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Main Characters
Jiwon Kang
Jiwon Kang (Kang Ji-won)
Played by: Park Min-young (TV series)
Jiwon Kang
Click here to see the live-action Ji-won:
The main character, who worked for U&K Foods's marketing team. In the first timeline, she married Minhwan Park, who abused her alongside his mother. She eventually developed cancer and came across Minhwan cheating on her with Sumin. For discovering this betrayal, Jiwon was slapped so hard by Minhwan against a piece of furniture that it killed her. She travels back in time 10 years before her death and vows to take revenge on Minhwan and Sumin by manipulating them into marrying each other.
- All-Loving Heroine: Subverted somewhat. After returning to the past, Jiwon is laser-focused on her revenge and deeply cynical about finding love again. But she is still a compassionate, friendly person who comes to realize how much she mattered in the lives of the people around her.
- One example was when she attends Minhwan and Jaok Kim’s funerals. Despite how badly they’ve treated her, she still prays for them to rest in peace, and vows to bring Jaok’s killer to justice.
- Baldness Means Sickness: Jiwon was dying of cancer in the first timeline, so she wore a small cap to cover her bald head.
- Broken Bird: Jiwon during the first timeline was so broken that she becomes deeply cynical during the second timeline and has trust issues when it comes to Jihyeok's affections.
- Kindhearted Cat Lover: Jiwon loves cats. She tried to help a small cat when she was in college who turned out to be Pang, Jiheok's cat. In the first timeline, her smart phone wallpaper showed her with a different cat smiling.
- Manipulative Bastard: Much better at influencing people than Sumin is in the second timeline. She successfully hitches Minhwan and Sumin together, resulting in a turbulent marriage ending in the former's death and the latter's arrest for murdering her mother-in-law.
- Oblivious to Love: She had no clue Jihyeok was in love with her until he starts making it clear to her in the second timeline. She didn't even remember him clearly when she first returned to the past, and his stoic, intimidating nature made it hard for her to recognize his massive crush on her. Once she does figure it out, she doesn't get into a relationship with him immediately due to her past trauma. She eventually relents after the press conference.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: Jiwon typically wore glasses, a ponytail, and plain clothes during the first timeline. For the high school reunion during the second timeline, Jiwon dolls up and gets contacts, and loses the ponytail, stunning her former classmates and angering Sumin. She keeps her new look permanently.
Jihyeok Yu
Jihyeok Yu (Yoo Ji-hyuk)
Played by: Na In-woo (TV series)
Jihyeok Yu
Click here to see the live-action Jihyeok:
Jiwon's former boss at U&K Foods. He acts cold and stern to all of his employees, but is actually considerate and helpful towards Jiwon, having had a crush on her for a long time. He is the grandson of U&K Foods' CEO, and Huiyeon's older brother. He's also a time traveler, having traveled to the past after walking into the ocean mourning for Jiwon's death.
- Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Gets hit with the car Sumin was driving instead of Huiyeon in the webcomic, and was in a coma for weeks.
- Adaptational Nice Guy: The webcomic portrays Jihyeok as kinder and more patient than in the original webnovel where he's colder, more irritable, pettier and crueler when it comes to jealousy towards other men Jiwon interacts with, and more aggressive in his pursuit of Jiwon.
- Cannot Talk to Women: Jihyeok has trouble communicating with Jiwon at the beginning, speaking to her in a cold, blunt way. It's one of the reasons Jiwon didn't really remember him when she traveled back to the past.
- Devoted to You: Acts this way towards Jiwon in the second timeline. He openly tells Jiwon to use him and his vast connections and wealth in her schemes and gets between Minhwan and Jiwon whenever he can. Once he and Jiwon start dating, he becomes almost like a faithful puppy to Jiwon.
- Dogged Nice Guy: Jihyeok is patient and understands why Jiwon wouldn’t want to be in a new relationship after what happened with Minhwan. He does tell her that she can rely on him and use him when she needs him, but is okay with waiting for Jiwon to come around to her feelings on her own, which she does eventually.
