‘My Name’: A Complete Breakdown of the K-Drama’s Storyline and Ending
The Netflix Korean drama My Name had a lot of storyline to unpack in its 8 episodes. Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) goes down a dark path of revenge after she witnesses her father’s murder and looks to find the killer’s identity. She is well aware the killer is tied to her father’s involvement with Dongcheon, South Korea’s biggest drug crime ring. As Ji-woo becomes a monster willing to kill, she is faced with the startling truth behind her father’s death.
My Name’s teasers and main trailer gave fans small tidbits of what the K-drama had in store. Fans would not have expected how the drama’s storyline played out and the real evil behind Ji-woo’s broken heart.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers about My Name.]
Yoon Ji-woo deals with her father’s death and joins Dongcheon
My Name episode 1 introduced Ji-woo, her inner turmoil, and her loneliness. Ji-woo is questioned by detectives surveilling her home about her father’s whereabouts. She has been shunned by the neighborhood and bullied at school after they discovered her father, Yoon Dong-hoon (Yoon Kyung-ho), is a member of the Dongcheon gang.
The catalyst moment that will drive the storyline occurs when Ji-woo tells her father never to return home. Feeling guilty over his actions, Dong-hoon goes to see Ji-woo despite being in hiding. Outside the apartment, Dong-hoon is shot. He begs the killer not to harm Ji-woo as he stops her from opening the door.
As Ji-woo deals with the grief of his death, she meets Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon). Mu-jin is the mob boss of Dongcheon and Dong-hoon’s closest friend. Time passes, and Ji-woo is in a downwards spiral as the police drop the case. According to Decider, “My Name promises larger intrigue ahead after setting up its protagonist’s very personal reason for revenge.”
Ji-woo wants retribution for her father’s death. She is taken in by Mu-jin, who promises her the revenge she seeks. Now a member of Dongcheon, she is underestimated by the others and Do Gang-jae (Chang Ryul), a member envious of Ji-woo.
Yoon Ji-woo abandons her past life to become Oh Hye-jin in K-drama storyline
In a gang fight to prove their worth, Ji-woo goes head to head with Gang-jae and wins. Gang-jae is embarrassed by the loss. With another member, he tries to assault her and almost kills her before others intervene. Mu-jin banishes Gang-jae for his insolence and uses the event as a way to fake Ji-woo’s death.
In a restaurant, Mu-jin reveals to Ji-woo that the person behind her father’s murder was a police officer and hands her the revolver used. The only way for her to enact revenge is to become Oh Hye-jin and join the police force.
My Name’s storyline goes through a time-lapse where Ji-woo becomes an officer. During an investigation, Ji-woo meets narcotics detective Jeon Pil-do (Ahn Bo-hyun). Their encounter leads Ji-woo to become a new member of the narcotics team and meets its captain Cha Gi-ho (Kim Sang-ho). This is where things get interesting as Ji-woo remembers seeing Gi-ho after her father’s murder. As Ji-woo works for the police force, she is still a member of Dongcheon and Mu-jin’s informant.
The truth of Dong-hoon’s murder slowy comes to light in ‘My Name’ storyline
Ji-woo and Pil-do investigate a new drug on the market where fans learn Gang-jae is alive. Gang-jae wants revenge against Mu-jin and Ji-woo. Later on, Ji-woo is stunned when a raid operation, led by Gi-ho, is to apprehend Mu-jin at a new drug facility. A new detail to My Name’s storyline is added when Ji-woo purposely plants the gun used to kill her father at the scene.
The gun rattles Gi-ho as he starts to suspect a mole in the police force. Meanwhile, Gang-jae sends a message to Mu-jin and attacks his men at the gang’s gym. The narcotics team investigates, and Ji-woo becomes aware of Gang-jae’s involvement. Gi-ho soon suspects Ji-woo has a link to the leaked information and warns Pil-do. Ji-woo learns the gun used to kill her father belonged to Song Joon-su. Gi-ho explains Joon-su was once a member of the team but was killed by Dongcheon.
Later on, Ji-woo comes face to face with Gang-jae. Mu-jin comes to her rescue before her real identity is revealed to Pil-do. After the events, Ji-woo remeets Sergeant Cho, the officer in charge of her father’s case years ago. In a twist of events, Cho is on Mu-jin’s payroll and alludes to Mu-jin being the one behind burying Dong-hoon’s murder case.
Yoon Ji-woo has her first kill and the truth about her father
At the meetup between Mu-jin and Gang-jae, the police plan an ambush. After saving Mu-jin from Gang-jae, Ji-woo kills him when he threatens to reveal her identity. She later receives a late package from Gang-jae with a photo of her father as a police officer. Wanting answers, Mu-jin explains Dong-hoon was an undercover officer named Song Joon-su planted in Dongcheon. Joon-su switched sides and betrayed the force implying Gi-hun killed him.
Ravaged by anger, Ji-woo hunts Gi-hun to finally get her revenge. But Gi-hun was first attacked by Mu-jin’s henchmen. Ji-woo reveals her identity to Gi-hun and he tells her the truth. Dong-hoon, aka Joon-su, was a cop until the end. Mu-jin had him killed over his deception and hands Ji-woo all the necessary evidence. Mu-jin’s henchman tries to kill Ji-woo but fails. Before his death, he tells her Mu-jin always personally acts out his revenge.
To avoid arrest and to test Ji-woo, Mu-jin turns himself in to the police. But Ji-woo wants her revenge and steals evidence setting Mu-jin free. The narcotics team and Pil-do now know of Ji-woo’s double-cross. Later on, Pil-do learns from Gi-hun about her real past and how Mu-jin manipulated her.
Ji-woo and Pil-do develop an unexpected romantic relationship. Pil-do convinces Ji-woo to arrest Mu-jin instead. Wanting Ji-woo to enact her revenge on him, Mu-jin kills Pil-do.
Now broken over the events, Ji-woo becomes the monster Mu-jin wanted. In the end, she kills him and gets her revenge. In the epilogue, Ji-woo visits her family’s grave and returns to her identity as Song Ji-woo. She visits Pil-do’s grave before walking away.
