Episode 7 of "Dear Hongrang" kicks off with a tender scene where a youthful Jae-yi soothes a distressed young Mu-jin upon his initial arrival at their home. Little did Mu-jin know, his gambling father had sold him to Yeol-guk, who now keeps a tight lid on the truth. Faced with a grim ultimatum from Yeon-ui – starve to death or perish by poisoned beans – Yeol-guk seeks assistance from the Grand Prince, a task fraught with complications. Reluctantly, the prince agrees to lend a hand, contingent on Yeol-guk relinquishing something he has been closely guarding.
When Yeol-guk hesitates to act swiftly, Jae-yi steps up to vindicate Mu-jin. Overhearing Yeon-ui's confidential conversation about Yeol-guk's capitulation, Jae-yi learns that in return for his compliance, Yeon-ui has wiped out all traces of the emerging guild, preserving the Min Guild's pristine image. Now, Yeon-ui is on the hunt for Gyu-ha, and Jae-yi devises a plan. She nearly blurts out Gyu-ha's hiding spot before Hong-rang intervenes, pleading with her to desist. Jae-yi, guilt-ridden for abandoning Mu-jin, remains resolute.
Craftily, Jae-yi lures Yeon-ui down a false trail towards Gyu-ha. Once the formidable matriarch departs, the cunning cook administers laxatives to the guards, causing them to scurry off in discomfort. Seizing the moment, Jae-yi springs Mu-jin from his confines. Meanwhile, a mole within their midst informs Kkot-nim of Jae-yi's machinations. Convinced that Jae-yi has discovered Hong-rang's hidden agenda and is exploiting him, Kkot-nim desires Jae-yi's demise. However, Hong-rang volunteering to personally address the issue.
He confronts Jae-yi and Mu-jin mid-escape. In a surprising revelation, Mu-jin confesses that the guild is his sole purpose; he cannot abandon it. In haste, they return him to his cell just before Yeon-ui returns, narrowly averting discovery.
The following day, Hong-rang makes an announcement that sends shockwaves through their circle: Mu-jin is to oversee the miners in the icy clutches of the Gapsan mountains. Jae-yi, her heart heavy with concern, unleashes her fury upon Hong-rang, her words like daggers. In a moment of frustration, he hurls an accusation her way, claiming she harbors an illicit affair with Mu-jin. She retorts, insisting that while she and Mu-jin are always there for one another in times of need, she cannot say the same for Hong-rang.
The cook, sensing the tension, intervenes, pleading with Jae-yi to soften her tone. He uncovers a hidden truth: Yeon-ui once sought Mu-jin's demise, but it was Hong-rang who stepped in to save him. Later, Mu-jin seeks to reassure Jae-yi, whispering that Yeon-ui will soon summon him back. The penny drops for Jae-yi; she realizes that Hong-rang's hand is also in this intricate dance. A memory flickers to life, revealing a private conversation between the two men. Mu-jin had voluntarily returned to his cell, a shield between Jae-yi and Yeon-ui's vengeful wrath. Hong-rang, understanding that Jae-yi's quest for justice could put her in peril if Mu-jin were to perish, reluctantly agrees to keep him close.
This is followed by a montage of scenes where both men subtly avoid Jae-yi's gaze, their actions speaking volumes of unspoken sacrifices. Hong-rang's heart aches, unseen and unacknowledged, as he bears the brunt of her inability to recognize the depth of his care for her.
One fateful day, Su-nam, the supposedly deceased son of Lord Song, unexpectedly returns to the fold, his arrival coinciding with eerie sightings of the enigmatic Snow Man. Bang-suk's curiosity is piqued when he discovers that both Hong-rang's assassins and Jae-yi are hot on the Snow Man's trail. Meanwhile, Mu-jin stumbles upon a wanted poster depicting a runaway slave boy hailing from Paju. Intriguingly, Fake Hong-rang was spotted in that vicinity during his younger years.
Mu-jin inquiries the poster's owner, Master Yu, who uncovers a startling revelation: the slave was once his human talisman. Upon Lord Yu's demise, the slave was compelled to mourn at his grave but fled within the first year. Yu further reminisces about a woman purchasing the slave alongside another mute slave boy. The flashback vividly depicts the woman as Kkot-nim, with the slaves being Fake Hong-rang and In-hoe. As proof, Yu hands over the transaction record to Mu-jin.
Switching back to the unfolding kidnapping saga, Hong-rang and In-hoe eavesdrop on Su-nam, who rambles incoherently about the Snow Man and being buried alive. The memories of their own brush with being buried alive by the Evil Painter flood back for In-hoe and Hong-rang. Suddenly, the Songs' shaman's bell rings out, triggering a reaction in Su-nam, Hong-rang, and In-hoe. This is undeniable confirmation that Su-nam indeed shared the same harrowing fate as Hong-rang and In-hoe.
Concurrently, Du-ryeong senses impending trouble and, in a fit of rage, orders the children's relocation.
Returning to Mu-jin's narrative, he hastily rushes home to confront Jae-yi with the truth about Hong-rang. However, fate intervenes as he catches her confronting Hong-rang herself. She is aware of his quest for the Snow Man and is hurt by his failure to confide in her. In an emotional turn, she confesses her feelings for him. Mu-jin, unable to resist, kisses her, asserting that this moment is far from a mere dream.
She dashes away, prompting Mu-jin to chase after her. Before he can unburden himself about the incriminating record, she confesses her burgeoning feelings for Hong-rang, leaving her troubled and Mu-jin forced to rethink his approach. He implores her to accompany him, hoping that distance will restore her perspective, seeing Hong-rang solely as her flesh-and-blood brother.
In solitude, Mu-jin consigns the record—the sole evidence of Fake Hong-rang's true identity—to the flames. His aide attempts to intervene, but Mu-jin's heart cannot fathom parting with her to Fake Hong-rang.
Meanwhile, Jae-yi packs her belongings in the cave, where she stumbles upon something significant. That evening, she abruptly informs Hong-rang of her decision to depart with Mu-jin, wounding him deeply as he grapples with her preference for Mu-jin over him.
Returning to the cave, we witness Jae-yi discovering the authentic sachet belonging to the real Hong-rang, within which lies his baby teeth, carefully preserved by her. The realization dawns upon her that the impostor had bestowed upon her a meticulously crafted duplicate. With this revelation, Dear Hongrang Episode 7 draws to a poignant close.
