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| Can This Love Be Translated? (2026) Ending Explained, Full Recap & Honest Review of Netflix’s K-Drama Finale (Photo: Netflix) |
Can This Love Be Translated? (이 사랑 통역 되나요?) has officially wrapped its 12-episode run on Netflix, and the finale leaves viewers sitting in that familiar space between emotional satisfaction and quiet ache. Directed by Yoo Young Eun, this romance-drama doesn’t go big with dramatic twists for shock value. Instead, it leans into restraint, miscommunication, and the exhausting cost of loving someone when words themselves are the battlefield.
Can This Love Be Translated? is a Netflix original Korean drama starring Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung, centred on an interpreter and a global star whose relationship blurs the line between professional translation and emotional truth. The finale delivers a muted but deeply meaningful conclusion that fits the drama’s core themes of language, silence, and emotional distance.
The final episode opens in the aftermath of the media scandal that exposes how fragile Mu-hee’s carefully curated public image really is. For the first time, both Mu-hee and Ho-jin are stripped of their professional armour. No press room. No microphones. No filtered translations.
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They reunite briefly, sharing a fragile moment of honesty that feels more like a pause than a reunion. Neither of them pretends this fixes everything. The love is real, but so is the emotional damage they both carry.
At an overseas event, Mu-hee stumbles on the red carpet — a symbolic moment reflecting her internal collapse. Japanese actor Hiro, arriving moments later, instinctively catches her. Cameras flash. The image goes viral. This single unscripted moment sets off a chain reaction that later leads producers to imagine a “perfect pairing” neither actor actively sought.
In Japan, Ho-jin brings Mu-hee to a trusted doctor. Here, the drama peels back Mu-hee’s past trauma. She reveals her anxiety, recurring visions of Do Ra-mi, and a childhood accident that took her parents — memories she cannot fully access. A brief flashback reveals Ho-jin overhearing her estranged relatives, confirming how alone she truly is.
The doctor’s verdict is unsettling but honest: her physical tests are fine, but unresolved trauma remains. No medication can translate pain that’s never been spoken.
At a party, Mu-hee meets Hiro again — and doesn’t recognise him at all. It’s quietly devastating. The man the world is pairing her with is emotionally invisible to her, reinforcing how disconnected she feels from her own public narrative.
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Ho-jin is offered an interpreter role on a new travel programme, Romantic Trip, recommended by Ji-seon. He accepts partly to avoid attending Ji-seon’s wedding — an emotionally honest but morally messy decision.
The twist lands when Ho-jin realises Mu-hee is the show’s lead actress.
During a preliminary interview, Mu-hee freezes after seeing Do Ra-mi again. Her composure cracks on camera. Later, Yong-u implies Ho-jin is only there because of Ji-seon, reopening wounds both characters refuse to heal.
Ho-jin and Mu-hee finally confront each other. She admits her medical tests were clear, yet her visions persist. He criticises her lack of self-care. She retaliates by dragging Ji-seon into the argument. The truth spills out: Ho-jin took the job to escape, not to face anything.
Ho-jin quits.
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Moments later, Mu-hee experiences a full panic episode in an elevator with Do Ra-mi. When the doors open, the crew witnesses her breakdown. The public persona collapses completely.
Back home, Ho-jin reflects on his fractured family history, reminded that words — even when honest — can wound.
Mu-hee reaches out again. Over a calm meal, they apologise sincerely. There’s no promise, no grand reunion. They accept that some dreams — like watching the aurora borealis together — remain unfulfilled.
Just as closure settles in, Mu-hee receives a call: she’s been confirmed as the Romantic Trip lead after all. Panic returns. She realises the only person who can help her navigate this emotional minefield is Ho-jin.
She asks him to come with her.
He says yes.
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The ending of Can This Love Be Translated? is intentionally unresolved — and that’s the point.
Mu-hee and Ho-jin don’t end up together in the traditional sense. Instead, they choose honesty over illusion. The final acceptance isn’t about romance, but trust.
Ho-jin agreeing to accompany Mu-hee again doesn’t mean everything is fixed; it means they’re finally choosing truth over performance.
The series argues that love doesn’t always translate into permanence. Sometimes, it translates into presence — staying when it’s uncomfortable, listening without editing, and allowing silence to exist without fear.
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Kim Seon Ho as Ju Ho-jin – A gifted interpreter who learns that neutrality is impossible when emotions enter the room.
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Go Youn Jung as Cha Mu-hee – A global star whose sharp tongue hides unresolved grief and fear.
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Fukushi Sota as Kurosawa Hiro – A symbol of public narrative versus private reality.
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Lee Yi Dam as Sin Ji-seon – Quietly pivotal, representing emotional choices Ho-jin avoids.
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Choi Woo Sung as Kim Yong-u – Manager, protector, and reluctant witness to Mu-hee’s unraveling.
A soft, emotionally layered ending that values honesty over closure.
Not a crowd-pleasing finale, but a deeply fitting one. The drama stays true to its themes, rewarding patient viewers with emotional realism rather than fantasy romance.
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Is the ending sad or happy?
It’s bittersweet. Not tragic, not joyful — emotionally honest.
Do Mu-hee and Ho-jin end up together?
Not officially, but they choose to walk forward together again, without labels.
Has Season 2 been confirmed?
No. Season 2 is not confirmed.
Are there sequel rumours?
Yes, there are ongoing rumours. Take them with a grain of salt. Fans are hopeful, but nothing is locked in.
What could Season 2 focus on if it happens?
A second season could explore long-term healing, public scrutiny, and whether love can survive once everything has already been translated.
Can This Love Be Translated? isn’t a drama that shouts its emotions. It whispers them — and trusts viewers to listen closely. If you appreciate character-driven storytelling, emotional restraint, and endings that linger rather than conclude, this is one finale worth discussing.
Did the ending work for you, or did you want more certainty? Let’s talk — because some stories aren’t meant to end quietly