“Writer-nim, Why?”: “Reborn Rookie” Ending Leaves Netizens With A Sour Aftertaste

Several Korean media outlets have been discussing the ending of “Reborn Rookie” with some arguing that the final minutes destroyed everything the drama had carefully built over the course of its 12 episodes.

JTBC’s weekend drama “Reborn Rookie” (written by Hyun Ji Min, directed by Go Hye Jin, created by Kim Soon Ok) ended on a high note in terms of ratings, setting a new personal best. However, instead of celebrating, viewers were left furious.

Related: “Reborn Rookie” Bizarre Ending Explained

Many criticized the finale, calling it “worse than a strong start and weak finish—it was a ‘what on earth was that?’ ending,” with some even comparing it to the controversial ending of JTBC’s “Reborn Rich.”

Although its ending overshadowed its strengths, “Reborn Rookie” has had a successful run. The drama debuted with a modest 3.7% nationwide rating but steadily gained momentum through word of mouth, ultimately reaching 13.6% nationwide among paid households, with a peak minute-by-minute rating of 14.8%.

Note: spoilers of the finale below!

At the center of that success was Lee Jun Young’s outstanding performance in the lead role. Playing aspiring soccer player Hwang Jun Hyun, whose body becomes possessed by the spirit of 70-year-old conglomerate chairman Kang Yong Ho, Lee Jun Young convincingly portrayed both characters. His ability to capture the speech, gestures, and commanding presence of an elderly businessman earned widespread praise, with many calling it “Lee Jun Young’s rediscovery.”

However, The biggest issue came in the finale, where the story lost its internal logic. The succession battle that had been carefully developed over the previous 11 episodes was wrapped up in an unbelievable and anticlimactic manner.

The most heavily criticized aspect was the villains’ sudden redemption. Characters who had committed embezzlement and numerous other crimes were abruptly written off within a single episode by either losing their sanity or moving overseas to raise children, effectively receiving forgiveness without meaningful consequences. Viewers felt the tension that had driven the series was discarded in favor of a forced happy ending.

However, the twist that generated the strongest backlash was the ending scene featuring Ryujin of ITZY. After Hwang Jun Hyun had finally regained his original body and was living peacefully while secretly dating Kang Bang Geul (played by Lee Joo Myung), he accidentally bumped into a woman on the street, triggering yet another soul swap.

The unexpected twist reduced what had been a serious corporate fantasy drama into what many viewers described as a joke worthy of a post-credit scene. The second soul-swap ending was also not part of the original web novel and was created specifically for the drama adaptation.

What did you think of the drama’s ending?

Source: (A)