Crash Landing on You's Unnecessary Death Kinda Ruins Its Happy Ending

The South Korean series Crash Landing on You was a huge hit in 2020, becoming one of the highest-rated K-dramas in history. And it's no wonder, because people fell in love with the show's main cast, including Hyun Bin, Son Ye-Jin, Kim Jung-Hyun, and Seo Ji-Hye, as well as the touching story, playing on the theme of forbidden love in an original and relevant way.

Crash Landing on You delivers a romantic story that's rooted in the national trauma of the division of North and South Korea. However, since it's still a K-drama, the show ends on a positive note with North Korean officer Ri Jeong-hyeok and South Korean businesswoman Yoon Se-ri finding themselves happily in love, in Switzerland.

But despite the central romantic arc wrapping up nicely, fans still couldn't get over one tragic twist at the end of the series, as one of the main characters' death was truly devastating and arguably unnecessary.

The Tragic Death

Kim Jung-hyun's character Gu Seung-jun died tragically in the penultimate episode of the show. The character was a charismatic con man who had a long history with the Yoon family, as Se-ri's father drove Seung-jun's father to bankruptcy and subsequent suicide. Initially, he was more of a revenge-driven antihero, willing to do anything to keep Se-ri in North Korea.

However, Seung-jun undergoes some character development throughout the show, becoming a fan favorite in the process. After escaping to North Korea himself, he meets Seo Dan (Seo Ji-hye), the woman who was supposed to be Jeong-hyeok's wife via arranged marriage. The two fall in love, and Seung-jun sacrifices his life in Episode 15 to save his beloved from kidnappers.

'I am just sad, I want to be angry at this ending but I am too sad to even start a new show today,' one of the fans wrote after watching the K-drama's finale.

Seung-jun's death was a real shock to many people. Seung-jun had wonderful character growth, and Dan also deserved her share of happiness as she did the honorable thing by letting Jeong-hyeok go.

Was His Death Necessary?

Considering how little time Seung-jun and Dan spent together, his death felt incredibly hasty. However, it arguably served as a good plot device for Seo Dan's development, showing that she did not need to fixate on someone in order to be happy.

'It's like she discovered her happiness on her own terms, not letting a romantic fling dictate her entire identity. I've got to hand it to them; it's a pretty solid take,' another fan pointed out.

Source: Reddit.