Dear X episode 3 centers on Baek Ah-jin and her plan to permanently free herself from her father’s grip. But her desire comes with a prize—a sacrifice that she must endure.
HBO Max and TVING released the first four episodes of Dear X on November 06, 2025. Dear X episode 3, titled Breaking The Shackles With A Sacrifice, centers on Baek Ah-jin working in a cafe. That stunt was her way to get closer with Choi Jung-ho, the cafe owner, and a tool for her plans.
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Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers about Dear X. Read at your own risk.
Baek Ah-jin’s New Work in Dear X Episode 3
Dear X episode 3 opens with Ah-jin watching a man chase down and knock out a thief on the street. She’s clearly intrigued. The man turns out to be Choi Jung-ho, a former baseball star. Jun-seo’s voiceover adds that this moment happens right before Ah-jin “opened the gates of hell.” Before long, Ah-jin lands a part-time job at Jung-ho’s café.
Jun-seo tries to convince Ah-jin to move somewhere safe and avoid her father. However, Ah-jin would rather send her father money regularly to keep him quiet. While working at the café, customers quickly notice her beauty. Pictures of her spread online and even Mi-ri ends up seeing them.
Ah-jin later finds out that Jung-ho’s promising baseball career ended because of an injury caused by a player named Kwak Eun-hyeok. Around the same time, PB Entertainment’s CEO Im Seung-ryong visits the café and talks to Jung-ho, hinting at a possible new opportunity.
Meanwhile, the number of stalkers in the neighborhood continues to rise. One of them sees Ah-jin’s viral photos and shows up at the café. Since the store is about to close, her co-worker Yoo-sik turns him away, but the stalker secretly follows Ah-jin on her way home.
Jun-seo eventually finds Ah-jin beating the stalker with a rock. She lashes out at him for arriving late and demands to know how far he’ll go for her. He says he’ll do anything except kill someone, which clearly disappoints her. After she leaves, Jun-seo calls an ambulance for the injured man and throws the rock into a river to erase any evidence.
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The Lies of Baek Ah-jin
Ah-jin goes home and overhears her father on the phone, trying to sell her off again. When she approaches him, he threatens to kill her before storming out. The next day at the café, Jung-ho notices the bruise on her neck and becomes concerned.
Meanwhile, Jun-seo spots Sun-gyu selling a hidden camera to someone. Sun-gyu realizes he’s being recorded, and the two get into a fight. Sun-gyu collapses, and Jun-seo picks up a brick, but he can’t bring himself to use it. The police arrive soon after and take both of them to the station.
Ah-jin witnesses everything. At the station, she lies to the police and claims that Jun-seo is her stalker and the one responsible for her injured neck. She also deletes the incriminating video of Sun-gyu from Jun-seo’s phone. Later, Ah-jin tells Jun-seo that he clearly isn’t capable of dealing with her father the way she needs.
Jung-ho Tries to Look After Ah-jin
Ah-jin shows up to work with a new bandage on her neck. Jung-ho notices right away, and Ah-jin tells him she has a stalker. Worried, he insists on driving her home for the next few days. When they arrive, Ah-jin finds a dead mouse in a box at her door. The stalker watches from the shadows, and Jung-ho chases after him, but the man escapes. Before leaving, Jung-ho hands Ah-jin a baseball bat for protection.
Later, Yoo-sik sees Ah-jin at a convenience store. He also spots the same stalker from before, but he realizes Ah-jin doesn’t look scared of him at all. That night, Ah-jin destroys her own apartment from top to bottom.
The next day, Mi-ri approaches Ah-jin again and offers her a contract. This time, Ah-jin says she’s interested but needs to settle something first. She tells Jung-ho that someone broke into her place and wrecked it. She also claims Jun-seo is away, which leads Jung-ho to offer his home for her to stay in temporarily.
When Yoo-sik tries to warn Jung-ho about seeing Ah-jin and the stalker together, Ah-jin suddenly cuts her own hand to divert attention. Meanwhile, she texts her father and tells him to come to her apartment at 8 to collect money.
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The End for Sun-gyu in Dear X Episode 3
Jung-ho sends Ah-jin to his house by taxi, but she tells the driver to take her to her apartment instead so she can pick up some things. When she arrives, her father is already waiting. She hands him a beanie and convinces him to put it on.
When she refuses to give him the money, he begins to beat her. However, she has already called Jung-ho, and he rushes over. Jung-ho fights Sun-gyu and eventually strikes him in the head with the baseball bat.
Dear X episode 3 final moments are tense and unsettling. Ah-jin is also seen swinging the bat. Sun-gyu lies dead on the floor. Jung-ho runs down the stairs in shock, while Jun-seo, newly released, runs toward Ah-jin’s place. The episode ends with Ah-jin calling 911 to report that her father is bleeding, all while laughing uncontrollably.
What to Expect in Dear X Episode 4
Tensions might rise as Ah-jin’s schemes become even more daring in Dear X episode 4. Viewers can expect her to manipulate those around her while keeping Jun-seo close, testing the limits of their trust and loyalty. Meanwhile, new threats emerge that challenge her carefully constructed plans.
Additionally, her interactions with Jung-ho and Joon-seo will intensify, revealing deeper layers of her cunning and ambition. Episode 4 promises high-stakes drama, suspense, and unexpected twists that push Ah-jin closer to her goals.
Catch the first four episodes of Dear X on TVING and HBO Max. The succeeding episodes will be available every Thursday with two episodes each week. New episodes air at 18:00 (KST) / 17:00 (PHT) on HBO Max and TVING.
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