'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAb/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAhLEm/wD/xAAiEAABAgYBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQMABAUGEiERBxMVYaL/2gAIAQEAAT8ArdC8pe1t0KbwNHxPu8Fjtw0NcS41v1Er0dsWZlmn3Zq5WjdBDIG3mVEfiP/EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABA//aAAgBAgEBPwCbP//EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgP/2gAIAQMBAT8A2lH/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On May 24 and 25, the final episodes 11 and 12 of Heavenly Ever After were released on Netflix. The show follows 80-year-old Hae-sook, who awakens in paradise and reunites with her 30-year-old departed spouse, Nak-joon. Together, they rekindle affection and adapt to their fresh afterworld.
The final episodes reveal that Som-i is actually a manifestation of Hae-sook’s sorrow after losing her son, Eun-ho.
It also clarifies that the pastor is Eun-ho, the child of Hae-sook and Nak-joon. The K-drama's finale ends as Hae-sook and Nak-joon reconnect in a different existence.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers. Reader's discretion advised.
Why Nak-joon care for Som-i in Heavenly Ever After episode 11?
Heavenly Ever After episode 11 opens with Nak-joon reflecting on Som-i’s strange behavior. Seeking clarity, he visits the President, who advises that only Hae-sook holds the key to resolving the situation.
Trending
At home, Som-i confronts Hae-sook about Eun-ho, but Hae-sook denies knowing him. Later, Som-i and Nak-joon share a tense exchange, during which Nak-joon confesses he cannot bring himself to hurt her.
Meanwhile, at church, both Hae-sook and the pastor receive special attention from attendees who recognize them from a televised lottery appearance. This recognition weighs on Hae-sook, prompting feelings of guilt over the fabricated story.
The pastor reassures her, explaining that her support has always felt like that of a parent and that he simply wishes to return the favor. Elsewhere, jjajang and jjamppong arrive at a metro station to escort the souls bound for the underworld.
Inside a restroom in the afterlife, Jjajang looks into a mystical mirror showing glimpses of his former life. Disturbed by what he sees (a regrettable action from when he lived as a dog), he expresses remorse.
Later that evening, Som-i approaches a sleeping Hae-sook with a pillow in hand, hinting at violence. However, her true intention is just to gently cover Hae-sook’s head.
The next day, Hae-sook and the pastor prepare for his rebirth. The pair share a melancholic day together, with Hae-sook offering guidance on living a fulfilling human life and finding meaningful companionship.
Jjajang and Jjamppong later visit the pastor at church. Jjajang becomes emotional as he reveals that in his past life, he barked at the pastor, causing his parents to miss him. The pastor consoles him, assuring Jjajang that the incident was long forgotten.
Meanwhile, Som-i and Nak-joon spend quality time together. During this, Nak-joon meets Sonya, Hae-sook’s former cat, and the two discuss Som-i. Their conversation ends with Nak-joon giving Som-i a piggyback ride and sharing a heartfelt hug.
Heavenly Ever After episode 11: Som-i and the pastor’s true identities finally revealed
Heavenly Ever After continues with the pastor taking Hae-sook home. They both shed tears as they said their final goodbyes. Later, Nak-joon tries to comfort Hae-sook, while Som-i watches from a distance, visibly distressed.
Som-i wishes to return to the afterlife, believing it to be her fate. Sonya appears and tells Som-i that the memories she holds do not belong to her. This sparks confusion about her true identity.
The episode then unveils a critical revelation: Som-i is not a living being but rather the embodiment of Hae-sook’s unresolved grief over losing her son, Eun-ho.
Years ago, a young Eun-ho had asked for a toy at the market, but Hae-sook walked away briefly to discipline him. They diverged.
Although she scoured every place, he was never discovered. Obeying his mom's earlier instructions, Eun-ho headed to the church to wait. Tragically, a barking dog (Jjanjang) prevented Hae-sook from reaching him.
A police officer eventually located the boy and placed him in a welfare facility under the guise of care. In reality, Eun-ho was neglected, left in a freezing room overnight, and passed away.
The officer concealed the truth for months before resigning with financial gain. Nak-joon, upon discovering the officer’s actions, pursued him for answers. Amid the clash, Nak-joon grasped the vehicle while the policeman tried to escape.
He was thrown onto the road and struck by a truck, leaving him paralyzed. For weeks, Nak-joon quietly hoped Hae-sook would erase memories of their child, dreading her sorrow might devour her.
