Episode 3 of Made in Korea takes a sharp turn toward tragedy. The story slows down, but the tension rises. Instead of rushing Gi-tae’s climb, the episode pauses to examine the cost of ambition. It does so through Bae Geum-ji, a woman who understands power yet never truly owns it.
From the opening narration, we already know how her story ends. That choice gives the episode a heavy mood. Every scene feels like it is ticking toward something unavoidable. The result is a chapter that feels controlled, unsettling, and emotionally loaded.
Prohibition Era Scars and Present-Day Greed
The episode begins with Geum-ji explaining the era she survived. Rules existed only for ordinary people. The KCIA stood above consequence. As a madam who entertained powerful men, she believed she understood the game. She was wrong. That realization frames everything that follows.
In the present timeline, Gi-tae drives Director Hwang to a temple, hiding his money. The visual says a lot. Sacred spaces are no longer sacred. They are storage rooms for corruption. Soon after, they meet Cheon Seok-jung, a man whose authority overshadows even Hwang. The hierarchy is clear. Gi-tae is at the bottom, watching and learning.
Geum-ji enters this space with confidence. She has returned from the United States with her son and a threat. One of these powerful men may be the father. The implication alone is enough to shake them.
Humiliation as a tool of control
At the meeting, power dynamics play out quietly but cruelly. Hwang treats Gi-tae like a servant. Cheon treats Hwang the same way. The cycle of humiliation continues downward.
Geum-ji notices Gi-tae’s fascination with Cheon’s authority. She offers him something dangerous. She offers to help him become that powerful. Her flirtation is not just personal. It is strategic. She sees ambition in him and knows how to feed it.
The meeting turns out to be a setup. Cheon wants Geum-ji monitored. Hwang agrees. Both men mock Gi-tae for his background and hunger for status. Respect in this world is never earned. It is taken.
Prosecutors chasing shadows
Away from the KCIA, Prosecutor Jang Geon-young, Ye-jin, and Manager Kim set up a secret base. Their scenes shift the tone slightly. They have theories but no proof. Man-jae may have paid Hwang. Someone else may control Hwang. Everything is still speculation.
They decide to focus on Dae-il, rumored to be rebuilding the meth operation. These scenes are quieter and sometimes lighter. That contrast can feel jarring, but it also shows how far removed legal efforts are from real power.
Gi-tae caught between predators
Hwang orders Gi-tae to retrieve Geum-ji’s supposed notebook. It allegedly lists every powerful man she slept with. More importantly, it could confirm the existence of her child’s father. Gi-tae is warned not to fall for her.
When he meets Geum-ji, she is already ahead of the plan. She knows Hwang’s scheme and counters with a bigger one. Along with this, she claims Cheon has endless money and promises Gi-tae a future in which Gi-tae replaces him. It is the most dangerous offer yet.
She also arranges a meeting with Yuji. Gi-tae is given one last chance. Failure means death. Watching these women compete for his influence shows how valuable Gi-tae has become. It also shows how disposable he still is.
Family history and moral compromise
Ye-jin befriends Gi-tae’s sister So-yeong. Through her, we learn more about his past. The family faced discrimination as Zainichi Koreans. Gi-tae carries trauma, a dishonorable discharge, and old wounds. None of it excuses his choices, but it explains them.
Gi-tae later pulls So-yeong into money laundering and surveillance. He frames drug money as patriotic because it targets Japan, not South Korea. It is a chilling rationalization. He promises the drugs will never enter the local market. The promise feels fragile.
Dae-il builds the new lab. His flirtation with So-yeong adds a darkly playful edge. It is one of the few moments where tension softens, though never fully.
Geum-ji’s final gamble
Hwang grows suspicious when Gi-tae brings in less money. Another agent tails him and confirms the meth partnership. Hwang hesitates. Drugs could damage the KCIA’s image. Still, the profits are tempting.
Gi-tae and Geum-ji share a quiet conversation about power. Both are tired of being looked down on. It is one of the episode’s most honest moments.
When Geum-ji threatens to appear at a presidential event, Hwang panics. He orders Gi-tae to control her. It is a trap. While Gi-tae is distracted, Geum-ji slips away and visits Na Yong-cheol, the Chief of Presidential Staff. The implication is clear. He is the father.
She demands land and influence. He responds with violence. She responds with laughter. It is a powerful scene that shows how little fear she has left.
A choice that defines Gi-tae
Hwang decides Geum-ji has gone too far. He chooses Gi-tae as the instrument to end it. Gi-tae tries once to save her. He urges her to leave the country. She refuses and admits there is no notebook. What she ever wanted was protection. For a moment, she hopes he will choose her.
He does not.
In the final moments, surrounded by agents, Geum-ji realizes the truth. Gi-tae has chosen survival over loyalty. He kills her. She smokes her last cigarette and reflects on wanting to love again. It is a devastating end.
Final Thoughts
Episode 3 slows the plot but deepens the themes. By centering Geum-ji’s perspective, the series exposes how power consumes everyone it touches. Gi-tae is no longer just ambitious. He is complicit.
The humor from the prosecutors still feels slightly out of place, though darker moments like Dae-il’s flirting work better. With few episodes left, the show remains focused on logistics rather than execution. That tension may be intentional.
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