Seoul Vibe ending explained: Do Dong-wook and group stop Kang?

Seoul Vibe is a Korean crime thriller film based on a group of drivers and mechanics who take on an undercover mission to expose a massive money-laundering scheme. It is now streaming on Netflix.

Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers

Plot summary

In 1988, Dong-wook, considered ‘the best’ driver in Korea by his crew, smuggles guns in Saudi Arabia and gets paid for the work, alongside Joon-ki. They decide to return home; Seoul, Korea.

The city has been undergoing rapid development and is the location where the 1988 Olympics are set to be held.

Dong-wook is also reunited with the rest of his group: Woo-sam, called John by his friends, who is also a DJ, Yoon-hee, Dong-wook’s sister, and Bok-nam.

They are approached and caught by Chief Prosecutor Ahn, who proposes to erase their criminal records and provide them visas to move to the US if they accept an undercover mission to expose a slush fund.

There are three main figures in the corruption: Kang, the president of the loan-shark industry, her right-hand man Director Lee and General Jeon. The three have control of the previous government’s secret funds.

Jeon and Kang are worried that the new president will attack them after the Olympics. They want to transport the funds and require drivers.

Ahn asks Dong-wook and the group to pass their tests and become the drivers to provide him with inside information. They are successful in this, and chosen for the task.

John gets especially involved in the mission and gets close to Kang’s secretary, Yoon-jae, who warns him about Kang’s ruthlessness.

All seems to be going according to plan until Director Lee ambushes the gang and threatens them to keep their focus on the mission.

Shocked by this, Dong-wook tells Ahn that he never agreed for this mission to be a threat to their lives. He vows to back out.

The rest of the group urges Ahn to continue with the mission and get their hands on the all-important ledger owned by Kang that exposes those involved. Dong-wook makes a comeback when his sister is in trouble after getting her hands on the ledger.

However, Director Lee manages to acquire a private conversation between John and Dong-wook that exposes their involvement with Ahn.

When John and Dong-wook reach Ahn’s office, it has been destroyed. They find their visas and realise Ahn meant to keep his promise. John looks for the prosecutor while Dong-wook starts the car for escape.

Right before Dong-wook’s eyes, Ahn falls on a car and urges him to go, giving him keys to a car, before succumbing to his injuries. John chases after but is captured. A tearful Dong-wook escapes.

The media has pinned the murder of Ahn onto the group. They make a plan to complete the mission, clear their names and save John.

Dong-wook confronts Director Lee and reveals the recording of a conversation between General Jeon and Kang where they laugh at Director Lee and plan to sacrifice him if things go wrong.

He proposes to him that they free John and let them transport the money. Director Lee can escape with the goods.

They offer Galchi and his underlings a pair of Jordans to help them out. And thus begins the final lap of the mission to take down Kang.

Seoul Vibe ending explained in detail:

How do they stop Director Lee and how does he die?

During the opening ceremony of the Seoul Olympics in 1988, the transportation of the large funds takes place. Midway through the transfer, the group changes course, infuriating Director Lee, who begins to give chase.

After a long sequence of car chasing, and a little help from Galchi, Director Lee finds himself at the mercy of the prosecutors.

Realising that he cannot escape now, he declares that he doesn’t care about General Jeon and he’ll meet all of them in hell. The car then explodes, killing him off.

How does Dong-wook expose Kang?

Kang is planning to escape through an airplane. With the help of his friends, Dong-wook manages to get his car onto the plane before take-off.

Kang is infuriated by his suggestion that he got her the money and starts shooting him down. Unbeknownst to her, the car has a camera that records her confession of being involved in the scam as well as her attempt to kill him.

Dong-wook tries to drive off the plane, but his car gets stuck on the crates of money he delivered. Kang has a clear aim at him but the gun runs out of bullets.

He accelerates and escapes the airborne plane along with the crates, as the cash showers down. After a bit of effort, the parachutes are activated, and the car lands.

What happens to Dong-wook and the group?

After landing, Dong-wook loses consciousness. Fearing his death, Galchi is about to attempt CPR but he turns out to be alive, causing a humorous and awkward reaction.

Kang is caught by the police for her involvement in the slush fund. The group visits Prosecutor Ahn’s grave, who is now considered a hero of the country.

Members of the group reveal that they sneaked some of the cash from the fund, but the biggest loot is executed by Dong-wook; a bag full of cash.

He states that before they move to Los Angeles, the group needs to upgrade their rides, bringing the film to a close.

What happens in the mid-credits scene?

Earlier in the film, Kang had suggested General Jeon take a vacation and go somewhere far away after the Olympics.

He seems to have taken heed to the advice. But even in this new location, he can’t escape his luck. A large number of birds defecate upon him.


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