- Driven to Suicide: He drowned himself in the original timeline after Jiwon died.
- Foil: To Eunho. Both are Jiwon's attractive suitors that have loved her for years, however while Eunho is kind and knows when to back off, Jihyeok is more cold and persistent.
- He Cleans Up Nicely: After Jiwon tells him he looks better without glasses he gets contacts and starts wearing slightly more stylish suits.
- I'm Taking Him Home with Me!: Upon finding the dying Pang after Jiwon's college boyfriend poisoned him, Jiheyok takes him in and becomes Jihyeok's lovable pet cat.
- Jerkass: Very much so in the webnovel, where he's even gone as far as to bully Sinu out of jealousy because Jiwon asked for his number. He at least has the decency to feel embarrassed about it after finding out she got his number for Jiye, who's interested in Sinu.
- Single-Target Sexuality: Has only ever been attracted to Jiwon and has refused all the women his grandfather has set him up with.
- The Stoic: He doesn’t say much, and has an intimidating stature, but becomes much warmer once you get to know him.
- Tall, Dark, and Snarky: He's tall, has black hair, and verbally cuts down people he doesn't like without them being able to do much to him because of his status.
- Unexpected Virgin: Much to Jiwon’s surprise, he’s never been with a woman before her.
Minhwan Park
Minhwan Park (Park Min-hwan)
Played by: Lee Yi-kyung (TV series)
Minhwan Park
Jiwon's coworker. In the first timeline, he married Jiwon while seeing Sumin on the side, and slapped Jiwon hard against a piece of furniture when she found out, killing her. In the second timeline, Jiwon leaves Minhwan and he marries Sumin after she fakes a pregnancy.
- Does Not Like Spam: Doesn't like fried or greasy foods.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Turns to alcohol after he goes into debt and gets disowned for being infertile by his father/humiliated by his friends about it in the webnovel.
- Entitled Bastard: Minhwan believes that Jiwon can only be with him because he was the only one “willing” to go out with the plain, bespectacled girl, and therefore can treat her however he wants. Once Jiwon leaves him, he becomes an abusive stalker in denial, until his marriage with Sumin forced him to face reality and fall apart at the mention of Jiwon.
- Entitled to Have You: Even before his Entitled Bastard self is on full display, Minhwan feels that he's the only person entitled to have Jiwon because he was the only one who paid attention to her before her makeover even though he only did so for a bet.
- The Gambling Addict: Minhwan is constantly in debt because of his failing stocks. He actually did better in the stock market in the first timeline; Jiwon investing in some of his original stocks in the second timeline leads Minhwan into making bad decisions and borrowing money from loan sharks whose ad Jiwon sent to him.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: With his life falling apart, he decides to take an insurance policy out on Sumin and kill her. But when he learns that his mother has died, he tries to get to her by car... but remembers too late that he had sabotaged it earlier so Sumin would die in a car accident. He soon crashes his car and drowns in a river afterward.
- It's All About Me: Minhwan is incredibly selfish, only caring about his stocks and getting laid. He treated Jiwon like a personal slave in the first timeline, and continues to do so with Sumin in the second timeline. He does genuinely love his parents, though they also enable his more selfish tendencies through their smothering.
- Momma's Boy: Called this verbatim by Jiwon in the webnovel, Minhwan loves his mother dearly and in both timelines believes that she's been nothing but good to his wife.
Sumin Jeong
Sumin Jeong (Jeong Su-min)
Played by: Song Ha-yoon (TV series)
Sumin Jeong
Jiwon's childhood friend and coworker. She has a deep-rooted grudge against Jiwon and does whatever she can to keep Jiwon miserable. In the first timeline she was Minhwan's mistress, while in the second timeline she marries Minhwan instead.
