Friendly Rivalry Episode 16 delivers an intense and emotional ride, leaving viewers stunned. The story takes unexpected turns, revealing the true motives of the characters. From life-threatening situations to shocking betrayals, this episode keeps the tension high until the very last scene.
The episode opens with a flashback. Seul-gi threatens to jump into the water despite not knowing how to swim. She actually jumps, forcing Jae-i to save her. After regaining consciousness, Seul-gi jokes about the situation. She accuses Jae-i of saving her only because she wants revenge. Jae-i, however, claims she did it for herself—to survive. Seul-gi tells Jae-i to keep looking down on her and use her to get the leaked college entrance exam questions.
In the present, Jae-i stands on the diving board with a serious expression. Seul-gi watches her with concern. But instead of jumping, Jae-i steps down and heads to the shower room. Seul-gi follows, but before she can speak, Jae-i writes “Plan B” on the fogged-up mirror. In a voiceover, Jae-i reveals her suspicions about her father’s new plan to steal the exam questions.
Back in the classroom, Jae-i and Seul-gi pass notes, discussing their next move. Jae-i assures Seul-gi that she will still get into medical school even without the stolen questions. Earlier, we can see Jae-i retrieving Seul-gi’s discarded registration form from the trash and submitting it on her behalf. She also reveals that the medicine Seul-gi suspected was not drugs but vitamin pills.
Emotional Twists and Unveiled Motives
Seul-gi then meets Byeong-jin, who confesses to puncturing their car’s tire. She asks how much he earns from selling medicine and offers him a list of wealthy students who need sleeping pills & the question paper. In return, she wants something from him. Byeong-jin makes a huge profit from the sales, while Seul-gi secretly takes pictures of the transactions.
Meanwhile, at the exam question-setting committee, a teacher fakes an injury during a football match. He goes to the medical room, where he secretly exchanges a note with a doctor. But the doctor suddenly takes a knife and cuts the teacher’s leg, claiming he has acute compartment syndrome and needs immediate medical attention.
Tae-jun, Jae-i’s father, arrives at the committee building. In the ambulance, the same doctor exchanges another note with Tae-jun. But there’s a twist—Byeong-jin and Seul-gi are the ambulance drivers. They take him to a secluded forest. Byeong-jin pulls out a knife and orders him to step out. Jae-i arrives soon after. Seul-gi searches Tae-jun’s pockets and finds the medicine capsules containing hidden answer sheets. Jae-i demands them, but Byeong-jin insists he needs the leaked questions. Seul-gi refuses and swallows the capsule herself. Jae-i calmly approaches her, apologizes, and injects her with a sedative.
Inside an operating room, Tae-jun, Jae-i, and Byeong-jin face off. Byeong-jin pressures Tae-jun to operate quickly, as people are bombarding him with messages about the stolen exam paper. Tae-jun refuses, so Jae-i takes over. She extracts the capsule containing the answer sheets. Outside the room, a crowd—including Choi Kyung and Bo Ah—waits anxiously.
During the exam, Choi Kyung and Bo Ah panic when the expected questions don’t appear. Tae-jun had swapped the real exam questions, tricking everyone. He later taunts Jae-i, saying she will be the one who ultimately destroys Seul-gi. Meanwhile, Seul-gi remains unconscious in the hospital, missing her exam. She eventually wakes up, but it’s too late.
Byeong-jin attempts to escape, but his furious parents stop him. They blame him for ruining their children’s futures and start attacking him.
Jae-i’s Ultimate Decision
At school, the media gathers to announce the students who got into medical school. Jae-i is among them. Reporters question how she managed a perfect score despite the difficult math section. She simply states that she expected to get full marks. Tae-jun, proud of his daughter’s achievement, gives an interview about her success.
But Jae-i has other plans. She visits her mentally ill sister, Je-na, and asks her to go to kindergarten. This time, Jae-i dresses Je-na herself—just like Je-na used to do for her when they were younger. She puts a life jacket on Je-na and leads her to the terrace. Then, in a shocking moment, Jae-i hugs her sister and jumps into the river while live-streaming.
The live stream interrupts Tae-jun’s interview, leaving everyone in shock. Police rush to the scene. They manage to save Je-na, but Jae-i is nowhere to be found. Seul-gi, Choi Kyung, and Ye-ri anxiously wait for news. Seul-gi breaks down, regretting not realizing Jae-i’s struggles earlier.
As the scandal unfolds, a video surfaces exposing Tae-jun’s illegal dealings. The footage proves he has been leaking exam questions for years. He is arrested but remains defiant, declaring that he will continue searching for Jae-i until her body is found.
A New Beginning?
Six months pass. Jae-i is still missing. Seul-gi, in a voiceover, shares that she continues searching for her. Ye-ri has been recruited by a K-pop agency, while Choi Kyung has switched from medical school to law school. Tae-jun, now released from prison, watches Seul-gi’s house from a distance.
Seul-gi is preparing for her own college entrance exam when she has a dream of walking with Jae-i. But Jae-i slowly fades away. She wakes up to the sound of the doorbell. When she opens the door, she finds a small box. Inside is a Korean University keychain & shoe and a picture of an ocean with a large monument.
Realization hits her. She rushes outside, looking around. Meanwhile, the final scene shows Jae-i skating near a bridge by the ocean. She smiles, leaving the series on a mysterious yet hopeful note.
Kavita Mishra is a dynamic writer and passionate Korean entertainment enthusiast, combining her love for K-pop and K-drama with a flair for storytelling. With a keen eye for the latest trends, Kavita crafts articles that capture the pulse of K-pop idols, chart-topping hits, and the most buzz-worthy dramas taking over screens worldwide.
