Cold Blooded Intern – K-drama Episode 12 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Darn The Beginning

What happens during the board meeting?

Episode 12 of Cold Blooded Intern picks up where the previous one left off. Hae-ra exposes Ji-won who accepts responsibility. When Gwang-soo openly criticizes Ji-won, Hae-ra produces evidence against him, implying that he was aware of the entire matter from the very beginning.

Gwang-soo then publicly attempts to physically attack Ji-won. As a consequence of his corruption, he is forcibly removed from the meeting and fired from the position he holds. Soon after, Hae-ra and Ji-won submit their resignation letters and proceed to their respective departments.

What happens after Ji-won and Hae-ra’s resignation?

Ji-won appears happy with doing the right thing as she looks at her cabin for the last time before departing. Meanwhile, Hae-ra sits calmly next to So-jin, taking it all in.

Later that day, as Ji-won walks out, she spots Seon-joon. He wants her to tell him truly if all she admitted is true. She goes on to explain to him that it is and that he misinterpreted her considering that she didn’t even try to put on a good front. She then drives away.

Meanwhile, Hae-ra is consumed by guilt about the implications of her actions on Moon-jung’s career. She goes over to her house and talks to her. Moon-jung requests Hae-ra to leave, understandably angered by her conduct.

When Hae-ra returns home, she tells Su-pyo everything, including her resignation. He expresses his guilt, believing that his choice of taking a leave from work to study put her in the situation of having to go to work under difficult conditions.

The following day, Hae-ra is summoned to speak with a company executive. He offers Hae-ra her job back but she feels ashamed and guilty about her actions, so she respectfully declines. However, Hae-ra asks for a favor before she leaves: to let Moon-jung have her job back. The executive makes no promises, but he agrees to think about it.

Do Hae-ra, Ji-won, and the rest of the group continue to work at Market House?

Later that evening, as Hae-ra is in the office, for perhaps the last time, So-jin approaches her. So-jin goes on to express that both she and Moon-jung want Hae-ra to stay at Market House. Additionally, So-jin reveals that Moon-jung got her job back and can resume work after her maternity leave. Meanwhile, we understand that Ji-won has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After the discovery, we see her relax later that night.

The episode then jumps ahead three months, where we see Hae-ra working at Market House. The group appears to be closer than ever, and Jae-seob invites them to his son’s first birthday party. The group discovers that Seung-ju is dating In-wook at the birthday celebration. We also learn that In-wook is leaving Market House.

Do the characters get their happy ending?

A few days later, Hae-ra and Yi-young are seen dropping Su-pyo off at the examination center, where he is supposed to take the exam for which he has been preparing.

Ji-won meets Seo-joon in a park. For the first time, she engages in a pleasant conversation with him. He offers to take her out, and she suggests that they go out that same day. We learn that she has her own company currently. She is seen interviewing a girl, whom she eventually hires despite the girl having a kid.

A few days later, Ji-won bumps into Hae-ra in a park. They have a pleasant but formal conversation. Hae-ra inquires about Ji-won’s health and status. Ji-won informs her that she is doing well and has a business. Before they part ways, the two exchange a rather warm goodbye.

Who is Market House’s new CEO?

During the season’s last segment, the group awaits the arrival of their new CEO. Shortly after that, Hae-ra meets with the new CEO, Tae-sung, her former boss. This particular boss was the driving force behind the no-pregnancy contract.

Market House has recently implemented employee-friendly policies such as maternity leave, paternity leave, and so on. Tae-sung declares his intent to eliminate needless employee-friendly policies. He threatens Hae-ra that she will be fired if she attempts to educate him again.

Towards the end of the episode, we see the Market House employees band together and ready to fight their new target: Tae-sung, implying the plot for the next season if the show is revived.

The Episode Review

Episode 12 of Cold Blooded Intern goes on to detail the aftermath of what transpired following the board meeting. All loose ends are meticulously tied up throughout the final episode, and it even sets up the starting point for what’s to come next season.

A highly realistic workplace environment wherein employees, superiors, and those who hold power are constantly trying to advance their position was shown in the first episode and continued throughout the season. The portrayal of a typical workplace environment had been perfected in the show, with a dash of drama thrown in for good measure.

This finale, though, messes up in terms of keeping up with the realism the K-drama initially set up. The company has been seen establishing some quite ludicrous policies, which, while kind, do not truly keep a workplace going.

This episode provides an appropriate resolution for the characters. Seung-ju and In-wook are seen dating. Additionally, Ji-won agrees to go out with Seo-joon. Hae-ra and Moon-jung even got their jobs back.

However, one thing that really stayed with me throughout this episode was Ji-won’s inability to tell Seo-joon regarding his child that she had been carrying. As a father, he had every right to know that his child died due to a medical condition. She didn’t even tell him back when she wasn’t aware of the medical condition. The fact that this aspect is portrayed as insignificant to the point where they could overlook it is appalling.

In comparison to the penultimate episode and the remainder of the season, the finale episode is a letdown. With unrealistic workplace expectations, the quality of this one suffers. Having said that, Cold Blooded Intern as a whole is a riveting watch.