K-drama series Red Swan officially came to a close with a smashing finale on 31 July 2024, leaving devoted fans of Kim Ha-neul and Rain with a satisfying ending.
The Disney+ limited series was one of the most eagerly watched K-dramas of 2024 through the June-July period. Red Swan was particularly noted for its intriguing plot mixed with a fine cocktail of romance and action.
All about Red Swan: Plot, recap and ending explained
Red Swan plot
Red Swan‘s plot revolves around a successful businesswoman named Oh Wan-soo and her bodyguard, Seo Do-yoon. Wan-soo is married to the heir of a South Korean chaebol — a family-owned business conglomerate. However, there are people in the family who want her eliminated to gain access to a fortune left for Wan-soo by her late father-in-law.
Protecting Wan-soo is Do-yoon, who has his own personal agenda against the family.
The cast of Red Swan
Kim Ha-neul, best known for her critically acclaimed performance in the serial killer thriller Blind (2011), plays Wan-soo.
Korean singer-turned-actor Rain, who shot to acting stardom with Park Chan-wok’s romantic comedy I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006), portrays Do-yoon.
Other main characters include Jung Gyu-woon as Wan-soo’s husband and company heir Kim Yong-guk, Seo Yi-sook as Chairwoman Park Mi-ran, Yoon Je-moon as the company’s legal head Han Sang-il, and Go Yoon as Yong-kuk’s younger brother Kim Yong-min.
Red Swan is directed by Park Hong-kyun, who is also known for helming the incredibly popular K-drama A Korean Odyssey (2017).
Spoilers ahead!
Red Swan: A quick recap
Before we get to the end, here’s a quick recap. Wan-soo is married to Yong-guk, the heir of the Hwain Group. Some years later, Do-yoon enters her life as her bodyguard, as there is a credible threat to Wan-soo, who runs a charitable foundation named NOW.
Over the episodes leading up to the finale, it is revealed that Chairwoman Mi-ran had an affair with Sang-il and had a son with him. That son is Yong-min, whose real identity has been kept hidden from the world to protect the company’s image.
Mi-ran’s husband — Yong-guk’s father — was killed some time back, with his death a mystery to all. But before his death, Yong-guk’s father left a massive fortune for his daughter-in-law. It is this fortune that Sang-il wants to get his hands on. He also wants to usurp the company by trapping Mi-ran in a graft case and removing her from power. Mi-ran is completely oblivious to his schemes and believes in his accusations on Wan-soo.
Wan-soo, with the help of Do-yoon, is trying to unearth the family secrets. In the process, both fall in love. Their affair also becomes a problem for Wan-soo as Sang-il gets wind of it and intends to blackmail her.
Before the finale episodes, Wan-soo’s brother Hyeon-su’s (Kim Young-pil) is arrested in a trumped-up embezzlement case. Up until this point, Wan-soo believes that a set of ledgers containing information about embezzlement in the company would implicate her. In reality, however, the documents implicate Mi-ran. The truth is known to Sang-il, who has kept the chairwoman in the dark. Do-yoon discovers this fact and tells Wan-soo.
By the eighth episode, it is revealed that Yong-guk always knew of his mother’s affair with Sang-il. He is now determined to protect his wife but comes to know of her affair with Do-yoon.
What happened in the season finale of Red Swan?
Wan-soo’s brother Hyeon-su obtains the ledgers. Together with his sister and Do-yoon, a plan is hatched to trap Sang-il using the documents. But Wan-soo’s brother seemingly betrays her when he meets Sang-il, who promises a fortune to him. As soon as he gives the documents to Sang-il, the latter’s assassin kills Hyeon-su. Even though Do-yoon is secretly observing everything, he is unable to help.
Sang-il hands over the ledgers to the authorities, who arrest Mi-ran. It is then that Mi-ran realises how she was betrayed by Sang-il. Their past is revealed in greater detail: Mi-ran always ill-treated Sang-il, which is why he plans cruel revenge on her by having an affair, having a son and then implicating her.
Mi-ran is also told that it was Yong-min who killed her husband. The evidence, a gold bar, is with Sang-il, who threatens Mi-ran to take responsibility for the embezzlement if she wants to protect Yong-min. It is clear at this point that while Mi-ran cares for her younger son born out of her affair with Sang-il, the latter has no love for his biological child.
As the K-drama Red Swan progresses towards its ending, Wan-soo sees the killing of her husband by Yong-min. Sang-il wants Wan-soo to take the blame, but she gets Yong-min arrested for murder.
On the other hand, Sang-il is also arrested by the authorities as it is revealed that he manipulated the ledgers to trap Mi-ran. In prison, Sang-il and his son Yong-min have a tense confrontation. Yong-min tries to strangle Sang-il, but other prisoners intervene.
It is also shown that Mi-ran cares for Yong-min, as he is her only surviving son. Strangely, she visits Yong-min in prison to tell him that he will not be accused of murdering her husband.
The money that Wan-soo received as an inheritance from her father-in-law is donated to charitable works.
What about Do-yoon? He leaves, telling Wan-soo that he is no longer her bodyguard. But some time later, as Wan-soo is leaving the country for a charity function, Wan-soo joins her at the airport.
Where to watch Red Swan?
That’s it, folks! That was the ending of the K-drama Red Swan. If you are yet to watch the show, catch all the drama and thrill on Disney+ Hotstar.
(Hero and Featured images: Courtesy of © Disney+/IMDb)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
'Red Swan' has 10 episodes.
You can watch 'Red Swan' on Disney+ Hotstar in India.
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Written by
Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.
