The Korean rom-com Love to Hate You primarily follows the story of Mi-ran, an attorney, and Kang-ho, an actor, who fall in love despite their differences. The series is streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
Mi-ran cannot believe what she accidentally overhears from Kang-ho, whom she is familiar with for his acting work, in a parking lot. Disgusted with what she is sure are his sexist beliefs, she glares and storms off.
She has never quite trusted men, and he is clearly uncomfortable with women. She encounters him again at the law firm she has appeared at for a job interview.
Realizing that he is a celebrity client there, she intentionally trips him as he walks by.
Later, Kang-ho becomes determined to figure out who caused his embarrassing fall. Mi-ran is asked about her dating life and to show off her talents as part of her interview.
She decides not to reveal her street-fighting talents and instead dances, and to her surprise, she gets the job.
She and Kang-ho meet again at the elevator where he grows to suspect that she was the one behind his fall, and another time at a work-sponsored dance party where she hides her panic by flirting with him, but this does not deter him from confronting her about the trip.
She lies and says she did it because she was a fan and simply wanted to touch him.
She drunkenly falls asleep in his car and ends up at his place, where she suspects he is grooming a teenage girl, and launches her own investigation.
She seeks permission to overlook his cases professionally at the law firm. He is continuously impressed by her and notices her skill as a street fighter.
He hires her as his personal trainer for an action film. One day, after a session where she discovered the girl she had seen was his niece, she softens, which confuses him.
Then he finds out it is her birthday and takes her out for dinner, where he tries to kiss her. This is leaked by the media, so she signs a contract to pretend they are dating, and the lines between publicization and their growing affection begin to blur.
Mi-ran’s roommate Na-eun and Kang-ho’s manager Won-jun start to develop an interest in each other as well, and eventually, Na-eun confesses but leaves Won-jun confused.
Mi-ran’s relationship status gets her co-workers’ respect and she is also further hired as a stunt double for the action film.
Mi-ran and Kang-ho eventually realize that their relationship is more than legally bonding, as they fall in love but also become embroiled in rumors and unwanted attention.
At a party, everyone finds out about Mi-ran’s past dating life and they begin to ignore her and wonder if Kang-ho should really be with her.
Love to Hate You ending explained in detail:
What happens to Mi-ran when the rumors about her past life leak?
Mi-ran is hurt but tries to hide it at first. She, Kang-ho, Na-eun, and Won-jun decide to leave the party and have dinner and games at her place.
Won-jun tells Na-eun in a private conversation that they should let Kang-ho and Won-jun enjoy the little time they have left, implying that they may have to break up soon because of the damage to their reputations.
For the rest of the night, they all look after each other. The next day, people throw eggs at Mi-ran and loudly berate her.
She is expected to pay three times her salary as a penalty for breaking her contract at the law firm by negatively affecting a client’s public image. After discussing it with Won-jun, she decides that she needs to leave Kang-ho.
Do Kang-ho and Mi-ran break up?
Mi-ran tells Kang-ho she does not want to cause pain to him anymore and insists that they break up. Kang-ho offers an alternate solution.
They tell the media that they have separated, but continue to see each other in private. However, they are soon spotted together by confrontational fans in a karaoke bar, which frustrates them both.
They try to talk back, but this ends up worsening their situation as someone records what they say and the press airs it.
While at a dinner with her other client-turned-confidante, she suddenly receives the information that Kang-ho has called for a press conference. In it, he confirms they are together, defends her character, and asks her to marry him.
She rushes in and turns the proposal down, not wanting to ruin his reputation any further.
As it turns out, her co-workers, including her ex, have her back. They appear on air to talk about Mi-ran’s character and how she has always stood up for the rights of women and those around her.
This completely flips her reputation, and Na-eun convinces her to call Kang-ho. They reunite and are finally supported.
Do Na-eun and Won-jun become a couple?
Na-eun and Won-jun meet for drinks and dinner where Won-jun confesses his feelings. Na-eun is secretly still reeling from the inferiority she feels, thinking that Won-jun is out of her league.
She tells him that it would be unfair to be together while their friends could not still see each other as and when they pleased, and that Won-jun should give her a shot in the “next life.”
At the screening of Kang-ho’s action film, Won-jun shows up in a fancy car with a bouquet of flowers which, as Mi-ran notes, is unlike him.
He goes out of his way to show his love for Na-eun despite his intense dislike for embarrassing himself. Na-eun realizes the depth of his feelings and finally agrees to be his girlfriend, having had feelings for him for a long time.