Trigger Ending Explained: The Netflix Korean drama 트리거 (Teurigeo) is written and directed by Kwon Oh-seung, who is known for the film Midnight. The series stars Kim Nam-gil acts as Detective Lee Do and Kim Young-kwang acts as Moon Baek. The show also stars Park Hoon, Gil Hae-yeon, Kim Won-hae, Woo Ji-hyeon, Ahn Se-ho, and several others in pivotal roles. The drama consists of ten suspenseful episodes of around 50 minutes each.
Netflix Trigger Recap
This is not a show that sits around. The show gets right into violence and terror right from the very start. There is a man, Jeong-tae, who starts shooting his neighbors, and the authorities are amazed to find out that bullets are military grade. This leads to a much wider investigation. Detective Lee Do is a former soldier who has a sad past, and he is tasked with heading up the case. He tries to determine where the guns are originating and how they are being smuggled into South Korea, a country that usually has hardly any gun crime.
As the narrative continues, we learn that more and more people are being issued guns. Some are criminals, some are victims, and some are simply trying to survive. Teenagers, businessmen, and old women are among the many found to be part of the increasing gun problem. There doesn’t appear to be any connection between the cases at first. But then a man called Moon Baek shows up. He is a quiet, thoughtful man, and he informs Lee Do that he has cancer and is dying. The two start to collaborate, but Lee Do soon discovers that there is more to Baek than meets the eye.
Baek is a good friend to Lee Do and actually helps him get clues. But slowly, we understand that Baek is not just an assistant. He is the one orchestrating the entire crisis. He is intentionally sending guns to people, trying to create fear and uncertainty. His real reason is not money. It is revenge.
Trigger Ending Explained
Who Was Supplying the Illegal Guns?
The head of the illegal guns is Moon Baek. He is an agent of a secret group named the International Rifle Union or IRU. They earn their living selling guns worldwide and have the backing of influential individuals. Their agent in South Korea is Baek. But his motive is extremely personal.
Baek was an orphan. He was trafficked to a foreign nation and abused terribly. He was then adopted by a mobster and learned how to operate illegal businesses. He was brought up resenting and hateful. When he came back to South Korea, he devised a scheme to bring down the nation by flooding the streets with guns.
His history is the reason why he does what he does. Baek is betrayed by his nation and by the people who surround him. He knows the world is cruel and unjust. That is why he wishes to destroy it. Even when he is literally dying, he is not at fault. He just wants to be remembered as the man who brought down the system.
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Baek’s plan was genius and frightening. He sent guns via messengers, even using elderly people to carry them. With each gun, he attached a list of other people who also carried guns. This frightened people and made them fearful, and some began to attack other people out of fear. Baek put GPS trackers in all the weapons, so that he could track the devastation he created.
Was Lee Do Able to Stop the Violence?
Lee Do never gives up, even when people he loves die. He does all that he can to stop the violence, but it is already in progress. Baek posts a video in which he states that anyone who is currently in Korea and desires a gun will get one for free. It sets the entire nation into chaos. Riots erupt, and people attack others.
However, Lee Do does make an impact. In one of the most touching episodes, he saves a child stuck in the middle of the riot. That act of humanity gives people hope. People learn of Lee Do’s bravery and slowly, slowly, people do settle down. They begin to return the guns they had bought. Lee Do could not stop all this from happening, but he gave people hope. That made a big difference in the end.
Did Moon Baek Die at the End of Trigger?
Moon Baek is seriously hurt during the public riot he instigated. In the process of throwing a gas bomb and firing into the panicked crowd, he falls to the ground. He is carried away by the police to the hospital, and the doctors report to Lee Do that Baek is in critical condition. He has critical internal injuries, and his prospect of survival is nil to minimal. But he is not dead when he is admitted.
The actual turning point is later. A high-ranking official tied to Baek issues a low-key order for him to be murdered within the hospital. This is the true extent of the conspiracy. Those in control now no longer find Baek useful. Everything having collapsed now, they wish to eliminate any evidence of their role.
The show does not explicitly show us the death of Baek, but it strongly suggests what happens later. Baek is killed, and it is not because of his injuries, but because he knows too much. His survival will expose the entire network of the illegal gun trade.
How does Kdrama Trigger Ends?
In the Korean drama Trigger ending we see, people start returning the guns. The streets are quiet again. Lee Do lived, and despite him being injured, he decides to adopt the child he had rescued during the riot. This is in line with the fact that even amidst unimaginable suffering, one can make a choice to be loving and compassionate.
The ending of Trigger is neither pleasant nor hopeless. It is a reminder that even in the most dire situations, a good deed can initiate a change.
Also Read: Trigger Review: Gripping Shot of Action and Emotion That’s Worth Every Minute
