Way Back Love is a captivating six-episode Korean fantasy romance drama that debuted on TVING on April 3, 2025. The series releases two new episodes every Thursday, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a story of love, loss, and redemption.
The plot follows 24-year-old Jung Hee-wan, portrayed by Kim Min-ha, who finds herself trapped in a world devoid of joy after a personal tragedy. However, everything changes when her childhood friend and first love, Kim Ram-woo, played by Gong Myung, reappears as a grim reaper. He brings unsettling news: Hee-wan has just one week left to live, igniting an emotional journey that explores love and the fragility of life.
Under the direction of Choi Ha-na, this adaptation of Seo Eun-chae’s novel A Week Before I Die also features Jung Gun-joo as Lee Hong-seok and Oh Woo-ri as Yoon Tae-kyung. Prior to its streaming release, Way Back Love garnered attention at the Busan International Film Festival, showcased in the ‘On Screen’ section.
Recap of Episodes 3 & 4: Unraveling Ram-woo’s Past
As episode 3 begins, Ram-woo and his mother move to a new neighborhood, where he wrestles with personal challenges, including completing school forms that require details about his absentee father. In this new setting, Hee-wan admires Ram-woo’s mother, a former talented artist, and requests art mentorship from her. Initially reluctant, she ultimately agrees, but the commitment soon overwhelms Hee-wan, leaving her fatigued and struggling to balance school and art lessons.
Despite these challenges, Hee-wan’s spirited nature shines through, strengthening her bond with Ram-woo. One memorable evening, as they paint together, they share a heartfelt moment on a balcony while watching a shooting star. Hee-wan captures the moment’s romantic essence, which leads to a blush-inducing yet awkward situation, prompting her to retreat and pen a love letter sealed with a heart sticker.
Back in the present, Hee-wan’s isolated college life takes a turn when she meets a friendly student named Yeong-hyun, who invites her to dinner. A mishap involving fallen easels leads Hee-wan to showcase her painting skills, earning her new acquaintances and requests to create posters.
During a dinner with Yeong-hyun, Hee-wan shares her struggles with finding joy in life. In response, Yeong-hyun offers her support, establishing a new friendship reminiscent of her past with Ram-woo. However, complications arise when Hong-suk, another classmate, also develops feelings for Hee-wan, creating a web of emotions among the trio.
A humorous twist occurs when Hee-wan and Ram-woo unknowingly wear matching coats to school, leading to playful teasing from classmates. To avoid upsetting Hong-suk, Ram-woo downplays the incident, causing tension as he grapples with his feelings. When he finally decides to confess, he discovers Hee-wan engaging with Hong-suk at the pool, leading to misunderstandings that leave her feeling unloved.
The narrative takes a somber turn as glimpses of Ram-woo’s tragic death emerge. Hee-wan, haunted by guilt, pleads with the grim reaper—which is now Ram-woo—to refer to her by her real name, fully aware that doing so thrice could culminate in her own demise. In a poignant moment, as the episode ends, Ram-woo admits his long-held feelings for her.
Episode 4 commences with Hee-wan visiting her father, where she learns that her sister, Hee-joo, intends to go free diving, which unnerves her. A confrontation ensues where Hee-joo accuses Hee-wan of choosing not to live life to its fullest, subsequently prompting Ram-woo to uplift her spirits.
The series skillfully intersperses past memories where Hee-wan encouraged Ram-woo to express his feelings through art. Ram-woo reveals his resentments towards his father’s financial support which felt more like guilt alleviation. Meanwhile, Hee-wan shares her profound grief over her mother’s death coinciding with her first day of school. Their bond deepens as they paint together, sharing a nearly intimate moment until Tae-kyung interrupts, upset about their lost plans.
Ram-woo, longing to reconnect, proposes a special outing to the Winter Night Meteor Shower Festival—an homage to their passion for celestial events. Shortly thereafter, Hee-wan receives an invitation to the observatory, which she generously decides to gift to Ram-woo, leaving a love letter behind for him to read later.
Tragedy soon strikes, as an explosion at the observatory claims Ram-woo’s life, inflicting deep emotional wounds on Hee-wan.
In present-day discussions with Hong-suk, Hee-wan’s initial unease dissipates when he provides comfort after she suffers a panic attack due to triggering sirens. He reveals his aspiration to become a firefighter motivated by a desire to safeguard others. Their conversation helps mend old wounds as they both acknowledge their previous mistakes.
As the episode concludes, Ram-woo metaphorically ‘leaves the game unfinished’ with Hong-suk, encapsulated in a nostalgic image of the shooting star. This symbolizes a heartfelt farewell filled with aspirations for Hee-wan’s happiness. Determined to maintain her promise, Hee-wan resolves to carry on their unfinished bucket list and connect with Ram-woo’s mother, who mourns his loss immensely and initially mistook Hee-wan for her deceased son.
In the closing moments of episode 4, Hee-wan poignantly communicates with Ram-woo’s spirit, vowing to move forward in life.
Fans can look forward to the next episode of Way Back Love, set to air on April 17.