ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama Climax ended its run in style, achieving its highest ratings ever with the powerful alliance between Ju Ji Hoon and Ha Ji Won, along with Cha Joo Young’s dramatic downfall.
In the final episode that aired on April 14, Bang Tae Seop (Ju Ji Hoon) and Chu Sang Ah (Ha Ji Won) joined forces to expose Lee Yang Mi’s (Cha Joo Young) crimes, upending the existing power structure. With politics, capital and personal interests deeply intertwined, each character’s choices led to direct consequences, maintaining tension until the end.
The ratings reflected the drama’s impact. According to Nielsen Korea, the finale recorded 3.9% nationwide, peaking at 4.6% per minute. In the Seoul metropolitan area it reached 4.0% with a peak of 4.8%. These figures marked a new personal best for the series, allowing it to finish as the highest-rated drama Monday through Tuesday.
In the episode, Bang Tae Seop executed a strategy to isolate Lee Yang Mi from the power circle led by Son Guk Won (Joo Jin Mo). By providing testimony regarding the Daeyang Fund to the Changjo Party, he created influence against Son Guk Won. He also obtained evidence from a USB copy left by Hwang Jeong Won (Nana), proving Lee Yang Mi’s direct involvement in Park Jae Sang’s (Lee Ga Sub) death.
Chu Sang Ah also made his move. Using documents she had long collected on illegal activities involving conglomerates and political figures, she applied pressure and even secured funding in the process, weakening Lee Yang Mi’s influence.
Eventually, Bang Tae Seop and Chu Sang Ah approached Son Guk Won with a proposal: abandon Lee Yang Mi and join forces with them. At the same time, a news broadcast revealed black box footage showing Lee Yang Mi instructing others to stage a case as suicide. The report exposed the deep ties between corporate and political power, delivering a decisive blow that brought down the system centered on her.
Ultimately, Bang Tae Seop and Chu Sang Ah evolved from using each other to form a true alliance with a shared goal. With the fall of Lee Yang Mi, the entire power structure was reshaped.
Spectator reactions were equally enthusiastic. Comments included: “The twist between Tae Seop and Sang Ah joining hands again was unexpected,” “Lee Yang Mi’s downfall was the most impactful,” and “The ending perfectly encompasses politics, chaebol power, and personal stories all at once.”
Climax concluded by thoroughly exploring how choices within power dynamics shape outcomes, bringing the story to a gripping conclusion. The follow-up drama, The Scarecrow, premieres April 20 at 10 p.m.
Sources: Naver