- Abusive Parents: Her mother blamed Sumin as a kid for her husband's affair with another woman, regularly beating her and depriving her of food. Sumin would do anything but return back home with her mother, which is why she's trying so hard to get a full-time position at U&K Foods.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She acts like a Genki Girl towards most people, with her dopey eyes and cutesy demeanor. She's actually very petty and cruel on the inside.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: She tends to act like this whenever Jiwon has something that makes her happy. Jiwon can't be happy (according to Sumin) and so Sumin must take it away from her, especially if it's other people. This also gives Sumin the additional benefit of being a waiting shoulder for Jiwon to cry upon when things go bad thus making their relationship a rather strange love-hate type that she is intent on keeping. She also acts like this with Minhwan once they are married.
- Crocodile Tears: Sumin uses these a lot, usually to persuade others that she's innocent of something she’s guilty of. Men usually fall for it, though the trick falters if someone knows she's a two-faced fiend. The only time she is ever seen crying for real is during Jiwon's final conversation with her, as she’s begging Jiwon not to leave her alone.
- Didn't Think This Through: This happens to Sumin a lot as she never thinks about the long-term conquences to her plans whenever she gets caught in a scheme. The biggest one though comes after she is arrested for her mother-in-law's murder, in a crazed final attempt to get rid of Jiwon, she hits the gas pedal of her car and attempts to kill her in public view, no longer caring if there are witnesses as she's on her way to jail anyways. She hadn't counted on Jihyeok saving Jiwon and getting hit instead. And since Jihyeok is the prolific grandson of the boss of Sumin's former workplace and she's already a known criminal by this point, she effectively ruined her own life irreversably, which results of course in a life sentence to prison for her attempted murder and confirmed murder charges.
- The Fake Cutie: She puts up a cute and innocent facade, but she's an awful person through and through.
- Fatal Flaw: Envy and Pride, big time. Sumin resented Jiwon for having a good life despite her mother leaving her family for her lover, while Sumin was abused by her mother because of her father’s affair. She sabotaged Jiwon’s relationships during high school and at work, including Eunho and Minhwan, and immediately pinned the blame on her when something went wrong. To Sumin, Jiwon should always be miserable and submissive, and she laughs when she sees Jiwon in turmoil.
- She also exemplifies Wrath as well: Sumin easily holds a grudge against people for the tiniest things, taking action against them without thinking about the long-term consequences and what they could do to her.
- Foil: She is one to Jiwon. Both of them lost a parent due to an extramarital affair, but whereas Jiwon still had her loving father to support her, Sumin was abused by her mother and blamed Jiwon for the affair. Jiwon went on to become a compassionate, empathetic person who would even wish for the happiness of her enemies, while Sumin was twisted by the past to become a vindictive, petty girl whose only wish is to ruin the life of someone who she was jealous of.
- Freudian Excuse: Her father left her and her mother for Jiwon's mother, and as a result her mother blamed her for her misery and abused her. Since then, Sumin has been trying to ruin Jiwon's happiness as she's believes she's the source of her misery and incredibly jealous that while Jiwon was raised by a loving father, she was stuck with an abusive mother.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: That being said, as Jiwon points out the very last time they speak to each other, Sumin's Insane Troll Logic on how Jiwon was somehow responsible for Sumin's terrible childhood with her mother is in no way an excuse that makes any sense, specifically because Jiwon wasn't even aware that her mother left her family for Sumin's father. Is Sumin sympathetic because she got stuck with her abusive mother who blamed her for the affair? Yes. But does it justify the intense unadulterated and unwarranted hate and constant betrayal of trust she had for her childhood best friend who was completely in the dark about this knowledge just because she still had a loving parent? No, absolutely not. Sumin's actions and choices were entirely her own and she must pay for them herself, whether she admits to her guilt or not.
- Girly Girl: She likes to dress up, wear makeup, do her nails, and get her hair done.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Sumin gets easily jealous when Jiwon has something she wants. Jiwon uses this to manipulate Sumin into stealing Minhwan from her.
- Hidden Depths: According to Jiwon, she genuinely does like cooking and is very good at it.
- Hypocrite: Sumin talks a lot about how Jiwon is like her cheating mom, and yet Sumin is the mistress in an affair with Jiwon’s boyfriend.
