Episodes 9 and 10 of Dear X push the drama into a darker, almost gothic phase. The romance angst steps back. In its place, we get power games, class horror, and a chilling look at what happens when an ambitious anti-heroine walks into a cage that looks like a palace.
These two episodes are messy, tense, and gripping. They also raise a big question. Is Baek Ah Jin still in control, or has she finally met someone more dangerous than she is?
What Happened So Far on Dear X Episode 9-10
We pick up after In Gang’s death. Longstar Entertainment drops Ah Jin, making it clear she is now industry poison. CEO Seo Mi Ri throws all the blame on her, both as a public scapegoat and to ease her own guilt for pushing In Gang to keep working.
Ah Jin does not crumble. She fights back and calls Mi Ri out for ignoring In Gang’s mental health for years. But it feels like a losing battle. The hate online grows. Doors slam shut one by one.
Then a new door swings open. A fresh agency offers Ah Jin a contract that is almost too good. The negative press around her suddenly disappears. The person behind this miracle is Moon Do Hyuk, young chairman, philanthropist, and long-time watcher of Ah Jin. He has been following her life from the shadows and now steps in like a fairy godfather with a sinister smile.
Do Hyuk offers to fix her career, erase her scandals, and give her the luxury life she always wanted. In return, he wants one thing. Marriage. To a stranger. On paper, it is a ridiculous offer. For Ah Jin, it is a golden ticket. She accepts his proposal with barely a pause. The scene is chilling because it feels less like a romance and more like a contract between two predators.
Jun Seo Gives His Kidney and Loses His Foundation
While Ah Jin is bargaining for a new life, Jun Seo is quietly bleeding for his family. His mother, Ji Sun, needs a kidney transplant. She has abused him for years and tried to drag Ah Jin down with her. He still agrees to donate, on the condition that she leaves him and his grandfather alone and stops harassing Ah Jin.
The surgery goes well, but the show does not give Jun Seo time to breathe. He and Jae Oh almost die in a gas explosion set up by the same people who have been tailing Ah Jin. They survive by jumping out of the building, but it is a clear warning shot from Do Hyuk’s side.
Then comes the cruelest blow. At his grandfather’s funeral, Jun Seo’s mother exposes a secret in front of everyone. He is not related to his grandfather by blood. His entire identity, every memory of being the heir of that family, shatters in one scene.
Later, Ah Jin coolly admits she knew and kept it from him. She insists it was for his own good because his status gave him a comfortable life. The moment is brutal. It shows how little space his pain has ever taken in her decisions.
For the first time, Jun Seo starts to step away. He talks about quitting writing. He tries to move on. Whether he will succeed is another question, but the seed of separation is finally there.
Life in the Mansion Looks Like a Thriller in Designer Clothes
Ah Jin marries Do Hyuk and moves into his mansion. On the surface, she has everything. A powerful husband. A grand house. A major movie role. The chaebol fantasy appears complete.
But the house itself feels wrong. There is an off-limits study on the third floor that she cannot enter. The staff are polite yet tense. One bathroom scene hints that someone enters while she showers and leaves menstrual products she had been searching for. It is helpful, but it also feels invasive.
The clock in the house stops at a specific time that connects to her childhood trauma. It pulls her back to memories of abuse. The mansion begins to feel less like a home and more like a curated maze built to keep her off balance.
Do Hyuk adds to the unease. He tells stories about his ex-wife being sent to a psychiatric hospital. He asks Ah Jin if she has ever killed someone with a casual tone that hides a real threat. And he has her car bugged, so he listens in as she quietly asks Jae Oh to investigate him and his past.
What To Expect Next
Episodes 9 and 10 confirm something many viewers had suspected. Dear X is not building toward a soft redemption arc. It is leaning into psychological tragedy. The drama keeps reminding us of Ah Jin’s childhood abuse and the class system that allowed so many adults to fail her. At the same time, it refuses to excuse what she does with that pain.
For now, Dear X remains a bold and sometimes uncomfortable watch. It refuses to give us an easy heroine to root for. Instead, it asks us to keep looking at a woman who has been hurt, who keeps hurting others, and who might never change. If the last two episodes keep this energy, we are heading into a finale that will divide viewers in the best way.
If you enjoy deep dives like this, make sure to visit Saranghero for more K-pop and K-drama recaps, reviews, and news. Stay tuned there for updates on Dear X and many more series you love.