Moonlit Winter

Year: 2019

Runtime: 106 mins

Language: Korean

Director: Lim Dae-hyung

DramaRomance

A heartfelt letter, beginning with the simple words “To Yunhee, how are you?”, inspires a young woman to embark on a restorative journey. She invites her mother to join her on vacation in a charming Japanese town, hoping to reconnect and confront unresolved feelings. There, she discovers that someone important from her past is waiting for her, leading to a poignant exploration of family, memory, and second chances.

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Moonlit Winter (2019) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Moonlit Winter (2019), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Following her divorce, Yoon-hee Kim Hee-ae and her teenage daughter Sae-bom Kim So-hye live in the Korean countryside. Sae-bom discovers a romantic letter written to her mother by Jun Yūko Nakamura, a Korean-Japanese woman who went to school with Yoon-hee in her youth. Though the relationship is long in the past and remains a deep secret, Sae-bom recognises her mother’s unrelenting loneliness and hopes to comfort her.

Upon graduating high school, Sae-bom insists she and her mother take a celebratory holiday to Japan, knowing Jun resides in the quiet and snowy village of Otaru. There, Yoon-hee immediately seeks out Jun’s home but is unable to approach her. Soon after, Yoon-hee reveals that she knows Sae-bom is aware an “old friend” lives in the village but admits they haven’t reconnected.

In the local cafe, Sae-bom meets Masako Hana Kino and asks her to tell Jun to come to the cafe the next morning. At home, Jun confesses to her aunt that she and Yoon-hee are together in her dreams.

Meanwhile, Yoon-hee discovers Sae-bom’s boyfriend Kyung-soo has secretly come along to Otaru.

The next day, Sae-bom lies to Jun, telling her that her mother is not with her, and arranges for Jun to “meet her for dinner” and for Yoon-hee to “pick her up” at the same time and location. Sae-bom’s delicate plan works: the two women meet, overwhelmed by emotion, and walk along the canal together.

A final letter from Yoon-hee to Jun is revealed, in which she shares that she confessed her love for Jun to her parents, who sent her to a mental hospital. Later, she married a man set up for her by her brother, whom she resents. On her wedding day, she thought of Jun; when strangers wish her happiness, she thinks of Jun. She concludes the two were never wrong for their love and should feel no shame.

Yoon-hee and Sae-bom move to Seoul, where Sae-bom attends university and Yoon-hee uses her newfound courage to open a restaurant.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:04

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The narrative pattern begins with a catalyst, such as a letter or an unexpected encounter, that hints at a hidden truth. This leads a protagonist, often a younger family member, to actively investigate, unraveling a mystery from the past. The climax involves a confrontation or revelation that brings hidden pain to the surface, paving the way for a resolution that is more about emotional truth and acceptance than a simple fix.

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