- Insane Troll Logic: Regardless of how tragic Sumin's past was, her logic in blaming Jiwon is absolutely unsound. She somehow thought that Jiwon was responsible for the affair between her mother and Sumin's father, simply on the basis that Jiwon's mother wanted to bring her along while she was discussing the affair with Sumin's father, unaware that young Sumin was overhearing them both. Interestingly enough, in that conversation, Sumin's father actually wanted to bring her with him so that both of the cheating parents could raise their daughters together but was talked out of it by Jiwon's mother, who hated the idea of "playing mother", even to her own child. Sumin clearly overheard this in her flashback to that moment, but instead seemed to willingly blot that out and focus exclusively on Jiwon being mentioned at all. Whatever the case, this insane leap of logic managed to persevere into Sumin's adulthood and corrupt into her believing that because of that little fact, a fact that remember, Jiwon was never made aware of until the very last time that they met in the story, Jiwon was deserving of all the worse things that happened to her.
- Never My Fault: She resorts to this when things aren't going her way. She instantly blames others (usually Jiwon) for things going wrong, and refuses to accept any responsibly for her actions. Even when she's arrested and sentenced to life in prison, she spends most of the trial yelling at everyone that she's innocent, and trying to frame Jiwon for her mother-in-law's death, even though she had nothing to do with it and the evidence against Sumin is clear as day.
- Rose-Haired Sweetie: Subverted big time. She has pink hair, dresses in pink, and uses pink makeup, but her heart is pitch black all the way through.
- Please, Don't Leave Me: Says this almost verbatim to Jiwon during their final talk after Sumin is sentenced to life in prison. Despite everything she put Jiwon through, Sumin is desperate to cling to their relationship as it's now all she has left. Jiwon, however, refuses to give Sumin an inch and instead rightfully tells her that she has no more time to spare for someone like Sumin and wants nothing to do with her. Sumin begs and pleads for her to stay or at the very least come back later, saying they are "best friends", but Jiwon leaves Sumin, now a sobbing pathetic mess, behind forever.
- Third-Person Person: Sumin talks about herself in the third person when she’s acting cute.
- Troubled Abuser: Sumin is awful towards Jiwon, mostly because her father left her and her mother for Jiwon's mother. Sumin blames Jiwon for that and for the fact that while Jiwon's father still loved and doted on her, Sumin had to deal with her abusive mother instead. It doesn't excuse her actions towards Jiwon or anyone else, however.
- Turn Out Like His Father: Sumin’s father left the family for another woman Jiwon's mother, in fact, leaving Sumin’s mother to take out all her anger on Sumin. Sumin ended up becoming vindictive and spiteful like her mother, and started an affair with someone already spoken for just like her father.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Sumin's default attitude whenever she faces a problem. She turns on the Crocodile Tears, blames Jiwon (or whoever else she can use as a scapegoat) for the problem, and makes up lie after lie to save her own skin. This becomes less effective when her true colors are revealed after the press conference and doesn't save her at all after getting arrested for her mother-in-law's murder.
- Yandere: Arguably, this is what her relationship with Jiwon somewhat boils to. She absoluely hates her best friend for having a good parent in her life and goes out of her way to make her miserable and lonely, yet at the same time, she can't help but cling to Jiwon obsessively. Every single time she ruins something good for Jiwon, she does so in a way that allows her to slide in as a comforting shoulder and "reliable best friend" with whom Jiwon can confide all her woes. This even shows in the final meeting they have after Sumin is jailed for her murder of her mother-in-law, when she pathetically begs for Jiwon to not cut her out of her life and at least visit her again, to which Jiwon refuses, leaving Sumin forever alone.
Jiwon's coworkers and friends
Huiyeon Yu
Huiyeon Yu (Yoo Hui-yeon)
Played by: Choi Gyu-ri (TV series)
Huiyeon Yu
Jiwon’s young coworker. After Jiwon gives her a pad in the bathroom, Huiyeon befriends her and helps her when she needs it.
