Confidence Queen episode 3 review — Déjà Vu — A dangerous critic, a familiar villain, and a cliffhanger that changes the game

Confidence Queen continues to sharpen its tone with episode 3, proving that the series knows when to pull the rug out from under its viewers. Unlike the first two chapters, which resolved their cons neatly by the end, this episode closes on an unresolved cliffhanger, leaving Yi-rang and her crew in a compromised position.

This shift raises the stakes and at the same time it deepens the sense that every new target could turn the hunters into prey.

The arrival of Yoo Myung Han

The core of this episode is the introduction of Yoo Myung Han, an art critic played by Lee Yi Kyung. The casting carries its own weight: audiences remember him as the abusive husband in Marry My Husband, and seeing him step into another role of power immediately stirs a sense of unease, especially when he is onscreen again with Park Min-young. That familiarity works in the show’s favor, layering the character with menace before he even reveals his darker side.

Yoo Myung Han is portrayed as a man who cloaks corruption in sophistication. The art world becomes a stage for his schemes, from financial scams to predatory advances on women who depend on his influence. Confidence Queen doesn’t shy away from showing how exploitation and abuse can be disguised as culture, which makes this storyline cut deeper than a simple con.

Confidence Queen plays with power and perception

What stands out here is how Confidence Queen uses the familiar structure of a con story but subverts the expectation of a clean victory. The falsifier ally of Yi-rang’s team becomes a liability, and by the final act he is arrested, leaving the group exposed. Instead of wrapping up the game in triumph, the episode lingers on the possibility of failure, a real risk that heightens the suspense and redefines the rhythm of the series in its very beginning.

The power play between Yi-rang and Myung Han is particularly sharp, with their interactions unfolding with a mix of tension and performance, each trying to read and manipulate the other. The show captures the thrill of deception but grounds it in a larger commentary about how unchecked authority breeds predators who believe they are untouchable.

The weight of casting and memory

By bringing Lee Yi Kyung back into Park Min-young’s orbit, Confidence Queen achieves a kind of meta-textual punch. For viewers who still associate him with the cruelty of Marry My Husband, his presence here feels like a deliberate provocation, turning the episode into more than just another chapter of trickery; it becomes a confrontation with how memory shapes our reaction to characters and actors alike.

That resonance adds depth to the villainy of Myung Han, whose actions are vile enough on their own; however, the shadow of his earlier role makes every scene with Yi-rang even more charged. This is a casting choice that elevates the third episode of Confidence Queen, showing how drama can manipulate both fiction and our perception all at once.

A cliffhanger that sharpens the hook

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The final sequence leaves Yi-rang’s crew cornered, their plan derailed, and the possibility that Myung Han has outmaneuvered them very real. It is the first time Confidence Queen denies its viewers closure, and that absence becomes its own thrill. The anticipation for the next episode lies not only in whether they will win, but in how they can recover from a game that seems already lost.

Rating with a touch of flair: 5 out of 5 poisoned brushstrokes caught mid-stroke.

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