First of all, K-drama Land got it right with Doona when they chose actors whose chemistry was on point. Secondly, they knew how to make the character of Doona likable, and not just by talking about her troublesome past. Thirdly, this is a great story that not only shows how people with mental health struggles deal with relationships but also the things their partners go through. The series may have melodramatic undertones, but it gets the brief right with so many things, not to mention how it stays sweet and engaging throughout. This is the recap of the show that we simply could not get enough of.

Spoiler Alert

What Happened In Doona’s Past?

Doona had grown up with her grandmother after being abandoned by her father, and her mother was too busy with her frauds and schemes to take care of her. She had a very lonely childhood, and she was just getting by when she was scouted by a talent agency while she was in eighth grade. The manager was In Wook, and initially, Doona scoffed at him. Perhaps she thought that it was a scam, but he convinced her of the agency’s legitimacy. She only agreed to join the agency and become an idol when she realized that she simply wanted to get away from her mother, who never seemed to care for her.

Once she started training to be an idol, Doona’s entire life was centered around singing and dancing. But the problem was that she was in a hostile environment, and that did not help her fragile mental health. Doona had abandonment issues and also suffered from anxiety. Her bandmates, particularly one of them, were jealous of Doona and constantly talked down to her. Doona was also in love with her manager, and he used that to manipulate her into doing more work for the agency without regard for her feelings. All of this led to Doona being unable to sing one day at a critical concert, and that caused her to be booted out of the group. While the agency told her to take a break, it was clear they were proceeding without her. Doona was told that she could leave as long as she did not sign with anyone else. She was given her share of the money and let go. However, she had to give a huge chunk of the money to her mother, who used it to cover her debts and probably rake up some more. Her mother’s cases of defrauding people were all over the internet, and Doona got a lot of hate for it. People also did not like that she seemed to be leading a normal life while her former bandmates were suffering without her. Basically, she was the target of a lot of online hate, and Doona was choosing to live like a recluse to keep herself away from everyone who may hurt her again. That is when Won Jun walked into her life.

Does Jun Ji Get Over Won Jun?

Let us talk about Jun Ji before we talk about Won Jun and Doona’s story. She was one of the strongest characters in the series. Jun Ji came from an abusive household, and she hid that under the garb of a chirpy and easy-going personality. She falls in love with Won Jun at first sight, which is the same as him. They get to know each other over a long period of time before Won Jun eventually confesses his love to her. While Jun Ji wants to reciprocate, she is unable to because she is scared of her father. Won Jun takes this hesitancy to mean that she doesn’t feel the same way, and they end up growing distant and eventually losing touch. They meet again in Won Jun’s second year at college, and he gathers the courage to ask her out. But this time, the shadow of Doona is already hanging over them. Jun Ji is a lot more direct with Won Jun, and she even tells him the truth about her household before confessing how much she likes him. But Won Jun tells her that too much time has passed and his feelings have changed now. Jun Ji accepts this and moves out of Doona’s dorm room so that she can get over her feelings in peace. Doona, I Ra, and Jun Ji become great friends eventually, but it is funny how they all started out by liking the same guy.

How Do Won Jun And Doona Fall In Love?

When Won Jun first moves into the dorm room, Doona thinks he is a stalker and a superfan. That is because he was wearing his friend’s hoodie, who was a huge fan of Dream Sweet, Doona’s former band. When Won Jun clarifies the issue for her, Doona immediately takes a liking to him, as he seems generally nice and non-judgmental. Doona probably liked him even before he did, but she tried not to interfere with his life too much. But the first time Won Jun probably realized that Doona was special was when he confessed to her that he liked being at a distance from his family, as he did not always need to worry about his sick sister this way. Won Jun was still a responsible brother, but living away gave him room to breathe emotionally. This was the first time Won Jun had admitted that to anyone. Later, one day, when Doona finds her feelings for him growing, she kisses him. Won Jun is surprised by the kiss, and when he tries to ask her about it, she denies it means anything. Won Jun makes it clear that he felt something at that moment, and if she was not serious, then she shouldn’t do it again.

At that time, Jun Ji also said something similar to Doona, which is why Doona tries to move on from Won Jun by trying to meet someone else. But that only serves to bring the two closer, as Doona realizes that what she feels for Won Jun is much stronger, and even Won Jun becomes possessive seeing her with someone else. These two kiss, and from then on, they are clearly in the zone, though neither admits it. They go on a trip where they end up spending the night, but Doona’s impulsive act ruins things again. In Wook, her manager and first love come to the place and try to take her away. Doona goes with him, leaving Won Jun behind, which hurts him a lot. He waits for Doona till the last minute, but she doesn’t show up, so he has to go back without her.

