Mary Kills People episode 1 & 2 recap: Cho Hyeon-u asks Woo So-jeong to help him end his life

The South Korean drama Mary Kills People (메리 킬즈 피플) premiered its first two episodes on August 1 and 2, 2025. Starring Lee Bo-young, Lee Min-ki, and Kang Ki-young, the series is a remake of the 2017 Canadian television show of the same name. It is penned by writer Lee Soo-ya and directed by Park Joon-woo.

The story of Mary Kills People centers around a respected doctor who secretly assists terminally ill patients in ending their lives. On the other hand, a determined detective launches an investigation into the growing number of mysterious deaths.

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Mary Kills People episode 1 & 2 recap: Woo So-jeong's secret euthanasia practice faces exposure as police close in and Cho Hyeon-u comes to her with a request

Episode 1 of Mary Kills People opens with Dr. Woo So-jeong (Lee Bo-young) and her longtime associate Choi Dae-hyeon (Kang Ki-young). So-jeong works as a physician at a hospital but secretly assists terminally ill patients in ending their lives through euthanasia, in exchange for money.

She operates illegally, aided by Dae-hyeon and nurse Choi Ye-na. Their actions are done discreetly, without the knowledge of the patients’ families, and strictly upon the patient’s request.

Episode 1 of Mary Kills People begins with So-jeong and Dae-hyeon narrowly escaping the home of a terminally ill football star after she helps him pass away, moments before his wife returns home. She and Dae-hyeon then continue their daily lives as more patients reach out to them seeking their controversial service.

Among the new clients is Cho Hyeon-u (Lee Min-ki), a delivery worker in his 30s, suffering from a brain tumor. He pleads for So-jeong’s help to end his pain, but she is reluctant due to his young age. His lack of family support makes her believe he may be giving up too easily.

Meanwhile, Baek Ui-won, a legislator whose son died under similar circumstances, launches a formal investigation into illegal euthanasia, labelling it as murder. He appoints An Tae-seong (Kim Tae-woo) to lead the case. Tae-seong, who happens to be the father of So-jeong’s niece’s classmate, grows suspicious of So-jeong.

As the police begin investigating the footballer’s death, they ask his wife to delay the cremation to allow for the collection of evidence. Back in the hospital, Hyeon-u pressures So-jeong for help, but she continues to refuse. She advises him to quit his delivery job, concerned about his worsening health, but he ignores her.

One day, Hyeon-u collapses from a headache while working and is admitted to So-jeong’s hospital. As she tries to treat him, he again asks for her help. She continues to prescribe sedatives to manage his pain, but he disappears from the hospital and walks into traffic outside the hospital. So-jeong rushes after him, and he pleads again for her help.

Meanwhile, So-jeong’s niece Jae-yeon is at home with her friend and neighbor, Woo Mi. While hanging out, the two girls discover So-jeong’s secret chamber where she stores the euthanasia drugs. Unnoticed by Jae-yeon, Woo Mi secretly steals one of the bottles. Later, she collapses on stage during a ballet performance.

The first episode of Mary Kills People ends with a flashback to 2 years earlier, revealing the turning point in So-jeong’s life. To the father of the church, she confesses that after witnessing one of her patients suffer a painful death, she decided to start helping terminally ill patients find a peaceful end.

Episode 2 of Mary Kills People picks up where the previous one ends. Woo Mi is rushed to the hospital after collapsing during her performance. Recognizing the symptoms, So-jeong immediately suspects drug involvement.

Once Woo Mi regains consciousness, she confesses to taking the drug she had found in So-jeong’s home. She explains that she took it to calm her nerves before the show and then blackmails So-jeong, asking her not to inform her mother.

Meanwhile, An Tae-seong’s investigative team begins connecting dots between the illegal euthanasia cases and the trio: So-jeong, Dae-hyeon, and Ye-na. They dig into Dae-hyeon’s past and discover his criminal record and previous connections to a drug dealer.

They also learn about Ye-na’s financial struggles, that her brother is hospitalized and in deep debt. Although the investigators find these potential motives and links, they are unable to gather any concrete evidence from the footballer's case.

Later in episode 2 of Mary Kills People, during a volunteer visit to a church to offer medical aid, So-jeong encounters Hyeon-u again. She tells him that she has decided to help, but asks for time. Witnessing his worsening vision and dizziness, she ultimately agrees to help him.

So-jeong and Dae-hyeon also meet a young boy in the final stages of terminal cancer. After agreeing to help him, Dae-hyeon learns the boy has never confessed to the girl he likes. Wanting to help the boy fulfill this wish before he dies, Dae-hyeon decides to get involved.

Meanwhile, So-jeong contacts Hyeon-u’s former doctor to better understand his condition. She finds out that while his body had stopped responding to treatment 3 months ago, a new treatment method has since become available. She shares this with Hyeon-u and urges him to try it. However, feeling frustrated and betrayed, he refuses and leaves.

Days go by without any contact from him. Concerned, So-jeong searches for him everywhere, including his home, only to end in disappointment. She returns to the church and, while treating a woman there, she is suddenly attacked by the woman’s husband. At the last moment, Hyeon-u appears and rescues her from the violent situation. During this struggle, he injures his hand.

After the attacker is arrested and things calm down, So-jeong treats Hyeon-u’s wounded hand. He asks why she is so determined to keep him alive and whether he doesn’t meet her criteria for assisted death.

So-jeong tells him he does meet the criteria, but seeing him makes her wish he wanted to live, saying she hopes for that. Hyeon-u quietly stares at her and then kisses her.

In the final scene of episode 2 of Mary Kills People, a police officer visits Hyeon-u’s apartment and speaks with his landlord. The officer asks if anyone else has recently come looking for Hyeon-u and shows a photo of So-jeong, which the landlord confirms. On this note the episode 2 of Mary Kills People ends.

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Mary Kills People airs every Friday and Saturday at 10 pm KST on MBC TV. Episodes 3 and 4 of the drama are scheduled to broadcast on August 8 and 9, 2025.

Edited by Sriparna Barui