The recent episodes of ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama “Climax” delivered intense moments as the complicated relationship between prosecutor Bang Tae-seop and actress Chu Sang-a faced new tests. Episode 5, which aired on March 30, and Episode 6, which aired on March 31, showed how Tae-seop’s plan to check Sang-a’s loyalty ended badly, while Hwang Jeong-won found herself pulled into an unexpected emotional connection.
The drama follows Bang Tae-seop (Ju Ji Hoon) , a prosecutor who joins a powerful cartel to climb South Korea’s political ladder. His contract marriage with top actress Chu Sang-a (Ha Ji Won) becomes the center of attention as past secrets start to surface. The story also focuses on Hwang Jeong-won (Nana) , a mysterious informant who holds important information about the case.
Tae-seop’s Hidden Card and Sang-a’s Desperate Move
In Episode 5, Tae-seop faced growing pressure from Lee Yang Mi (Cha Joo Young) , who threatened to expose Sang-a’s past. Yang Mi warned Tae-seop that politicians and celebrities both live and die by their public image. She promised to destroy both him and Sang-a if he continued to challenge her.
Tae-seop, who had been holding onto a secret recording as his hidden card, found himself in a difficult position. The media started pointing fingers at Sang-a as the possible real killer of entertainment CEO Oh Kwang-jae (Seo Hyun-woo) . This put more pressure on the couple.
Sang-a, dealing with panic attacks and public accusations, took a bold step to survive. She visited the mother of Park Jae-sang (Lee Ga Seop) , the man she had supposedly ordered to kill. On her knees, Sang-a cried and asked for forgiveness. Her acting seemed real enough to shake Jae-sang’s heart. But when Jae-sang appeared before her, Sang-a changed completely. She greeted him coldly with “Long time no see, Park Jae-sang,” showing her true calculating nature.
The episode ended with viewers shocked by Sang-a’s quick change from tears to a cold stare, proving Ha Ji Won’s powerful acting skills.
Jeong-won’s Growing Connection with Sang-a
A major moment in Episode 5 came when Jeong-won and Sang-a shared an emotional scene. Sang-a discovered that Jeong-won had been watching her and listening to her conversations at Tae-seop’s request. But instead of getting angry, Sang-a calmly said, “I don’t trust anyone, you don’t need to be sorry.”
That night, Sang-a cried while remembering Ji-soo (Han Dong Hee) , her colleague and same-sex lover who died because of Oh Kwang-jae’s abuse. Jeong-won wiped Sang-a’s tears and offered comfort. In a surprising moment, Sang-a, thinking Jeong-won was Ji-soo, kissed her.
Viewers reacted strongly to this scene:
“The chemistry with Nana was insane and the ending was crazier.”
“I got chills from Chu Sang-a’s tears that made it impossible to tell if they were real or fake.”
Sang-a later told Jeong-won sincerely, “First I have to stop things from getting worse and somehow survive, and I hope you truly find your life too.” This showed Sang-a entering full survival mode while also showing care for Jeong-won.
The Viral Attack That Changed Everything
Episode 6 began with Sang-a trying again to get the recording from Jae-sang. She performed another emotional act, crying and asking for forgiveness. But she made a mistake when she mentioned the recording. Jae-sang realized her true intentions and became very angry.
Jae-sang attacked Sang-a, choking her with clear intention to kill. People nearby recorded the attack and shared it online. The video quickly became popular, but instead of supporting Sang-a, the public started supporting Jae-sang.
This moment showed how public opinion can turn against victims. Tae-seop saw the video and rushed to help, but the damage was already done. Sang-a called him later, stating clearly that both of them were hypocrites in their own ways.
A Shocking Turn with Suicide Attempt
The situation got worse when Sang-a attempted suicide. She left a note for Jeong-won, thanking her for being the only person who treated her warmly. This was a dark moment that showed how much pressure Sang-a was facing from the public accusations and her past coming back to haunt her.
The suicide attempt changed how viewers saw Sang-a. While she had shown cold and calculating behavior before, this scene showed the deep pain she carried from Ji-soo’s death and Kwang-jae’s abuse.
Jae-sang’s Death and the Press Conference
Later, Jae-sang was found dead. The series hinted that Jeong-won might be the killer, but did not confirm this fully. This added more mystery to the story.
Tae-seop and Sang-a finally had a real conversation about their future. They decided to work together to survive. They planned to change public opinion about themselves.
They held a press conference where Sang-a claimed she had tried everything to have a friendly relationship with Jae-sang, but he still attacked her violently. Tae-seop supported her publicly, showing they would face the crisis as a team.
The press conference scene showed how the couple, who started with a contract marriage based on mutual benefit, now had to depend on each other completely to survive.
Jeong-won’s Backstory Revealed
Episode 6 also showed more of Jeong-won’s past. Viewers learned that she had killed her mother’s partner when she was young. This explained why she connected with Tae-seop, who helped her then, and why she was willing to do difficult things.
Nana’s performance in these scenes received praise for showing both Jeong-won’s cold side and her hidden pain. The flashback scenes showed Jeong-won crying over her mother who made an extreme choice, adding more weight to her character.
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Viewership and Critical Response
The episodes drew strong reactions from viewers. Despite the intense story and strong acting, the show’s ratings dipped slightly from 3.5% to 3.2%. This small drop did not take away from the positive feedback about the performances.
Viewers especially praised Ha Ji Won’s range in showing Sang-a’s many sides – from cold and calculating to broken and desperate. Ju Ji Hoon’s portrayal of Tae-seop as a man who wants power but also cares about Sang-a in his own way also received positive comments.
Cha Joo Young as Lee Yang Mi continued to be a strong presence, always threatening to expose the couple’s secrets. Oh Jung Se as Kwon Jong Uk added to the political tension with his decisions that affected everyone.
Where to Watch
“Climax” airs every Monday and Tuesday at 10 p.m. KST on ENA. International viewers can watch the drama with English subtitles on Viki and Disney+. Indonesian viewers can also watch on Viu. The series has a total of 10 episodes.
Nana also participated in the drama’s OST, singing the track “Black Star,” adding another layer to her involvement in the project.
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