Chan tried to help Ha-ran with her walls, like how Ha-ran helped her before. Ha-ran, though hesitant, agreed to Chan in In Your Radiant Season episode 3.
In Your Radiant Season episode 3, which aired on February 27, focuses on Ha-ran slowly opening up to Chan after years of pain, culminating in an emotional moment at the palace. Meanwhile, Tae-suk and Ha-young’s budding romance adds a lighter subplot, and Ha-dam’s storyline gives more depth to Ha-ran’s family.
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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the series. Read at your own discretion.
In Your Radiant Season Episode 3 Recap: Chan’s Past and his Connection to Ha-ran
In Your Radiant Season episode 3 opens with a young Seonu Chan begging his mother not to leave, but she departs, leaving him in the care of his strict father. Over the years, Chan tries to nurture his love for art, but his father despises it. He destroys Chan’s art supplies and forces him to move to the U.S. to study science.
While in the U.S., Chan’s father visits for a conference. He discovers a box of Chan’s artwork, destroys it, and storms out in anger. Pushed to his limit, Chan decides to end his life. Just as he is about to jump out the window, Ha-ran’s messages ping loudly on his laptop, stopping him. He notices she has won a competition with the pen he gifted her, and this small connection pulls him back from despair.
Over time, Chan and Ha-ran continue chatting. Her lively personality helps him laugh for the first time in years. In the present, Chan decides he wants to do the same for Ha-ran.
He asks if she will let him be friendly, but she refuses. Undeterred, he declares that he will make her want to be his friend. Later, back at home, Chan transfers a sprig he saved from a glass of water into a pot filled with soil, symbolizing growth and new beginnings.
Ha-ran Tries to Avoid Chan
The morning begins with a surprise from Ha-ran’s youngest sister, Ha-dam. She announces her plan to marry her boyfriend, You-gyum, a baseball player headed to the Mets in the U.S., while she continues her medical studies in South Korea. Na-na agrees to meet him before making a decision.
At work, Chan brings coffee for the office, but Ha-ran deliberately avoids him, even visiting a different coffee shop instead of Mr. Park’s café, Shim. Meanwhile, Ha-young runs out of cash at a food stall and calls the office for help. Yeon Tae-suk answers and comes to assist her. At that moment, Ha-young receives a message setting her up on a blind date with a man named Cha-min.
Na-na grows suspicious that her granddaughters are hiding the truth about Ha-ran’s love life. To convince her, Ha-young pretends Ha-ran has a date and drags her outdoors. Ha-ran tries to pass the time at different spots around the neighborhood. But Chan keeps appearing, which she keeps avoiding.
When they cross paths on the street, he prevents her from being hit by an oncoming bike. She falls, and he suggests going to the hospital. Frustrated at missing her usual spots, Ha-ran insists she doesn’t want anyone close. Chan quietly stands by her side and convinces her to get her wrist checked.
While she is treated for a sprain, he realizes she has been avoiding him all day. Respecting her space, Chan decides to move out of Mr. Park’s café and leave the neighborhood so she can be comfortable.
Back home, Ha-ran receives a call from Mr. Park asking why she hasn’t visited Shim for several days. She blames her absence on work. Later, overhearing a conversation between Mr. Park and Chan, she realizes that Chan’s presence has a positive impact on the old man.
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Chan Supports Ha-ran in In Your Radiant Season
Meanwhile, Chan notices that his plant is starting to wilt. Mr. Park explains that moving a plant into a new environment can cause shock—a subtle parallel to what Ha-ran might be experiencing. Just as Chan is about to tell Ha-ran he plans to move out, Mr. Park reminds him that his presence feels like that of a son.
The scene shifts to Cha You-gyum, who leaves baseball practice to check on Ha-dam. On a phone call, she hears him shout and panics, rushing to find him. Fortunately, he is fine and had only been helping someone in trouble.
At the office, Ha-ran notices her teammates are unusually comfortable around Chan. She wonders if he made friends with everyone, not just her. During a meeting with Na-na, Chan mentions he plans to visit the palace to photograph its architecture for work.
Na-na instructs Ha-ran to accompany him. Meanwhile, Tae-suk overhears Ha-young talking excitedly about her blind date with Cha-min. Later, at a hotel meeting, Tae-suk sees Cha-min giving flowers to another girl.
At the palace, Chan and Ha-ran examine the colors and patterns on the walls. Suddenly, Chan realizes Ha-ran is missing. He searches and finds her sitting in tears at a gazebo.
She explains that she heard a woman’s voice that sounded like her mother, which brought back painful memories. A flashback reveals that Ha-ran’s family had been traveling in two cars when the one carrying her parents and Ha-dam was struck by a truck, killing her parents instantly.
Ha-ran Agrees to be Friend with Chan
At present, Chan recalls the moment he heard Ha-ran call his name while he was unconscious in the hospital. He tells her that it is natural to hear the voice of someone you miss. Ha-ran then apologizes for her past behavior, explaining that she built walls around herself out of fear of losing someone again. Now, she feels trapped behind those walls.
Back at the office, Tae-suk overhears Ha-young talking to Cha-min about their meeting. He reminds her that Na-na wants to see her. Ha-young cancels her plans and heads to Na-na’s office, only to find it unexpectedly empty.
On their way home, Chan admits he wants to be friends with everyone, but his connection with Ha-ran is different. He opens up about his own battle with depression. A flashback shows how responding to Ha-ran’s messages and their daily chats changed his life and inspired him to return to art.
He now wants to help her escape the long winter she has been enduring. As they part ways, Ha-ran says she wants to learn how to overcome that winter, and Chan gladly agrees—just for three months. They shake on it. In the final moments, the headlights of a passing car trigger memories from the blast, and this time, Chan hears a sound he hadn’t noticed before.
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In Your Radiant Season Episode 3 Review
Episode 3 of In Your Radiant Season carefully nudges Ha-ran and Chan closer, showing her gradual willingness to accept help despite her painful past. The episode moves from her initial frustration to the palace incident, where both characters open up emotionally. While some of her avoidance scenes in the neighborhood feel prolonged, the more intimate moments land, especially her streetlight outburst and the final scene where she decides to embrace happiness. The catfishing subplot, however, remains a weak point, as Chan never clarifies the laptop mix-up.
Meanwhile, a subtle romance begins between Tae-suk and Ha-young. Though largely one-sided, his quiet care contrasts delightfully with her lively personality, creating a charming dynamic. Ha-dam also gets her own spotlight, adding depth to Ha-ran’s family story, while hints of mystery start threading through the narrative.
The episode closes with a compelling hook: the sound Chan hears at the end is unfamiliar, hinting at gaps in his memory. This tease adds intrigue and sets up future revelations. Combined with polished visuals and a gentle soundtrack, Episode 3 deepens the emotional stakes and keeps viewers invested in the unfolding story.
Episodes of In Your Radiant Season airs every Friday and Saturday at 10:00 PM (KST) and 9:00 PM (PHT) via MBC and Disney+. The next episode will be on February 28.
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