Tae-ju and Jung-in: Wonderland characters explained

With Tae-ju in an unconscious state, Jung-in turns to the Wonderland service to help cope with his absence. Park Bo-gum plays Tae-ju and Bae Suzy plays Jung-in.

Tae-ju and Jung-in are deeply in love, but their love story takes a tragic turn when Tae-ju falls into a coma with no hope of waking up. 

To fill the void left by his absence, Jung-in uses Wonderland to maintain the illusion that Tae-ju is alive and well and that they are in a long-distance relationship.

Navigating between reality and illusion

In the AI-stimulated world of Wonderland, Jung-in chooses to make Tae-ju an astronaut because the real Tae-ju feels far away from her. 

The Wonderland version of Tae-ju acts as both Jung-in’s AI assistant and boyfriend, knowing every detail about her life and taking care of her. 

Jung-in talks to him frequently, and they go on virtual dates, which allows Jung-in to replace the real Tae-ju with the Wonderland Tae-ju.

Wonderland Tae-ju and Jung-in
Jung-in goes on virtual dates with the Wonderland version of Tae-ju

When the real-life Tae-ju miraculously wakes up, Jung-in is relieved, but the doctor warns her that Tae-ju will have problems adjusting. 

Jung-in decides to discontinue Wonderland now that she has the real Tae-ju. Initially, she is happy to have Tae-ju back, but her happiness is short-lived. 

As warned by the doctor, Tae-ju suffers from cognitive dissonance. He struggles to return to his old self and adapt to daily life.

Similarly, Jung-in has difficulty accepting the fact that Tae-ju has changed. She feels disconnected from him, as she no longer understands him. 

She misses the Wonderland Tae-ju, who was more like the person she fell in love with. Tae-ju tries to make Jung-in happy, but all his efforts fail, resulting in Jung-in reactivating Wonderland.

Coming to terms with reality

When a fire breaks out in Tae-ju’s building, the police suspect Tae-ju. Even Jung-in does not believe him when he tells her that he is not responsible for the fire. 

To prove that he is better now and mend their relationship, Tae-ju plans to go on a trip with Jung-in, but she is hesitant. Tae-ju then questions her about the calls she keeps getting.

Jung-in decides to reveal the truth, and Tae-ju finds out that Jung-in has been talking to his virtual counterpart. He realizes that she expects him to be like the Wonderland Tae-ju. 

Tae-ju is aware that he may never meet her expectations, so he decides to end their relationship. Jung-in then discontinues the Wonderland service for good, ending the astronaut Tae-ju’s story by returning him to Earth. 

In their final meeting, Jung-in explains to Tae-ju why she initially used the service. Tae-ju then says goodbye to her, and they part ways. 

However, Jung-in then recalls their time together and realizes that she cannot let him go. She decides to accept the real Tae-ju, and they give their relationship another chance.


Also Read: Wonderland summary and ending explained

Muskan Chhatwani
Muskan Chhatwani
Muskan is an editor at The Envoy Web. Her name translates to smile in English, but she likes shows and films that do anything but make you smile. She believes that analyzing and interpreting the tiny little things on-screen can reveal a story that is not visible to everyone, a story of your own.

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