Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Recruit Season 2.
It’s been over two years since millions of viewers tuned in to watch the first season of the Netflix hit series The Recruit. Thankfully, the wait is finally over for the highly anticipated follow-up as the streamer dropped all six episodes on January 30. Season 1 introduced audiences to Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo), a talented but naive CIA lawyer who was unexpectedly pulled into the high-stakes world of espionage, ending with an action-packed finale that left fans on a massive cliffhanger. Season 2 ups the stakes even more, as Owen meets Korean NIS agent Jang Kyun (Teo Yoo), who brings the season’s mission: to save his wife Nan Hee (Sanghee Lee), who was kidnapped by the Yakuza.
Owen and Jang Kyun Pose as a Kidnap & Ransom Company To Save Nan Hee in ‘The Recruit’ Season 2 Finale
At the end of the penultimate episode of The Recruit Season 2, Owen comes up with a plan to get Nan Hee back from the Yakuza, who are holding her in eastern Russia. After getting mission approval from CIA Director Alton West (Nathan Fillion), Owen seeks out his childhood love, Yoo Jin Hee (Shin Do-hyun), for a huge favor. He needs to borrow her father’s boat to “fix a broken love story” to save Nan Hee and reunite with her husband, Jang Kyun. Owen starts to second guess if he should even involve her, but, in a very refreshing way, Yoo Jin says it’s her choice to help him. She’ll let him use the boat, but only if she can come along.
The plan is for Owen and Jang Kyun to pose as a Kidnap & Ransom company to “buy” Nan Hee. They’ll take the boat to the yacht where she’s being held and broker a deal with the Yakuza. However, Owen is concerned that bringing Jang Kyun could blow their cover, especially since his wife might react to seeing him, which could get them all killed. Jang Kyun pushes back, refusing to stay behind. Over the course of the season, the two have developed a true respect for each other despite the occasional tense exchange. Jang Kyun and Owen head to the yacht while Yoo Jin, and CIA agents Lester (Colton Dunn) and Dawn (Angel Parker) wait on a nearby fishing boat.
Once on the yacht, Jang Kyun is able to signal Nan Hee to keep their relationship a secret as Owen sends a signal back to the boat that they’ve made contact with the hostage. Just then, disaster strikes when suddenly a Russian Coast Guard boat appears, preventing any extraction. They have to abort the mission, unable to get into a firefight with the Russians. Owen knows the mission is compromised but refuses to give up. He tries to stall, but things spiral out of control when the Yakuza realizes there’s no money in the briefcase. A brutal fight ensues, and in a desperate move, Owen escapes by jumping off the yacht into the water, reluctantly leaving Jang Kyun and Nan Hee on the yacht.
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Owen Refuses To Leave Nan Hee And Jang Kyun Behind In The Season 2 Finale
Unwilling to abandon Jang Kyun and Nan Hee, Owen swims through the frigid waters to a Russian houseboat. He’s able to disarm and tie up the Russians that were there and calls Lester and Dawn to let them know he’s alive. Lester tells Owen to abandon the mission and return home, but Owen stubbornly refuses, saying he won’t leave without Jang Kyun and Nan Hee. Dawn and Owen both think he’s crazy, but Owen responds by telling them he doesn’t want to be “dead inside” like they are.
Despite everything Owen has endured since being recruited, his humanity has remained the one constant, and he refuses to let the Agency strip that away. Even though Lester and Dawn think his plan is misguided, they can’t help but respect it. Lester offers to let Nichka (Maddie Hasson) help him, which Owen reluctantly accepts, knowing it may be his only chance to complete the mission and save Jang Kyun and Nan Hee. Lester, however, tells Nichka to bring Owen in and to make sure nothing happens to him. She agrees but for a raise in her fee.
Nichka Turns on Owen in ‘The Recruit’ Season 2 Finale
When she arrives at the houseboat, she tells Owen she’s there to take him in, but once again, he refuses. Instead, he insists she take him to the compound where Nan Hee and Jang Kyun are being held. Owen points out the unsettling parallels between Nichka and her late mother, Max (Laura Haddock), especially when Nichka urges him to kill the man he’s tied up. She argues it would be safer with him dead, but Owen won’t do it, forcing her to take matters into her own hands.
As they leave the house, Nichka points a gun at him, and Owen realizes she’s sold them out. It turns out that she told the FSB, the Russian security agency, that the CIA was trying to recruit her and that she’d be willing to be a double agent for them. Her plan is to trade Owen and Jang Kyun for “a small fortune and a big promotion”. Owen once again points out the parallels between Nichka and Max before pulling out a gun himself. In a tense confrontation, Owen manages to outsmart her, taking her down and locking her in the trunk of her car.
Owen Makes a Daring Rescue to Save Jang Kyun and Nan Hee
On his own, Owen sneaks onto the airfield, avoiding soldiers and narrowly avoiding a landing airplane. Just as Jang Kyun and Nan Hee are about to give up hope, Owen arrives in heroic fashion to help them escape the complex. What Owen doesn’t know, however, is that Director West ordered Dawn to kill Jang Kyun, planning to pin the failure of the operation on Owen while preventing the Russians from torturing Jang Kyun for US secrets. But, just as Dawn is about to take her shot, she’s interrupted by Nichka, who kills her after an epic knife fight.
Nichka tries to stop Owen from taking Jang Kyun and Nan Hee off the base, but they narrowly escape her gunfire and make it to the water. They begin swimming, and fortunately, Yoo Jin tracks them down with her Dad’s boat, pulling them on board. The Russian Coast Guard is in pursuit, until a US Navy submarine (led by showrunner Alexi Hawley in a fun cameo) emerges from the water, scaring off the Russians and securing their escape.
The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship Sets Up a Hopeful Season 3
Once rescued by the U.S. Navy, Owen and Jang Kyun share a quiet moment on the submarine. Jang Kyun thanks Owen for saving them and is offered the chance to relocate to the U.S. with Nan Hee in exchange for the secrets he has in his head. Owen now finds himself as the recruiter, hoping to bring Jang Kyun into the CIA. While Owen has had his issues with the Agency, having Jang Kyun by his side might be the motivation he needs to stay.
Owen has also rekindled his relationship with Yoo Jin Hee, his first love, who knows him better than most, having been there when his father died. So far, she seems like the best match for him, and it would be great to see them stay together as she moves to the States with him. Though there’s been no official Season 3 announcement yet, the strong performance of Season 2 and the show’s promising future make a continuation feel like a no-brainer.
Seasons 1 & 2 of The Recruit are available to stream on Netflix.

The Recruit
- Release Date
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December 16, 2022
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Doug Liman
- Writers
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Alexi Hawley, George Ghanem, Amelia Roper, Hadi Deeb, Niceole R. Levy, Maya Goldsmith