- Adaptational Angst Downgrade: Because Yura Oh was Adapted Out of the webcomic, Huiyeon's very tragic past where she attempted suicide because of Yura and details revolving around how she used to think she wasn't loved by her family were also adapted out. Additionally, Jihyeok is the one who gets hit with a car by Sumin in the webcomic rather than her, further downgrading the angst her character provides.
- Beware the Silly Ones: Huiyeon may act like a comic relief character most of the time, but she's Jihyeok's sister and has plenty of his snarkiness as well. She's also really, really smart, sometimes even saving Jiwon and figuring out things rather fast.
- Beta Couple: She gets together with Eunho Baek.
- Big Eater: Loves to eat. She often loudly exclaims what the company cafeteria is serving for lunch. At one point, Jiwon even makes a note that something serious must have happened, since the cafeteria had braised short ribs yet Huiyeon wasn’t there.
- Driven to Suicide: In the webnovel, Huiyeon attempted suicide when she was in high school thanks to Yura Oh telling her that she needs to learn her place and to stop acting like she's "one of them."
- Farmer's Daughter: A subversion, while she is technically one since her mother was a farmer before marrying Jihyeok’s dad and having her, she has none of the traits.
- Genki Girl: Very little seems to get her down.
- Spoiled Sweet: She's extremely loaded and showered with gifts, but is just as willing to use that for Jiwon's sake such as singlehandedly funding a makeover for her. Being the granddaughter of one of the richest men in the area resulted in her cushy financial position.
- Through His Stomach: Female variant. Huiyeon wasn’t originally into sweet foods, but falls in love with the treats from Eunho’s cafe, and soon with Eunho himself.
Juran Yang
Juran Yang (Yang Ju-ran)
Played by: Gong Min-jeung (TV series)
Juran Yang
Jiwon’s older coworker. She returned recently from maternity leave, to the ire of Mr. Kim. She is very supportive of Jiwon, acting like an older sister. She eventually gets together with Mr. Lee.
- Beta Couple: With Junseok Lee.
- Cool Big Sis: Acts like this towards her younger female coworkers. She listens and gives advice to Jiwon when she needs it, with Jiwon returning the favor.
- Old Maid: Mr. Kim’s reason for bullying her is because of this, though Juran is married with a child at the start of the series. He thinks Juran should quit her job and stay at home like a traditional mother, but that’s impossible for Juran since her husband is a deadbeat who won’t look for a job.
- It’s also the reason she’s reluctant to get in a relationship with Mr. Lee. He’s six years younger and she feels he should go for a woman his own age rather than one older than him with a kid who has no intention of marrying again or having more children.
Mr. Lee
Junseok Lee
Junseok Lee
Formerly from one of U&K Foods’ development teams, he transferred to Jiwon’s marketing team shortly after Mr. Kim’s suspension from the company. He develops a crush on Juran Yang, who’s six years his senior.
- Beta Couple: With Juran Yang.
- Big Damn Heroes: He acts as one after Juran’s soon-to-be-ex-husband tried to kidnap his daughter during her birthday party. The police tried to make both Juran and her ex settle the dispute (meaning the latter would get away with it and try again), but Mr. Lee bursts in with Jihyeok and a lawyer (who is his brother) and provides evidence that Juran’s husband attacked her.
- Dogged Nice Guy: More of one than Jihyeok. Is absolutely determined to make clear to Juran he has feelings for her.
Mr. Kim
Gyeong-Uk Kim
Played by: Kim Jung-hee (TV series)
Gyeong-Uk Kim
A senior manager at U&K Foods. He is a lecherous, arrogant man who holds a grudge against Juran. He has a one-sided crush on Sumin.
- Abhorrent Admirer: Male variant; the overweight, ugly Mr. Kim has a one-sided, delusional crush on Sumin, who is secretly disgusted by him.
- In the webnovel Juran states he has a history of sexually harassing women in Marketing Division 1; when they would inevitably turn him down, he’d turn hostile and hound them until they either quit or transferred to a different department. Sumin was the first girl to ever remotely humor him.
