With each episode, the intensity of “Queenmaker” ramps up. When we first began this show, the politics went way over our heads, but we suggest sticking with it because the further we go, the darker it gets. It is quite common in K-dramas to add shock value; it is the drama that we’re looking for after a hard day’s work, but one particular scene in episode 6 will definitely catch you off guard. Let’s quickly get into everything that goes down in episodes 5 & 6 of “Queenmaker.”
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In ‘Queenmaker’ Episodes 5 & 6?
We left off with Assemblywoman Seo and Kyung-Sook about to begin their debate. Seo is already riled up from all the information that Do-Hee has leaked about her personal expenditures. She attacks the rhino (Kyung-Sook’s given title) by aiming directly for the horn. Kyung-Sook is, of course, prepared for the level of attack thanks to Do-Hee’s preparation. Seo takes a jab at Kyung-Sook’s team member Do-Hee, who used to work for a conglomerate that is entirely opposite of what Kyung-Sook stands for, so wouldn’t that make her a hypocrite? Kyung-Sook retorts with the fact that just because Do-Hee was a lapdog for a conglomerate doesn’t mean she is somebody to disregard. She is a courageous woman who has developed a conscience, so she wants to be on the good side for once.
Do-Hee has been meticulous in preparing Kyung-Sook for this debate. She is able to give jab after jab to make Seo and her team break a sweat. From the chemical plant that needs to be demolished to save the citizens of Seoul to bringing on a controversial ex-lover who was much too young on top of it, The man Soo-Ho was a violin student, and Seo used her corporate funding to get him the violin of his dreams, something that may have cost him his life savings. Ironically, he asks a question in the live debate regarding the boundaries of ethics in politics, completely throwing Seo off guard. Joong-Seok is able to read the room and makes a stopping motion for the moderator to take a break. This means the moderator and Seo’s team are in cahoots.
Do-Hee’s plan is to use a question that suggests the two female mayoral candidates combine forces and run under one banner and force Seo to answer the question. Before the moderator is able to change the question and deem it inappropriate, Kyung-Sook is quick to answer. She affirms the idea and shows her willpower to do anything for the city is stronger than her greed to become mayor. Seo has no option but to agree, but instead, she suggests that it is not her personal opinion but that of her party that matters in this case. If Kyung-Sook had to join the party, a lot of procedures would be involved, and she possibly wouldn’t be accepted. Of course, as suspected, before things get more heated, another break is taken. This time Do-Hee suggests going off script, and Kyung-Sook takes off her uncomfortable corset, cutting off whatever Seo was saying and showcasing “freedom” for the common folk. If she doesn’t display her authentic self, how will she be a good mayor? This resonates with the people of Seoul and gives Kyung-Sook the push she needs to become more popular. These shenanigans bring Do Hee and Kyung Sook closer together, meaning they make their team stronger too.
Carl Yoon’s Big Stunts
As always, Eunsung has nothing of substance to defend Jae-Min’s candidacy, so they decide to pull another stunt in front of the press. Jae-Min’s only worthy factor is his charm and face, so he gives a speech and entertains guests, but before too long, Chae-Ryoung takes center stage and announces to the press that she is, in fact, unwell and has just gone through surgery for a tumor. Even in her difficult situation, she was the one who pushed her husband to stand for the seat, forgetting all the entitlement she had been living with all this time and doing something for the people of Seoul. They share a passionate kiss in front of the press before Chae-Ryoung whispers in Jae-Min’s ear that this is the last time she’s helping him. This whole thing was fabricated because of the mastermind Carl Yoon and so Chairperson Son is delighted.
No Funding For Seo
Assemblywoman Seo is both impressed and disgusted by Do-Hee’s meticulous ways of shredding her. When they meet in private in a basement, Seo even tries to slap Do-Hee, but Dong-Joo steps in and gets slapped instead. They both appear brazen to Seo for not lowering their eyes in front of her, but Do-Hee’s words are the real big sting. She tells Seo to say hi to Chairperson Cheon for her because they won’t be needing her help anymore. The next thing we see is Seo getting down on her knees for the chairperson’s help, but she refuses to give her any more funding, leaving Seo to fend for herself.
The Villanization Of Kyung-Sook
It is dangerous to be idolized because then, the second you make a mistake, your fall from grace is ugly. Kyung-Sook heads to the market that will supposedly be redeveloped by Jae-Min’s team, but Kyung-Sook wants to tell the people the truth. Unfortunately, they see her as the bad person who abandoned the good man, Jae-Min, who was supporting them. They go as far as throwing vegetables at them and even making terrible comments, unwilling to listen to her words. Her son appears and stops them, screaming at the top of his lungs, and instead of being praised for saving his mother from atrocities, Kyung-Sook is insulted as a mother who can’t even take care of her son. The boy runs away, and Kyung-Sook follows suit. Kyung-Sook’s son loves his mother, but he is tired of having no one by his side to come to his games, functions or remember his birthdays. He tells Kyung-Sook that he will wait for the day Kyung-Sook’s dream world will become a reality. Carl has seen the vilification of Kyung-Sook and tells Ji-Yeon that this is the result of being a people’s hero (Cancel culture is real).
