“There weren't any major revisions” - Jung Chae-yeon addresses Beyond the Bar cliffhanger romance plotline disappointment & season 2 possibilities

Lee Jin-wook and Jung Chae-yeon in Beyond the Bar (Image via X/@jtbclove)
Lee Jin-wook and Jung Chae-yeon in Beyond the Bar (Image via X/@jtbclove)

The series Beyond the Bar wrapped on September 7, 2025, leaving the love arc hanging. The bond between Yoon Seok-hoon (Lee Jin-wook) and Kang Hyo-min (Jung Chae-yeon) hit its peak in the last shot.

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Hyo-min asked Seok-hoon what “love” meant to him. He looked at her warmly and began to speak, but the screen cut mid-line. The show ended without providing closure to their relationship, leaving fans disappointed.

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However, lead actress Jung later explained that choice, as per Xports News, saying,

"I agreed with this opinion a lot (of the open ending), and since the love line needs to be open to allow viewers to think, I thought it would be fun to say, 'What? Is that love between you?' Is it love as a man, or love out of respect as a senior? I thought that part would be fun."
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Jung Chae-yeon in Beyond the Bar (Image via X/@jtbclove)
Jung Chae-yeon in Beyond the Bar (Image via X/@jtbclove)

About the romance line alteration, speaking to News 1, she stated,

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"Actually, there weren't any major revisions, but I agreed with that opinion. I think the love line should be somewhat open-ended, making it more entertaining for viewers. I strongly agreed with the idea that it would be good for viewers to consider whether this was true male love, or respect for a senior."

The 27-year-old performer added,

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"Personally, I interpreted it largely as respect for a senior. Hyomin observed the love between her clients, but she was a friend who was naive and unfamiliar with her own love, so that's how I interpreted it."

Jung was also questioned about a follow-up season during another interview with News1.

"I don't know for sure, but I also really hope there's a season 2. I'm very optimistic, so I hope it happens," she admitted.
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With its romance left in limbo, Beyond the Bar signed off with an ending that stirred both debate and expectation for a possible return.


Beyond the Bar finale peaks at 10.1% viewership

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JTBC’s weekend drama Beyond the Bar wrapped up on September 7. The 12-episode series ended with steady ratings and a lasting question: “What is love?” According to Nielsen Korea, the finale recorded 9.1% in Seoul and 8.4% nationwide, with the episode’s peak moment reaching 10.1%.

The project, scripted by Park Mi-hyun and guided by Kim Jae-hong, followed the Songmu group of four attorneys handling cases linked to relationships. The closing story centered on a couple bound by a shared child-care deal, which triggered discussion within the team. The lawyers concluded that even without romance, a union could remain solid, stressing that love has many forms.

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The last chapter also closed out individual arcs. Lee Jin-wook’s Yoon Seok-hoon released his old feelings for his former wife and shifted from a rigid leader to a more humane lawyer. Jung Chae-yeon’s Kang Hyo-min mended ties with her mother after years of distance, learning to live with the scars left behind.

Lee Hak-joo’s Lee Jin-woo finally saw his one-sided affection returned when Jeon Hye-bin’s Heo Min-jeong accepted his offer. He described love not as a set solution but as a path built through errors and lessons, asking Min-jeong to walk it with him. She agreed, and their story turned into a romance.

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Beyond the Bar originally aired on South Korea’s JTBC network from August 2 to September 7, 2025, with episodes broadcast every Saturday and Sunday. The series is now available for streaming on Netflix.

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Edited by Shreya Jha
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