A Review Guide to Dear Hye Ri: No Cause for Disappointment and Far from Toxic"

This guide is recommended for those who:

- have already seen the series, or
- are hesitating to watch it due to negative opinions,
- haven't seen it yet but don’t mind learning some insights as guidance.

This drama is a true gem. I say this even though, like many K-dramas, it suffers from an imperfect ending.

The 12 episodes can be divided into three acts, each with a meaningful title:

The Appearance of Hye Ri (Episodes 1-4)
Longing for Hye Ri (Episodes 5-9)
The Legacy of Hye Ri (Episodes 10-12)

Prologue: Joo Eun Ho and Jung Hyun O
Joo Eun Ho (played by Shin Hye-Sun) is an announcer who spent eight years in a relationship with her colleague, the renowned star anchor Jung Hyun O (Lee Jin Wook). In relationships, balance is rarely equal, and in this case, Eun Ho’s deep dependence on Hyun O is clear. After eight years, during a conversation where Eun Ho again brings up marriage, Hyun O abruptly ends the relationship. He conceals his reasons, viewing the breakup as an act of self-sacrifice. In truth, Jung Hyun O deeply loves Eun Ho but doesn’t want to involve her in his challenging family life. Hyun O lives his life like a martyr, caring for elderly ladies as a form of repayment after his parents left him and his brother burdened with debt. These women, in exchange for this care, provide him and his brother with a sense of belonging. It is only by the end of the series that he realizes he’s gained a loving family, even if they aren’t his blood relatives.

Since Eun Ho is unaware of the true reason behind their breakup, only that Hyun O refuses to marry her, she’s denied the chance to decide whether to share the burden of caring for these elderly women with him. Hyun O’s decision, made for her, is a profound act of selfishness masked as sacrifice.
Both of them suffer from the breakup, as they continue to work together. In a vulnerable moment, Eun Ho confides in a friend, Moon Ji On (Kang Sang Joon), that the only way she can cope with the loss of Hyun O is to try to hate him.

Jung Hyun O seems to be going through something similar, often behaving coldly toward Eun Ho during their shared work. Lee Jin Wook takes on the challenging role of playing Hyun O, a character who is difficult to empathize with in the series. This makes it puzzling why Eun Ho remains drawn to him even after the breakup—a realistic portrayal of how such attachments often linger in real life.

Before their breakup, Eun Ho was already burdened with a heavy guilt—the disappearance of her sister, Hye Ri. Her sister dreamed of working in a parking garage, believing she could find happiness there.



### First Act: The Appearance of Hye Ri


It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when Hye Ri appears. It seems to coincide with the moment Jung Hyun O breaks up with Eun Ho. Following the breakup, Eun Ho takes up a position at a parking lot near her workplace, thanks to the understanding of the parking lot boss. She wants to grasp why Hye Ri, her sister, would have found happiness working in such a place. Eun Ho believes that if she understands this, she might also find happiness.

However, things take an unexpected turn as Hye Ri—the name of her sister, which she adopts when she introduces herself to a female coworker in the parking lot—begins to take on an independent personality within Eun Ho’s body, without Eun Ho’s knowledge.

A year after the breakup, Eun Ho becomes aware that something isn’t right when she wakes up one morning with bruises on her legs, with no memory of how she got them. She decides to consult a psychiatrist, Dr. Lee Seung Yoon, brilliantly portrayed by Ahn So Yo, and tells her about her constant fatigue and the unexplained bruises. So, although limited, Hye Ri's presence exists during the following three years. Eun Ho’s second personality carries her sister’s name, Hye Ri, as her subconscious projects her sister’s personality based on how she remembers her.

Hye Ri leads a routine life: she wakes up at 4 p.m., goes to work in the parking lot, and holds a parking spot for Kang Ju Yeon (played by Kang Hoon), her platonic love interest. While Hye Ri (both Eun Ho’s sister and her second personality) appears simpler, she realizes her love for Ju Yeon is one-sided and purely platonic. This doesn’t bother her. Hye Ri is modest, kind, helpful, quiet, and at the same time wise—unrestricted by social conventions. According to her (as she confides in her coworker, Kim Min Young), she gains her wisdom from reading comics and webtoons.

At the end of the first episode, Hye Ri's life takes a new turn.

Kang Ju Yeon , a well-respected announcer at the affiliated company, is attacked inside the building by viewers offended by a broadcast he hosted. They assault him with a pickaxe in front of Hye Ri. Hye Ri, unshaken, steps in and saves Ju Yeon, escaping with him to the machinery room.

From this point, Hye Ri becomes the focal character until the end of the fourth episode, shining through a series of captivating scenes where Shin Hye Sun showcases her talents. Hye Ri charms everyone, including the viewers, with her keen insights, straightforwardness, and simple wisdom, guiding those around her—long troubled by deep emotional scars—toward healing. With the same determination, she protects those close to her from new harm.

This act closes with a poignant conversation between Hye Ri and the psychiatrist. Hye Ri is immensely happy; her relationship with Ju Yeon is unexpectedly blossoming. As she puts it, “I am happy. Everything around me sparkles, doctor. I’ve never been happy before. But now I am.” The doctor shares in her joy, reassuring her that her symptoms will likely improve as a result.

This quiet scene is a highlight of the series and holds essential clues to understanding the unfolding events.

In a moment of stunned realization, Hye Ri asks the doctor if, now that she (Hye Ri, the “symptom”) is happy, she will disappear. The doctor grasps the harsh truth that Hye Ri has inferred from her well-intentioned words.

