Nine Puzzles Ending Explained: Son Suk Ku and Kim Da Mi catch mastermind to expose decade-old cover-up, Season 2 teased

Disney+’s psychological thriller Nine Puzzles wrapped up its intense journey on June 4, 2025, with a chilling finale. The ending tied together a decade-old mystery while planting the seeds for what may come next. The drama stars Kim Da Mi and Son Suk Ku. It has gripped viewers with its layered plot, morally grey characters, and a villain whose tragic past makes her story all the more unsettling.

A decade of secrets finally unraveled

Throughout its run, Nine Puzzles followed profiler Yoon Yi Na (Kim Da Mi). In childhood, she witnessed an unresolved murder. She now gets tangled in a new chain of serial killings. As she partnered with skeptical detective Kim Han Saem (Son Suk Ku), puzzle pieces (literally) began to fall into place.

In the final episodes, the true identity of the killer comes to light: Yi Na’s trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Lee Seung Joo (Park Gyu Young). Her motives stem from deep personal trauma tied to the demolition of Shindonga Market, where her mother died during a violent forced eviction. As a child, Lee Seung Joo, originally named Lee Seol, vanished into the foster system, unaware of her mother’s tragic end.

Victims of a cover-up

The deeper Yi Na and Han Saem dig, the clearer it becomes that each of the murdered victims had a role in covering up the truth behind the demolition. From corrupt officials and greedy developers to reporters who distorted the facts, every death was a message and a reckoning.

Flashbacks depict how the incident was manipulated. Reporter Lee Gang Hyun twisted the narrative to label Seung Joo’s mother as unstable. Yi Na’s uncle, Dong Hoon, accepted bribes in the form of real estate to bury the case. Meanwhile, Captain Yang unwittingly led her down a path of revenge when he reconnected the dots for her years later.

A tragic end, or a new beginning?

In the final episode, Dr. Seung Joo lures Yi Na to The One City theme park, where she plans her final act of vengeance. Despite Yi Na’s pleas, Seung Joo chooses to end her own life in the same location where she once waited for her mother’s return. It’s a symbol of both her heartbreak and transformation into a killer. She dies in a fire she sets herself, refusing to let others define her ending.

Yi Na, devastated by the truth about her uncle’s role in the cover-up, attempts to quit her job. Instead, she is granted leave. But just when it seems things are over, a new murder occurs. A single puzzle piece left at the scene signals that the game may not be finished. Yi Na quietly returns to the crime scene, puzzle piece in hand, leaving viewers on edge.

Is Season 2 on the horizon?

While Disney+ has yet to confirm a second season of Nine Puzzles, the ambiguous final scene leaves room for continuation. With a new puzzle piece introduced and Yi Na stepping back into the role of investigator, the series may not be done exploring its dark, puzzle-filled world. Whether she’s solving the next case or becoming its target remains the biggest mystery of all.

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