Love and Leashes summary and ending explained

‘Love and Leashes’ is a Korean rom-com that follows two co-workers who enter a purely contractual relationship but soon realize everything is not going according to plan.

Summary

Jung Ji-Woo works in a large corporation’s PR department. She develops a sudden attraction towards her new co-worker Jung Ji-hoo but is too apprehensive to make any moves. Due to their similar names one day, Jung Ji-Woo accidentally picks up a package that is meant for Jung Ji-Hoo.

Inside the box, she finds a dog leash but doesn’t think much of it. However, Ji-hoo feels embarrassed but is also surprised that Ji-woo hasn’t told anyone else about it. Later they have an open conversation where Ji-woo’s suspicions are proved right when Ji-hoo admits that the dog leash is intended for S&M use. Ji-woo’s interest peaks as she learns more about BDSM.

Their company organizes an event during which Ji-woo seems aloof and Ji-hoo is hurt and assumes that she finds him disgusting after knowing his truth. But Ji-woo lets him know that she was maintaining distance only to not make him awkward. Touched by her non-judgmental behaviour, Ji-hoo asks her to become his master.

At first, she declines but when she sees other girls flirting with him, she gets jealous and decides to give this a try. They set up rules and sign a three-month contract. On their first play, they go to a hotel room where they indulge in dog play which doesn’t go smoothly as they get noise complaints.

Ji-hoo gifts Ji-woo a pair of red heels which becomes a part of their next play. The company recruits a new intern, Han, and Ji-woo is in charge of him. She mentors him by giving commands and being tough on him. This makes Ji-hoo jealous because he can’t have such a relationship with her in the workplace as he is her senior.

Day by day their plays keep getting more intense but it never leads to sex. They even have an elaborate play in their office. Ji-woo starts wondering what they are outside of this relationship and even starts developing real feelings for Ji-hoo.

She makes an internet friend with whom she shares all her fears and doubts and they advise her to do what she wants as each relationship cannot be defined by a set of rules.

Love and Leashes ending explained in detail:

Fake doms

Ji-hoo and Ji-woo go on a public date for the first time with their hands handcuffed to each other. Ji-woo tells him that they should go out on dates like normal couples as she has started liking him. However, Ji-hoo thinks that’s a bad idea as involving romantic feelings in a D/s relationship might not go well.

Ji-woo’s friend Hyemi runs a café where she has employed a guy to work for her. This guy starts developing feelings for Hyemi and asks her out on a date. The guy takes her to a playroom and starts forcing himself upon her. She tactfully calls Ji-woo and lets her know where she is. Ji-woo who is with Ji-hoo at that time rushes to the address to save Hyemi.

Hyemi is safe but she is distraught that half of the people she came across are fake doms who just want to have sex. Ji-woo thinks that even she is a fake dom as she developed feelings and strayed away from the contract.

Ji-hoo’s past

Ji-hoo’s ex-girlfriend upon getting to know his truth feels disgusted and leaves him. He is deeply affected by this and feels that maybe something is wrong and he should be ashamed of this part of him.

He admits to Ji-woo that he is very competitive and doesn’t want anyone to consider him weak from the outside and that’s why he likes failing and being stomped on in a D/s relationship as it makes him feel alive.

He does have feelings for Ji-woo but is too afraid of getting hurt again so decides to maintain a safe distance from her.

Han

Han, the new intern acquires a voice recording of Ji-woo and Ji-hoo indulging in play in the office. He sends it to everyone in the office putting both of them in deep trouble.

The company conducts a disciplinary hearing where they are ridiculed and laughed at by everyone. Ji-hoo stands up for them and tells everyone off. He also confesses that he likes Ji-woo and would like to take their relationship to the next level.

As they walk out of the office, still not knowing if they have been fired or not they decide to maintain both a romantic and D/s relationship.

At the very end, it is revealed that Ji-woo’s internet friend is none other than Han.


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