The Escape of the Seven: War for Survival (2023) Episode 17

Episode 17 of The Escape of the Seven starts after the shootout at Chairman Shim’s house. Min Do-hyuk goes to Mo-ne for help while bleeding, and Mo-ne helps treat his wounds.

Do-hyuk asks Mo-ne to install spyware on La-hui’s phone. Mo-ne records the conversation between La-hui and Ju-ran and reports to Do-hyuk. They know about where Chairman Bang’s money is buried.

What happens to Min Do-hyuk?

Do-hyuk goes to the playground and meets Secretary Hwang. He tells him that Mathew Lee is K and he is after Chairman Bang’s money. They work with Jin-mo and Mo-ne and take the money from Ju-ran and Chul-woo.

Do-hyuk’s plan works, and he successfully catches La-hui and K fighting over the money on camera. He takes Chairman Shim out of the hospital to speak to reporters at Sungchan Group. Secretary Hwang stops him from going in to help Chairman Shim when he collapses during the press conference.

He comes up with a plan to lure in Mathew with the help of Mo-ne and Jin-mo. The plan does not succeed, and he ends up being held at gunpoint by Mathew’s men. 

What happens to Mathew Lee/ Shim Jun-seok?

Mathew spills his secrets to the press through Do-hyuk’s secret cameras but tries to turn things around by saying that it is a deep fake video created by Jun-seok. The press quickly catches on that the two are wearing the same clothes as in the video. The reports start suspecting that the video they saw earlier of Chairman Shim and Do-hyuk might be fake.

Mathew is backed to a corner and abruptly ends the press conference. Mathew thinks the plan is Chairman Shim’s, and he drives to the hospital as soon as he gets away from the reporters. 

Mathew arrives at the hospital and finds Chairman Shim has left. Secretary Kang informs him that Chairman Shim has announced holding a press conference. Mathew asks him to stop it at any cost, even killing Do-hyuk and Chairman Shim if necessary.

His men do not stop the conference in time, and Mathew gets ready to flee. He deletes all files on Lee Hwi-so and takes all his money. His father, Kang-jae, helps him with the suitcases. Meanwhile, the police head to Mathew’s residence. 

Baek Ik-ho informs him that Mo-ne has contacted them. He follows her alone with a gun, ready to kill Do-hyuk. However, it is a trap set for him, and Do-hyuk, Jin-mo and Mo-ne are waiting inside. Do-hyuk holds a gun to his head but hesitates when Mathew takes Mo-ne hostage, giving his men a chance to barge in. 

What happens to Mo-ne and Jin-mo?

Mo-ne starts helping Do-hyuk with spying on La-hui. She intends to reveal to the world that Ha-na is Mathew’s child, but Jin-mo stops him. He does not want Ha-na to grow up as Shim Jun-seok’s child.

Ha-na overhears their conversation and runs away. She later learns that Ha-na might be safe and lets it go. She says that she is better off without her and she does not care whether she lives or dies. Mathew Lee calls her and asks her to tell him of Do-hyuk’s whereabouts, and he will make her dream of winning an Oscar come true. 

What does Chairman Shim say at the press conference?

Chairman Shim holds a press conference to reveal the truth. He tells the press that Mon Do-hyuk is his biological son and Shim Jun-seok is not his son. He found out when Jun-seok was 16 years old. He fell off a horse, and the truth was revealed at the hospital.

He tells them that Mathew Lee is Shim Jun-seok and that he killed his wife. He did not punish him because of his wife’s dying wish. He asked Chairman Shim to protect Jun-seok. Chairman Shim reveals all of Mathew’s crimes including killing Da-mi, the fake news, killing Ji-a, and Do-hyuk’s adoptive parents. 

In addition, he tells the press that his secretary Kang-jae is Jun-seok’s father, and he switched them when they were infants at the hospital. They can do a DNA test to prove their relationship. Kang-jae is helping Mathew with his crazy plans, and Chairman Shim asks that Kang-jae be arrested first.

