Why Strong Girl Nam-soon fans thought villain Shi-oh “deserved better”

JTBC and Netflix’s Strong Girl Nam-soon had K-drama fans in an upheaval of the fate of central villain Shi-oh, as his final moments on-screen led fans to sympathize with him.

Despite the obvious red flag of Shi-oh developing the mass production of a heinous drug, wanting to Kill Nam-soon’s family, and a couple of murders – fans genuinely fell for the villain. It mostly came out of Shi-oh’s backstory of having been an orphan and taken in by Pavel, a criminal organization.

To top it off, fans were more invested in his growing feelings for Nam-soon while unaware she’s the daughter of his enemy. Amid his dark aura, he only smiled and was carefree when with her. It was clear that she was his light in the dark.

While K-drama fans know the female lead never ends up with the villain, fans have secretly hoped for it. But the Strong Girl Nam-soon finale had fans in utter shock and shedding a tear for Shi-oh and the reality of his life.

Shi-oh says his goodbyes in front of Nam-soon

After learning who Nam-soon really was, getting injured in their battle together, and learning his childhood friend came back to kill him, Shi-oh decides to die with dignity and dies from a gunshot wound to the head.

While at the boxing gym, which was once where his orphanage used to be, Shi-oh remeets Binbin. A flashback shows the two as children having been taken in by Pavel. Binbin went on to train in Hungary and his first mission is to kill Shi-oh. Binbin admits they were betrayed and abandoned the day Pavel took them.

In his monologue, Shi-oh says, “I was abandoned three times. Once by my birth parents. Once by the woman I had trusted. And once more by the only friend I’ve missed. I wish to go out as only having been betrayed twice.”

As the police arrive, Binbin gives Shi-oh the gun. Shi-oh decides to “die with dignity” and dies by suicide with the gun. Shi-oh’s death in Strong Girl Nam-soon had fans shedding a tear the same way he did. Some Russian fans explained his monologue is sadder than originally intended as mistranslation actually had him say he was betrayed by the woman he loved.

A fan on X (Twitter) said, “The tear from his eye after… goodbye. MY MAN DESVERED BETTER IDC. Namsoon knew his backstory and she could have helped him to see the light and change to the better. She even said later on that he must have been lonely…”

Another commented, “You know what more f**ked up There is not a single person in this world who has ever or will ever care about if Shioh lived or died F**K THIS WORLD.”

“We DIDN’T SUPPORTED RYE SHIOH BECAUSE OF HIS LOOKS Shioh was abandoned by his birth parents was shipped as a child slave to Russian mafia where he was abused [and] made to do horrible things in order to survive as a f**king 5-year-old. He was victim to abuse,” said another.

One fan agreed saying, “Strong Girl Nam-Soon made a villain that was pushed to be one since a kid, that loved someone and missed his only friend but that also did so many bad things and ended him so he would not be betrayed again. We feel empathy for him.”

Read more K-drama news here, planes for a Season 3 here, and the Strong Girl Season 3 teaser here.