In Wook had come to meet Doona because he had seen her at Dream Sweet’s comeback showcase. The group hadn’t been able to replicate their previous success without Doona, so In Wook wanted her to come back, and he was still manipulating her for it. But Doona had indeed grown stronger and wiser, and she decided not to sing to his tune. The time alone and some healthy love from people had made her a more stable person, and she made her choices accordingly. When Doona meets Won Jun, she admits to him that the temporary lapse of judgment had made her realize that she loved Won Jun more and that she regretted leaving him behind like that. With that, the two reconcile, but they still have a lot of hurdles to cross.

Do Doona And Won Jun Have A Happy Or Sad Ending?

Won Jun has to briefly go back home when his sister’s health worsens. During this time, even Doona has to deal with a few rude shocks, along with the loneliness of not having Won Jun around. Her agency sent her a legal notice because they said that she terminated her contract unfairly. Doona knows that she is caught in a tough place, and she doesn’t have a choice except to go back to her band. As for Won Jun, she has a talk with him where she asks what she should do. Won Jun tells her that she should do what she wants to and that he would love to see her on stage since he has always believed that it is what she was cut out for. But Doona knows that it is a lot more complicated than that. It was the agency’s micromanagement of her life and the resulting anxiety that had driven her away in the first place. If she goes back to them, the environment won’t be necessarily different. Additionally, she will be forced to break up with Won Jun since the agency won’t allow her to have a boyfriend. Also, people online would track him down and try to ruin his life, as that came with the territory of being an idol. Even Won Jun realizes how impossible the situation is when In Wook lists out the problems for him and lets him know that money is at stake.

Doona had to go back to her career, and for many days, she was unable to contact Won Jun since her phone was confiscated by the agency, which meant that his messages went unread. They had not officially broken up, but they were also not a part of each other’s lives. One day, Doona manages to sneak out, and she meets Won Jun to discuss their future. Won Jun is enlisting in the army, and even Doona will be busy for two years. She says that once she has earned some success, the agency will ease up on her, and they can start dating again. But Won Jun wants to break up with her. It wasn’t the fact that she was a star, as Doona was thinking, but the fact that he did not know if he fit into her life at all. He was scared of the many heartbreaks that he anticipated, and he preferred to be safe from them. It is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the drama when Doona keeps waiting for Won Jun to come after her in the subway, but he doesn’t, making their breakup official. 

Some time has passed since Doona and Won Jun broke up. Doona is extremely successful, and Won Jun is preparing for an interview for the job of a civil servant. I Ra is living with Jeong Hoon, and Jun Ji has made a life for herself by traveling around the world. And just like that, one day, Doona comes back into Won Jun’s life. At first, they are just two old friends catching up with each other, but after going home, Doona is furious that Won Jun is not more open about his feelings for her. She goes to his place and demands to know why he won’t express himself. She knows that he missed her and regretted letting her go. All Doona needs is for him to say it, and the moment he does, they hug each other.

During Doona’s ending, it is revealed that Doona is working in Japan. Won Jun got the job he wanted, and he is also there, assisting someone as part of his work. In the final shot of the series, we see both of them in one place, though they don’t meet. Doona seems to know he is there, or she has at least sensed it. Our guess is that they are together but are dating in secret. There is no way they won’t give each other another chance. After all that time apart, they realized that they would make the relationship work no matter what. Doona always had that confidence, and Won Jun probably committed to it after he realized that he wanted her in his life at any cost. Only a man who is dating would smile at a pretty-looking pastry, one that we are sure that Doona would like. After all, she did not skimp on sweets when she was off work, meaning that it was something she enjoyed and that Won Jun knew about it. Perhaps that pastry place would be their next date spot while they are in Japan. They certainly have a happy ending because otherwise, Won Jun was just Doona’s free therapy, and she is a better person than that.

Final Thoughts

Once again, the Korean Drama Doona has all our hearts. The love story of the leads brought to life with such beautiful chemistry had us rooting for them, and we have applauded every time the two of them have communicated through their doubts and vulnerabilities. It is that very factor that has made us like Doona so much, a character we had expected to dislike. This is a must-watch drama.