now genuinely hopes Ah-jin’s life turns out differently than it began.
Meanwhile, Reporter Lim and Sung-hee both find themselves stonewalled, this time thanks to Jae-oh quietly threatening to expose their own secrets if they try to target Ah-jin again.
Amid the mourning, Ah-jin meets Director Seol, who is immediately taken with her presence and offers her a prestigious film role. It’s a major opportunity, one that could elevate her career globally.
But Jun-seo can’t shake his suspicion. He meets Ah-jin in a parking lot, begging her to tell him the truth about Kyung-suk’s fall. Ah-jin responds with teasing provocation, refusing to reassure him. His turmoil only deepens when he learns there is security camera footage of the incident.
Jae-oh retrieves that footage, but he’s furious that Jun-seo would question Ah-jin like this. Jun-seo can’t even bring himself to press play.
Meanwhile, rumors erupt about In-gang buying Ah-jin an engagement ring, throwing Director Seol into panic. Mi-ri delivers a startling truth: In-gang is preparing to retire. She asks Ah-jin if she truly wants to marry him, and Ah-jin quietly admits she plans to break up with him.
And then she does. In one of the coldest scenes the show has given us, Ah-jin ends the relationship, revealing to In-gang that she stole his grandmother’s diary and that Kyung-suk confronted her about it. In-gang demands to know what she did to his grandmother. Ah-jin replies that all she did was tell her the truth.
Moments later, Ah-jin calls Reporter Lim to prepare a breakup article, then calls Jae-oh for help. But before he can reach her, masked men ambush him. His last memory before waking in the street is a cross tattoo on one attacker’s wrist.
As Ah-jin moves forward unaware, tragedy strikes. Mi-ri finds In-gang in his bathtub, dead by suicide.
Jun-seo explodes in fury, accusing Ah-jin of destroying everything she touches. She tells him to leave if he wants; she won’t stop him.
The fallout is harsh. Fans riot, pelting her with eggs. In a surprising twist, Sung-hee steps in to shield her, hinting that Ah-jin paid her off, but still showing a kind of begrudging loyalty.
Even Mi-ri abandons Ah-jin, teaming up with Reporter Lim to expose her father’s case and bury her once and for all.
Then Ji-sun arrives with an apology. Ah-jin rejects it, laughing hysterically when Ji-sun asks her to pass the message to Jun-seo. In a flashback, we finally see the truth: Kyung-suk had forgiven her, accepted her, and even embraced her. But on her way to feed the kittens, dizziness overtook her and she fell; just as Ah-jin reached out, too late, to catch her.
Jun-seo eventually watches the security footage and breaks down in tears. Ah-jin wasn’t guilty. Not this time.
But danger is far from over. The episode ends with the reveal of a powerful new figure, the same man whose men attacked Jae-oh. And now, he wants to know exactly who Ah-jin is… and how deeply she’s connected to Jae-oh and Jun-seo.
DramaZen's Opinion
Episodes 7 and 8 of Dear X deliver some of the drama’s most intense emotional swings yet, blending romance, tragedy, and rising danger as Ah-jin’s world shifts under her feet. Episode 7 starts off deceptively light, with Ah-jin boldly taking control of her dating scandal and outmaneuvering Le-na once again. For a moment, it feels like she’s finally getting the happiness she fought so hard for, her relationship with In-gang is steady, her career is thriving, and she’s taking down her enemies one by one.
But the cracks begin to show, and Episode 8 turns everything dark. Kyung-suk’s fall and tragic death send a shockwave through every character. The emotional weight of the funeral, In-gang’s confusion and heartbreak, and Jun-seo’s growing suspicion create a tense, suffocating atmosphere. Ah-jin tries to hold everything together, but the pressure around her keeps tightening, especially with the return of Jung-ho, rising scandals online, and a new powerful enemy entering the picture.
And then comes the most devastating blow: In-gang’s sudden suicide. It changes the entire tone of the series, pushing Ah-jin into the center of a storm with fans, reporters, and even Mi-ri turning against her. Yet through it all, glimpses of the truth, especially the flashbacks with Kyung-suk, remind us why Ah-jin remains such a compelling, complicated character. She’s ruthless, but she’s also deeply wounded, always walking the line between survival and self-destruction.
Episodes 7 and 8 are heartbreaking, gripping, and full of twists that raise the emotional stakes to an entirely new level, setting the stage for an explosive second half of the drama.
