The Defects Episodes 5-6: Release date news, streaming details, and more

With its dark themes and gripping plot, The Defects has quickly become one of the most talked-about K-dramas. Inspired by a webtoon, the show dives deep into disturbing territory, exploring illegal adoptions, child trafficking, and the horrifying idea of children being treated like returnable goods.

It's not just a drama. It's a bold commentary on how society views worth, genetics, and survival. At the heart of the series is Kim Ah-hyeon, a young woman who survived a system that wanted her erased.

Alongside other children who were similarly "refunded," she takes on the powerful figures behind the adoption ring. Leading them is Kim Se-hee, a woman who hides her crimes behind a respected image as a hospital director and philanthropist.

The story continues with Episodes 5 and 6, which are scheduled to release on August 5 and 6, 2025, respectively. These upcoming chapters are expected to heighten the tension, as Ah-hyeon’s fate hangs in the balance.

Each episode of The Defects has managed to peel back another layer of its twisted world. As the series heads toward its conclusion, the stakes are getting higher, the secrets darker, and the characters more desperate than ever.

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The Defects Episodes 5-6: Everything to know

Episodes 5 and 6 of The Defects will be released on Tuesday, August 5, and Wednesday, August 6, both at 11 p.m. KST. For viewers in other time zones, that means 3 p.m. GMT and 10 a.m. ET. Each episode will run for about 55 minutes, staying consistent with the show's usual format.

In South Korea, fans can catch the new episodes on ENA and TVING. As for International viewers, you stream them on platforms like Kocowa and Prime Video, depending on regional availability. Since its premiere on July 21, the series has maintained a Monday-Tuesday release schedule, building anticipation with every drop.

The show is planned as an 8-episode limited series, meaning we’re approaching the final stretch. Episode 8, the finale, is set to air on August 12, 2025, and judging by recent events, the ending promises to be nothing short of explosive.

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What happened in The Defects Episodes 3 & 4: A quick recap

Episode 3 of The Defects picks up with rising tension as So-mi confronts her adoptive father, Han Chul-su, holding him at gunpoint. Meanwhile, Ah-hyeon finds a mysterious membership card that hints at deeper secrets. Chul-su admits that So-mi’s real mother is being held at Daejeong Hospital.

But before they can act, Jung-hyun shows up and kills Chul-su, forcing the kids to flee. As the children run for safety, Jung-hyun informs Kim Se-hee about their escape, and she orders him to capture Ah-hyeon alive. The group finds temporary shelter, but they’re constantly being hunted.

At the same time, Se-hee offers her own teenage daughter as a surrogate to a wealthy woman who can’t conceive. This unsettling move adds another layer to her twisted ambitions. Elsewhere, a detective working the case finds an old photo of the children with Tae-sik, which raises red flags.

So-mi also gets a heartbreaking call from her mother, but the group’s rescue attempt fails when they’re blocked by guards. Later, they discover a secret facility where babies are genetically altered and sold. It’s here they learn the horrifying truth about their own origins: they were engineered, not adopted.

Episode 4 of The Defects takes us back in time, revealing that Se-hee murdered her husband and used his money to build the trafficking network. In the present, Ah-hyeon sneaks into the lab using the stolen card, while her friends help her from the outside.

Inside, she discovers that Se-hee is planning to implant genetically modified embryos using her daughter’s eggs. The episode ends on a cliffhanger as Ah-hyeon triggers an explosion after being cornered by Jung-hyun.

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What to expect from The Defects Episodes 5-6?

Episode 5 is expected to take a dark turn as Ah-hyeon falls into Kim Se-hee’s hands. Se-hee plans to use her in twisted genetic experiments, while her friends work on a risky plan to rescue her. So-mi even disguises herself as a shaman to scare Joo-an’s father and buy them time.

Meanwhile, Se-hee is preparing her 14-year-old daughter for a disturbing surrogacy plan. She also seems to be developing a cruel new system to eliminate babies with defective genes.

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