Gyeongseong Creature Part 1: Does Chae-ok find her mother?

Netflix’s Gyeongseong Creature Part 1 has Yoo Chae-ok (Han So-hee) venture to Gyeongseong in search of her missing mother – but amid the horrors, does she find her?

In Gyeongseong Creature Part 1, Chae-ok’s mother has been missing for 10 years. She was raised by her father in Manchuria looking for answers. They are known as sleuths or bounty hunters skilled in finding missing people.

Over the years, information on her mother has been scarce and they venture to Gyeongseong for the truth. They seek out Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-Joon), a wealthy pawn shop owner known for his reliable information in the K-drama.

Together they learn that the information they seek lies within Onseong Hospital: a seemingly normal facility surrounded by rumors and secrets. Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Chae-ok ventures into Onseong to find her mother

Yes, Chae-ok and her father find her mother in Onseong Hospital in Gyeongseong Creature Part 1. But they also discover the brutal truth that the Japanese government turned her into a monster.

Chae-ok and her father decide to help Tae-sang when he’s forcibly tasked by a Japanese military general to find his pregnant missing lover. Their investigation takes them to Onseong, where they create a diversion and sneak in. At the same time, the secret laboratory underneath descends into chaos when a heinous monster runs amok – forcing the hospital to evacuate.

Tae-sang, Chae-ok, and her father stay inside to search for survivors – and answers. Chae-ok begins to realize what’s happening within the hospital is similar to what they saw in Manchuria. The government is experimenting on innocent civilians. As Gyeongseong Creature Part 1 progresses, it also becomes clear to viewers which prisoner is Chae-ok’s mother based on her wooden necklace – a gift from her daughter.

Chae-ok’s mother was one of a few prisoners given a parasite called Najin. While the others went insane and ultimately died, she managed to survive. But the Najin ultimately rears its ugly head again, morphing Chae-ok’s mother into a grotesque and unstoppable monster. Even when neutralized with nitrogen, the monster’s defense system develops anthrax to protect itself.

Gyeongseong Creature Part 1 brings Chae-ok’s face-to-face with her mother

By Episode 5 of the K-drama, Chae-ok finally comes face-to-face with the monster that is her mother. She and Tae-sang fight against the creature while being pursued by Director Ichiro (Hyun Bong-sik) and his men. They briefly escape but have no choice but to give themselves up. Chae-ok then meets Lieutenant General Gato (Choi Young-joon).

While sharing their stories, Ishikawa notices that Chae-ok looks familiar. He asks what Chae-ok’s mother’s name is. She replies that her mother was Choi Seong-min, also known by her Japanese name, Seishin. This confirms what we already suspected: the human behind the monster truly is Chae-ok’s mother. Later, Chae-ok finds a message on a prison cell wall written in blood. It’s a note from her mother to her, and it helps Chae-ok finally realize where and what her mother is in Gyeongseong Creature Part 1.

Going into Episode 6, Chae-ok’s captured again, this time as bait for the monster. But Chae-ok calls to her mother and forces her to remember her human life. Realizing Chae-ok is her daughter, the monster protects her from gunfire. Chae-ok is subsequently rescued by Tae-sang, while the soldiers subdue the monster with nitrogen. Chae-ok has no choice but to leave her mother behind for now.

Read more K-drama content here, Dexerto’s Gyeongseong Creature review here, and character explainers for Death’s Game here.