It’s Bae Suzy– “the national BAE!” That’s enough to tune in to this drama.
After her intriguingly complex performance in Anna, fans were ecstatic to discover her new drama that explored the intricacies of being a K-Pop idol. This Netflix drama cannot be more meta, considering Bae Suzy has lived this life as the core member of Miss A under JYP Entertainment and then left her music career to pursue acting.
Doona! Navigates the intertwined lives of an idol and a normie. Although it may seem like a fairytale, the narrative relies on the journey, not the destination.
By the climax of Doona!, all the key characters complete their arc and start a new phase of their lives. The main male lead, Won Jun, moves out of his old place and focuses on his exam preparations. The titular character puts all her energy into reviving her musical career as a solo artist after leaving her band, Dream Sweet.
As the end nears, the couple moves far apart as their lives diverge. Per the ending, Won Jun and Doona do not end up together. However, the plot remains ambiguous as there might be a possibility that the two kept their relationship discreet.
Let us explore in depth the ending of the Netflix K-Drama Doona! and what it all means.
What Happened at the End of Doona Kdrama?
The character arcs of the lead couple explore the themes of loneliness, self-respect, depression, abandonment issues, coming out of toxic relationships, and finding the right person at the wrong time.
Doona is a K-pop idol in the girl group Dream Sweet. But just within a few months of their debut, her agency announced that Doo-Na had left the band. What prompted this abrupt departure?
In the first few episodes, Doo-Na comes off as a brat, disregarding others and being generally rude. Well… an unlikeable protagonist yields a compelling story!
However, Doo-Na’s reality has much more nuance than what she shows.
Her struggles began in her childhood when her father abandoned the family, and her mother resorted to scamming and defrauding people for quick bucks. Doo-Na was raised by her grandmother, after which an agency scouted her while she was in high school.
As a trainee, Doo-Na forms a special relationship with the group’s manager. Unbeknownst to her, he is a shady, manipulative, greedy, and selfish human. He tricks Doo-Na to work extra while he pockets her money.
Meanwhile, her agency is unaware of this and criticizes her for being over-tired and hampering the group’s progress.
Eventually, Doo-Na is asked to sit out from the activities and given a shared house to live in so that she does not sign with other agencies.
Meanwhile, one of her own group members creates hostility for Doo-Na as she is jealous of Doo-Na’s rising popularity.
After all the entities against her, Doo-Na finally flips her switch and detaches from the real world.
But with the magic of fate, she meets Won Jun, an Engineering student at a university near her shared house.
The two form a special bond as they find the companionship both were yearning for; which blossoms into a loving relationship.
But Doo-Na’s past comes back to haunt her. Vile people from the previous agency demand her to pay back the financial damages she caused by leaving.
Won Jun realizes that he has to leave Doo-Na so that she can concentrate on pursuing her dreams. He also believes that an ordinary student like him can never be compatible with a famous idol.
In the last episode, we see Won-Jun moving out of his old living arrangement and preparing for the competitive exams. Jumping to the near future, we find out that Won-Jun did clear his civil service exams in the top ranks.
In the other dimension of the timeline, Doo-Na makes her solo debut and is seen thriving.
But will they ever meet again?
Does Won-Jun and Doona End up Together?
The gang plans a reunion. All, except Doona, attend the small get-together. It is revealed that all the friends are doing well in their careers, and Won Jun also has interviews lined up.
After hours of drinking, they bid each other adieu while Won Jun returns to his old dorm to collect his remaining stuff.
And by chance, Doo-Na appears in front of him. The two have a bittersweet conversation while drinking, but later, Doo-Na confronts him for leaving her.
This was the final closure of their relationship.
Cut to the year 2027…. Won Jun has become a big shot in his profession. And Doo-Na has become the nation’s sweetheart, with soaring global popularity. Their lives couldn’t be more divergent.
The Final Sequence Of Doona! And What Does It Mean?
Doo-Na goes on tours where she performs internationally. During one of her pitstops in Japan, she is surrounded by a legion of fans cheering for her.
In another frame, we see a grinning Won-Jun who looks happy looking at the colorful cakes, possibly reminiscing the memories of Doo-na.
However, the two paths never cross; instead, they go parallel and in opposite directions. Doo-na even looks back, but the scene implies that it was just her senses, and she does not actually spot Won Jun.
By the end, the writer wants to convey that the two have moved on in their lives, and there is no way they will get back together.
But is it, though?!!!
Then why show the scene where they secretly meet? Why show the staring sequence where they are seen together?
Here’s a thread summing up why it is a happy ending–
Many fans believe that Doo-Na and Won-Jun are still in a relationship, but they are hiding it from the world so that they are not pestered.
Is There a Season 2 of Doona?
Due to the “open-to-interpretation” ending, a second season won’t harm the series. Also, the series was only for 9 episodes, whereas K-Dramas usually run for 16 episodes.
Adding another layer to their relationship would be the perfect ending to this relationship.
There have been several real-life cases where a K-pop idol has married a non-celebrity. For example, Chen recently married his long-time girlfriend.
Is Doona K-Drama Worth Watching?
Honest Review: The drama does have a low start. You might wonder when the pace will pick up. But that’s the beauty of Doona!… it takes a closer look at the reality of being in vulnerable situations.
Plus, this K-drama explores pragmatic scenarios rather than showing a hunky-dory picture.
I say– try binging it; you will finish it in two days. It is worth watching after the first two episodes.
What is your review? Do you think the theory that the two are in a secret relationship works?
What do you think of the acting and writing of the drama, given that it did receive criticism? Let us know in the comments section below.
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