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The mystery behind Joong-gil and Goo Ryeon’s past is slowly coming to light in Netflix’s Tomorrow K-drama. From the beginning of the drama, fans felt the inherent tension between the two characters but did not understand why. Flashback of Goo Ryeon’s past life is entangled with Joong-gil’s nightmares. Tomorrow Episode 10, revealed more details and confirmed fan theories.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Tomorrow.]

Kim Hee-sun as Goo Ryeon in 'Tomorrow' K-drama wearing judicial robes.
Kim Hee-sun as Goo Ryeon in ‘Tomorrow’ | via MBC

Goo Ryeon was once married as a young woman in her past life in ‘Tomorrow’

The K-drama subtly revealed that Goo Ryeon was originally in hell before becoming a grim reaper. One of the earliest flashbacks fans had of her past was a young girl in a local market with a boy. They are in love and soon to be married. He laments having to go off to the army and swiped pink makeup on her eyes. Fans soon theorized the young girl is Goo Ryeon, as she wears pink makeup and has pink hair in Tomorrow.

In Tomorrow Episode 5, Goo Ryeon explains some couples are destined to be together. If their red thread is cut, their lives are no longer intertwined. Fans theorized Goo Ryeon died by suicide because she wears a cut read thread around her wrist.

Further details about Goo Ryeon left fans confused. In her flashbacks, an adult Goo Ryeon wearing a white hanbok was given a knife by someone, was seen trying to attack a man, and was ridiculed by the townspeople. Fans soon believed Goo Ryeon and Joong-gil were the young married couple in Tomorrow.

Goo Ryeon and Joong-gil see each other in their pasts in ‘Tomorrow’

While fans feel the animosity between Goo Ryeon and Joong-gil, they did once work together on the same team. When Goo Ryeon saves a man from dying by suicide, Joong-gil turns against her for trying to interfere with death. But Tomorrow Episode 8 has a shocking revelation between Goo Ryeon and Joong-gil. His nightmares reveal him in what is likely the Joseon era.

After hearing local townspeople speak ill of someone, he kills them and vows to kill anyone who does the same. The finale reveals the woman who walked up to him after he committed murder was Goo Ryeon. When Joong-gil confronts her at her office, she says he is not present in her memories.

In previous episodes, fans saw Goo Ryeon trying to kill someone in her past. At the end of the eighth episode, fans get a full picture. Goo Ryeon tried to attack Joong-gil with a broken piece of a vase. Fans are still unsure why but Tomorrow Episode 10 adds another piece to the puzzle.

Fan theories about how Goo Ryeon died are proven true but are still unsure why

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Tomorrow Episode 10 revealed Goo Ryeon lied to Joong-gil about seeing him in her past. A flashback reveals an older woman handing her a small knife. She tells Goo Ryeon if she will die by someone else’s hand or her own. She is later imprisoned. A guard is ready to kill her until Joong-gil intervenes, dressed as a soldier.

In the present, Goo Ryeon visits the Jade Emperor and demands to know why she lied. The emperor told her the man she saw in her past is not the same Joong-gil, but the emperor says Goo Ryeon refuses to acknowledge the truth because she killed the person he loved.

While working on an assault case, Goo Ryeon uses her story to help the female victim. She shows her the scars on her wrist, and fans see how Goo Ryeon died. In the flashback, Goo Ryeon died by suicide, and the scene changes to a man clinging to her dead body.

As she walks an eternity in the afterlife, fans can hear a man’s voice asking why she did what she did and why she died before her father. So far, fans know Goo Ryeon was once married, possibly to Joong-gil. Something tragic occurs as and leads the townspeople to turn against Goo Ryeon. She likely experiences an untimely death, possibly her child’s. Distraught and saddened, Goo Ryeon tries to kill Joong-gil but instead takes her own life.

Tomorrow is available to stream on Netflix.