The first scene of Climax Episode 10 takes place a year after the last one. Tae-seob and Sang-ah are now living separate lives, and each is doing well on their own. Sang-ah is happy that her movie is out, but Tae-seob is deeply involved in Yang-mi and Son Guk-won’s presidential campaign, where he is the brains behind the scenes.
Do Sang-ah and Tae-seob Bring Yang-mi Down?
After Sang-ah’s movie comes out, the two meet up at home and realize that they have both been working toward the same goal: taking down Yang-mi. Tae-seob wants to use evidence that Jeong-won gave him to turn Guk-won, a candidate for president, against her.
The video shows clear proof that Yang-mi ordered Jae-sang’s death. Tae-seob carefully edited the video before sending it on. But getting Guk-won to leave Yang-mi isn’t as easy as just using leverage; he needs financial security to replace her support.
Sang-ah comes in here. She blackmails powerful business leaders into giving money to Guk-won’s campaign by threatening to reveal damaging information about them that Kwon-jae has. Sang-ah and Tae-seob put everything on the line—their jobs, reputations, and futures—because they want to be with each other and because they still have feelings for each other.
They learned how deeply connected they are while they were apart, and both want to rebuild their relationship without Yang-mi’s help.
Tae-seob is also playing a dangerous game with two sides. He gives the other side proof that Guk-won is connected to the Daeyang slush fund and the murder of CEO Yoon. The plan is simple but cruel: let out both Yang-mi’s crimes and Guk-won’s scandal at the same time.
If Guk-won doesn’t help, Yang-mi will still be hurt by his downfall. If he agrees, the scandal goes away, Yang-mi is free, and he is almost sure to win.
In the end, Guk-won chooses to protect himself. He leaves Yang-mi behind, and the exposé gets her arrested for planning several murders. The investigation grows, and many important people, including Oh Kwan-jae, are involved.
Yang-mi’s friends, including Ji-ho and the hitman he hired, are arrested and admit to doing what she told them to do. Finally, Jeong-won’s friend Woo-sik is free.
With Yang-mi gone, the elites Sang-ah blackmailed quickly deliver on their promises, getting the money they needed to help Guk-won win the election.
Do Tae-seob and Sang-ah get back together?
Sang-ah’s movie is a huge hit around the world, winning her major awards and making her famous. She becomes a top actress again, with a lot of power around the world.
She thanks the hard times she went through, like the media scrutiny that ruined her reputation and Yang-mi’s betrayal, for her success at an award ceremony. She also thanks Tae-seob for always being there for her.
At the same time, Guk-won becomes president, and Tae-seob’s political career gets back on track, giving him a lot of power in the government. In the end, he runs for mayor.
When asked about Sang-ah in an interview, he calls her his wife and his only ally, which strongly suggests that they will get back together.
What Happens to Kwon Jong-uk?
Jong-uk thinks he can finally take charge of WR Group now that Yang-mi has been arrested. But Tae-seob steps in and threatens to make public proof that Jong-uk tried to kill his own father by giving him too much aspirin.
Tae-seob knows that Jong-uk is not capable of running the company, so he makes sure that he stays a puppet CEO while he takes over the company’s power.
What Happens at the End of Climax Season 1?
Two years later, Tae-seob and Sang-ah are at the top of their careers, and as a power couple, they support each other’s goals.
But new threats start to show up.
Chairman Kwon Se-myeong wakes up, which puts Jong-uk’s job in danger because his brother, Kwon Jong-il, is a possible successor.
Yang-mi is also given an early release thanks to a special pardon. She calls Sang-ah right when she is about to go out in public with Tae-seob. The call makes her very upset and causes a severe panic attack.
After taking medicine to help with her anxiety, Sang-ah falls to the floor of the bathroom. He saves her, and they walk out together, holding hands, in front of the cameras.
Even though they did well, both are clearly shaken, knowing that their past and Yang-mi may still be with them.
The Review of the Episode
The main idea behind this ending is that if you look into the abyss long enough, it will start to look back at you.
Tae-seob used to be someone who believed in justice and was above corruption and manipulation. He has become everything he used to hate by the end. He gets the power he wanted, but his victory feels empty. He may have beaten Yang-mi, but he lost his own identity in the process.
It brings up an important question: do the ends really justify the means?
Sang-ah’s journey is like this change. She gets her voice and freedom back after being silenced and controlled by powerful people in the entertainment business. But her success comes at a high emotional cost, and she is stuck in a marriage based on ambition, sacrifice, and unspoken pain.
They work together as allies, and maybe even soulmates, but their relationship isn’t very close. Their relationship is more about shared goals and survival than love.
Climax ultimately offers a compelling critique of unrestrained ambition, power, and systemic corruption. It looks at how easy it is for people to lose themselves in the quest for success.
As a final episode, it is both disturbing and thought-provoking, making Climax one of the most underrated K-dramas of the year.
