The finale of Climax attempts to tie together its tangled web of revenge, lies and ambition. But it leaves more questions than answers. As tensions reach their peak, Tae-seop and Sang-ah find themselves winning only to be dragged down by haphazard execution.
Climax Episode 10 has a runtime of 60 minutes.
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Climax Cast
Ju Ji-hoon, Ha Ji-won, Nana, Cha Joo-young
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Climax Kdrama Director
Lee Ji-won
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Climax Series Screenwriter
Lee Ji-won, Shin Ye-seul
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Original Title
클라이맥스
Climax Episode 10 Review
What is the situation of Tae-seop and Sang-ah in the beginning?
From the moment the episode begins, it becomes clear that Tae-seop and Sang-ah are living separate lives. It is not mentioned whether they get divorced or not, but they have separate apartments, and they also meet at official events only. Tae-seop goes to congratulate Sang-ah on the release of her movie, and that is where he suggests taking revenge on Yang-mi, who is literally the main villain of this story.
How did Sang-ah manage to clear her name?
Yang-mi very meticulously clears Sang-ah’s name after her s*x tape goes viral. They present the whole thing as a movie scene that got released by someone out of context.
The public opinion also shifted because of all the tragedies surrounding both leads. However, Tae-seop obviously could not come back to having an active political career anymore. Thus, Yang-mi makes it possible for Tae-seop to enter Son’s campaign as his adviser.
What was the political standing of Tae-seop?
In this episode, Tae-seop again showcases just how brilliant and intelligent he is when it comes to strategies. He meticulously crafts the situation in such a way that Son gets higher ratings than his competitor, and Tae-seop even helps him out when a presidential debate takes place. This way, he manages to get the trust of Son, who himself was hounded by Yang-mi.
The reason Yang-mi wanted her candidate to win is that she would have made them change the inheritance bill so that, after her husband dies, she and her daughter can still have plenty of money in their names.
What happens to Yang-mi?
Yang-mi gets caught in the tangled mess that she herself created. Her every bad deed comes to light, and she gets dragged to the police station without any mercy.
How did Tae-seop get his revenge?
The most profitable winner towards the end is hands down Tae-seop, who completely turns his life around and also manages to save Sang-ah. He not only becomes a major presidential candidate, with a bright future ahead, but also manages to take an unofficial hold of the WR group.
Sang-ah also becomes a massive actress who gets to attend and win at major award shows.
So, did we get a happy ending?
Now, the biggest disappointment is that we didn’t get a happy ending. Not only that, but it’s debatable whether this even counts as an ending, because the story feels far from complete.
Here, we simply see the chairman waking up and Yang-mi being temporarily released, and that’s it. Tae-seop and Sang-ah, shaken by everything, choose to face the crowd head-on, and then the credits roll.
What are the good and bad aspects of this episode?
The strongest aspect of the episode is its tension. It handles the thriller elements well, making it feel like the leads might finally win after everything they’ve endured. However, the series ultimately falls apart in the latter half of its finale.
The only way to save this would be an immediate announcement of another season. Ending things so abruptly concludes feel incomplete and utterly unsatisfying.
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The entire series revolves around ambition, power, and corruption, so a happy ending would have felt out of place. Throughout the story, it becomes clear that this world doesn’t allow for absolute victories. I felt things were becoming almost too easy — Yang-mi being exposed, Tae-seop rising in power, and Sang-ah achieving recognition — so the final twist broke that expectation and reinforced the central idea: there is no complete escape from this system.
The moment the president wakes up and Yang-mi is given a temporary way out of prison feels like a statement that the game never really ends.
When the characters say that “this life is hell,” it doesn’t feel exaggerated — it feels like the only possible conclusion. They do achieve power, status, and a kind of victory, but they still remain trapped in the same logic that destroyed them.
Overall, I really liked the series. It maintains strong tension from start to finish and builds a consistent atmosphere of instability and conflict. It’s not a show that offers comfort or a traditional sense of closure, and that’s exactly why it leaves such a strong impression. The ending may divide opinions, but it is coherent with everything the story builds from the beginning.