The premiere of "Heavenly Ever After" kicks off with Lee Hae-suk donning the guise of a debtor's mother, adeptly outmaneuvering loan sharks and reclaiming the funds she had lent to the man in dire need. By her side is Lee Young-ae, a youthful woman whom Hae-suk had saved from an abusive father and nurtured under her protective wing since childhood. In stark contrast to her benevolent act, Hae-suk earns the wrath of her community for her unyielding demeanor in debt collection. Yet, beneath this frosty exterior beats the heart of a devoted wife, tirelessly caring for her paralyzed husband, Ko Nak-jun, confined to bed ever since a catastrophic accident in their youth. Their love has stood the test of time, unwavering despite the trials and tribulations that life has thrown at them.
The following day, Hae-suk is met with the solemn news of one of her debtors' demise. Despite the family's grief, she persists in her quest to collect the owed money. This encounter reveals the circumstances that compelled Hae-suk into the business of lending—the insurance payout received after Nak-jun's accident. Amidst insults, she leaves with her payment.
Retracing her steps home, Hae-suk ponders her actions, haunted by the specter of hell awaiting her. That night, her dreams are plagued by visions of damnation, her deepest fear being separated from Nak-jun in the afterlife.
The subsequent day unfolds with a tender scene as Hae-suk presents flowers to Nak-jun, who, with eyes brimming with love, tells her she has never looked more radiant, even in her 80s. Later, seeking redemption, Hae-suk visits a church to pray for forgiveness, her thoughts tormented by another dream—a grim reaper lurking outside her husband's room. Rushing back home, she finds their beloved cat, Sonya, lifeless beside Nak-jun. With gratitude, she acknowledges the cat's guardianship over Nak-jun and, alongside Young-ae, buries it with profound respect.
As seasons change and a year slips by, Nak-jun passes away peacefully, leaving Hae-suk heartbroken and prompting her to abandon her medication. Life trudges on as she and Young-ae visit another debtor. Young-ae begins to harbor feelings for the debtor's son, prompting Hae-suk to orchestrate a match between them. However, Young-ae recognizes this as Hae-suk's attempt to let go and reacts with overwhelming emotion. Hae-suk confides in her weariness, the culmination of a lifetime spent selflessly caring for others.
Young-ae persuades Hae-suk to impart her unique expertise: the art of evading objects hurled by dissatisfied market vendors through the umbrella technique. Over the ensuing year, Hae-suk, with great patience, imparts her knowledge to Young-ae. However, time moves on relentlessly, and Hae-suk eventually passes away.
At her funeral, a solemn Grim Reaper resuscitates her soul, anchoring it to gravity to forestall its departure. He elucidates the mechanization of the afterlife and schedules her a ride on the otherworldly subway bound for her ultimate destination.
This surreal subway transports its passengers to Hell's station. To Hae-suk's relief, her intended stop is Heaven. As she approaches the entrance, she passes through a checkpoint where souls must relinquish their earthly possessions. At this checkpoint, she bears witness to a touching reunion between a firefighter, who perished while saving a child, and the very same child he rescued, now also en route to Heaven. Moved by their bond, they opt to continue their lives together in the afterlife.
Hae-suk is informed that she can only coexist with someone who selects her, and she is heartened to discover that Nak-jun has already chosen her, just as she has chosen him. When prompted to decide the age at which she wishes to appear in Heaven, a decision she cannot thereafter alter, she ponders her vibrant twenties. However, she is reminded of Nak-jun's recent admiration for her beauty at the age of eighty, prompting her to embrace her elderly visage.
With resolute steps, she embarks on the express route to her celestial abode, only to find a youthful Nak-jun awaiting her arrival. This twist leads to a humorous and unforeseen denouement, painting a picture of love transcending time and form in the realm beyond.
