JTBC’s “Heavenly Ever After” debuted with a touching and thought-provoking premiere, balancing dark humor, heartfelt moments, and spiritual reflection.

The episode opens with Lee Hae-suk (played by Kim Hye Ja) pulling off a clever ruse—posing as a debtor’s mother to recover money she had lent him. Alongside her is Lee Young-ae, a woman Hae-suk took in as a child after rescuing her from an abusive father. Though Hae-suk is infamous in her neighborhood for her harsh debt collection tactics, we learn this coldness hides a tender truth: she’s a devoted wife caring for her paralyzed husband, Ko Nak-jun, whose accident decades ago changed their lives forever.

When Hae-suk learns one of her debtors has died, she insists on collecting the money despite the family’s grief, revealing how she was forced into lending using Nak-jun’s insurance payout. The burden has aged her spirit, and on her way home, she wonders if her place in the afterlife will be hell. That night, she dreams of such a place—dark, lonely, and separate from her beloved.

The following day brings a rare, tender moment. Nak-jun tells her she’s never looked more beautiful than she does now, in her 80s. Later, a haunting vision of the grim reaper near Nak-jun’s room sends Hae-suk running home—only to discover their cat Sonya has died. In a quiet, emotional scene, she thanks Sonya for protecting her husband and buries her with care.

Seasons pass, and Nak-jun quietly passes away. Hae-suk, now alone, stops taking her medication. Life continues—she visits a debtor with Young-ae, who seems to form a bond with the debtor’s son. Sensing this, Hae-suk tries to set them up, which leads to a tearful confrontation. Young-ae realizes Hae-suk is preparing to let go. Hae-suk confesses her weariness, and over the next year, teaches Young-ae the “umbrella technique”—how to dodge flying objects from angry market sellers.

Eventually, Hae-suk passes away. At her funeral, a grim reaper revives her spirit, now bound by gravity to prevent it from drifting. In a new twist, the afterlife is automated—souls board a subway to reach their final destination. Hae-suk watches as others depart for Hell, but to her relief, her stop is Heaven.

Before entry, souls must surrender all earthly attachments. She witnesses a touching reunion between a firefighter and the girl he saved—now both bound for eternity together. Hae-suk learns she too must be chosen to be reunited with Nak-jun. To her joy, she discovers Nak-jun had already chosen her, just as she had chosen him.

Asked what age she wishes to appear in Heaven, she briefly considers her youthful 20s, but recalls Nak-jun’s compliment and chooses to remain in her 80s. She boards the express train to her new heavenly home—only to be met by a young Nak-jun, leading to a heartwarming and slightly comical ending.