Beyond the Bar season finale Ending Explained: Do Jin-woo and Min-jeong end up together?

The South Korean drama Beyond the Bar closed out its run on September 7, 2025, delivering a finale that balanced courtroom tension with heartfelt personal resolutions. The series was directed by Kim Jae-hong and written by Park Mi-hyeon, and stars Lee Jin-wook, Jung Chae-yeon, Lee Hak-joo, and Jeon Hye-bin. SLL, BA Entertainment, Studio S, and Story Allum Corporation are the production companies involved. 

With the Beyond the Bar 12th episode, titled Beyond Love’s Vow, marking the conclusion, fans were eager to know whether Jin-woo and Min-jeong’s romance found a satisfying conclusion and how the finale tied together the show’s larger themes of justice and love.

Jin-woo and Min-jeong’s romantic resolution in the Beyond the Bar finale

Jin-woo and Min-jeong’s relationship, complicated by a 10-year age gap, had been slowly building over the series. Min-jeong, divorced and raising a child, feared judgment from Jin-woo’s family and from society at large. Unfortunately, she overhears concerns about their relationship and eventually distances herself from Jin-Woo. Her reason for worry, though purely out of love, is that she intends to let Jin-woo end up with someone who can give him a simpler path to marriage.

In Beyond the Bar episode 12, after heartfelt conversations with Seok-hoon and Hyo-min about the nature of love and commitment, Jin-woo realizes that passion alone isn’t enough and that love also means perseverance when challenges arise. Drawing courage from this, Jin-woo stages a public proposal in front of colleagues, risking rejection. At first, Min-jeong hesitates, but eventually, she accepts, giving viewers the romantic resolution they had been hoping for. 

Meanwhile, Seok-hoon and Hyo-min remain the show’s unresolved pair. Through the matchmaking subplot, they find themselves unexpectedly paired by an AI dating program and even share a tentative date. The finale stops short of giving them a clear romantic resolution. Instead, it ends on an open note - Hyo-min asking Seok-hoon what love means to him, just as the screen fades to black.

Recap of Beyond the Bar finale

Episode 12 balances multiple storylines, from courtroom cases to personal reckonings. The main case involves a couple locked in a contract marriage built on co-parenting rather than love. When the husband seeks divorce after developing genuine feelings, his wife insists he is violating their agreement. The case forces Hyo-min to face ethical and emotional dilemmas about the role of love in marriage. Though she ultimately loses in court, her arguments highlight the many ways relationships can be defined.

Elsewhere, the political turmoil at Yullim Law Firm comes to an end. Na-yeon exposes Ko Seung-cheol’s corrupt dealings, setting the stage for a cleaner, more principled future at the firm. Seok-hoon stands by her side, reaffirming his role as the moral backbone of Yullim. The Beyond the Bar finale also touches on family reconciliation. Hyo-min’s twin sister, Hyo-ju, visits their parents, showcasing growth and healing after years of estrangement. Meanwhile, Seok-hoon’s search for companionship - motivated in part by his ex-wife’s condition for keeping custody of Hash, the dog - leads to the fateful AI matchmaking with Hyo-min.

As the episode draws to a close, the show circles back to its core theme. Romantic, familial, and even professional love drive the characters forward. For Jin-woo and Min-jeong, it’s a happily-ever-after. For Hyo-min and Seok-hoon, it’s a question mark.

All 12 episodes of the legal drama series are available for streaming exclusively on Netflix in the United States.