The Leah Company And Son’s Plans
In the meanwhile, Do-Hee has figured out that an international company named Leah Company has acquired the rights to redevelop a green belt in Seoul. This company’s secret owner is Chairperson Son, and her idea is to build a duty-free store known as the “Heaven of Asia,” making Seoul the happening city of the continent. At the same time, Chairperson Son gives a speech to her investors, who are extremely thrilled by the idea and approve of her plans.
Do-Hee, of course, is quick to act. She offers this information up on a platter for a young reporter who exposes the Leah Company and the government of Seoul. How can such a large chunk of the green belt belong to an international company? Chairperson’s Son’s counterattack is to use the deputy minister as bait in order to save her own plans, but Do-Hee is able to interfere there as well and make the deputy mayor say that the redevelopment is based on whoever the next mayor will be. Do-Hee is making a huge hole in the chairperson’s plan, and she’s furious. Finally, Do-Hee gets a visit from the chairperson herself. Do-Hee admits she knows all about the Leah company, and the chairperson commends her intelligence. She always knew Do-Hee was great at research; now, she tells her to stay out of the cold. Essentially, she wants to protect herself from the storm that is coming.
Chae-Ryoung’s Role In All Of This
Even though it looks like Chae-Ryoung is the more favored child, it was always Seo-Jin who came first. Now, if Jae-Min fails to be the mayor, Chae-Ryoung’s slim chances of inheriting anything will be close to nil.
The Rat Race Between Seo And Kyung-Sook
Even though Kyung-Sook’s true enemy is Jae-Min, it is Seo that she is currently trying to knock off so that she has a sure place as the Mayor of Seoul. Their next target is Seo’s daughter and her expensive private tutoring. Seo is able to turn this around with Joong-Seok’s advice and make it look like her daughter was getting music therapy for being bullied at school. Behind the scenes, we see Seo cutting off her own daughter’s hair to make her look innocent and bring out her real tears. On the other hand, we see a dark side to the mostly calm Joong-Seok too, who blackmails Seo’s daughter to get her to do what he tells her for Seo’s sake. Something is way off there. At the same time, Chairperson Son gives Yoon the go-sign to “get rid of” Do-Hee in whatever way possible. She is clearly their biggest enemy right now.
Yoon, being the cunning fox that he is, feeds Seo false information about the embezzlement done by Kyung-Sook, and Seo eats it up. She is filled with rage after her daughter was pulled into all this, and now she is out for blood. Seo finds all the fake evidence that Yoon places for her and manages to get Kyung-Sook’s close friend Hwa Soo, who managed Kyung-Sook’s work for the women during the protest, to go against her. Hwa-Soo was the one who took some money out for her son’s tuition, and Seo uses that as leverage to make her lie about the embezzlement.
Going Too Far
Yoon’s big plan of action is to scare Do-Hee by making her father disappear from the hospital. At the same time that Kyung-Sook’s name is being stepped on in the streets, Do-Hee gets a call from the nurse saying her father is missing. Do-Hee immediately turns back and heads to the hospital, assuring the team she will be back by nightfall. She has also told them not to let Kyung-Sook speak out to the press because anything Kyung-Sook says can be used against her. With the help of the team, Kyung-Sook plans a press conference to use the law against Seo, who is using fabricated information against a mayoral candidate. Meanwhile, Do-Hee goes everywhere near the hospital to find her father.
‘Queenmaker’ Episode 6: Ending explained – Will Do-Hee Figure Out The True Culprit?
Kyung-Sook’s press conference ends up going unattended, and everybody is confused as to where the press disappeared to. It is Seo who is holding a press conference to reveal the truth behind Kyung-Sook’s “hypocrisy” by making Hwa-Soo give a statement. Hwa-Soo is absolutely devastated by reading out the words written by Seo and lying about Kyung-Sook’s morals. Unfortunately, though, she too is desperate to save her son, After it is over, Kyung-Sook realizes what might be going on and knows the only way to solve this is by speaking to Hwa-Soo directly, but when she reaches the press conference, Hwa-Soo doesn’t even look back at Kyung-Sook, who is screaming for her “unnie” (term used for an older sister in Korean). Seo notices that, amidst all the chaos, the main character, Do-Hee, has been missing. She considers the fact that she could’ve become a coward, but Joong-Seok assures her that she would not run from a difficult situation.
Elsewhere, Do-Hee feels a sudden strangeness inside; her father has been hit by a truck. When she reaches the hospital, she finds herself looking at the corpse of her father and not her father himself. She is absolutely devastated. At the funeral, Do-Hee is all alone until she notices one man who shares his condolences. They talk for a bit, and Do-Hee wonders how the man knew her father. He says he was an old friend. Finally, he leaves, giving her a cryptic message that somewhat connects with everything going on with Kyung-Sook, the campaign, and Chairperson Son. After he leaves, Do-Hee comes across some flowers, and they are from the same man, but the flowers happen to be Do-Hee’s favorites, information that Chairperson Son was privy to. Realization hits Do-Hee and sends a shiver down her spine. It was Carl who visited her, and Do-Hee realizes it was no accident her father died. This means war for Do-Hee.
On the other side, we see Carl feeling almost apologetic that Do-Hee’s father had to die that way, but now Son is reassured that Do-Hee could never do anything against her in the position she is in. Chairperson Son is overconfident and what she doesn’t realize is that now that Do-Hee has nothing to lose, she will come back stronger than ever!