- The Bus Came Back: He disappears after getting suspended from the company, but returns for Minhwan's funeral and ends up manipulated by Sumin again so she can escape. He then returns to work, but Juran is now his boss, much to his dismay.
- Fat Bastard: He's large, loud, short-tempered and opportunistic, usually taking out his anger on poor Juran.
- Stealing the Credit: Mr. Kim tries to steal Huiyeon’s halal food idea, though Jiwon uses the idea as a trap to ruin Mr. Kim’s reputation. The webnovel reveals that he became a manager by stealing Juran’s idea as well.
Eunho Baek
Eunho Baek (Baek Eun-ho)
Played by: Lee Gi-kwang (TV series)
Eunho Baek
Jiwon’s high school crush. He would have gone out with Jiwon if Sumin hadn’t sabotaged a love letter Jiwon wrote to him, leading to him believing Jiwon hated him. He soon found out the truth and reconciled with Jiwon after the high school reunion. He owns a cafe near Jiwon’s work.
- Beta Couple: With Huiyeon Yu.
- Hopeless Suitor: He’s still in love with Jiwon, but the passive of time and the events of their school days have rendered his chances slim, and then nonexistent once he meets Jihyeok. When Huiyeon visits him in his cafe after hours, he’s still has a pudding leftover for Jiwon, though he knows she’ll never come to see him.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: He still has feelings for Jiwon, but he lets them go when he sees her with Jihyeok.
- Karmic Jackpot: In the series, he gets fired after refusing to work with Yu-ra after she bought his workplace out, which soon lands him a leagues-better job as a chef at U&K that also gets him closer with Hee-yeon.
- Sweet Baker: He owns a cafe near Jiwon's workplace, and is a kind, gentle man. Huiyeon even prefers him as Jiwon's partner over her brother. In fact, she ends up liking him so much, that liking turns into a romance and the two end up as a couple.
Jiye and her posse
Jiye, Sena, and Yunhui
From left: Sena, Jiye, and Yunhui
Jiwon and Sumin’s classmates from high school. They bullied Jiwon because of rumors spread by Sumin. When they found out that those rumors were lies during their high school reunion, the girls turn their back on Sumin and reconcile with Jiwon.
- Beta Couple: Jiye with one of Jihyeok’s employees, the Face of a Thug Mr. Sinu.
- Bully Turned Buddy: The trio used to torment Jiwon back in high school, mostly because of Sumin spreading lies about her. Once they realize that Sumin had deceived them in the second timeline, they make amends with Jiwon and eventually become friends.
- My God, What Have I Done?: In both timelines, they all realize how wrong they were about Jiwon and regret bullying her in high school. It's too late for them to make amends in the first timeline because Jiwon had died by that point, but they grow to become good friends with Jiwon in the second timeline, while taking every opportunity to get back at Sumin for her lies.
Parents and Others
Pang
Pang
Pang
Jihyeok’s cat. He is very affectionate towards Jiwon.
- Cute Kitten: He is very affectionate towards Jiwon when they first met. Makes sense, since he was the emancipated kitten Jiwon took care of in college. He also reincarnated, having been brought back after Jihyeok's death to see Jiwon again..
- This Is My Human: In the spinoff chapters, this is Pang's view on Jiheok and Jiwon, referring to both of them as "butlers", but he is especially fond of Jiwon since she was the one who saved him first.
Minhwan's parents
Jaok Kim and Cheolho Park
Jaok Kim is played by: Jung Kyung-soon (TV series)
From Left: Cheolho Park and Jaok Kim (Mrs. Park)
Minhwan’s parents. They are quite conservative and controlling, especially Jaok Kim, who holds a tight grip against whoever marries Minhwan.
- And I Must Scream: Jaok was still aware of everything happening around her after her stroke, but couldn't speak or move. Which means she could only watch as Sumin injected air bubbles into her IV line, killing her.
