In Confidence Queen Episode 9, it opened with a disturbing nightmare. Young I-rang saw herself playing hide and seek again. The kidnapper mocked her, saying this was exactly what he wanted from her. The scene was cold, dark, and full of hidden pain.
The story then shifted to four years ago. I-rang and James met Gu-ho for the first time. He was running a small inn. They had dinner and drinks together.
Gu-ho said he was heading to Seoul for work, and they were his last customers. I-rang asked about his family. She mentioned his father, Jin-su, who was the man who called James the night she was rescued.
Gu-ho looked lost. He said his father had passed away long ago and that he grew up with his grandfather. Later, when Gu-ho passed out from drinking, I-rang and James started searching around the inn.
They found something strange. There was an old amusement park ticket from the same date I-rang was kidnapped.
The Dark Connection
Deep inside the annex, they found condolence clothes, a phone, and Jin-su’s ID card. When they checked the phone, there was a photo of Gu-ho taken on the day I-rang was rescued. I-rang froze. A new theory hit her. She wondered if there were two kidnappings that day.
The flashback revealed more. The main kidnapper had taken money from Jin-su and later pushed him off a terrace, making it look like an accident. It was cruel. It was clear Jin-su had tried to help, but things turned deadly.
Back in the present, the team’s new target was Jung-ho. He owned a seafood company. But his business was built on lies. He was selling imported or farmed fish as domestic wild ones. He even mixed banned oilfish with tuna belly to make extra money. It was banned in 2012, yet he still did it.
Gu-ho asked I-rang how she found these people. She didn’t answer clearly. Her real reason wasn’t just business this time. She had seen a painting at Jung-ho’s place—the same one from her kidnapping memory. Gu-ho still had no clue about that connection.
The Con Begins
James and I-rang started observing Jung-ho. They saw Mr. Oh, an older man, begging Jung-ho to save his company. Jung-ho dismissed him coldly.
Later, Mr. Oh walked to a bridge, full of despair. He almost gave up, but then he saw a message written there: You are the main character. You will get your happy ending.
That line saved him. He tore up his suicide note. I-rang secretly picked up the pieces. It was a will. Meanwhile, James informed Gu-ho that many elementary school kids were sent to the hospital after lunch.
Jung-ho had manipulated the media and blamed subcontractors. He used the chaos to buy Mr. Oh’s factory.
It was part of his scam to sell it off in an auction. I-rang and James began their plan to bring him down. Jung-ho was a big movie fanatic.
This scheme is brilliant because it attacks Jung-ho’s ego, not just his wallet. They aren’t just offering a business deal; they are selling him a fantasy—the prestige and glamour of the film industry.
The Setup at Soran-Soran Café
By understanding his desire to be a ‘main character’ in a world he idolizes, they make him emotionally vulnerable, which is far more effective than any financial pitch. I-rang switched his magazine with one featuring an article about the “Soran-Soran” café, a place famous among filmmakers.
Jung-ho visited the café and was surprised to see a famous director there. The bartender serving him was I-rang in disguise. James and Gu-ho entered, pretending to be a CEO and a rookie director.
They talked about film problems while making sure Jung-ho could hear. He got curious and read the film script they “accidentally” left behind.
The script was about gangsters, a genre he loved. Later, James and Gu-ho returned to get the script and acted defensively, claiming plagiarism. They introduced themselves as Seok-jin and Hong-pyo when they learned Jung-ho owned a seafood company. The meeting was casual yet tense.
Their fake film project impressed Jung-ho. James told him they needed 4 billion won for production. He hesitated. They kept flattering him to build trust. But Jung-ho still refused. I-rang then planned to lure him emotionally. She knew it was the only way to make him sign the deal himself.
The Trap Tightens
Jung-ho later visited the film set. He was amazed by the crew, the lights, and the actors. It all looked real. James made him feel important, inviting him to sit behind the camera. Suddenly, the female lead fainted and had to leave. Everyone panicked.
The film crew started asking if Jung-ho would invest, since the movie might stop. They pressured him gently, but he stayed silent. I-rang moved fast. She began a glamorous photo shoot nearby. She wanted his attention, and it worked.
Later, I-rang published a fake article in the same magazine. She posed as “Mary Yoo,” a Chinese actress cast in the film. Jung-ho saw it and believed it. He immediately called Gu-ho to ask about replacing the female lead. The trap was closing, and he didn’t even know it.
The episode ended on a sharp note. Jung-ho was unknowingly walking into I-rang’s plan, while Gu-ho was still in the dark about his past. The kidnapping case, the scam, and the fake movie were all about to collide.
Which character in Confidence Queen Episode 9 do you trust the most?
How Does this Article Make You Feel?
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.
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