Chairman Shim also reveals that Jun-seok has whitlow and his fingers blister and bleed when he is stressed out, and checking Mathew Lee’s records will prove that he is Jun-seok. Chairman Shim collapses at the end of the press conference and dies. 

What happens to La-hui?

La-hui does not intend to go down with Mathew Lee and takes evidence of their connection from her office. The police storm in, forcing her to flee with the documents. She finds reporters waiting outside and dumps the briefcase with documents inside before leaving.

She arrives at her house and finds more reporters there. A police officer calls and asks her to come to the police station to report about Da-mi’s murder. If she does not show up at the police stations, she will become a suspect in the murder. 

What about Kang Ki-tak and Lee Hwi-so?

While getting a boat ready to leave the island, Ki-tak notices people approaching and runs to inform Hwi-so. Kang-jae arrives with his men and sets up the place to blow up. When done, Kang-jae shoots both of the men helping him. He calls Mathew and tells him he loves him as his father before blowing the place up with himself inside.

Kang Ki-tak and Lee Hwi-so use Kang-jae’s boat to leave the island before the house blows up. She decides to work with Mathew after Ju-ran refuses to stay with her, but she ends up being among the group fighting for their lives during the hunt. 

What happens to Ju-ran, Chul-woo and Myoung-ji?

The three meet at Ju-ran’s house with their luggage, ready to leave Seoul. La-hui storms into Ju-ran’s house and tells them she has a boat ready to take them away so long as they stick with her. They refuse and leave her alone.

They arrive at the port, but they are unable to hire a boat due to police presence. Suddenly, La-hui arrives and successfully smuggles them out to an island. Later, she drugs them and kidnaps them. She tells them that she wants to get rid of them for Mathew. 

What happens to Song Ji-sun?

Ji-sun realizes that Mo-ne did not lie to her. She confronts Myoung-ji about her role in Bang Da-mi’s death. She learns through a press conference that Mathew killed Song Ji-a and made it look like an accident.  

How does The Escape of the Seven season 1 end?

Mathew takes Do-hyuk, Jin-mo, Mo-ne, Ju-ran, Myoung-ji, Chul-woo, and La-hui to a building and starts a survival game. His men give them ten seconds to hide, then begin the hunt. They escape from the men, but he drugs them, and they start to hallucinate.

They find their way to the rooftop and find Mathew waiting for them. He shoots Do-hyuk and gives the other a choice to either join him and become his loyal dog or die with Mathew. He has set up time bombs around the building to blow up in three minutes.

Those who want to live should join him in the helicopter and tell them where Do-hyuk hid Chairman Bang’s money. They all choose to join Mathew and leave Do-hyuk alone on the rooftop. 

The building blows up as the helicopter takes off. However, Lee Hwi-so and Kang Ki-tak arrive at the rooftop. Lee Hwi-so gives Ki-tak a flash drive with information on Luka. He sacrifices himself by jumping into the fire and Ki-tak jumps off the building with Do-hyuk. 

The Episode Review

Just like the last few episodes, this one was anticlimactic, and there was no thrill, especially the scene about the hunt. Mathew using drugs to induce hallucinations was interesting in the first episodes, but its use in the last one is plain.

The previous episode lacked creativity, especially regarding Do-hyuk’s plans. How could he trust the people he knows and how easily they can betray each other? It is understandable, though, since it seems that this season was Mathew’s plot, and season two might be Do-hyuk’s retaliation.

The premise is because, at the end of the episode, Lee Hwi-so gives Ki-tak a way to bring down Luka and TIKITAKA, and Ki-tak saves Do-hyuk. I hope Do-hyuk’s fightback will be more thrilling in comparison to Mathew’s. Mathew fought for money and pride and had neither principles nor loyalty.

The reasons for his revenge are weak since he did not deserve anything from Chairman Shim. However, Do-hyuk has more reasons that viewers can stand behind in his revenge in the next season.