In the twelfth episode of "Confidence Queen," we find Yi-rang taken aback as she discovers that Gu-ho is part of the project. Man-bok has done his research and it turns out he's aware of Gu-ho's revenge, even begging him to help with this endeavor.
As various contractor meetings continue to take place, the Eco-City starts to take shape. Josef Architects, led by Yo-seop, are firmly in the thick of it, but Yi-rang is also working on her own mission.
That night, things turn frosty when Yi-rang and Gu-ho cross paths. He's cold towards her and gives her the cold shoulder.
Is Yo-seop fooled by the cover? As he leaves, Yi-rang focuses on her little plan with Yo-seop. She has the boys sort out her Goshiwon, but is shocked when she sees the whole thing is bright fuchsia pink!
The pink curtains give away her location when Yo-seop shows up to check her legitimacy. For now, the construction of the Eco-City is ready to go ahead, but Abdullah de Juju wants the timeline sped up and the project completed in three years.
To help matters, the gang brings in James, dressed up as the hilariously outrageous businessman called Salvador to help with the project. He wants 15 million dollars and Yo-seop seems to go for it without hesitation.
Gu-ho is not happy and confronts Yi-rang about her meddling with Salvador afterwards. Gu-ho claims to have the perfect plan to take the guy down, and these two schemes are starting to cause friction between the groups.
During the subsequent meeting with Yo-seop, a pivotal turn of events unfolds. It transpires that Yi-rang inadvertently revealed her true identity to Salvador, along with a reckless request for a fifteen-million-dollar sum. In response, Yo-seop leads Yi-rang, James, and Gu-ho down to the basement, where he unveils an antique chessboard—the same one he used to play with Yi-rang as a child.
Yo-seop unmasks Yi-rang by her real name, having overheard her and Gu-ho's heated exchange. Armed guards then appear, pinning them at gunpoint. In a sudden turn of events, Yo-seop shoots Gu-ho in the shoulder, blaming Yi-rang for the predicament and continuing to manipulate her.
As Yo-seop departs to meet Abdullah, leaving his guards to keep the group occupied, the real drama unfolds at the hotel. Abdullah arrives with a box containing a chess piece, revealing that Yi-rang has presented herself as his bride—and to everyone's surprise, Abdullah is none other than James in disguise.
At this point, it becomes clear that the group has long since resolved their differences but maintained their deceptive facade for an extended period. The severity of Gu-ho's wounds and the video from Abdullah were both faked, utilizing deepfake technology to mislead Josef Architects.
Furthermore, it emerges that Hyeon-uk, the Secretary of Transportation, was the individual Sang-hui met with outside the cafe in the previous episode. James had blackmailed Hyeon-uk into joining the scheme, using her as a pawn to gain close proximity to the minister.
The entire charade with Man-bok was also part of their elaborate plan, with Yi-rang working tirelessly to persuade him to play along. The intricate web of deception and manipulation reveals a deep-seated game of chess between former allies and foes, all playing their moves with a masterful precision.
In the present, Yi-rang confronts Yo-seop with a demand for an apology that he resolutely refuses to give. She knew this was the case and came prepared, using the delay as a ruse for Chief Detective Park Ju-seong to swoop in and smooth over the situation. This includes a video recording of Yo-seop holding them all at gunpoint, confessing his wrongdoings and even admitting to killing Jin-su. Despite his defiance, Yo-seop takes a shot, only for it to be revealed as a fake prop. He rushes away from the hotel, eventually driving off the edge of a massive bridge and plunging into the waters below.
As Confidence Queen comes to an end, a month passes and the police recover Yo-seop's car. However, there is no sign of Yo-seop himself, leaving the question of whether he is dead or has disappeared to start anew. Regardless, Yi-rang marks this plan as a success and they set their sights on future cases. But during the post-credit sequence, Yi-rang turns to the camera with a wry smile and declares, "Confidence Queen will be back."
