Warning: This article contains some instances of murder, sexual assault, violence, and trauma. Reader discretion is advised.
A turbulent turn of events brought The Scarecrow's intense narrative that led fans hooked to the series, has finally come to an end. Time played a crucial role in the series, flooding with intense memories and events that were undeniably intense. Cha Si Yeong and Kang Tae Ju, two sharing a history, opposite personalities, met during a curious case of murders that left many lives broken. A scarecrow that became the prime suspect in the subsequent murder of women being assaulted and raped by a serial killer is known as the Stocking Killer.
The mystery in the series left fans on a cliffhanger, and while it reached a climactic escalation, it brought shock to the viewers. The chain of events witnessed by fans in the drama was worth the hype. While a series of events unfolded in the drama, there were some key events that marked turning points in the narrative, leading to a dramatic end. Let's break down the events leading to a just and peaceful ending.
The Stocking Killer Mystery Comes to an End as Old Ties Rekindle: The Scarecrow Ending Explained
The Scarecrow delivers an unexpected twist in the final episodes. Set 30 years after the original crimes, the story follows Kang Tae Ju, now a criminal profiler, who is being drawn back into a case that shook Gangseong village decades earlier. The Stocking Killer, a phantom serial killer or a real psychopath, preyed on women in the village, leaving a trail of fear. The narrative moves between the events of the past and present as Kang Tae Ju is asked to document the confession of the real murderer, suddenly turning himself in, reopening painful memories and unresolved trauma.
At first, in the present timeline, Kang is unfamiliar with the sudden turn of events since the killer was caught, or so it was presumed. However, after 30 years, the cold case once again haunts the profiler and all those who were ever connected to the case. The trauma that kept the village folks terrified for years from what happened 30 years ago, when about 12 women, to be exact, were found dead, naked and brutally assaulted after being raped, lying dead while the families were torn up in trauma. Returning to memories from the late 80s, we see Kang Tae investigating the original series of murders, accompanied by prosecutor Cha Si Young, an old nemesis. Both witnessed events that led to a breakthrough.
Towards the middle of the series, a familiar face came into the eyes of Tae Ju, but his life was sacrificed for the sake of political advantage. In that mess, Tae Ju's sister Sun Young and a bookstore owner, Gi Beom, whose love started to blossom in this turmoil, never turned into a happy ending, leading to Gi Beom's death due to police brutality, and also taking the blame for what his brother did. It came years later that Gi Beom's brother, Gi Hwan, committed these sinful crimes just to satisfy his inner desires.
At first, it was seen that a simple man like Gi Hwan would never hurt a leaf, being a middle-aged man with a woman at home and a family to feed, but his psychotic mind left many fans startled. The on-and-off jump in time brought intriguing twists in the series, and a climactic ending to the thriller drama. Tae Ju's life to put the real killer behind bars and also unfold the two minor murder cases that could or could not be connected with this murder; now comes out in the open with disturbing details.
Now the question arises: Why did Gi Hwan turn into a psychopathic killer despite having a simple and happy life? Was it out of jealousy of Gi Beom, being popular among young teenagers and women? Or because his lustful desires arose due to his marriage being a failure? It was never revealed, but what unfolded was a deep trauma for Kang and the women who never saw light again.
Gi Hwan Never Repents, but Beom Young Rekindles Old Bonds After Learning the Truth: Review
The series ended with a deep void filled with the potential thought of profiler Kang Tae Ju that could have brought a happier ending. Years of yearning, hunting down the murderer, and many lives shattered, Kang Ju just wanted to bring the news to the family of the 8-year-old kid who went missing. Her untimely death and being one of the two minors killed by Gi Hwan brought a disturbing end to their fates. Years of searching for their girl brought nothing but a hopeless end to their yearning. Gi Hwan, who calls this bad timing, shocks fans, but what became disturbing was Seok Man, who was sentenced to 20 years, suffering to date.
His fate brought a tag onto his name—Killer, leaving his family and friends distancing themselves from Seok Man. Being accused of a false murder left him with disgraced grazes, but now he will be rightfully just. All those allegations were removed. Beom Yeong, who had never known what had happened to his father, finally saw the real side of his uncle, Cha Si, and later embraced his true bond with his uncle, Kang Tae Ju. The series ended with everything returning to normal, but the happy ending was seen as a dream by Tae Ju. An ending where Gi Beom and Sun Yeong celebrated their son's birthday together. All those lives that were affected by Hwan are saved and happy on the occasion.
The series brought a series of events, leaving fans on a cliffhanger and later bringing a peaceful ending to many affected lives. Through the Indian lens, the series truly ticks all the boxes for suspense, thriller, and intensity. A great narrative of a small village where no one thinks a crime can occur, unravels the traumatic serial murders connecting with women trying to become modern, wearing stockings, and becoming the prey of someone's unfulfilled desires.
The series resembles another hyped k-drama of 2025, The Manipulated, having a similar plot twist and a cinematic ending, adding fuel to a potential second season. A 4.5 out of 5-star rating for this series. A must-watch drama for crime-thriller lovers.
