‘Queenmaker’ Episodes 3 & 4: Recap & Ending, Explained: Will Kyung-Sook Join Do-Hee?

After a slow first two episodes, “Queenmaker” becomes quite intense and quite fast in episodes 3 and 4. The expected drama is finally here, and some unbelievable actions are taken in the next couple of episodes. Of course, it’s not a K-drama without a cool makeover scene, and this one is pretty exciting to watch. After the death of I-Seul, Do-Hee has a new vendetta against the Eunsung group and will never stand for Jae-Min to become the Mayor of Seoul. How will she convince Kyung-Sook to take her side in the war? Let’s find out in episodes 3 and 4.

Spoilers Ahead


What Happens In ‘Queenmaker’ Episodes 3 & 4?

Do-Hee has decided to quit the Eunsung group after rejecting the Chairperson’s request, but of course, before she can send in her resignation, the team has already fired her. This means she doesn’t get any of the benefits of quitting either. Furious, Do-Hee decides to go and speak to the Chairperson herself, but before she can, Jae-Min’s new puppy, Ji-Yeon, shows up in her sparkly new stilettos, making it clear she’s out for blood. Ji-Yeon knows Do-Hee wants to use I-Seul’s situation to make Jae-Min pay, so she recorded Do-Hee’s conversation with I-Seul to use as leverage. Do-Hee slaps Ji-Yeon in the face before leaving her office for good. Do-Hee warns Ji-Yeon that the price of greed is very heavy, but Ji-Yeon is unbothered by her.

To make matters much worse for Do-Hee, amidst losing the company car and residence, her father, who is hospitalized for dilation and has dementia, is being thrown out of the hospital due to Chairperson Son’s anger. Do-Hee cannot believe all her hard work of 10 years has been washed away just like that. Do-Hee visits the Chairperson, who is ruthless and suggests Do-Hee invite her to her father’s funeral. Completely devastated, Do-Hee realizes that the only way to exact revenge is by taking down the Eunsung group entirely. As she leaves, Chairperson Son readily accepts her challenge, as she believes Do-Hee could never destroy what she has built.


Do-Hee And Kyung- Sook Join Hands

In the meanwhile, Jae-Min’s campaign has begun in full force. After the previous Mayor’s shameful dethroning, Jae-Min took full advantage and announced his position. At the same time, Do-Hee rushes to Kyung-Sook with a plan of action. She wants Kyung-Sook to run against Jae-Min. She tells her everything Jae-Min is going to do in her neighborhood that day in order to get the crowd on his side. Kyung-Sook doesn’t believe her until she sees these things happen, but she’s not too bothered by all of this. Do-Hee also hands her some secret documents, exposing many dark truths about Jae-Min. Specifically, that the plan for redeveloping the market is entirely fake and only for the campaign. Kyung-Sook doesn’t really see this as any kind of problem for her to solve, and Jae-Min is doing everything in his own power to get her to become a mentor on his team as well. Finally, Do-Hee resorts to telling Kyung-Sook about I-Seul’s death. She admits she caused an innocent girl to take her own life, but because of Jae-Min, she has some wrongs to right.


Kyung-Sook’s Checkmate 

At a rally dinner, Jae-Min is all smiles, and Kyung-Sook sits there wearing a blank expression. He finishes talking to all the other mentors and joins Kyung-Sook at her table. She brings up I-Seul, and Jae-Min doesn’t as much as bat an eye. He just confidently states that it was suicide and there is nothing he could’ve done to stop it, but Kyung-Sook is much smarter than him and twists his words, making it appear like she’s suggesting he is the one that killed I-Seul. In the end, she’s just suggesting it could have been ‘someone’ who pushed the poor girl. He then grabs her hand as if in the position of a shake, giving her hand a tight squeeze, you could say in a threatening manner. The cameras, of course, are immediately on them, and everybody looks happy until Kyung-Sook announces that she will not be taking Jae-Min’s side; anybody can win except a ‘man’ like him. With these words, she’s about to leave when the reporters begin to ask her if she will become a candidate herself. Cryptically, Kyung-Sook says she will take any measures as long as a person like Jae-Min doesn’t sit on the throne. As she walks out dramatically, Do-Hee joins her in step. The laborers find this an insult, though, considering it a betrayal by Kyung-Sook, who, it appears, doesn’t want the market redeveloped.


Do-Hee’s Safety 

Jae-Min and Chairperson Son are not happy with this turn of events. In a chain reaction, Chairperson Son gets angry at Jae-Min, and in turn, he raises his voice at Ji-Yeon, Jae-Min tells her to do anything in her power to stop Do-Hee, and Ji-Yeon asks him how, to which Jae-Min replies that if she wanted to rise higher than Do-Hee, she would have to figure that out herself. While they are having this conversation, sharing personal space, Chae-Ryoung happens to see them. She already knows about her husband’s lascivious ways, but now she has another excuse to be angry with him. Ji-Yeon realizes the only way she can get Do-Hee to back out is if she has a life-threatening experience. 

