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Friendly Rivalry Ending Explained: Hyeri’s shocking move, Jung Soo Bin’s uncertain fate and season 2 possibilities
Find out the shocking finale of Friendly Rivalry, including Lee Hyeri’s unexpected move, Jung Soo Bin’s ambiguous ending, and the lingering mysteries hinting at a possible Season 2.
The psychological thriller Friendly Rivalry, adapted from a popular webtoon, has hooked audiences with its intense storyline set in Chaehwa Girls' High School, an institution that breeds academic excellence at the cost of its students' mental and emotional well-being. The show follows Woo Seul Gi, an orphan from a rural town, as she struggles to survive in this high-pressure environment while being relentlessly challenged by Yoo Jae Yi, the school’s most powerful student. What starts as an academic rivalry spirals into a psychological war, with deceit, manipulation, and hidden motives at every turn.
As the series reached its final episodes, the stakes became higher than ever, and the characters found themselves entangled in a dangerous web of power struggles, illegal dealings, and shocking betrayals. The last two episodes unraveled deep-seated secrets and tested the limits of trust.
Seul Gi's (Jung Soo Bin) downfall in the academic rankings marks the beginning of her latest challenge. Dropping to 20th place while Choi Kyung rises to the top. Meanwhile, Jae Yi (Hyeri), ever the strategist, aligns herself with Tae Jun, a key player with access to the devilish questions: an illegal set of exam questions that guarantee a perfect score. In exchange for this advantage, she agrees to his conditions.
The situation outside the classroom grows darker. Seul Gi, furious over Do Hyuk’s wife settling a dispute instead of fighting, finds herself increasingly disillusioned by the corruption surrounding her. Byeong Jin, never one to miss an opportunity, attempts to lure Choi Kyung into his drug trade, while Ye Ri is coerced into an even more dangerous situation, highlighting the desperate lengths these students must go to in order to survive Chaehwa High’s ruthless environment.
Meanwhile, Seul Gi strikes a deal with Tae Jun, exchanging Je Na’s ashes for the exam questions. However, when she tries to reach Jae Yi, she is met with nothing but silence. Alarmed, she turns to A Ra for help, and together, they track Jae Yi down to the school’s swimming pool. Standing at the edge of the springboard, Jae Yi offers no explanation, her expression unreadable.
Moreover, a flashback reveals a crucial moment from the past: Seul Gi once stood in the same position, threatening to jump into the pool despite not knowing how to swim. Jae Yi had refused to respond to her desperate plea, forcing Seul Gi to leap, only for Jae Yi to save her at the last second. Now, in the present, Jae Yi seems to mirror that moment, but this time, she is the one taking the plunge. Before she acts, she instructs Seul Gi to follow plan B.
The next day, Jae Yi takes full control of the situation. She tells Seul Gi to shift her focus entirely to the upcoming entrance exam, leaving the rest in her hands. In an unexpected revelation, she admits that the supposed drugs she once gave Seul Gi were nothing more than vitamins, subtly suggesting that her intentions may not have been as sinister as they appeared.
With everything at stake, Seul Gi convinces Byeong Jin to help distribute stolen exam questions, leading to a high-risk plan that involves smuggling them through J Medical Centre. A corrupt teacher conceals the questions inside a set of pills, which are discreetly placed in Tae Jun’s pocket during a hospital transfer. Tae Jun quickly realizes he has been set up. In a desperate attempt to regain control, he finds himself in an ambulance with Seul Gi and Byeong Jin, who drive him to an isolated location. Their confrontation is cut short when Jae Yi arrives.
As the tension escalates, Byeong Jin intervenes, preventing Seul Gi from handing over the exam questions. With no other option, she swallows the pills, ensuring that the crucial information remains out of Tae Jun’s hands. This reckless act forces Jae Yi to take drastic action: performing an emergency procedure to extract the pills. But when the exams finally happened, it turns out they were never the real exam questions.
Furthermore, due to her hospitalization, Seul Gi misses the college entrance exam, effectively erasing her academic future. Meanwhile, Jae Yi emerges victorious, scoring a perfect result. But just when it seems Jae Yi has triumphed, she takes an unexpected turn. In a shocking move, she live-streams herself standing on the edge of her family mansion before jumping into the water below. The act leaves everyone stunned, questioning whether this was a calculated disappearance or a final escape from the world she sought to control.
A frantic search begins, but only Je Na is found. Jae Yi’s body is nowhere to be found. Tae Jun, now exposed for his numerous crimes, is arrested, but his search for Jae Yi remains intact. Even behind bars, he refuses to accept that she is truly gone.
Time moves forward, but the scars of Chaehwa High’s twisted power struggles remain. Ye Ri has managed to leave her dark past behind, now working as a waitress. Choi Kyung, having escaped the school’s toxic culture, decides to pursue law, perhaps in an attempt to bring justice to the corruption she once participated in. Tae Jun, released from prison after serving a short sentence, continues to return to Seul Gi’s home, much to her stepmother’s irritation. Seul Gi herself, having lost all faith in the system, chooses to drop out of college.
Then, in a quiet but chilling moment, Seul Gi receives an unexpected package. Inside, she finds a pair of shoes, her father’s keychain, and a photograph of an unknown location. Following the lead, she arrives at the place depicted in the photo and begins skating across the ice. As the camera lingers on her face, she smiles—an ambiguous expression that leaves audiences wondering whether she has finally found peace or is about to embark on another dangerous path.
With no official confirmation of a second season, Friendly Rivalry leaves audiences with few questions. The biggest mystery remains: has Jae Yi truly perished, or has she once again manipulated the narrative to her advantage? The presence of the package suggests that someone, perhaps Jae Yi herself, is still pulling the strings. Tae Jun’s relentless search for her also hints that the story may not be over just yet.
Hyeri, Jung Soo Bin’s Friendly Rivalry Ep 13-16 Release: Date, streaming details, where to watch, what to expect and more
