Previously, in Episode 11 of Worst of Evil, Chief Seo had found evidence to prove that there was a rat in the gang. With all evidence pointing towards Junmoo, he asked Junmoo to prove his innocence by shooting Dohyung. On the other hand, Gicheul had finally come face to face with Jungbae.
Worst of Evil Episode 12 Recap: Will Junmoo succeed?
Chief Seo and Junmoo start to fight as Junmoo refuses to hurt Dohyung, and Chief Seo demands proof. In the heat of the argument, Chief Seo shoots Dohyung, Which leads to Junmoo attacking Chief Seo. They get into a fistfight, but backup arrives and detains Chief Seo before it can get too serious. Dohyung is sent to the hospital. Even while
Dohyun was bleeding to his death, so he requested Junmoo to remember his roots as an officer.
Gicheul faces his team and Jungbae, who has the documents for his dream city. Jungbae accuses Gicheul of only thinking of himself and his “clean” future. In a show of power, Jungbae calls on the gang members by name and shows how he remembers all the titbits about their lives. Gicheul slowly realises that all his men are now against him.
The final nail in the coffin is struck by Officer Mingoo, who had been notified against Gicheul for aiding murder. As it turns out, Heesung and Jungbae had betrayed Gicheul long before Jungbae stole the products from Gicheul. They had planned on turning Gicheul in and using Mingoo to ensure he stayed in jail for the rest of his life. Mingoo had agreed to cooperate with them in return for money.
While Gicheul gets taken away by the Mingoo, Euijeong arrives at the scene. In a setting that mirrors the incident of their childhood, Eui Jeong watches as Gicheul gets taken away. This time, though, she decides to follow him.
She informed the chief Prosecutor of the developments, who told Junmoo that Gicheul had been arrested. Junmoo, still rattled by Dohyung’s injury, rushes in to save Gicheul in a last-ditch attempt to save his failing mission.
Junmoo crashes his car into the one carrying Gicheul, causing everyone to fall unconscious. Using this situation, he pulls out a barely conscious Gicheul and takes him away to his hideout.
Junmoo reports the situation to the chief Prosecutor when Gicheul wakes up. He informs Junmoo of what has happened. Although their chances seemed bleak, the only hope was that no one except Gicheul knew of the new Japanese partner.
Trying to use this to his advantage Junmoo asks the police force to arrest all the distributors of meth that the Gangnam Union has. The chief Prosecutor asks his new core team to remember Dohyung’s sacrifice. Thus, we learn that Officer Dohyung had passed away, but Junmoo had not been informed of this.
Heesung and Jungbae come under pressure when they realise all their buyers are slowly disappearing. They recognise the only way to sell the narcotics is through Japan.
Gicheul, unaware of Junmoo’s plan, gets restless to get their stuff back, but Junmoo stops him. They sit and share their viewpoints on trying to gain an everyday life, which is both sad and hilarious considering the reality of their situation.
Even while hospitalised, Officer Mingoo refuses to let things slide. He asks his subordinates to gain information on Gicheul’s men, but he fails. Chief Seo is detained due to murder charges, and no accurate record appears when they try to get a warrant on Kwon Seungho’s name. The fact that there were no records with his name causes Mingoo to pause and rethink the situation.
Eui Jeong and the chief Prosecutor meet at Dohyung’s funeral. They have a heated discussion about the validity of the mission yet again. The chief Prosecutor requests Eui Jeong not to inform Junmoo of Dohyung’s death.
Mingoo, unable to let go of his suspicions, asks Heesung if he knows anything about Seungho’s background. They admit that the only legitimate information they had about Seungho was from Eui Jeong, a cop.
The new leaders of Gangnam pay Mingoo to tail Eui Jeong and Hae Ryeon in hopes of catching Junmoo and Gicheul.
Hae Ryeon meets up with Jungbae and Heesung to discuss business. She agrees to their terms without much fuss and even gives them the address for the location drop.
It was suspicious for her to trust them so quickly, which is accurate as Junmoo gave her the instructions.
Mingoo’s subordinate visits Dohyung’s funeral to investigate, but when he sees the picture of Dohyung, he realises there is some problem with his identity. Since the man who pretended to be Junmoo is not him.
On his way to Hae Ryeon’s room, Mingoo gets a call from his subordinate. He had acquired the information about Junmoo’s true identity. He takes it to Hae Ryeon and promises that she will have a safe passage if she reveals Junmoo’s hideout.
Hae Ryeon, still not over his feelings for Junmoo, asks him if he genuinely feels anything for her. When Junmoo doesn’t answer, she asks him if she should return to China or stay in Korea. Junmoo tries to save her and says she should go to Hong Kong. Hurt by Junmoo’s betrayal and disgusted by Mingoo’s offer, she cuts Mingoo’s throat in a fit of rage.
Her bodyguard, at the sight of the dead police officer, offers to sacrifice himself to ensure she escapes. In a very emotional scene, Hae Ryeon appreciates him for the first time before he runs away, asking her to find someone she trusts and survive.
Worst of Evil Episode 12 Ending Explained: Does Worst of Evil have a happy ending?
“the rest of your lives will never be happy” there was no going back after what happened…the investigation is over but so is their marriage #TheWorstOfEvil #TheWorstOfEvilEp12 pic.twitter.com/zQQGrQSnL0
— • (@D0HYUNSOO) October 25, 2023
Everything starts to fall into place as Haesung and Jungbae carry the drugs to the port, where they would be given to the Japanese carrier. The police were already on standby in Korea, China and Japan. Gicheul and Junmoo sit in a car a little far from the exchange spot.
When the exchange happens, Gicheul starts to leave the car, but Junmoo finally reveals his identity and cuffs him to the car. He ensures a key in the car before going to face Heesung and Jungbae alone.
They were surprised to see him alone, but not for long as soon the police department swarmed in around them.
Junmoo had left the keys to the cuffs in the car to allow Gicheul to run away, which he does.
The Japanese yakuza and the Chinese gangs are taken down by their respective police, leading to a sweeping victory for the team.
Even so, there is a general mood of gloom. Gicheul’s city plan collapses because the place doesn’t have enough money. Junmoo visits Dohyung’s urn with Eui Jeong. They wonder if they will ever be able to return to how they were before, but Junmoo admits that after what they have been through, the damage has already been done.
There was another surprise waiting for the couple back in their home as Gicheul came into Eui Jeong’s home looking for answers. When he found Junmoo and Eui Jeong’s picture together, everything became clear to him.
After realizing he was betrayed by everyone he ever loved, he tries to commit suicide, but Junmoo beats him to it. With a bullet to the heart, Gicheul dies in the arms of his first love.
Junmoo calls the station to inform them of Gicheul. Even then, we hear Gicheul’s watch ticking on Junmoo’s hand in the background. He had not taken it off, perhaps hoping that Gicheul would survive.
Junmoo finally got the promotion that had started everything, but in true noir fashion, no one gets away from it happy. Junmoo and Eui Jeong’s relationship falls apart, symbolized by his ring left at Gicheul’s grave.
The post-credit scene of Gicheul and Junmoo happy together is perhaps something that will haunt us forever.
GICHEUL AND JUNMO IM CRYING MY EYES OUT 💔💔💔 #TheWorstOfEvil pic.twitter.com/Vz46yHpFl7
— • (@D0HYUNSOO) October 25, 2023