3 Lessons We Learned About Love From Episode 3 Of "What Comes After Love"

While experiencing situations firsthand helps us grow as individuals, when it comes to love, it’s sometimes better to learn from other’s mistakes rather than enduring heartbreak yourself. Although every relationship is unique and no two people act the same in love, everyone can take away a lesson or two from the third episode of “What Comes After Love.”

From the importance of spending quality time together to communicating your feelings with your partner, here are three lessons about love we learned from episode 3.

Warning: spoilers for episode 3 ahead!

Love is not enough

“Loneliness can make a person feel anxious. Solitude makes love feel weaker, and when youth is added to the mix, everything becomes precarious.” – “What Comes After Love.”

Romanticizing love often leads to the assumption that simply being in love is enough. After all, every rom-com ends after the main leads share a kiss and confess their undying love. However, the media often forgets to show the audience what comes after love.

In episode 3, we finally see the reason behind Hong (Lee Se Young) and Jungo’s (Sakaguchi Kentaro) separation. Neither of them was abusive, toxic, or unfaithful. The reason for their soul-crushing breakup wasn’t something grand but a culmination of small issues that compounded over time, distancing their hearts and replacing love with coldness.

Jungo was taking on as many jobs as possible to provide a better future for Hong. But Hong wasn’t focused on the future; she wanted Jungo’s love and affection when she needed it the most, in the present. In reality, it would be unfair to blame either of them as they were both right in their own places.

We live in a capitalistic society, and money matters, but that doesn’t mean you should focus solely on making money while your partner stares at the walls of your empty shared apartment. Likewise, while spending every moment with your partner is wonderful, money is still necessary for survival.

It’s important to note, however, that the issue wasn’t Jungo working multiple jobs or trying to make money. The real problem was his lack of presence and awareness of what was happening in Hong’s life. She dropped out of her bachelor’s program, her family had to move due to financial difficulties, and she almost became a victim of sexual assault, resulting in an injury to her foot—but Jungo wasn’t there, he never was.

Even in the flashback, when he comes home and sees the crutches by the dining table and the cast on Hong’s foot, he doesn’t ask what happened. If he had shown just a little concern, Hong might have felt the love and stayed.

Communication is the key to a successful relationship

In the end, it all comes down to communication. You can love someone deeply, but if you don’t express that love, your partner may never understand your feelings. Love can bring you closer, but it doesn’t give you the power to read minds.

Continuing from the first lesson, the lack of couple-time was one of the reasons Hong felt distant from Jungo. However, if Jungo had simply communicated his thought process behind taking on multiple jobs, their relationship might not have ended the way it did. Similarly, if Hong had expressed her emotions from the beginning—telling Jungo about her struggles and her desire to spend more time with him—he might have freed up some time to show her the love he had for her.

Love has a mind of its own

Love is not just a state of mind; it’s a decision you make every day—a decision to respect, honor, and support someone through thick and thin. However, sometimes, despite your best efforts, your heart cannot love someone the way they deserve.

On the surface, Min Joon (Hong Jong Hyun) is everything Hong wanted Jungo to be. He is reliable, supportive, and, despite his busy schedule, present. Yet, there’s no spark in Hong’s eyes when she sees him.

The scenes of her trying on wedding dresses—both in the past and the present—illustrate her true feelings about both men. In the past, Hong and Jungo casually walk past a bridal shop, and Hong has a desire to try on the wedding dress—content with both her present and the possibility of marrying Jungo in the future.

In the present, however, as she tries on a dress for her actual wedding, her eyes are dull, and she looks exhausted, as if she’s doing it out of obligation rather than desire, treating it as simply another task to tick off her to-do list.

Episode 3 makes one thing clear about “What Comes After Love”: the script is grounded in reality, making it impossible to place blame solely on one person for the failure of Hong and Jungo’s relationship. Both characters were young and deeply in love, and youthful love often brings an intensity that can be a double-edged sword.

Start watching “What Comes After Love”:

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Hello Soompiers! How do you think Min Joon will react after realizing the reason behind Hong’s sudden sadness? Let us know in the comments!

Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of cliches are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres and stans the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You can talk to her on Instagram @javeriayousufs.

Currently watching: “Dear Hyeri,” “Love Next Door,” and “What Comes After Love.”
Looking forward to: “Squid Game Season 2,” “Good Boy,” and “Reborn.”