The Scarecrow Episode 12 is the painful yet emotional conclusion to the drama as Tae-joo finally tries to fix the wrongs that ruined so many lives. After hearing the detective’s claim that he confessed to the seventh murder, Ki-hwan tells Tae-joo that he is ready to testify at Seok-man’s retrial. He wants the truth to come out, he says, so people will stop thinking he’s lying.
Seok-man to Face Retrial
At the retrial, attorney Cha cross-examines former detectives Hyung-gu and Myung-do, Police Commissioner Dae-ho, and Seok-man. The retired officers say Seok-man’s conviction was based on the radioactive isotope test that Tae-joo had requested years ago.
Tae-joo confesses his mistake and apologizes to Seok-man in the court. He also shows the torture of Seong-jin who is called as a witness. “Hyung-gu and Myung-do tortured me and made me confess that I was the serial killer,” Seong-jin said.
Outside the courtroom, Young-beom runs into Seong-jin, and asks about Gi-beom. Seong-jin tells him that Si-young is responsible for Gi-beom’s death, and Tae-joo is a good officer. Later, Young-beom goes through the case files and sees that Jun-young, Si-young, Hyung-gu, Myung-do and Dae-ho were all awarded medals after Seok-man’s arrest.
Tae-joo reunites with Ji-won
Tae-joo and Ji-won meet again in the court after Thirty years. Tae-joo says he wants to fix everything that went wrong and Ji-won agrees to help him. Meanwhile, Young-beom finds out that Ji-won has been looking for Hye-jin, believing she could still be alive.
Tae-joo also discusses with Ki-hwan exposing the officers who helped conceal Hye-jin’s body. Ji-won later visits Ki-hwan in prison and questions him about Gi-beom’s death, blaming him for leaving the child in the car.
Ji-won Spills the Beans
Ji-won threatens to sue Young-beom if Ki-hwan agrees to testify. He agrees, and she does a live broadcast over Noise Cut, and posts a video of Ki-hwan admitting to the murder of Hye-jin. He also reveals that officers helped cover up the crime in the same video.
Tae-joo appears in the broadcast and mentions Si-young in public. Ji-won is concerned about the risk of revealing an assemblyman, particularly Tae-joo.
Meanwhile, Sun-young confronts Si-young about Hye-jin’s death. Young-beom takes his mother away. They later visit Gi-beom’s grave. Sun-young tells Young-beom that Tae-joo is his uncle too.
Si-young Young-beom Turns On
Young-beom confronts Si-young and demands an apology from Si-young to Hye-jin’s family. Before the hearing, Tae-joo and Si-young meet outside court and Tae-joo makes it clear that he will not back down again.
In court, Si-young denies knowing Seok-man was forced to confess. He also says Ki-hwan is lying about the seventh murder to make himself look more notorious. But Young-beom doesn’t believe him anymore. Outside the court he tells Si-young he is disappointed and shuns him.
Seok-man Finally Cleared
Ki-hwan walks into the courtroom as a witness and is shocked to see Gi-beom’s son, Young-beom. Ki-hwan is questioned about the seventh murder and sketches the room in which he killed the teenage girl. He admits Seok-man was made a scapegoat for his crimes, but he doesn’t apologize to him.
Finally, the court finds Seok-man innocent. Years of suffering, and finally he gets acquitted. Outside the court, Seok-man is reunited with his sister who weeps uncontrollably and meets his nephew for the first time.
What becomes of Si-young?
Si-young goes home and finds out that Hee-jin is planning to leave the country until the allegations against him die down. And though he is not punished fully by the end, his public image and family relations begin to fall apart.
Tae-joo’s Last Visit to Ki-hwan
The next day, Young-beom visits Tae-joo and calls him “uncle” for the first time. Tae-joo later visits Ki-hwan and tells him that he can no longer profile the case as he is too personally involved.
Tae-joo promises to help Hye-jin’s family get justice for the rest of his life. He tells Ki-hwan to repent earnestly. Ki-hwan wants Tae-joo to still see him as a friend but Tae-joo refuses, unless Ki-hwan really changes.
The End Explained
That night Tae-joo dreams of a life where Ki-hwan never killed anyone and they all stayed together, Young-beom, Si-young and their old friends. It’s a heart-wrenching look at the life that they all could have had if one person’s crimes hadn’t destroyed so many families.
In the final scene, Tae-joo tells Ji-won about the dream and asks if things could have been different. The play ends not with a completely satisfying victory but with a quiet, sad note.
Episode Recap
The finale of The Scarecrow is emotional, but also leaves some frustration behind. The most gratifying scene in the episode is Seok-man’s acquittal, especially after all he’s been through. His reunion with his sister and nephew provides some much needed warmth to the ending.
But Si-young, Dae-ho and the corrupt officers don’t get the punishment they deserve and the ending feels like it’s not finished. The drama started with a good mystery and a strong tension but the middle episodes were repetitive. The biggest shock of the show was Ki-hwan as the Scarecrow Killer but the story never quite got to that high again.
Still, episode 12 is a tragic ending about guilt, justice and the damage done by buried lies. Tae-joo’s regret, Seok-man’s freedom, and Young-beom’s rejection of Si-young lend the finale emotional heft, even if it doesn’t quite make everyone whole.