Kingmaker

In the final act, Seo Chang‑dae’s devotion to politics proves stronger than any personal loyalty. When President‑backed Kim Woon‑beom’s unpopular decision on reserve forces threatens his popularity, Seo, ever the pragmatic strategist, suggests staging an attack to rally support—a tactic that had worked before. The proposal horrifies Kim, who strips Seo of his advisory role and sends him abroad on a diplomatic tour. While Kim is away, a bomb detonates in his Seoul home; the explosion spares lives but becomes a political flashpoint. The Democrats blame the ruling Republicans, but the police soon arrest several senior party figures, including Seo, accusing him of engineering the blast to smear the opposition.

After Seo is released, a furious argument with Kim leads to his expulsion from the Democratic Party. The Republicans, eager to exploit his talent, recruit him to head their campaign. Now the man who once shaped Kim’s victories is orchestrating a ruthless smear against his former mentor, accusing Kim of regional bias and neglect of rival areas. The campaign succeeds: the incumbent President wins re‑election, and Kim’s presidential ambitions are crushed.

Despite securing the Republican victory, Seo refuses any government post, and he reveals to the public that the bomb was actually planted by the Republicans—not by him—underscoring his continued willingness to manipulate facts for political ends. The film then jumps to 1988, seventeen years later, when Seo and Kim meet by chance in a quiet café. Kim laments the past and wishes he could have acted differently; Seo listens, a faint smile hinting at lingering respect. The camera linger​s on Seo sitting alone, his gaze distant, as the credits roll—leaving the audience to wonder whether the kingmaker’s greatest triumph is the elections he won or the quiet, unresolved bond he never quite abandoned.

Last Updated: September 19, 2025 at 06:55