Hierarchy ending explained: Who really killed In Han?

Netflix’s Hierarchy is riddled with power structure, hidden secrets, and the upsetting ending of how In Han was killed and who was responsible.

In the June K-drama, Kang Ha is on a mission as a seemingly ordinary scholarship student at Jooshin High School. Amid the students from elite and powerful families is a deeply hidden secret that Kang Ha is determined to unearth.

Jooshin’s top students Jae-yi, Ri-an, He-ra, and Woo-jin are in Kang Ha’s plans to root out who is responsible for murdering his brother. Shaking up the dynamics of Jooshin High School leads to chaos as the powerful elite have to answer for their crimes.

The seven-episode K-drama enthralls fans to the very end to uncover the jaw-dropping truth of what happened. Warning Spoilers ahead!

Hierarchy ending: Who killed In Han?

Jooshin High School teacher Ji-soo was responsible for the hit-and-run and death of In Han as a way to cover up her inappropriate relationship with Woo-jin.

From the start of the K-drama, you’re led to believe that Jae-yi and Ri-an had some part in In Han’s murder. In Han was a scholarship student who developed a friendship with Jae-yi, but was severely bullied because of it.

With Ri-an as the king of Jooshin and deeply in love with Jae-yi, he allowed his friends to bully him. One day, In Han is killed in a hit-and-run with Jooshin covering up the details of what led to it. Kang Ha enters the school as a scholarship student to learn the truth.

He too gets close to Jae Yi and subsequently develops feelings for her, while also angering Ri-an. In the K-drama, Jae-yi breaks up with Ri-an despite loving each other for a reason that will later be addressed.

Kang Ha’s presence disturbs the social order of Jooshin as he hunts for answers. In Episode 4 of the K-drama, it’s revealed that Kang Ha is In Han’s fraternal twin brother. The school and students never knew of their connection because they lived separately.

Hierarchy fools you into believing Jae-yi killed In Han as he knew the truth about her pregnancy with Ri-an’s child. She told Kang Han she killed someone, but it was about her getting an abortion.

With Jae-yi and Ri-an out of the picture as suspects in In Han’s murder, who’s really responsible? Hierarchy Episode 7 reveals the truth.

The truth is revealed

Woo-jin and Ji-soo have been having an inappropriate student-teacher relationship. It’s revealed that early in their relationship, Ji-soo wanted to congratulate Woo-jin on his birthday.

This is the same day that In Han was badly bullied by the others at the party with Jae-yi having witnessed it. When In Han runs away, he finds Woo-jin and Ji-soo in a compromising position.

Woo-jin says he’ll take care of it, but Ji-soo runs after In Han to stop him. In her frenzy she chases after him, and crashes her blue BMW into In Han. She realizes his pen was a camera and recorded everything.

At the time Woo-jin had no idea what Ji-soo had really done. He knew she drove his car and got into an accident and covered it up to protect his politician father.

In a tell-all with Jae-yi, he reveals everything and how he recently found In Han’s pen and learned the truth.

What happened to Ji-soo?

Ji-soo is arrested for the murder of In Han while some of the other students take the fall for bullying In Han and other students.

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Before Woo-jin tells Jae-yi the truth, Ji-soo is called into the principal’s office. Her secret relationship is outed with a video from Woo-jin, but to protect the school’s image she’s recommended to stay quiet.

It’s also learned that the principal knew all along Ji-soo’s part in In Han’s murder, but also swept it under the rug for Jooshin’s sake. Ji-soo tells Woo-jin she’s resigned from her position.

But it doesn’t end there with Woo-jin giving Jae-yi the pen recorder. Kang Ha uses it as evidence against Ji-soo and hands it to the police to finally get justice for his brother. Ji-soo is arrested for murder.

Hierarchy’s ending has all the characters face their indiscretions. Ri-an outs himself as also responsible for bullying In Han, while Jae-yi’s abortion becomes public knowledge. With Ri-an and Jae-yi having rekindled their love for each other, they go through it together.

Jooshin is back to the way it was but with a different dynamic. Hierarchy ends with Kang Ha having avenged his brother, and Jae-yi leaving her father’s abusive ways and starting over with her mother.

Hierarchy is available to stream on Netflix. You can read more explainers like what happened in The 8 Show, the ending of Lovely Runner explained, and Netflix’s 2024 lineup.