At this moment, viewers might encounter the question for the first time, as the doctor does through Hye Ri: If two souls inhabit a single body (even if labeled by a clinical diagnosis), which soul has the right to that body? The original, suffering soul (Eun Ho), or the later, happy one (Hye Ri)?

True to character, Hye Ri immediately finds a solution. She writes herself (Eun Ho) a letter, leaving it by her bed.

And so the first act ends.



### Second Act: Longing for Hye Ri


Eun Ho learns from the letter that she doesn’t just have memory lapses; she has a second personality. The letter unsettles her, but she doesn’t give it much thought. A rapid sequence of events follows, the essence of which is that, after a panic attack, Jung Hyun O begins to care for Eun Ho. In reality, Jung Hyun O eagerly seizes the opportunity to be close to Eun Ho. She also visits the doctor and confronts the reality of Hye Ri’s existence. Everyone at the clinic knows Hye Ri, greeting her as Hye Ri, even the doctor. Eun Ho realizes that her other self is genuinely happy.

But Hye Ri has disappeared. The reason is clear: Jung Hyun O. Their relationship appears to be settling until Eun Ho realizes just how dependent she has been on her former lover—and she’s unwilling to go down that path again. She breaks up with Jung Hyun O, who envisions their future in a selfish, uncommitted way. Here, we can see for the first time that Hye Ri has influenced even Eun Ho herself.

In the episodes that follow, Eun Ho is confronted with everything that Hye Ri set in motion. A series of dramatic, sorrowful scenes shows the impact Hye Ri had on those around her, and the sadness stems from her absence. In this act, everyone misses Hye Ri, including the viewers. Hye Ri’s disappearance has left a vacuum, but since things are already in motion, the characters try to navigate the void she left behind on their own.

This struggle is painful, especially for Eun Ho and Kang Ju Yeon. Eun Ho feels guilty about the disappearance of Hye Ri, her second personality, but she has no power to let Ju Yeon see her. At this point, Eun Ho also disappears, and for the rest of the act, we observe the changes in the others’ spirits. Jung Hyun O is one of the last to discover that Eun Ho has another personality—Hye Ri. And what a surprise it is: Hye Ri found someone noble, understanding, and, incidentally, handsome—Kang Ju Yeon.

And so the second act ends.


### Third Act: The Legacy of Hye Ri

Eun Ho reappears after a month. On the outside, she resembles Hye Ri, but it is implied that it is Eun Ho, not Hye Ri. The tenth episode is a series of wonderful scenes imbued with deep emotions. Among the gems is the encounter and conversation between Eun Ho and Ju Yeon. It is essential to understand that what was outlined in the prologue remains valid throughout. No matter how much Ju Yeon might seem to be the 'good solution' that Hye Ri found for herself, Eun Ho is bound to Hyun O.

From the conversation between Eun Ho and Ju Yeon, we learn where Eun Ho has been for the past month. We won’t reveal more, as this two-part conversation is one of the most sensual parts of the drama. Long, uncut scenes demonstrate why Shin Hye Sun is one of the best of her generation. Here, the audience sees Shin Hye Sun's real tears.

However, what Eun Ho does not know, but the viewer does, is that in her loneliness, Hye Ri appeared at least once before Eun Ho—though Eun Ho cannot remember it. The screenwriter and director added a thought-provoking yet beautiful detail to the events with this. It's a clever trick because we cannot be sure, but that particular gesture from Eun Ho has never been seen in the series. This small detail, which could easily be overlooked, has significance during the conclusion of the events at the 'last supper.'

What exactly is Hye Ri's legacy? She has vanished, and perhaps she hasn't. After all, she was with Eun Ho all along. I mention this because after the tenth episode, relationships around Eun Ho suddenly seem to settle, including her connection with Jung Hyun O, which is least favored by the viewers.

Importantly, Eun Ho's behavior shows a similarity to Hye Ri. Not in her kind and humble appearance, but in her insightful views on what and how to do things right. This is what the last condemned episode is about. What Jung Hyun O successfully hid for eight years, namely his 'step-family,' Eun Ho confidently embraces, just as she did with Kang Ju Yeon's mother. She turns the old ladies' home into the place where the others can say goodbye to Hye Ri.

Hye Ri's simple, wise, and effective solutions now reflect Eun Ho's actions. This is the colorful trace left behind. Is this truly Hye Ri's legacy? Does the conversation with Kim Min Young, her parking garage colleague, hint at this? The farewells that took place seem quite shabby, but the conversation with Kim Min Young is anything but. Was it the director's intention to highlight this detail? I think so, and that’s why the colorful trace of Hye Ri’s appearance in the forest was also necessary.

In the 12th episode, from the 60th minute and 35th second to the 62nd minute, instead of saying goodbye to Hye Ri, Kim Min Young is preoccupied with food. When Eun Ho urges her to finally say something to Hye Ri, she responds, 'Next time, order dumplings too, Hye Ri!' Then she confesses, 'You know what? I don’t want to say goodbye to Hye Ri.' The director and actors have placed significant emphasis on this scene. Such things are done for a reason. This is no longer the old Eun Ho, because Hye Ri has become part of her. That’s why I find it likely that this was the closing scene's message in the old ladies' home. This is supported by Eun Ho’s last conversation with the doctor. We should listen to how the doctor says goodbye. But to whom did she say, ... do you remember?

The common feature of each act is the wonderful execution – we can witness a beautifully crafted drama. The cinematographer skillfully handles the camera, while the sound engineer amplifies the impact during critical moments. It's masterful work in every respect. The actors are fantastic, with Shin Hye Sun delivering an unforgettable performance.
I’m happy that I understood enough of it to perhaps help you enjoy this drama.