With so many questions remaining, “Queenmaker” episode 11 had to have all the answers. Episode 10 ended with the by-election debate beginning between Kyung-Sook and Jae-Min. The ultimate battle is about to begin. Let’s see what goes down in the final episode of “Queenmaker.”
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In ‘Queenmaker’ Episode 11?
While Do-Hee follows Dong-Joo, who is chasing after the car with Ji-Yeon, she requests Kyung-Sook to stall the debate no matter what. If she’s able to bring Ji-Yeon back to the studio and show everybody that it was Jae-Min’s attempt to kill her and call it a suicide, he would be done for. Unfortunately, nothing goes according to plan for Do Hee and Kyung Sook. Dong-Joo loses Ji-Yeon’s car but directs Do-Hee to where he thinks they might’ve taken her. In the debate, Do-Hee’s trump card is proclaimed fake by Jae-Min’s team—the bribe list that she had kept until last. Now Joong-Seok knows there is someone on the inside, and to keep the debate going Kyung-Sook asks Jae-Min’s team to agree to legal checks on the “Heaven of Asia” tower. If he’s being honest, there should be nothing wrong with sharing their papers and being transparent. Then Kyung-Sook is hit by another curve ball as the “suicide note” left by Ji-Yeon on her social media is discovered. The note clearly states that Do-Hee is the reason Ji-Yeon chose to make this decision. Jae-Min is quick to showcase his acting skills and bring out the crocodile tears for Ji-Yeon’s death, but as Kyung-Sook points out, there was no evidence that the girl was actually dead, so how was he so quick to claim the same? Jae-Min pretends to implore Ji-Yeon not to commit such a crime and kill herself because of fake news.
Jae-Min is quick to announce that he will leave the debate immediately and put all his effort into searching for Ji-Yeon and trying to save her. Kyung-Sook continues her attempt to stall the debate but to no avail. In the meantime, Do-Hee is able to find Ji-Yeon’s car, and as she tries to break her out, a man grabs her and beats her up. Dong-Joo arrives just in time and helps Do-Hee up; he is able to break the windows of the car that Ji-Yeon is in, which contains coal and smoke, to fake “poisoning in the car” as her suicide method. He puts both the ladies in Do-Hee’s car as he fights off the other men and asks Do-Hee to go first. She races out while the men try to surround her. Dong-Joo gets stabbed in the fight, and in that position, he takes the man who stabbed him and jumps into the lake they are next to. The next day, Dong-Joo is found barely breathing near the water by an old man. Kyung-Sook rushes to the hospital, where she finds Dong-Joo is still alive, but she also worries about Do-Hee. Dong-Joo isn’t in a position to answer her, so they still don’t know what’s happened to her or if Ji-Yeon was killed or not. Yoon and Jae-Min watch the news that the car was found empty, meaning Do-Hee got to their them. But Yoon isn’t concerned.
Jae-Min’s Downfall
Yoon’s next step is to use the CCTV footage of Do-Hee visiting Ji-Yeon as proof that her allegations and blackmail led to Ji-Yeon contemplating suicide. As everyone believes what they see, people start protesting in front of Kyung-Sook’s camp, but to everyone’s surprise, Hwa-Soo and the other ladies who had joined Kyung-Sook’s “women power” fight come to save the day. Not only are they able to fight off the people in front of the camp, but they begin to sing the song, the same one that Kyung-Sook had sung in front of Hwa-Soo’s room, lifting her spirit and convincing her to support her from now on. With their help, Kyung-Sook begins a live YouTube broadcast, just like in the old days, and shares her worry for Ji-Yeon and Do-Hee. At the same time, in a hospital somewhere, Ji-Yeon wakes up and asks Do-Hee why she saved her. Do-Hee says she couldn’t see another person die under her watch and repeats what happened with I-Seul. Ji-Yeon is convinced that Do-Hee is good at heart and decides to speak up about everything at Kyung-Sook’s live broadcast. She admits to the affair and being pregnant with Jae-Min’s child, and she thanks Do-Hee for proving her innocence. Finally, Kyung-Sook takes the reins and talks about I-Seul.
