Gyeongseong Creature Season 1 Episode 6 Recap – Maternal Instinct

The penultimate episode of Gyeongseong Creature Part 1 is the best of Season 1 thus far. The stakes are up. The performances are elevated to match the worsening circumstances of the characters. There’s a big emotional payoff to ongoing threads and the encroaching ending – of this first volume, anyway – feels like it could offer all manner of surprises. Either way, Episode 6 is a nice reminder that this story is far from over and that the best might be yet to come.

Throughout this season Tae-sang has evolved from a guy who is primarily interested in himself and his own survival – remember when Joong-won asked him if he was good or bad? – to someone who genuinely cares about the people around him. In an early flashback, we see where his deep-rooted survival instinct comes from, instilled in him by his mother when he was young.

Now with a renewed drive, in the present day, Tae-sang returns to spring the prisoners on Chae-ok’s instruction but finds the cells empty. In-hyeok has already led them out on an escape attempt which looks to be taking a grim turn until Tae-sang catches up in the nick of time.

Did Chae-ok drink the water?

One of the big implications of Episode 5 was that Chae-ok might have drunk the spiked water Kato gave her, though “Chaos” suggests this is not the case with Kato showing her the worm in the cup and explaining how it works by taking over the host’s brain.

Chae-ok doesn’t yet know that this is the fate that has befallen her mother, Seishin, but she finds out in short order in this episode. When the creature turns up yet again Tae-sang is forced to knock it out by shooting a tank of nitrogen. Of course, the spores start doing the rounds again.

How did Tae-sang and Nawol meet?

Outside the hospital, Jun-taek’s father goes to Ishikawa and pushes him to look into the women who have been disappearing. He’s reluctant to get involved in military affairs. But things aren’t looking good for Jun-taek, who has written more and more names of his comrades down.

The arc of the staunch revolutionary coming undone makes for a nice contrast to Tae-sang’s development from a self-serving hustler to a caring hero. Although, at least based on Nawol’s recollections, he always had a touch of heroism about him, having taken her in from the streets where she was left bloodied and freezing by the Japanese. But his public-facing reputation is that of a “fence-sitter”, explained to him by In-hyeok as justification for leading the other prisoners to freedom instead of waiting as instructed.

Does the creature recognize Chae-ok?

Nevertheless, the prisoners are free, which is a real bone of contention for Ichiro. Many soldiers are also dropping like flies from the spores the creature released, and Ishikawa, prompted by Jun-taek’s father mentioning that Tae-sang was inside, has arrived at the hospital to dig into the case of the missing women.

Chae-ok, still in disbelief over her mother’s fate, rejects Kato’s offer of worm water and holds him at gunpoint, demanding to know how the creature can be stopped. Wearing a soldier’s uniform she tries to escort Kato down a passage, but he gives her identity away when he reveals to the soldiers that the only way to stop the monster is through fire. If Chae-ok wants to “save” her mother, she’ll have to burn her alive – and would she be willing to do that? She’s knocked out from behind before she can answer.

RELATED: Gyeongseong Creature Season 1 Episode 4 Recap

When Chae-ok wakes up, she’s chained to the floor, surrounded by soldiers in gas masks, all pointing their guns at her. Kato, watching from above, explains that they’re driving Seishin toward her using nitrogen. Kato clearly wants to see how the familial bond influences the monster’s behaviour.

Unexpectedly, Seishin recognizes Chae-ok almost immediately when she calls out to her and immediately sets about shielding her daughter from Kato’s soldiers. Kato is baffled that her human side is overpowering the Najin, and orders his men to kill Chae-ok. Seishin throws her aside to relative safety but begins to succumb to the nitrogen. Tae-sang, who followed the monster’s roars, arrives to pull Tae-sang away. She’s reluctant, but they need to regroup and come up with a plan.

Speaking of plans, one is being carried out to rescue Myeong-ja. Manager Gu infiltrated the hospital in a truck when Ishikawa arrived and is waiting to provide a getaway. Nawol has been passing messages around town. The pieces are all in place.

How does Gyeongseong Creature Season 1 Episode 6 end?

The penultimate episode of Part 1 ends with everything coming together. Chae-ok and Tae-sang make their way to the empty ward where Joong-wan took the prisoners. The Japanese soldier whom Tae-sang made a deal with, and who took the brunt of the blame from Kato, also arrives with Myeong-ja.

The group has a mere ten minutes to reach the truck outside and escape. As the clock strikes the hour and the episode ends, the restaurant owner back in Gyeongseong starts playing music through a microphone which rings out loudly enough for everyone to hear.

What did you think of Gyeongseong Creature Season 1 Episode 6? Let us know in the comments. 

RELATED: Gyeongseong Creature Season 1 Part 1 Ending Explained