Beyond Redemption: "Karma" and the Thrill of Moral Justice on Netflix. Character Relationships & Finale Explained!
- lewishooper1
- Apr 15
- 6 min read
Netflix's new crime/thriller, Karma, delivers justice after a moral collapse. We take you through all the character relationships and decipher the finale that has everyone shook!
*Spoiler Alert!
What is this gripping Korean thriller all about?
Get ready for a gripping ride! The crime K-drama Karma masterfully weaves its suspense through a captivating nonlinear narrative. We're plunged straight into the heart of the story in the fictional town of Guhoe, South Korea, as a severely burned man is rushed into a hospital. Dr. Lee Ju Yeon (the beloved Shin Min Ah from Hometown Cha Cha Cha) fights to save his life. But the relief of success turns to chilling dread when she discovers his identity: Park Jae Yeong, his face a mask of burns, unrecognizable yet deeply familiar. The mystery intensifies as we're left wondering until the season's climax: How do Ju Yeon and Jae Yeong's pasts intertwine, and what dark secret makes his reappearance so terrifying for her?
Intrigued by the character Jang Gil Ryong? Let's dive into it! Who is this individual brought to life by the talented Kim Sung Kyun? What makes Jang Gil Ryong a notable part of Kim Sung Kyun's acting repertoire?
In a desperate and chilling move, Jae Yeong, driven to patricide, sets out to find someone to carry out the grim deed. His search lands on Jang Gil Ryong, portrayed by the compelling Kim Sung Kyun from Moving (2023). Gil Ryong, a Korean-Chinese man recently jobless from Jae Yeong's own workplace and entangled with the Korean-Chinese mafia, is in dire need of funds to support his child back home. Though their paths never crossed at work, Jae Yeong sees Gil Ryong a potential instrument of death.
Tracking Gil Ryong to his desolate dwelling in a car junkyard, Jae Yeong makes his dark proposition: to murder his father. To ensure the insurance payout, Jae Yeong meticulously instructs Gil Ryong to stage the killing as a hit-and-run. He even pinpoints the vulnerable spot – an alleyway without CCTV on Dong Sik's route home from church – as the perfect location for the fatal act.
Understanding Park Hae Soo's Role as "The Witness"
The chilling events of Episode 5, "Rewind", expose Gil Ryong's desperate plan: he asks an old prison contact, Kim Beom Jun (Park Hae Soo, familiar to many as "The Witness" from Squid Game), to assist in murdering Jae Yeong's father. Disturbingly, Beom Jun is the one behind the wheel of the car that mows down Dongsik. Their intention was a quick fatality, allowing Jae Yeong to collect the insurance money, which would then be divided between Gil Ryong and Beom Jun. Fate intervenes, however, as Dong Sik not only survives being run over multiple times, but the accident is also witnessed by a church friend. With a severely injured Dong Sik in his vehicle, Beom Jun informs Gil Ryong that a new plan is necessary.
The Relationship Between Yu-jeong, "Glasses," and Beom-jun: Explained
From their shared past in Guhoe and a common penchant for fraud, Yu Jeong (Gong Seung Yeon) and Beom Jun have a dangerous connection. Yu Jeong orchestrates honey traps, targeting affluent married men, while Beom Jun plays the enraged boyfriend to extort them. Upon Beom Jun's release from prison, Yu Jeong is there, and their criminal enterprise reignites. Their current target is "Glasses" (Lee Kwang Soo), or Dr. Han Sang Hoon, whom Yu Jeong has lured to a remote hotel on the night Dong Sik is attacked.
She anticipates Beom Jun's arrival to complete their con. However, Beom Jun's involvement in the botched murder of Dong Sik forces a change of plans. Capitalizing on the situation, Beom Jun directs Yu Jeong to convince a tipsy Sang Hoon to drive them to Seoul in the dead of night. Waiting on a foggy mountain overpass with the dying Dong Sik, Beom Jun drops him onto Sang Hoon's car. The impact kills Dong Sik, and a guilt-ridden and compromised Sang Hoon chooses to conceal the incident.
In a ruthless move, Beom Jun murders both Jae Yeong and Gil Ryong, and to further his scheme, he steals Jae Yeong's identity.
The botched attempt on his father's life leaves Jae Yeong seething with anger at Gil Ryong. The insurance agency's delayed payment, pending investigation into the suspicious hit and run, only intensifies his rage. Meanwhile, Gil Ryong, desperate for his payment to escape Korea after being caught on CCTV murdering a police officer investigating Dong Sik's death, is equally furious.
When they meet, Jae Yeong tries to kill Gil Ryong but is overpowered. Gil Ryong takes the unconscious Jae Yeong to Beom Jun, who is hiding from the police at the Guhoe warehouse. There, BeomJ un realizes his resemblance to Jae Yeong and conceives a plan to steal his identity. He murders both Jae Yeong and Gil Ryong, and sets the warehouse on fire. Ultimately, Beom Jun's scheme leads to his own demise as he is caught in the flames.
Ju Yeon spares Beom Jun’s life
Ju Yeon, seeking revenge, initially plans to kill Beom Jun, mistaking him for Jae Yeong. Following Beom Jun's departure from the hospital against medical advice, Ju Yeon uses a private detective agency to replace his pain medication with a lethal dose of fentanyl. Her pursuit leads her to Dong Sik's church, where Beom Jun uncovers a shocking truth: the 500 million won insurance payout was ultimately directed to the church, not Jae Yeong. Dong Sik had changed his beneficiary a mere week before his death, rendering Jae Yeong's murder of his father utterly pointless.
Fueled by rage and pain, Beom Jun exits the church and swallows more pills, ending up in the same alley where he ran down Dong Sik weeks earlier. As the fentanyl takes hold, Ju Yeon appears, wielding a scalpel. He frantically tries to deny being Jae Yeong, but Ju Yeon, who overheard his exchange with the nun about Dong Sik's son, is unmoved. Just as Ju Yeon is about to deliver the killing blow, her boyfriend, Jeong Min (Kim Nam Gil from Island), arrives. Jeong Min doesn't physically restrain her but pleads with her: "Think about everything you've endured. You shouldn't ruin your life over scum like him." In stark contrast to the pervasive violence in Karma, Ju Yeon chooses a different path. She walks away from Beom Jun, and in that act, finds a measure of peace.
Later, when the private detective brings evidence confirming Beom Jun's true identity, Ju Yeon refuses to look, a final step towards moving on from the trauma of the past weeks.
Karma's Ending: What Are We to Make of It?
In Karma, the characters' actions lead to their downfall. Yu Jeong, Beom Jun, and Jae Yeong are all complicit in the sexual assault of a young Ju Yeon, and their lives are subsequently driven by self-interest. Sang Hoon, similarly, prioritizes his reputation over the well-being of others. Gil Ryong presents a more complex case. While arguably the most morally conflicted of those who suffer, he faces limited options due to the racism he experiences as a Korean-Chinese man in Korea.
His willingness to murder Dong Sik, however, makes him culpable. Karma can be interpreted through both secular and religious lenses. The secular perspective emphasizes social interconnectedness, where our actions inevitably affect others, and the consequences can resemble karmic retribution.
The series also allows for a religious interpretation, much like the recent Korean film Revelations. Before his death, Dong Sik prays for forgiveness for his son's sins. He offers his own life as a sacrifice, and his subsequent murder precipitates the suffering and deaths of five sinners, including Jae Yeong.
What were your thoughts on this gripping Korean thriller series? Share your feedback in the comments below!
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