MBN 'First Lady' stars Yujin, Ji Hyun-woo and Lee Min-young offered atonement for the tragedies born of desire and greed, and the revelation that missing Ji Hyun-woo survived delivered a weighty final 'miracle ending.'
The final episode of the MBN Wednesday-Thursday miniseries 'First Lady' (written by Kim Hyeong-wan, directed by Lee Ho-hyun, produced by Studio Jidam, Artist Studio, Roadshow Plus), which aired at 10:20 p.m. on the 30th (Thursday), showed Hyun Min-cheol (played by Ji Hyun-woo), who learned the truth about Cha Soo-yeon (played by Yujin), embracing his wife with love and sacrificing his life, and the change that brought about in Cha Soo-yeon.
First, when Hyun Min-cheol, who had met the first lady, accused Cha Soo-yeon, saying, "I heard you were the one behind the fire. You conspired with Yang Hoon and staged it. To get me to win the election," she calmly admitted without so much as a change of expression, "I did it." Moreover, facing Hyun Min-cheol, who was crying and saying, "Becoming a member of the National Assembly and becoming president both ultimately came at the cost of lives," Cha Soo-yeon delivered a bitter confession: "I didn't love you. I only used you to take revenge on my father," and Hyun Min-cheol turned away in agony.
Afterward, Cha Soo-yeon headed to the H Chemical abandoned factory to find her daughter Hyun Ji-yoo (played by Park Seo-kyung), who had been kidnapped by Yang Hoon (played by Lee Si-gang). After handing Yang Hoon a pen recording device, she knelt and begged him to spare only Ji-yoo, but Yang Hoon threw a toxic substance, saying, "Your sister is the evidence, right? I have to get rid of the evidence," and left, leaving Cha Soo-yeon distraught. At that moment, Hyun Min-cheol, who had been eating noodles at Heo Geum-ok's (played by Heo Jin) food stall and witnessed Cha Soo-yeon's car entering the abandoned factory, ran to the factory and rescued Ji-yoo.
Then Hyun Min-cheol saved Cha Soo-yeon and Lee Hwa-jin (played by Han Soo-ah) as well, but suddenly the ceiling collapsed and all three lost consciousness. When Cha Soo-yeon woke up a short time later, she was desperate to see Hyun Min-cheol trapped under a huge slab of concrete and unable to move. Watching the collapsing building, Hyun Min-cheol, with the confession "I should have known. Why did the person I love do that," urged them to escape. To Cha Soo-yeon's cries he shouted, "Get out now," and, at Lee Hwa-jin's call of "Dad," he faintly smiled. As soon as Cha Soo-yeon and Lee Hwa-jin got out of the factory, the building collapsed.
After that, Yang Hoon was arrested on charges including arson at the abandoned factory, the attempted kidnapping and murder of Cha Soo-yeon and Hyun Ji-yoo, and the staged traffic accident involving butler Seong, and searches continued for Hyun Min-cheol, who went missing at the abandoned factory. Shin Hae-rin (played by Lee Min-young), who was at the police station, showed shaken eyes at the prolonged disappearance of Hyun Min-cheol, but called Lee Beom-seok (played by Lee Myung-hoon) and, saying, "The inauguration is not far off. You know the president-elect has high standards, right?" expressed confidence in Hyun Min-cheol's survival, evoking poignancy.
Cha Soo-yeon testified before the special investigation committee about the H Chemical fire 15 years earlier, and union members including Do Tae-hoon revealed the truth, saying they were merely victims and that "those who died unjustly are not guilty." Cha Soo-yeon, who said she would accept punishment and take responsibility herself, expressed desperate resolve about her husband's survival: "I don't know if my husband saved the world. He saved the person I am. It's my turn to save him."
Meanwhile, as Cha Soo-yeon watched the search at the abandoned factory, Lee Hwa-jin came to comfort her, and the urgent cries of rescue workers—"He's here! Here he is! Airway secured! Check for trauma! Check breathing!"—announced Hyun Min-cheol's survival in a 'miracle ending,' leaving a profound aftereffect. In that regard, we summarize what 'First Lady' left behind: the idea that human desire and greed can be redeemed by true sincerity and sacrifice.
▶ What 'First Lady' left behind #1. Yujin, Ji Hyun-woo and Lee Min-young proved an exceptional acting range!
Through 'First Lady,' Yujin, Ji Hyun-woo and Lee Min-young succeeded in transforming into characters audiences had never seen before, demonstrating solid skill and a boundless acting spectrum. Yujin shone with a singular performance as First Lady Cha Soo-yeon, who repents after her husband's sacrifice, portraying her ambition for power and pursuit of vengeance against her father. Ji Hyun-woo delivered a dense performance as president-elect Hyun Min-cheol, a man of steadfast conviction and faith in sincerity, giving a heavy resonance. Lee Min-young received praise for her refined performance as the fiercely loyal presidential chief of staff Shin Hae-rin, showing a mysterious charm that aroused suspicion and restrained emotion.
▶ What 'First Lady' left behind #2. The original narrative by writer Kim Hyeong-wan, written over a full six years! A new genre was born from intricate plot and tightly woven relationships!
'First Lady' showcased the true value of writer Kim Hyeong-wan's original narrative, completed over six years. Beginning with the divorce war between the president-elect and the first lady, it drew immersion with a sharp plot that pierces human nature: tragedies stained by ambition and greed for power, and horrific disasters born of the authority and hypocrisy of the privileged. In particular, the dense relationships among the entangled cast of characters and the message that values can be revived through love and sacrifice delivered empathy and comfort.
▶ What 'First Lady' left behind #3. It led global buzz throughout its broadcast!
'First Lady' captivated attention by depicting the human psyche in detail—desire and obsession for power, and sharp conflicts born of endless ambition. Scenes such as the large-scale 'president-elect party' and the vividly realized 'chemical plant fire' provided spectacular visual satisfaction and completed a production design of a different scale. With taut storytelling and stylish direction, 'First Lady' consistently ranked in Netflix's 'Top 10 series in Korea today' category during its run, creating a sensation, and also reached top positions on Japan's OTT platform Lemino and global OTT platform Rakuten Viki, generating intense global buzz.
The 'First Lady' production team said, "We express our gratitude to the actors who poured their fighting spirit, passion and affection into the best work and to the viewers who sent warm support," and added, "We hope 'First Lady' became a drama that moved viewers' hearts and where sincerity came through."
[Photo] MBN 'First Lady' broadcast capture
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