Glitch — Ending Explained

The central mystery initiates when Lee Si-kook disappears amidst an electromagnetic surge, leading Ji-hyo to suspect he was abducted by the baseball-helmet alien she visualizes. Joining Bo-ra and her circle of UFO trackers, the investigation reveals its first major twist: Si-kook was not abducted by aliens, but kidnapped by real estate operatives tied to the Divine Light Church, a doomsday cult directed by the Father and Baek Joo-hee.

The second major twist connects to Ji-hyo's childhood disappearance in the reed field fifteen years prior. The cult has stalked Ji-hyo for years, believing she is the sanctified "Host" harboring an extraterrestrial implant behind her ear, having orchestrated Si-kook's abduction specifically to draw her in. In Episode 9, the Father delivers a psychological blow, claiming aliens are entirely fictional and that her memories are delusions exploited by the church.

In the Episode 10 climax, Bo-ra, Detective Kim, and the UFO crew storm the cult’s mass ascension ceremony. Just as psychological despair peaks, a genuine extraterrestrial spaceship descends above the building in iridescent blue-green illumination, confirming the reality of the phenomena. Ji-hyo makes an incision behind her ear and removes the crystallized object, discarding it to claim control over her own body. The church collapses, killing the Father. In the resolution, Si-kook is safe but he and Ji-hyo part ways amicably, recognizing their emotional mismatch. The series finishes with Ji-hyo moving into a messy, vibrant flat with Bo-ra, having overcome her paralysis to embrace self-determined independence.

The narrative accommodates several distinct interpretive frameworks:

• The Literal Extraterrestrial Reading: Supported by Si-kook’s abduction and the communal sighting in Episode 10, extraterrestrials physically exist as benevolent watchers who tagged Ji-hyo like wildlife to observe how far she would go.
• The Psychological / Dissociative Trauma Reading: Viewed through Ji-hyo’s childhood psychiatric treatment, the alien in the baseball helmet is an externalized psychological construct representing childhood trauma; the climax is a cathartic internal purge of self-doubt.
• The Queer Coming-Out Allegory: Interprets "seeing aliens" as a metaphor for non-heteronormative sexuality. Ji-hyo’s detachment from marriage, the rejection of patriarchal religious dogma, and her deep bond with Bo-ra map onto a journey of embracing queer identity and chosen family.
• The Socio-Political Satire of Millennial Burnout: Frames UFO obsession and cult recruitment as symbolic refuges for young South Koreans overwhelmed by hyper-competitive corporate pressures and societal expectations.