Do-Hee Vs. Jae-Min
Ironically, Jae-Min still thinks a bribe can save the day. Ji-Yeon had locked away I-Seul’s cell phone, which had all the evidence that Jae-Min pushed her off the roof of the Eunsung building. Do-Hee had given Jae-Min a call from that phone and asked him to show up at I-Seul’s grave. Jae-Min tells Do-Hee that they have both suffered enough at the hands of Eunsung, and he can help her if she gives him the phone and the evidential cuff link. Do-Hee’s last trick is to tell Jae-Min about Yoon’s involvement in his father’s death. Unlike what we presumed, Jae-Min actually didn’t know the truth about Yoon having driven his father to death. Now he cries on the floor with the cell phone and the cuff link and has no will to fight anymore. At the same time, Kyung-Sook plays the recording from I-Seul’s phone, proving what Jae-Min did and ruining his life forever.
Do-Hee claims Yoon wanted to help Jae-Min atone for his sins with his father. On the other hand, as the voice recording goes viral and it is assured that Kyung-Sook will win the race, Chairperson Son decides to “get rid” of Jae-Min for good.
Kyung-Sook’s Sweeping Victory
The obvious result of all of this is that Kyung-Sook wins the election, while Jae-Min is found dead in his apartment. At the same time, Kyung-Sook is sworn in as the mayor and holds a press conference. At the press conference, the journalist who had helped Do-Hee bring out the dirt on Jae-Min now asks Kyung-Sook if she had taken money from the Eunsung group for her campaign. Kyung-Sook claims that no such thing happened, but the journalist requests Do-Hee to take the stand. Do-Hee admits having taken the money from Eunsung and using it for personal work. This was all part of her plan to bring down the Eunsung group and use this to open up an investigation into Chairperson Son’s slush funds.
‘Queenmaker’ Episode 11: Ending Explained – Does The Battle End Here Or Is There More?
Becoming mayor is the first step for Kyung-Sook. Using her position, she is quick to get things checked on the “Heaven of Asia.” Do-Hee and Kyung-Sook had earlier shared a moment where Kyung-Sook couldn’t agree to the fact that Do-Hee’s sacrifice was the only way to get to the Eunsung group. Do-Hee is taken to prison as the prosecutor promises Kyung-Sook will not be involved in the investigation at all. Kyung-Sook’s offer to Chairperson Son, who is now going to be imprisoned herself, is to hand out 90% of the stakes in the tower to a private enterprise set up by the city. As Do-Hee had promised, Seo-Jin gets the company and hands over the shares to the city. Kyung-Sook is ready to make a brighter future for Seoul. At the same time, Seo-Jin gets tired of being the CEO quite quickly and meets Chae-Ryoung to hand over the company to her. Chae-Ryoung, who never actually cared about Jae-Min before, suddenly shows remorse for his death. She knows that Chairperson Son was involved and is devastated. Seo-Jin leaves her with no answer, essentially saying yes.
What To Expect From ‘Queenmaker’ Season 2?
As Do-Hee spends her days in prison, out of the blue, a man in a suit visits her. He asks if she is the one who got Kyung-Sook to become mayor, and Do-Hee modestly admits she is. Then he says he needs her help, and the show closes on her determined face. Apart from this being a clear indicator that there is a lot left to showcase in Do-Hee’s life, Kyung-Sook has just become the mayor, and of course, it is possible her next target will be the president of the country. We can’t claim to know what the man needs help with, but maybe he has plans to join forces with Kyung-Sook, or maybe he plans on standing against the righteous Rhino. We will possibly get a glimpse of a better Seoul as Do-Hee leaves prison and rejoins Kyung-Sook to make a difference.
