Breaking Down the Harsh Ending of Made in Korea

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The thrilling chase between prosecutor Jang Geon-young (played by Jung Woo-sung) and Baek Ki-tae, a former intelligence agent turned drug smuggler (played by Hyun Bin), reached its peak in the final episode of the Hulu series Made in Korea. In the sixth and final episode, released on January 14th, Ki-tae and his fellow corrupt agents kidnapped Geon-young and his sister, Hye-eun (Lee Ju-yeon), hoping to force Geon-young to abandon his investigation into their drug trafficking operation. This K-drama is set in the 1970s.

At the heart of the action in Made in Korea are family bonds. Both Geon-young, who is driven by justice, and Ki-tae, who craves power, are weakened by their love for their siblings. In Episode 6, Ki-tae attempts to defeat Geon-young by threatening his sister, accusing her of spying. Meanwhile, Hye-eun, a factory worker who’s joined a guitar club, may be involved with North Korean and communist groups. If Geon-young continues to disrupt Ki-tae’s plans – which include a large drug shipment to Japan – the KCIA will target Hye-eun and pursue the maximum penalty under the Anti-Communist Act.

The first season of Made in Korea ended with a lot of unexpected events. Here’s a recap of what happened in the finale and which characters ultimately succeeded.

Chief Na bails Geon-young out

The ending reveals that Ki-tae and Geon-young’s influence comes entirely from who supports them. Ki-tae, for example, has the backing of presidential advisor Cheon Seok-jung, who he’s promised a large sum of money – billions of won – for the next presidential campaign, if Ki-tae’s drug deal in Japan is successful.

Geon-young’s arrest has angered the Prosecutors’ Office and worried Chief Na, a key rival to Cheon in the presidential cabinet. Feeling the pressure from Na and concerned that the arrest is taking attention away from Ki-tae’s drug operation, Cheon orders Ki-tae to free Geon-young. For now, both men are free to continue their activities.

A trip to Vietnam

Ki-tae is concentrating on producing meth again, and needs a larger supply of ingredients to fulfill his deal with the Ikeda yakuza. Yu-ji, the daughter of the Ikeda boss Osamu, suggests they contact Jason Chang, an American of Taiwanese descent who’s based in Vietnam. Ki-tae and Yu-ji then travel to Vietnam to find him.

The trip to Vietnam, though a side story in Season 1 of Made in Korea, reveals a deeply emotional side of Ki-tae. His younger brother, Gi-hyeon (played by Woo Do-hwan), is serving in the Korean military there. Gi-hyeon is very patriotic, a trait Ki-tae doesn’t share, and actually shares some values with Geon-young. Despite their differences, Ki-tae feels a strong bond with Gi-hyeon, as he stepped in to raise him after their parents passed away.

Gi-hyeon’s career is jeopardized when he’s asked to secretly observe a meeting involving Ki-tae, Yu-ji, and Chang – a setup orchestrated by Ki-tae. He faces a difficult choice: reveal his brother’s participation and risk everything, or stay silent and potentially lose a promised promotion. During the meeting, Ki-tae doesn’t notice Gi-hyeon, but they’re both nearly caught in an explosion as they leave. They escape with minor injuries. Afterwards, Ki-tae finally sees his brother and seems to realize how deeply Gi-hyeon resents him.

Vietnam was a pivotal moment for Ki-tae. He later explains to Geon-young that he served there during the war, and his unit was almost completely destroyed in a bombing carried out by American forces. Ki-tae was made to take responsibility for the needless loss of life, feeling like he was simply a pawn in someone else’s ambition. This experience led him to resolve that he would never again allow himself to be powerless, and he began to view patriotism as something driven by self-interest and ruthless ambition.

Ki-tae is arrested upon his return to Korea

After being arrested, Geon-young warns his coworkers to follow the rules, but he’s too focused on ruining Ki-tae’s life to back down. For Geon-young, taking down people like Ki-tae isn’t just about the job – it’s deeply personal, stemming from his own traumatic past where his father killed his mother while under the influence. It’s a matter of principle and a core part of who he is.

Geon-young is determined to defeat Ki-tae, so she has his sister arrested while she’s delivering drugs to Kang Dae-il, a former leader in the Busan gang Manjae. We met Dae-il earlier in the season as Manjae’s second-in-command. After Dae-il’s boss was removed by the KCIA, creating a power struggle that Ki-tae exploited, Geon-young convinced Dae-il to secretly provide information to help her.

Things really spiraled with Dae-il. He actually started using the meth he was helping to move, and he got involved with Ki-tae’s sister, So-yeong. I was relieved when Geon-young finally arrested them both, and even more so when he managed to get Dae-il to turn on Ki-tae. It felt like we were finally closing in on Ki-tae when Geon-young raided the KCIA and got him arrested. I truly believed this was it – Ki-tae’s end. Geon-young thought he’d gotten Pyo Hak-su, a KCIA agent, on board to get a crucial tape from Ki-tae’s office – one that would expose Chief Cheon, the real mastermind. But it turned out Hak-su didn’t side with us; he chose the other side, which was a huge blow.

Ki-tae wins… for now

Hak-su sides with Ki-tae and Chief Cheon. He recovers a recording from Ki-tae’s office, but it doesn’t involve Cheon – instead, it proves Chief Na was taking bribes. Hak-su delivers the recording to Cheon, resolving this part of their conflict.

Na is powerless to stop Ki-tae, so Kang Dae-il is made to take the blame. Dae-il commits suicide while in police custody, and the KCIA claims he was solely responsible. Geon-young is fired from his job as a prosecutor and falsely accused of assisting Dae-il. As he’s led away in handcuffs, he questions his own motives, wondering what his true patriotism meant.

Ki-tae has become incredibly powerful. He successfully finalizes a deal with the Ikeda Clan, ensuring Cheon receives his payment. He’s also been promoted within the KCIA, taking over the position previously held by Director Hwang – the same man Ki-tae killed to eliminate an obstacle. In a final, symbolic gesture, Ki-tae vows loyalty to the president and the country, but this promise rings false. His only true loyalty remains to his own ambition and power.

Made in Korea Season 2

Though the current season of Made in Korea has only six episodes, the story isn’t over. Season 2 is already being filmed and should be released before the end of 2026. It will give Geon-young another opportunity to confront Ki-tae, who has become even more influential in 1970s Korea – a time of strict rule under President Park Chung-hee where corruption and harshness were common.

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2026-01-14 22:07