- Cruel and Unusual Death: Jaok Kim was a horrible mother-in-law, strict and mean to her daughter-in-law. After finding out Minhwan was infertile, she collapsed on the floor, but Sumin leaves her there until her husband returned home from his fishing trip, resulting in her being paralyzed from a stroke. Later, Sumin injects air bubbles into Jaok’s IV line, ensuring the woman dies a slow, painful death from air emulsion.
- Cruel Mercy: While Minhwan's father survives, he is left utterly alone without a wife, son, or daughter-in-law. After receiving a brutal speech from Jiwon, he is left a broken, sobbing mess.
- In the webnovel his fate is even worse; he’s on the hook for the money that Minhwan borrowed from some loan sharks Jiwon recommended from an ad. They have a reputation of selling the kidneys of their victims when they can’t pay back their loans and the rising interest...
- I Have No Son!: Minhwan’s dad invokes this in the webcomic when he finds out Minhwan is infertile, blaming him for the end of the Park family line.
- I Want Grandkids: Both parents want to continue the Park family line through Minhwan. They're both devastated when they learn their son is infertile.
- My Beloved Smother: Jaok Kim spoiled Minhwan so much that it twisted him into the man he is today. She would rather die than believe her son is less than perfect. Which is what happens when she finds out Minhwan is infertile and has a stroke from the shock.
- Never My Fault: Minhwan's dad shows this attitude twice; when he finds out Minhwan is infertile (disowning him in the process) and when he accuses Jiwon of ruining his family after Sumin's trial.
- Obnoxious In-Laws: Both parents are highly conservative and controlling. They expect their future daughter-in-law to not only cook three full meals a day for Minhwan and have a full-time job at the same time, but to assist her mother-in-law with cooking meals for her husband and that her first child be specifically a son, as they consider girls to be worthless for the family line. Jaok Kim also berates her daughter-in-law over every single mistake she makes, worrying only for how it will affect Minhwan's reputation. No wonder Sumin killed Jaok.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Their highly conservative views (believing that their future daughter-in-law should cook Minhwan three meals a day and bear a son to continue the family line, as well as berating Jiwon for the "crime" of being orphaned) are a major part of their unpleasantness. His father specifically also goes out of his way to be an asshole to his own son after he learns of his infertility, blaming him for “ending the family line”.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Minhwan’s dad is on the receiving end of one from Jiwon when after Sumin’s conviction he blames her for not marrying his son. She points out that he refused to get involved when his wife tormented his daughter-in-law, making him a bystander responsible for letting the situation spiral out of control. Jiwon leaves him a sobbing mess on the floor.
Jihyeok's family
Chairman Hanil Yu and Geumran Cha
Jihyeok's grandfather and stepmother, respectively. Hanil Yu is the chairperson for U&K Foods, while Geumran Cha is one of U&K Foods' regional directors.
- Benevolent Boss: Chairman Yu is this, as he wants to promote people who work hard for the company and even goes out to dinner with some of his employees during Jiwon's farewell dinner.
- Good Parents: In a rare case for this series, even though Chairman Yu is Jihyeok's grandfather. Both of them deeply love Jihyeok and Huiyeon, and treat Jiwon like family as well.
- Good Stepmother: Geumran Cha proves to be this to Jihyeok as she happily took on a motherly role for him when he was child after she married his father. For his part, it seems to have worked out rather well as Jihyeok has naught but praise for his stepmother and the two are rather close.
- Mama Bear: Geumran Cha is a doting mother to her children, and proves herself to be a far superior mother figure for her future daughter-in-law Jiwon, as she immediately stops Jiwon’s birth mother from attempting to smack her, confronts the woman about how her lover’s business is failing and soon the government will be on both their asses, and rightfully points out how she has lost the right to either call herself Jiwon’s mother or be part of her life anymore.
Jiwon's dad
Jiwon's dad (Kang Hyun-mo)
Played by: Jung Suk-yong (TV series)
Jiwon’s loving father, who she loves very much.
- Afterlife Express: He was a taxi driver in life (truck driver in the drama) and returns Jiwon, Jihyeok, and Pang to the past.
- Big Good: He is implied to be the one who sent Jiwon and Jihyeok to the past.