Eventually, she repressed the memory of Eun-ho entirely, focusing instead on caring for her injured husband. As the chapter approaches its end, Som-i accepts herself as an embodiment of Hae-sook’s heartbreak.
They both become trapped inside a symbolic enclosure, unreachable by Nak-joon. Hae-sook conveys regret for leaving her child, and Som-i confirms her shame. Nak-joon finally breaks through the barrier, assuring Hae-sook she bears no blame and urging Som-i to let go.
In the final moments, Eun-ho (now revealed as the pastor) appears one last time. He tells his mother he forgives her and urges her to release her guilt. Eun-ho reminds them that they will reunite in another life, bound by family ties. With that, Eun-ho disappears, offering Hae-sook closure in the Heavenly Ever After episode.
Heavenly Ever After episode 12: Hae-sook and Nak-joon reconnect after 23 lifetimes
The concluding episode of Heavenly Ever After opens with Hae-sook entering Yeong-ae’s dream, her prize from the Lottery Festival. In the dream sequence, Hae-sook reveals a lottery number combination: 37892444.
However, Yeong-ae admits she has no interest in numbers. With Nak-joon’s guidance, Hae-sook manages to interpret the numbers to Yeong-ae and soon returns. Despite the hint, Yeong-ae ultimately fails to win the lottery after getting distracted and chasing after someone, causing her to miss her chance.
Meanwhile, in the afterlife, Hae-sook and Nak-joon decide to be reborn. In a concurrent scene, Nak-joon shares drinks with the Center Director, the official in charge of memory deletion before souls begin their new life. During their conversation, Nak-joon reveals his emotional struggle regarding rebirth.
Director Chun proposes the idea of pursuing spiritual elevation instead of returning to the human world. Nak-joon remains firm, expressing his desire to repay his karmic debt to Hae-sook.
It is during this exchange that a major revelation unfolds that Hae-sook and Nak-joon have already lived 22 lives together. Their next one would be their 23rd. The president cryptically remarks that married couples are prisoners chained together, hinting at the emotional complexity of their repeated union.
As they get ready for reincarnation, the couple participates in a televised segment titled New Life: Rebirth is Great. Their journey toward the rebirth gate becomes symbolic. As they walk toward the threshold, Nak-joon carries Hae-sook on his back. During this heartfelt moment, he finally opens up about their shared lifetimes and past struggles.
Once at the portal, Nak-joon breaks down. In a tearful moment, he chooses to stay behind and sends Hae-sook alone through the gate. He says that he wants her to live completely free of him this time.
Hae-sook steps into her new life, while Nak-joon returns to heaven, now alone. In his solitude, he reflects that a heaven without her is meaningless. The narrative then transitions to a poignant future scene.
Hae-sook, now elderly, lies on her deathbed. At her side is Nak-joon, dressed in a formal white suit, having waited for their reunion. They exchanged final words that they were nothing without each other, symbolizing their enduring bond.
In the final moments of the episode, the camera pans to two strangers, a man and a woman, walking along a road. Their gazes meet as if pulled by destiny, hinting that Hae-sook and Nak-joon have crossed paths once again in their next life in the Heavenly Ever After finale.
Could a sequel season of Heavenly Ever After be on the horizon?
In Heavenly Ever After, if we look at Hae-sook and Nak-joon’s arc in its entirety, the story offers a full-circle closure. Hae-sook finally confronts her repressed grief through Som-i, the emotional manifestation of her guilt over losing Eun-ho.
She comes to terms with the truth, receives forgiveness from her son, and is able to let go. Nak-joon’s arc also came to an end. He had blamed himself for what Hae-sook went through.
In the final episode, he decided to break the emotional tie between them. This let both of them step away from their shared grief. The truth about Eun-ho’s identity played a major role in tying everything together.
The last shot shows two strangers drawn to each other in a new life, leaving the door slightly open for a possible season 2. It quietly nodded at reincarnation but didn’t lead into a new plot.
If renewed, a new season would likely focus on a different timeline or setting. It may explore how the souls of Hae-sook and Nak-joon meet again in a new world. However, as of now, no plans have been declared.
While the last scene hints at rebirth, it feels more like poetic closure than a setup for continuation. Unless the creators choose to explore entirely new lifetimes or characters, a Heavenly Ever After season 2 seems narratively unnecessary.
All 12 episodes of Heavenly Ever After are available to stream on Netflix.
