Hierarchy – K-drama Episode 7 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Spring Time: Our Short, Vulnerable Yet Precious Chapter

What happened to In-han?

Episode 7 of Hierarchy starts this finale with Woo-jin in the studio. The pen with a recorder on happens to be on his desk, and here we cut back and see how everything transpired on Woo-jin’s birthday. He and Ms Han spoke out in the hallway, where she gives him a hotel key and tells him not to be late. The pair end up kissing passionately, and unfortunately, In-han spots them together when he bursts through the door.

Realizing this secret could get out, In-han rushes downstairs and Mrs Han follows. At the same time, the full extent of the video with Jae-i is unveiled. It turns out she actually showed off the positive pregnancy test and it was caught on In-han’s camera. That’s why she’s so adamant at getting this video back. In-han though rushes downstairs, where Ms Han got in the car and followed him, trying to get the kid to stop. She sped up the alleyway and Mrs Han knocked him down. At the time, In-han was on the phone to Ha.

Ms Han stepped out the car, saw In-han in the alleyway dead and took his phone. She also took the pen from his jacket, which recorded everything from that night, including her sordid affair with Woo-jin. Mrs Han covered everything up and nobody else seems to have been involved. Although, none of them are particularly clean.

What impact does Ha calling the police have?

Back in the present, tensions reach fever pitch in the school. Kang Ha has called the police about the In-han situation and all the kids are questioned. The rich kids come to blow with the scholarship, but Jae-i jumps in and points out that they shouldn’t be afraid to cooperate with the cops. Specifically over their mistreatment at school so nobody goes through this again.

Kang Ha scoffs at Woo-jin in the toilets, telling him he’s lucky as he’s not in any of the videos. Elsewhere, Jae-i rushes to catch up with Ju-won, who sees her and Ri-an together outside. Ju-won claims that he’s holding back on some videos of Jae-i (that he hasn’t given Ha) in case he needs to use it.

Unbeknownst to them all, Ri-an has been doing his own research and checks his phone when it buzzes, noticing that they’ve worked out who sent the video. It’s come from Principal Park. Of course, we know it was Ju-won using her computer, but he doesn’t. Woo-jin and He-ra however, reel over Jae-i’s outburst in class and how she seems to be changing now.

What happens with Ms Han at school?

That afternoon after school, Ha and Jae-i sit in the playground together and end up having an ice-cream while talking. Jae-i apologizes for her behaviour and points out she’s going to New York soon. She also patches stuff up with Ri-an too, who blames himself for the baby. I mean, it’s both their faults really for not using protection isn’t it? For now, the pair decide that this is the right time to say goodbye, especially as Jae-i will be leaving the country.

Back at school, He-ra is shocked when he finds out Woo-jin is behind Jae-i leaving the country. After their whole talk about choosing sides, he thought he was doing the right thing by her. Woo-jin promises to tell her the truth but He-ra believes they should be quiet. Just then, Ms Han comes racing up and almost runs him over. She’s resigning after what’s happened and is leaving the school. She’s been forced out by the Principal given the In-han hit and run. However, she promises Woo-jin that this isn’t the end.

Does Woo-jin tell the truth?

Woo-jin comes clean to Jae-i, admitting that he only found out recently that the pen was a camera. He hands it over to her, and tells her it belongs to In-han. This, in turn, is taken to the police station where they use it as evidence to go after Ms Han for the hit and run. They now have clear evidence that she was responsible… even though Woo-jin knew about this and didn’t say anything.

Ms Han is soon arrested before she can get away, while the Principal is also incarcerated for her part to play in all of this as well. Jae-i also gains some courage and confronts her father over the way he acts. She vows not to be afraid of being kicked out and left with nothing anymore, something that her father has threatened her with ever since she was 3.

Does Jae-i say her goodbyes?

Back at school, Kang Ha speaks to Ri-an, who apologizes to our protagonist. He points out he went to pay his respects to the brother. He apologizes for bullying him and allowing the kids to push him around back in the day. Ri-an knows he won’t get forgiveness but he’s still going to apologize all the same. Ha can’t just forgive that quickly and tells Ri-an to take his guilt and live with it.

Elsewhere, Ri-an’s mother holds a press conference and plays damage control, while He-ra and Jae-i patch up their differences and agree to call each other friends again. Afterwards, Jae-i decides they should leave with a smile and she hopes that they’ll be friends when they meet later on in life. “I only want you to be happy, Jae-i” Ri-An says some time after, as his character has definitely grown from where we first met him, and he says goodbye to his love too.

With Jae-i gone, things seem to have improved at school. There’s a new headmaster in charge and things seem to have settled down. In fact, He-ra even patches things up with Kang Ha and apologizes for how everything has gone down between them.

How does Hierarchy end?

Kang Ha races up to find Jae-i and spills his heart out to her. He reveals he wants to be with her and apologizes for making her leave because of him. She pulls back and smiles, telling Ha that she’s going to stand and find a new place to start over and be happy. She doesn’t want him to worry and eventually gets in the car and takes off.

When we see Jae-i again, she’s down by the dock and walks along a bridge to a secluded house on an island. This happens to be where her mum lives, as it seems like she’s going to carve out a new place for herself.

Is there a post-credit scene?

Yes! Don’t miss this part as right at the end of the credits, Kang Ha walks away from a classroom where a kid, Jae-i’s brother, Jae-kyung is lying in a pool of his own blood. Ri-an is there and is shocked. He receives a message, telling him he looks shaken up. As he turns to look at the camera, the episode ends.

The Episode Review

So Hierarchy bows out with a whimper rather than a roar, with a disappointingly obvious finale and a whole lot of fluff to pad out this chapter. This absolutely did not need to be 75 minutes long and the pacing throughout this show has been really poor.

The chemistry between everyone has been  bad across the board if I’m honest, and it feels like the creators tried to mimic Elite while also adding in Korean values, and failing spectacularly. None of the characters are particularly likable and the only “good” guy, Kang Ha, is pretty bland on the whole and struggles to stand out.

This one definitely had potential but all of that is squandered in this disappointing foray. Hopefully there won’t be a second season, even with that baited ending, as Hierarchy is definitely not as glamorous and promising as its trailer made it out to be.

The problem with a post-credit scene like this is that it relies on us caring about Ri-an and although he did have a good arc in the end, it’s nowhere near enough to actually invest in the guy as a potential protagonist while Ha is turned to more of a villain. It’s a shame but Hierarchy definitely squanders its potential.