Lee Jun-young and ITZY Ryujin's soul swap, 'New Employee'

The Fall of Kang Jae-kyung and the New Beginning of Choi-sung Group

The JTBC drama 'Rookie Employee Chairman Kang' concluded with an unexpected twist alongside a poetic justice ending. In the final episode aired on the 5th, Kang Jae-kyung (played by Jeon Hye-jin), who had attempted to cover up the corruption within Choi-sung Group, finally faced legal judgment. The full truth was revealed when Kang Jae-sung (played by Jin Goo) went to the police and confessed that he had stood by while Kang Jae-kyung attempted to suffocate their father and had manipulated evidence regarding a hit-and-run incident.

The scene at the board meeting was intense. Kang Jae-sung, along with Hwang Jun-hyun (played by Lee Jun-young), who had been delegated the authority of the president, presented evidence of Kang Jae-kyung's corruption and proposed her dismissal. Kang Jae-kyung maintained her innocence until the end, arguing that she was the one who built Choi-sung. However, her downfall became inevitable when Kang Yong-ho (played by Son Hyun-joo) appeared at the board meeting with the help of Min Seok-do (played by Kwon Hae-sung) and Kang Bang-geul (played by Lee Seo-an). Ultimately, Kang Jae-kyung was arrested on the spot. While fleeing, she narrowly avoided being hit by Na Eun-se's (played by Lee Seo-an) vehicle, and the situation was settled when Kang Yong-ho threw himself to save her. In a tragic conclusion, Kang Jae-kyung, having lost her memory due to the impact of the accident, only remembers her husband, Min Seok-do.

Following the incident, Choi-sung Group was completely restructured into a professional management system as the Kang family owners stepped down. Kang Yong-ho found a new life as a reliable supporter, Kang Bang-geul as a team leader at Choi-sung Group, and Hwang Jun-hyun as a youth soccer team coach. Kang Jae-sung left for overseas with Min Il-jun (played by Jung Min-jun).

The Soul Swap of Hwang Jun-hyun and ITZY's Ryujin, Mixed Viewer Reactions

The final five minutes of the drama shocked viewers once again. Just as all conflicts seemed resolved and a peaceful daily life was being depicted, a supernatural phenomenon occurred where the souls of Hwang Jun-hyun and ITZY's Ryujin were swapped. This happened when Hwang Jun-hyun collided with Ryujin while Kang Yong-ho was rushing toward them in anger after witnessing a romantic scene between Hwang Jun-hyun and Kang Bang-geul. Ryujin, in Hwang Jun-hyun's body, tried to reveal her identity by performing choreography to show she was an ITZY member, but her attempt ultimately failed, eliciting laughter.

Viewer reactions to this unusual ending were divided. Regarding the sudden soul-swap setting after all conflicts had been resolved, many expressed bewilderment, commenting, "I want to buy eyes that haven't seen those last 5 minutes," "The conflicts were all solved, so what is this ending?", and "It should have been included as a post-credit scene." While delivering a message of poetic justice through Kang Jae-kyung's arrest, the drama concluded its long journey by hinting that a new story could begin with the souls of Hwang Jun-hyun and Ryujin swapped.

Sharp Confrontations and the Truth Among the Characters

As the truth of the incident unfolded, sharp remarks between characters continued. Hwang Jun-hyun (played by Lee Jun-young) expressed his anger toward Kang Yong-ho (played by Son Hyun-joo), saying, "I haven't even received a proper apology yet. It's unfair to die like this." When Kang Yong-ho hesitated, worrying that it was a matter involving his own child, he snapped back, "How can I trust the Chairman? It's obvious you'll be swayed and overlook it just because it's your child."

At the board meeting, Kang Jae-kyung (played by Jeon Hye-jin) denied the charges until the end, arguing, "You've all gone mad just to take me down. You must believe me, as I am the one who built Choi-sung. Are you going to watch the group fall because of such rumors?" On the other hand, Kang Jae-sung (played by Jin Goo) confessed his crimes during the police investigation, stating, "I stood by while Kang Jae-kyung tried to suffocate our father with a pillow. That is why our father fell into a coma. We manipulated evidence to cover up the hit-and-run and even deceived the victim, Hwang Jun-hyun. It was a plot by me and Kang Jae-kyung."

The incident originated from a conspiracy between Kang Jae-kyung and Kang Jae-sung. They stood by during the attempt to suffocate Kang Yong-ho and manipulated evidence of the hit-and-run to deceive the victim, Hwang Jun-hyun. Later, following an attack by Na Byeong-mo (played by Jung Jae-sung), Hwang Jun-hyun and Kang Yong-ho regained their respective souls, laying the groundwork for a counterattack. They joined forces with Kang Bang-geul (played by Lee Ju-myeong), Lee Sang-jae (played by Kim Jong-tae), and Park Bong-gi (played by Lee Seong-uk) to expose the evidence of Kang Jae-kyung's corruption at the board meeting.