Way Back Love- Episodes 3-4

Love Letters, Mixed Signals, and That One Jacket

Episode 3 of Way Back Love turns up the emotional heat while keeping the heart-fluttering chaos we’re starting to love this show for. We kick things off with a glimpse into Ram Woo’s past as he and his mom settle into their new neighborhood. It’s a quiet moment, but there’s something heavy behind it—especially when Ram Woo stumbles over inputting his family info at school. There’s pain there, and we’re just scratching the surface.

We also learn that Ram Woo’s mom used to be an artist—and a good one. Hee Wan is impressed and wastes no time asking for mentorship. She’s determined to grow as an artist and wants to learn from someone who gets her. Ram Woo’s mom eventually agrees, but it’s no easy path. Hee Wan is pulling late-night shifts and showing up to school totally wrecked. Still, her spark hasn’t dulled—her pranks are alive and well, and her connection with Ram Woo keeps deepening.

One sweet moment? The two of them on a balcony, stargazing. Hee Wan spots what she thinks is a shooting star and gets all dreamy about how romantic that would be between two people. Ram Woo agrees a little too quickly. Awkward backpedaling ensues. Later, Hee Wan writes him a letter. Yep, a real one—with a heart sticker and everything.

Meanwhile, in the present, Hee Wan’s social dry spell might be over. She literally bumps into Yeong-hyun, a fellow student, and ends up getting invited over for dinner. Ram Woo (still hanging around as her invisible Reaper roommate) can’t help but make snarky comments about Yeong-hyun’s cool room and art. When an accidental easel avalanche wrecks their group project, Hee Wan swoops in, grabs a brush, and saves the day with her painting skills. Instant popularity unlocked. Confidence? Slowly returning.

That night, Yeong-hyun and Hee Wan grab food, and Hee Wan opens up. She admits she struggles to just… enjoy things. Yeong-hyun senses the weight Hee Wan’s carrying and suggests they lean on each other going forward. It’s a genuinely sweet new friendship that echoes the connection she had with Ram Woo years ago.

Speaking of the past—things are getting complicated. Hong-suk, Ram Woo’s friend, is starting to fall for Hee Wan too. Cue the awkward love triangle! Still, the boys bond over board games and bromance, which makes everything even messier.

Then comes the jacket incident. Ram Woo and Hee Wan show up to school wearing identical coats. The class immediately starts chanting “start dating!”—as high schoolers do—but Ram Woo, worried about hurting Hong-suk, hides the coat and downplays everything. Meanwhile, rumors are swirling and Ram Woo’s classmates are like “dude, confess already!”

He makes a run for it, determined to come clean… only to find Hee Wan at the pool with Hong-suk. It’s not romantic at first—they’re just painting and chatting—but things get flirty with a water fight. When Hong-suk goes in for a hand-hold, Hee Wan pulls away. It’s subtle but speaks volumes.

Still, when Ram Woo sees her wearing Hong-suk’s jacket, he hesitates. Hee Wan misreads the whole thing, thinking maybe Ram Woo never really liked her. Heartbroken, she trashes the love letter she wrote.

The episode ends on a somber note. We get a glimpse of Hee Wan’s deep grief—four years of guilt, pain, and self-blame over Ram Woo’s death. She finally tells him to call her by her real name, ready to face her fate. But then—Ram Woo takes her hand and finally says it: he likes her. Something he should’ve said a long time ago.

Stars, Secrets, and the Truth About Ram Woo

Episode 4 of Way Back Love is the emotional gut-punch we all knew was coming—and wow, it delivers. Right out of the gate, Hee Wan faces the truth she’s been avoiding: Ram Woo isn’t alive. She admits how pathetic she feels for still holding onto the idea that he might be... but it’s only when the full story unfolds later that her heartbreak—and ours—hits its peak.

We jump between the present and the past, with their memories tangled beautifully through one shared language: painting. In the present, Hee Wan visits her dad and gets tense news—her younger sister Hee Joo is off to go free diving. Hee Wan begs her not to go, worried something will happen. But Hee Joo isn’t interested in living her life in fear like her sister has been.

Back at home, Ram Woo appears again, trying to lift Hee Wan’s mood. This mirrors the past, where Hee Wan once did the same for him. Back then, he was struggling with feelings of abandonment from his father. His mom would leave money at home, a silent reminder that he was being taken care of—but never truly seen. Hee Wan encouraged him to let it out—by painting on the wall of an abandoned building.

They open up to each other. Hee Wan reveals she lost her mom the same day she started elementary school. That pain bonded them, and it almost led to a kiss… until Tae-kyung showed up, furious at Hee Wan for ditching their plans. The fallout is instant and raw.

Trying to fix the rift, Ram Woo comes up with an idea: the Winter Night Meteor Shower Festival. It’s perfect—a callback to the stars they first bonded over. As things start to heal between Hee Wan and Tae-kyung, Hong-suk urges Ram Woo to be honest about his feelings.

The group heads out to watch the meteor shower, buzzing with anticipation. Then Hee Wan gets a call—she’s won a prize to visit an observatory. In a gesture that’s both sweet and symbolic, she gives the prize to Ram Woo so he can finally see a shooting star for real. She doesn’t go with him, but gives him the heartfelt letter she wrote instead.

Then tragedy strikes.

An explosion rips through the observatory with Ram Woo still inside. Rescue crews recover bodies. Hee Wan rushes to find him—only to discover he didn’t survive. It’s the moment that broke her, and it explains everything we’ve seen in the present.

In current time, Hee Wan visits all their old spots, haunted by memories. Ram Woo watches quietly, and suggests she meet with Hong-suk. The reunion is painfully awkward. Hong-suk can’t even look her in the eye at first. When he finally opens up, it’s gut-wrenching. The sirens, the guilt, the heartbreak—it’s all still with him too. He’s haunted by the fact he wasn’t there with Ram Woo that night. Hee Wan apologizes for shutting him out and being wrapped up in her own grief. They make peace—though they both know this is goodbye.

Back at his place, Hong-suk finds their unfinished board game set up, with a picture of the shooting star beside it. A quiet message from Ram Woo: live an amazing life.

And now, the bucket list continues. Hee Wan knows one of the final stops has to be meeting Ram Woo’s mom. But it’s complicated. In a flashback to the hospital, we learn that when both Hee Wan and Ram Woo were at the hospital that day, his mother thought she was the one dying—not her son. The realization shattered her, and it’s clear that pain has never fully healed.

DramaZen's Opinion

Way Back Love Episodes 3 & 4 – Heartfelt, Hilarious, and Honestly So Beautiful 💫

Episodes 3 and 4 of Way Back Love totally wrecked me—in the best way! I’m officially head over heels for this drama. The chemistry between Hee Wan and Ram Woo just keeps getting stronger, and the way their past and present stories are woven together? Chef’s kiss.

Episode 3 gave us cute moments, awkward love triangles, and that hilarious jacket mix-up. I was grinning the whole time. And then episode 4? Wow. Emotional bomb. We finally learn what really happened to Ram Woo, and it was soheartbreaking but beautifully done. The painting scenes, the almost-kiss, the meteor shower—it all felt like watching a memory come to life.

Also shoutout to the side characters! Tae-kyung and Hong-suk are so genuine, and Yeong-hyun is a total scene-stealer. Every character adds something real and warm to the story.

This show balances emotion and charm so well—I’m laughing one minute and tearing up the next. Can’t wait to see how the bucket list plays out. Let’s go, episode 5! 💕