What Comes After Love- Episode 5

Episode 5 starts with sparks flying as Min-jun confronts Jungo during the book signing. Calm but firm, Min-jun reveals he’s Hong’s fiancé and warns Jungo to stay away. The tension escalates when Min-jun declares he’s planning to propose to Hong that very night, prompting Jungo to ask if he can promise never to make Hong feel lonely. Min-jun’s confident reply—“That’s the easiest thing to do”—leaves Jungo reflecting on why it was never easy for him.

In a flashback, we see Hong trying to escape her crumbling relationship with longer morning jogs, while glimpses of Jungo’s childhood reveal a heartbreaking moment with his mother. When asked whom he wanted to live with, Jungo chose her, only for her to leave him behind. It’s a poignant reminder of his lifelong struggle to express what truly matters.

In the present, Hong opens the green envelope, discovering a letter written by Jungo a month after their breakup. Filled with regret and hope, the letter reveals that he channeled his heartbreak into writing the book that brought them back into each other’s orbit.

Jungo returns to his book signing, where Kanna invites him for drinks later. Meanwhile, Min-jun faces a dilemma as his senior at the hospital informs him about a prestigious training opportunity in the US. Torn about how this will affect Hong, he’s forced to make a decision by day’s end.

The drama peaks at the publishing staff dinner, where Jungo meets Choi Han, Hong’s father, who shares his musings on whether love truly ends. A bittersweet moment unfolds when Jungo notices the blue keychain Hong left on her desk—the same one they bought together years ago. Hong, hesitant to face Jungo, hides but is eventually coaxed to join the dinner, where she sees the Mont Blanc cake she chose for him—an emotional callback to their shared past.

The conversation turns deeply personal when someone asks Jungo about the woman who inspired his book. He admits he failed to see her loneliness, leading her to leave. Hong challenges him, claiming his love changed, but Jungo insists it never did.

Flashbacks show the breaking point in their relationship. Hong, overwhelmed by her father’s bankruptcy, turns to Jungo, who, preoccupied with work, misses her calls. Their argument boils over, with accusations of broken promises and unmet expectations. In her pain, Hong ends their relationship.

In the present, Hong meets Min-jun at a fancy restaurant, where he proposes a new life together in the US. He promises never to let her feel lonely, but her tears betray her unresolved feelings. She confesses she’s not sure she’s over Jungo, admitting that even if she were married to Min-jun, her heart would still skip a beat upon seeing Jungo.

Heartbroken, Hong drives away in tears, her mind consumed by thoughts of Jungo. Acting on impulse, she buys a bouquet and heads to his hotel. But when she reaches the bar, her hope is shattered—there he is with Kanna, laughing together.

This emotionally charged episode delivers one gut-punch after another, with love, regret, and longing colliding in every scene. The cliffhanger ending leaves us desperate to know: will Hong and Jungo ever find their way back to each other, or is their love truly a thing of the past?

DramaZen's Opinion

Episode 5 of What Comes After Love was absolutely devastating in the best way possible. The confrontation between Min-jun and Jungo had me on edge—Min-jun coming in so confidently, calling himself her fiancé, and planning to propose that night, while Jungo’s quiet heartbreak just shattered me. And when Jungo asked Min-jun to promise never to make Hong feel lonely? OOF. My heart broke right along with his.

The flashbacks added so much depth. Seeing how Hong and Jungo’s relationship unraveled, especially during her father’s bankruptcy, was painful to watch. It was so real—Jungo caught up in his work, Hong feeling abandoned, and both of them hurting each other without knowing how to fix it. The moment when she finally broke up with him hit so hard, especially after all her effort to hold on.

Then there’s Hong in the present, clearly torn between her past and future. When she broke down and told Min-jun she’s not over Jungo, I lost it. Her honesty was so raw, and her line about how even if they were married, her heart would still drop at the sight of Jungo? CRUSHING. Min-jun deserves better, but at the same time, you can’t fight what Hong feels.

And that ending—seeing Hong muster up the courage to go to Jungo, only to find him laughing with Kanna—was like a knife to the heart. Is Jungo moving on? Or is it just a misunderstanding? I need answers, but in true What Comes After Love fashion, the show keeps us hanging.

This episode was emotional, messy, and so beautifully written. The love triangle is tearing me apart, but I’m here for all the angst and heartbreak. Bring on Episode 6! 💔😭