Is Come and Hug Me Kdrama Worth Watching? Review & Ending

There’s a reason K-dramas about childhood first loves tangled in family secrets keep pulling viewers in — they promise that even the deepest wounds can be healed by the right person. Come and Hug Me, a 2018 MBC series starring Jang Ki-yong and Jin Ki-joo, tests that promise against a father who is a serial killer. This guide breaks down the drama’s plot twist, its controversial ending, and whether the journey is worth your time for fans of melodrama and thriller romance.

Year aired: 2018 ·
Total episodes: 32 (30 min each) / 16 (60 min each) ·
Main leads: Jang Ki-yong, Jin Ki-joo ·
Broadcaster: MBC ·
IMDb rating: 7.3/10 ·
Streaming platforms: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

Seven production details define the official profile of this series.

The implication: this is a standard MBC production run with no extended or truncated seasons.

Is Come and Hug Me kdrama worth watching?

Critical reception and ratings

• IMDb rating: 7.3/10 (IMDb (user ratings database))
• MyDramaList rating: 8.2/10 (MyDramaList (community ratings))
• Aired as a Wednesday-Thursday drama on MBC (Wikipedia (series encyclopedia))

The IMDb score of 7.3 places it solidly in average territory for Korean dramas, though fan communities like MyDramaList rate it higher at 8.2, indicating a more niche appeal.

Common viewer praise vs. criticism

IMDb user commentary calls the acting “phenomenal” and the storyline “exceptional” (IMDb (user reviews)). The drama’s emotional weight and lead chemistry earn consistent praise. On the flip side, the slow-burn pacing and heavy focus on trauma discomfort some viewers expecting a lighter romance.

Who should watch this drama

If you enjoy character-driven melodramas with a thriller edge — think Flower of Evil or The Smile Has Left Your Eyes — this series fits. It’s best for viewers who value emotional payoff over fast plot mechanics.

Is Come and Hug Me a romance?

Genre mix: romance, melodrama, thriller

• Wikipedia categorizes it as romance, melodrama, and thriller (Wikipedia (series encyclopedia))
• Apple TV lists it as a crime drama (Apple TV (streaming listing))
• Viki calls it a reunion story of former first loves healing trauma (Viki (streaming platform))

The genre classification varies by source, but the core is romance wrapped in a thriller package — the love story is the engine, but the murder plot is the fuel.

The central love story

The leads, Yoon Na-moo (Jang Ki-yong) and Gil Nak-won (Jin Ki-joo), share a childhood first love that was shattered when Na-moo’s father killed Nak-won’s parents. Years later, they meet again: he is a detective, she is an actress. The romance is about rebuilding trust while the past threatens them from two sides — the father’s crimes and their own trauma.

How the romance intertwines with the murder plot

The father, Yoon Hee-jae (Huh Joon-ho), is a serial killer whose actions directly connect the leads. His crimes force them apart as children and later create the central conflict: can they love each other while carrying the weight of his violence? The romance doesn’t exist despite the murder story — it exists because of it.

Does Come and Hug Me have a good ending?

Plot twist explained

The final episodes hinge on the father’s abduction of his son and the female lead. The police corner him, and in a direct confrontation, the father is arrested for abduction, confinement, and two murder cases (The Writers Room (fan recap blog)). The twist is that the father’s crimes are fully exposed, and the leads no longer have to hide.

Happy or sad resolution

Multiple fan recaps confirm the ending is happy. K Drama Kween calls it “ultimately happy” — the protagonists are alive and together, and the villain is behind bars (K Drama Kween (fan review blog)). Meicchi’s Blog agrees: the finale is satisfactory because the antagonists are locked away and the couple can find peace (Meicchi’s Blog (fan review blog)). The leads reunite after overcoming the final obstacle.

Fan reactions to the finale

Reactions are broadly positive, with viewers praising the emotional payoff. Some note the pacing in the final arc feels rushed, but the consensus is that the ending delivers on the promise of healing and closure.

Where can I watch Come and Hug Me?

Netflix availability (region-dependent)

Netflix Thailand currently hosts the series, confirming regional availability in that market (Netflix Thailand (streaming platform)). In other regions, Netflix may not carry it, so check your local library.

Amazon Prime Video

Prime Video offers the series in multiple countries, including the United States. Apple TV’s listing confirms Prime Video and Viki as primary carriers (Apple TV (streaming listing)).

Other streaming platforms

• Viki — available in selected countries (Viki (streaming platform))
• The Roku Channel — listed as an option (Roku (streaming platform))
• Apple TV — available to purchase or rent in some regions

The drama has 32 episodes at 30 minutes each, or a 16-episode version at 60 minutes, so total runtime is about 16 hours.

If you enjoy crime-driven melodramas, you might also like our review of Woman of the Dead: Is It Worth Watching? Season 2 Guide.

What is the plot twist of Come and Hug Me?

The father’s role and the murder

The central twist is that Yoon Hee-jae, the father of the male lead, is a serial killer whose crimes victimized the female lead’s family. This is not a late reveal — it’s established early — but the full extent of his manipulation and the hidden connections unfold over the series.

The connection between leads as children

The leads were childhood sweethearts before the murder tore them apart. Their reunion years later is complicated by the fact that the male lead’s father is the killer. The twist is that the female lead discovers the truth, and the male lead must choose between protecting his father and protecting her.

Revelations in the last episodes

The Korean Lass recap details how the female lead receives a bloody hammer in a red box, a message from the father, forcing the couple into a direct confrontation (The Korean Lass (fan recap blog)). The finale reveals that the father abducted his own son and the female lead, and the police capture him. The Writers Room recap emphasizes that “evil destroys itself” — the father’s own actions bring about his demise (The Writers Room (fan recap blog)).

Upsides & downsides

Timeline

• May 16, 2018 — First episode airs on MBC
• May – July 2018 — Weekly broadcast, rating fluctuations
• July 19, 2018 — Final episode airs
• 2018 – present — Streaming on Netflix and Prime Video in select regions

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Come and Hug Me is a 2018 MBC drama
• Main leads are Jang Ki-yong and Jin Ki-joo
• Available on Netflix in some countries and Amazon Prime Video
• 32 episodes (30 min each) or 16 (60 min)
• The ending is widely considered happy (K Drama Kween (fan review blog))

What remains unclear

• Exact Netflix region list — may vary over time
• Whether all kissing scenes are real or simulated (varies per actor and scene)
• Specific viewer demographic breakdown
• Whether the drama will be released on additional streaming platforms
• Whether a second season is in development (no official announcement)

Key perspectives

“A police officer and an actress with tragic pasts try to overcome their painful wounds.”

— Netflix synopsis (Netflix Thailand (streaming platform))

“The series originally aired on MBC from May 16 to July 19, 2018.”

— Wikipedia (Wikipedia (series encyclopedia))

“A dramatic love story linked by a murder.”

— IMDb description (IMDb (user ratings database))

What this means for viewers

For K-drama fans weighing whether to invest 16 hours in Come and Hug Me, the play is clear: if you want a romance that earns its happy ending by confronting real darkness, this series delivers. The implication for viewers who prefer lighter fare is equally clear: the trauma is not a backdrop — it is the story.

For the average thriller-melodrama fan in New Zealand or Australia, streaming availability on Prime Video makes it accessible. The choice: embrace the slow burn and emotional payoff, or skip it for something with less emotional weight. Ultimately, Jang Ki-yong and Jin Ki-joo make the emotional journey worth the investment for patient viewers.

Frequently asked questions