The Worst of Evil has left a large crater in our hearts after that finale. Not only is it an engaging show with some very talented actors, but it comes alive with a bibimbap of genres that makes it thrilling throughout. We can’t go without talking about the chemistry between our two leads, gangster Wi Ha-Joon and undercover cop Ji Chang-Wook. There’s no need to compare the two because they each bring their best work to the table in these roles that they wear so well. While we’ve seen Ji Chang-woo in action roles before, this is the first R-rated version, and it’s great to see him reach his full potential. On the other hand, this is the first time we’re seeing Wi Ha-Joon as a gangster, and we’ve got to say it suits him rather well. With that, let’s quickly get into the last episode of The Worst of Evil.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In The Finale?
It’s not the finale of a thriller without a main character facing death. Episode 11 ended with Chief Seo aiming his gun at Seungho. Now, Junmo tries to convince Chief Seo that he doesn’t know anything about Dohyung or the informant. Chief Seo ends up shooting Dohyung anyway, proving that he doesn’t quite believe Junmo and wants to see his reaction. Junmo flips, of course, because Dohyung is the only person who was ever nice to him when he was the son of a drug addict who wanted to become a cop. He’s essentially Junmo’s only family outside of Euijeong. Junmo fights Chief Seo, trying to hold him down. Finally, the backup arrives, and Chief Seo is taken into custody while Junmo tries to get help for Dohyung.
In the meantime, Mingoo makes his way to the Gangnam Union office and is excited to see the commotion. Gicheul has a gun against Jungbae’s head and is ready to shoot. Jungbae tells him that he doesn’t even know the names of the boys, so how could he ever take care of him? Jungbae provokes Gicheul to shoot because he knows he wouldn’t be able to take that drastic measure. Ultimately, Gicheul gets arrested by Mingoo, who is working closely with Jungbae and Heesung (who knew they were good for nothing?). They’ve teamed up with Mingoo to get rid of Gicheul and take over the union themselves. The elaborate plan has been in the works for many weeks, and Mingoo agrees to join forces with them, agreeing to help them when needed, too. Mingoo has always been a corrupt cop, but strangely, he’s been targeting Gicheul from the beginning, although all of these other men could’ve just as easily murdered somebody too.
Euijeong watches Gicheul get arrested and tails the car. To her utter dismay, another car crashes into it. Junmo is the driver, and he brings Gicheul out, taking him to a safe house somewhere. On the other hand, Dohyung dies, but the Chief tells Junmo that he is recovering so the investigation doesn’t get messed up (which one of them is the bad guy again?). Mingoo is hospitalized, and he gets his partner to go dig deeper into Euijeong and her family. On the other hand, Jungbae asks to meet Haeryun himself so he can strike a deal with her directly as the next Korean carrier. She is rather agreeable with them, which her assistant finds strange. It turns out it was Seungho who had told her to agree as part of his big plan. He and Gicheul would go to the given location and intercept. Mingoo shows up in Haeryun’s room because Jungbae tells him that she and Euijeong may be the only people to know Gicheul and Seungho’s whereabouts. He tells her the truth about Junmo and Euijeong being married cops. She is in shock, but she keeps her cool, telling Mingoo that she’ll help him. She has a word with Seungho, asking him if all the kindness he’s shown her thus far is genuine. She then tells him that her father has called her back to China and asks if she should really go. It’s Junmo’s answer that satisfies her, though. He tells her to wait in Hong Kong because it’s dangerous everywhere else. Perhaps Junmo feels like Haeryun deserves a better chance at life. She’s not at fault for her situation, and he’s learned a lot about her, making him feel protective of her. She, too, could go live that normal life she’s been dreaming about. Anyway, Haeryun is happy with his answer and decides to do something for herself, putting a knife in Mingoo’s throat. Her bodyguard, the only person who has ever truly cared for her, sacrifices himself so she can be set free (ugh, crime is a lonely road).
When they get to the port, Seungho tells Gicheul to wait in the car, and he’ll finish off the other guys himself. Gicheul is confused, but before he knows it, Junmo has handcuffed him to the steering wheel. Before leaving the car to finish it all up, Junmo makes eye contact with Gicheul, sharing a telepathic message: “I hope you live a good life.” He’s left the keys to the handcuffs on the passenger seat and the car key in the ignition. As the rest of the crew gets arrested, with Junmo at the front of it all, Gicheul escapes. Similarly, the Chinese and Japanese cartels are busted as well, making the mission a success.
What Happens To Gicheul And Junmo?
For someone who has achieved everything he set out to, Junmo is heartbroken at the end of the investigation. He finds out Donghyun is dead. His wife wonders if they could ever go back to the way they used to be. He’s stoic and has no answers. It’s almost as if he’s stopped living. When they get back home one night, Gicheul is sitting there looking at a picture of the happy couple. He tells them they suit each other well. Gicheul asks Junmo why he let him go, but Junmo has no answer. He asks Euijeong if everything is a lie and if she just used him for the investigation. She tries to console him by telling him that it didn’t matter if it was a lie or the truth; they would be punished severely for deceiving Gicheul, too. She mentions punishment in the afterlife, to which Gicheul replies that they should be punished where they are right now and puts his gun against his own head. To stop him from killing himself, a kind of mercy on Junmo’s part, he shoots Gicheul in the chest instead. Junmo watches as Euijeong tries desperately to keep him alive, but he’s long gone. It seems to Junmo that he’s lost everything already, so what’s another? They win awards for their work, though nobody can witness it.
During The Worst of Evil‘s ending, Junmo visits Gicheul’s grave, and he sees some flowers on the gravestone with the necklace Euijeong had given Gicheul. Junmo smokes a cigarette and places his wedding ring next to the flowers. Finally, he walks away after placing the half-smoked cigarette on the grave, too. This indicates that Junmo always respected Gicheul, and he really took him as a true friend. Junmo ended up losing everything he had and more while trying to prove himself to his wife’s family. He lost much more than he bargained for. He came in with no hope, but he gained another family member in Gicheul, who was like a real brother to him. As a truly trusted friend, the worst thing that could’ve happened was for him to kill his own best friend. We can say Junmo probably killed Gicheul out of fear that he would do something to him and Euijeong, or, like we said before, as an act of mercy, but maybe it was for his own benefit, too. Without Gicheul, nobody could question the person, or rather, the monster, he became in the end. The show talks about the extent to which a person can be used if he’s considered an expendable resource. Junmo had no one, really, but his wife was a symbol of pride for him. Since his dad also never took care of him, he ended up going the extra mile to earn her affection, even though he already had plenty of it. Junmo put himself in that position himself, turning into a monster. In the end, it’s as if he lost her to Gicheul, too.
What Is The Meaning Of The Mid-Credit Scene?
We see Gicheul and Junmo walking together in the happy days, smoking cigarettes with no care in the world. Maybe in another life, they would’ve actually been brothers who made a life together. It’s a reflection of their good times together as friends, brothers, and maybe well-intended people.
