JTBC's weekend drama Waiting for Gyeongdo concluded with the reunion of the main actors, but viewers have voiced criticism over the sudden death of a supporting character.
In the final episode aired on the 11th, the long-awaited confirmation of feelings between Lee Gyeongdo and Seo Ji-woo was depicted. The broadcast recorded a viewership rating of 4.7% nationwide and in the metropolitan area, marking its end.
In the final episode, Lee Gyeongdo uncovered the criminal circumstances of Seo Ji-woo's brother-in-law, Kang Min-woo, based on information obtained from Ahn Da-hye. He collaborated with his colleagues to gather evidence and published an article exposing Kang Min-woo's corruption and the attempted sale of Jalim Apparel. As a result of this incident, Kang Min-woo faced legal judgment, and the sisters Seo Ji-woo and Seo Ji-yeon successfully protected their family business, Jalim Apparel.
Although revenge was successful, the relationship between Lee Gyeongdo and Seo Ji-woo was not smooth. Conscious of the world's gaze, Lee Gyeongdo pushed Seo Ji-woo away, and ultimately, following his parents' advice, he took a long vacation to Spain to forget her. Even after a year, the two narrowly missed each other in Malaga, Spain, evoking viewers' sympathy.
What reunited the two was the sudden news of the passing of their club senior, actor Cha Woo-sik. Lee Gyeongdo, who was abroad, hurriedly returned home upon hearing the news and reunited with Seo Ji-woo at the funeral. After the funeral, as Lee Gyeongdo was about to leave again, Seo Ji-woo stopped him at the airport, and with her heartfelt confession that she would be fine as long as he was there, Lee Gyeongdo ultimately decided to settle down, confirming their love with an embrace.
However, some viewers reacted with disbelief to the way this reunion was portrayed. Online communities and social media expressed disappointment over the narrative, questioning whether a perfectly fine character was killed off just to bring the two together, criticizing the implausible death development, and stating that confusion outweighed the emotional impact.
The drama concluded with the protagonist Lee Gyeongdo leaving a deep impression with the line about surrendering to our times, but the tragic device chosen for the dramatic reunion did not resonate sufficiently with viewers, leading to mixed evaluations as the grand journey came to an end.