- Good Parents: Despite the fact that his wife cheated on him and abandoned him and their daughter, he was still a loving, compassionate man towards others, especially his daughter.
- Last Request: He appears to Jihyeok both just before his death in the first timeline, and in his dreams while he's in a coma during the second timeline. During the latter interaction, he asks Jihyeok to take care of his daughter.
- Mark of the Supernatural: His habit of drawing purple hearts on money clues Jiwon in that he may have had a part in granting her second chance, which is later revealed to also be on Jiwon and Jihyeok's chests.
- Posthumous Character: Died before the series began, but is fondly remembered by Jiwon.
Jiwon’s mother
Jiwon’s mother
Jiwon’s mother who left her father for Sumin’s father. She reappears towards the end of the story seeking Jiwon out to reconcile, but Jihyeok figures out she just wants money from her.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She acts sweet and loving when she reappears in Jiwon's life, but only wants money from her for her lover's failing business. She also was one (indirectly) towards Sumin. She was the one to refuse to take either Sumin or even Jiwon with her and her lover (Sumin's father) because she "hated playing mommy", setting off Sumin's obsession with ruining Jiwon's life.
- Hate Sink: She's a terrible woman who cheated on her husband, left her family for her lover, and then dares to reappear in her daughter's life to get money out of her.
Sumin's mother
Sumin's mother
Sumin’s abusive mother. After Sumin’s father abandoned the family for Jiwon’s mother, Sumin’s mother took her frustrations out on Sumin, twisting the girl into what she is today.
- Foil: She acts as one towards Jiwon's dad; both of them were cheated on by their spouses for each other but while Jiwon's dad still adored his daughter and did his best to take care of her, Sumin's mom took her anger out on her daughter and blamed her for her husband leaving her.
Yura Oh
Yura Oh (Oh Yu-ra)
Played by: BoA
Jihyeok and Huiyeon's neighbor from childhood who's in love with Jihyeok.
- Adapted Out: Yura is completely absent from the webcomic and her role handed off to a minor, one-time character. She appears in the drama, however.
- Broken Pedestal: Her grandfather, the only person she ever respected, becomes this to her after she finds out that he was a former beggar who got a chance to be more thanks to Jihyeok's grandfather instead of the modern-royalty she always thought he was.
- Childhood Friends: With Jihyeok and Huiyeon but the "friends" part is a stretch.
- Climax Boss: Even after Min-hwan and Su-min get married as Ji-won planned, Yu-ra is the main instigator of the final conflicts in the series.
- Entitled to Have You: Towards Jihyeok. She believes that because their mothers promised to have them married, that she is Jihyeok's fiance and the only one who can have him even though Jihyeok has made it very clear that he's not interested.
- Foil: To Huiyeon. Both are daughters of wealthy families with close ties to Jihyeok, however Huiyeon is down-to-earth and doesn't care about status while Yura is classist and believes that only the wealthy should interact with the wealthy and those beneath her are like roaches.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Her ultimate fate in the webnovel is Huiyeon getting her sent to Africa to help people far less fortunate than her, something that's akin to a Fate Worse than Death for her. In the drama, before she can be sent off to Africa, she takes Jihyeok's fate, which is to die in a car crash.
- Loving a Shadow: She doesn't actually love Jihyeok for who he is. She loves him because he's the closest thing to modern-day royalty there is and because of a promise made by their mothers.
- Never My Fault: Yura genuinely believes that she was in the right when driving Huiyeon to suicide and trying to sabotage Jiwon and Jihyeok through Minhwan because she's above them in status and thus takes no responsibility for her actions.
- Private Detective: Downplayed as she's not a licensed detective, however, she's got a knack for background checks and gaining information on people no matter who they are or where they're from. Jihyeok even tells Jiwon that it's Yura's "special skill." The character that replaces her in the webcomic is a legitimate Private Detective.
- Rich Bitch: The prime example in a series containing Non-Idle Rich characters and she's proud of it.
- Self-Proclaimed Love Interest: Once more to Jihyeok.
