Made in Korea continues to lean into its dark political thriller roots in Episode 5, an installment that is quieter on the surface but heavy with consequences. This episode spends less time on spectacle and more time tightening the net around Baek Gi-tae. Power plays shift, loyalties crack, and nearly every major character begins to see Gi-tae not as an ally but as a liability.
While the pacing may feel restrained, the episode does important groundwork ahead of the finale. It also deepens Gi-tae’s psychology, showing us not just what he wants, but why he wants it so badly.
A Flashback That Explains Everything
Episode 5 opens with a flashback to 1965 in Vietnam. Gi-tae is shown as a soldier who kills without hesitation. There is no ideology or patriotism driving him. Survival is the only goal. This scene matters because it reframes his present actions. Gi-tae has never believed in causes. He believes in power.
The war sequence suggests that Gi-tae has always been expendable to someone else’s ambition. Now, years later, he refuses to remain cannon fodder. This hunger to climb is not sudden. It has been building since the battlefield.
Hwang’s Murder and a Carefully Built Alibi
Back in the present, Pyo assures Cheon that everything surrounding Hwang’s murder is under control. It becomes clear that the killing was planned with Gi-tae. Pyo’s alibi is almost laughably mundane. He steps out to buy cigarettes and later claims he only returned to pick Hwang up.
Jang does not buy it. He arrests Pyo and pushes hard during the interrogation, hoping to turn him against Gi-tae. But the system works as it always does in this world. Influence outweighs evidence. Pyo keeps quiet, and Cheon quietly ensures his release.
This moment reinforces a recurring theme. The truth rarely matters if the right people are invested in keeping it buried.
Gi-tae’s Dangerous Deal With Cheon
Gi-tae hands Cheon the stolen money that Hwang had been hiding. More importantly, he produces Geum-ji’s notebook, which directly links Cheon’s name to the operation. This is not a threat spoken out loud, but it does not need to be.
Gi-tae asks for one billion won as an investment. His promise is bold. He claims he can turn that into seventy billion to support the president’s reelection. Cheon agrees, though his warning is clear. Gi-tae is useful, but he is not untouchable.
Cheon’s acceptance does not feel like trust. It feels like a temporary convenience.
Jang Versus the System
Once Pyo is freed, Jang is furious. His instincts are correct, but his position is weak. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Seo reminds him that Cheon is not someone they can openly challenge. Still, Seo is not willing to surrender completely.
Behind the scenes, Seo begins sharing information with Na. He frames Cheon as a man backing a potential drug dealer. This quiet alliance hints at a larger political storm brewing just beyond Gi-tae’s control.
Betrayal Close to Home
Gi-tae senses a leak within his own circle. The information about the Japanese deal could only have come from one person. Dae-il.
The betrayal cuts deeper when Gi-tae discovers that Dae-il is involved with his sister So-yeong. Gi-tae sends her away and confronts Dae-il in a chilling scene that uses Russian roulette as a test of loyalty. Fear does what persuasion cannot. Dae-il confesses and apologizes.
Gi-tae spares him, but not without consequences. Dae-il is paid to disappear, and a fake drug delivery is used to send Jang on a wild goose chase. It is another win for Gi-tae, but it feels increasingly reckless.
Trouble in Japan
In Japan, Yuji faces resistance from her own people. A harsh crackdown has crippled the meth trade, and most yakuza clans want out. Yuji refuses to quit. She argues that South Korea offers a way forward, with cheaper resources and fewer restrictions.
Chairman Ikeda gives her one last chance. Failure is not an option.
Yuji later meets Cheon and subtly positions Gi-tae as replaceable. She points out his weakness without hesitation. His siblings. Cheon listens. So does the audience. Gi-tae’s enemies are starting to think alike.
Ki-hyun’s Moral Line
Meanwhile, Gi-tae’s brother Ki-hyun faces his own crisis in the military. He tries to protect a bullied private, Hong, but the situation spirals out of control. Hong shoots his tormentors, and Ki-hyun is blamed.
Ki-hyun refuses to play along when investigators push him to become a scapegoat. Even when offered a deal, he holds onto his belief that the truth should matter. This sets him apart from Gi-tae more clearly than ever.
Jang later approaches Ki-hyun and reveals Gi-tae’s criminal activities. He warns that the entire family could fall. Ki-hyun listens but refuses to cooperate.
Gi-tae Interferes and Crosses a Line
When Gi-tae learns about his brother’s situation, he intervenes directly. He assaults Ki-hyun’s superior and uses his influence to get both the company commander and the investigator removed. Ki-hyun is promoted in their place.
Instead of gratitude, Ki-hyun feels disgust. He wanted to earn his position, not inherit it through fear. His decision to return to Vietnam is a rejection of Gi-tae’s methods.
This moment hurts Gi-tae more than any external threat. His power cannot buy his brother’s respect.
An Ominous Ending
Overwhelmed and furious, Gi-tae declares that he will never bow again. He will force others to kneel, no matter how powerful they are.
The episode ends on a chilling note. Jang is attacked while out buying food for his team. The scene cuts away before revealing his fate, leaving viewers uneasy and guessing.
Final Thoughts on Episode 5
As a standalone episode, this chapter works well. Gi-tae stays one step ahead, but his world is clearly shrinking. Cheon views him as disposable. Yuji sees him as a problem. Ki-hyun no longer believes in him.
The criticism lies in pacing. For a six-episode series, Episode 5 moves cautiously. The slow burn feels more suited to a longer format. Much of this hour is about positioning rather than payoff.
Still, the tension is undeniable. With a second season already planned, this episode feels like a deliberate pause before collapse.
If nothing else, Episode 5 makes one thing clear. Baek Gi-tae is standing alone, even when surrounded by allies.
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