While Kyung-Sook and Do-Hee part ways in different directions after some drinks, Do-Hee is chased down by a car. Dong-Joo, who is with Kyung-Sook at the time, is quick to scream out to Do-Hee, but it’s already too late as the car speeds and crashes into her side, making her unconscious.


Kyung-Sook’s Deciding Factor

After witnessing the car crash into Do-Hee, Dong-Joo is quick on his feet to reach her, but Kyung-Sook wants to know the car plate number. Dong-Joo uses an alleyway to intersect with the route of the car and bash into it. The goons come out and beat him up, but not before Dong-Joo gets a grip on one of their ID cards. They leave him there unconscious. He ends up visiting Do-Hee at the hospital, showing some affection towards her after having bad-mouthed her all this time. When Kyung-Sook arrives, he tells her it was definitely the Eunsung group who gave the orders for the hit-and-run on Do-Hee. Kyung-Sook is quick to make a decision, then, that she will be the next Mayor of Seoul. Enough with these conglomerates. Unfortunately, her family doesn’t love this idea, but unlike her son, her husband is very supportive of her, giving her the boost she needs to do good. Kyung-Sook is happy to have Do-Hee on her team on the condition that she doesn’t use her Eunsung methods to get the public to favour Kyung-Sook.


Kyung-Sook’s Big Break

Do-Hee is Kyung-Sook’s campaign manager. Right now, Kyung-Sook is the lowest in popularity, whereas a woman named Seo Min-Jung is the highest. In order to beat the odds, Do-Hee wants a debate between Kyung-Sook and Min-Jung, which would easily put her in a higher position than the middle order of candidates. This will not just help Kyung-Sook become more popular, but that will let them secure the funding they need to reach their ultimate goals. Of course, standing as a candidate is a reason to be the target of the opposition. Seo’s team, which happens to include Do-Hee’s ex-husband, uses a sweaty photo of Kyung-Sook to make her look bad in front of the people of Seoul. As it is in the city, she immediately becomes viral for the wrong reasons. Do-Hee devises a plan to bite back just before the debate is scheduled.

In the meantime, Jae-Min has a new gift from Chairperson Son. Carl Yoon is a ruthless predator that can make even a criminal the president of South Korea. His reputation precedes him, but Jae-Min doesn’t trust the man, who is condescending in the first meeting. After all, it’s a powerplay of ego for this guy, anyway. Yoon suggests Jae-Min should step down from the debate because Kyung-Sook will eat him alive through her wit. Jae-Min is insulted but agrees because he is the Chairperson’s man. Now, Yoon figures out all of Jae-Min’s dirty little secrets while Seo and Kyung-Sook plan out their debate with each other. Looks like Do-Hee’s wishes were handed to her on a platter.


‘Queenmaker’ Episode 4: Ending Explained – What Is Do-Hee’s Next Big Move?

Kyung-Sook is a great candidate, but in Seoul, appearance is half the job done. Now we see a perfect makeover montage that is equal parts satisfying and exciting. Finally, we see an entirely different Kyung-Sook in expensive-looking suits and a cropped haircut to match her practical personality. Do-Hee also enhances Kyung-Sook’s capabilities by assisting her in making better speeches and using her voice gently in order to get her points across more clearly. They almost appear like best friends or sisters even.

Elsewhere, Chairperson Son removes Chae-Ryong as the director of the department store so that she can help out with Jae-Min’s campaign. Chae-Ryong is furious and doesn’t understand how her mother could take away the one thing she built. Son is quick to say that Chae-Ryong has never built anything, and right now, her job is to do everything in her power to get her husband, who has had to go through a lot because of his wife, to become the Mayor of Seoul. As revenge, during one of their events together, Chae-Ryong uses an eyebrow pencil to stab Jae-Min in the hand for having cheated on her with I-Seul. Unfortunately, she isn’t bothered that he may have assaulted her, just the fact that he cheated on her. 

Do-Hee finally uses all the information she had on candidate Seo and exposes her as using taxpayer’s money for her personal endeavors after being called the server of the people. She uses, in comparison, Kyung-Sook’s noble and selfless acts and even turns over the sweaty memes made by Seo’s team of Kyung-Sook to make them look bad. At the same time, she heads over to the person who is funding Seo’s campaign and offers her an important piece of information. Seo has plans to create a bill that would be harmful to one of her plants. The person is immediately flustered and meets with Seo. Seo is quick to deny the idea and mentions that she would’ve delayed the bill once she became Mayor. It was only a measure taken for the campaign to be successful. Unfortunately, Seo is unable to convince her funder, and now she is raging. “Queenmaker” Episode 4 ends with both Seo and Kyung-Sook taking up their place to begin their great debate. We wonder if Kyung-Sook will be able to face Seo’s wrath and what curve balls each of them has.


Ruchika Bhat
Ruchika Bhat
Ruchika, or "Ru," is a fashion designer and stylist by day and a serial binge-watcher by night. She dabbles in writing when she has the chance and loves to entertain herself with reading, K-pop dancing, and the occasional hangout with friends.


 

 

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