Doona! ending explained: Did Doo-na & Won-jun stay together?

❘ Published: 2023-12-05T20:45:38

Yang Se-jong as Lee Won-jun, Bae Suzy as Lee Doona in DOONA! Episode 5.

Netflix

We’ve analyzed the conclusion of Doona!—the popular Netflix romantic K-drama—exploring the fate of Doo-na (Bae Suzy) and Won-jun (Yang Se-jong) and whether they remain a couple.

Doona! focused on Doo-na as she up and quits her career as the lead of the popular K-pop girl group Dream Sweet. She finds herself living in a shared house near a university and soon meets a normal student named Won-jun. The K-drama was only nine episodes and dived into Doo-na’s loneliness and the reality behind her stardom and career.

Meanwhile, Won-jun is a normal man trying to study hard and get through college so he can support himself and his family. The two become each other’s saving grace, with Doo-na leaning on him to finally have a place to call home and feel loved for who she is.

The Netflix K-drama is a rollercoaster of emotions, tears, reality, and even heartbreak. As the characters fall in love in Doona!, their different lives begin to pose a problem and the ending leaves a question mark about their relationship.

Does Doona!’s ending have Won-jun and Doo-na live happily ever after?

The Doona! K-drama gives an unclear answer, with many speculating the finale was left open-ended on whether or not Doona and Won-jun broke up for good or kept dating in secret.

By Episode 6, the two have started dating and stay together for some time. They are seemingly happy, but Doo-na is still plagued by why she left Dream Sweet behind so suddenly. The eighth episode is when things take a drastic change. While Doo-na has lived her life how she wanted since leaving the spotlight, she realizes it’s inescapable. Even more so when Park In-wook (Lee Jin-wook) sued her for financial damages she could not afford.

When Won-jun comes to see her, he realizes In-wook was there and confronts him to let them live their lives. But Won-jun quickly realizes that In-wook has once again gained control over Doo-na. By Doona! Episode 9, Won-jun and Doo-na have become estranged. She went back to her career but as a solo artist, with Won-jun continuing his studies. It’s clear that both are feeling the effects of living in two different worlds. Meeting for dinner, Won-jun breaks her heart by saying this is as far as they can go together. She’s angered that he has given up on her like the others when she never has.

Four years pass and everyone has moved on. Doo-na is successful as a solo artist and Won-jun is still studying. The former roommates of the shared house gather for one final meal together, but Doo-na is not there. Won-jun goes back later on to get his things and finds her there. They have a drink as if they are strangers before she goes home to an empty and desolate apartment.

Angered, Doo-na confronts Won-jun in his dorm. She tells him she is finally happy with who she is, but begs him to apologize for leaving her and to tell her he regretted it. Won-jun does just that in a confirmation that he never stopped loving her.

Doona! fast forwards to Won-jun getting the highest score on his civil service exam. Doo-na’s career is still doing well. The K-drama’s ending has them both in Japan in a shopping center. They never cross paths, but Doo-na looks behind her as Won-jun walks away. Doona!’s ending leaves their relationship status open to interpretation. Did they break up for good knowing they were each other’s saving grace and move on with their lives? Or are they secretly dating because of Doo-na’s career and happy?

Doona! Episode 9 may have given away the answer

Characters Doo-na and Won-jun in Donna! Episode 9

The opening scene after Doona! Episode 9’s intro has Doo-na and Won-jun reuniting in a field.

While fans may be distraught over the bittersweet ending of Doona!, there’s more to explore and be hopeful for. Going back to the opening of the episode, fans see Doo-na and Won-jun meet each other at a pink field. The scene doesn’t reappear at any time in the episode and isn’t explained.

But it’s clear that the scene has to take place well after Won-jun passed his exam. In the scene, Won-jun looks visibly older and wears the beige trench coat as he did in Japan. It’s also likely that he’s wearing the exact same suit and tie. But Doo-na is wearing a different look compared to her lace Prada at the shopping center.

If latching onto the theory that there’s more to their story, it might be that the two met once again to reconcile their relationship or never broke up in the first place. After all, Won-jun seems to have a knowing smile when looking at Doo-na. To further the theory, Episode 8 shows Won-jun in the same outfit crossing the street after a train passes. Episode 7 shows Doo-na in another look crossing the same street and both take place in Japan based on the writing around them.

At the start of Episode 7, the scene shows both of them facing each other across the train tracks. Small scenes also depict them together at the beach, and Doo-na wearing the same outfit as the field on the train. It may well be that Won-jun and Doo-na kept their relationship a secret.

Doona! is available to stream on Netflix now, and you can check out more of our Netflix coverage below: