Disney+ original series Made in Korea Season 2 is drawing sharply divided reactions over what many viewers have described as an anticlimactic ending. Amid the criticism, however, Hyun Bin’s powerful performance in the title role has been praised for carrying the drama until the very end and once again proving his commanding presence.
Made in Korea Season 2, which concluded with the release of its final Episodes 5 and 6 on September 23, is set against the turbulent backdrop of the 1970s. The series centers on the fateful confrontation between Baek Ki Tae (Hyun Bin), a man driven by enormous ambition, and prosecutor Jang Geon Young (Jung Woo Sung), who relentlessly pursues him.
Across both seasons, Hyun Bin firmly established himself as the center of the story. He portrayed not only an ambitious man who disrupts the entire power structure with his uncompromising charisma, but also Baek Ki Tae’s growing anxiety and loneliness as he gradually descends toward destruction amid a whirlwind of immense power. From his tense confrontations with Jang Geon Young to the subtle emotional shifts he displays toward his younger brother Baek Ki Hyeon (Woo Do Hwan), Hyun Bin adjusted his gaze and tone depending on the character opposite him, earning praise from viewers who said, “There was no Hyun Bin—there was only Baek Ki Tae.”
Despite Hyun Bin’s efforts, however, opinions have been sharply divided over how the story ultimately concluded. In the finale, Baek Ki Tae finds himself surrounded on all sides, only to meet an abrupt death not at the hands of prosecutor Jang Geon Young, but at the hands of his own younger brother Baek Ki Hyeon, whom he had devoted himself to raising.
Immediately after the finale, criticism of the ending poured into online communities and social media. Viewers commented, “The younger brother he cherished and raised ends up shooting him to death—this has to be one of the worst endings ever,” “Wrapping everything up abruptly with five minutes left feels like Disney is mocking its viewers,” and “Compared with Season 1, the story’s logic completely fell apart.”
The ending also brought back memories of Disney+’s Big Bet Season 2, starring Choi Min Sik, in which the protagonist also met an abrupt death following the betrayal of a trusted ally. Subscribers commented, “It’s another repeat of the empty Big Bet-style ending,” and “Disney’s long-running tradition of starting strong and ending weak continues after Big Bet.”
While the forced developments and seemingly contrived downfall left many viewers disappointed, praise has continued to pour in for Hyun Bin, whose performance convincingly captured the complicated inner world of his character at every turn.
Sources: Naver