One of the most important elements to a successful drama is how satisfying /fulfilling the ending is.

It's not about what we might think is fair but what makes us exhale in ease at the end feeling it's finally wrapped and tucked nicely in our memory.

That wasn't the case here.

-We follow an mc who is very poor, very in debt, has an ill mother and a lonely daughter who will be taken away from him forever if he doesn't do anything.

None of that gets even remotely solved! Zero!

-We grew to know and love characters like Saebyeok and her scattered family and her last hope to bring them together.

Again, NOTHING CHANGES!
*well except a very very weak last minute forced scene that had no absolute value!

- We're introduced to a police officer who we expect to be the end of this organization. But guess what he adds to the story?
Right, NOTHING!

We, as viewers, are attached to these characters, feeling what they feel. We, and them, endured the horrors of the game bc of a purpose. We wanted them to achieve their goals, we wanted to see them happy at last. or at the very least for something to change!!

But to make all of these stories and characters and games and twists and emotional manipulation to keep everything exactly the way it is, is just weak writing in my opinion.

Even if they were planning on a season 2 from the start, (which I really hope so, for their sake. Otherwise this was the worst drama ending I've ever seen) they should've made it a little more (or any) satisfying to the viewers. They sacrificed the ending for s1 to build for a s2. But even that was very poorly written and executed.

The drama was great in the beginning, amazing even. I was at the edge of my seat the whole time, binging episode after another in anticipation. That's why I can't give it a lower rating.

All was great until the last two episodes or the last one really. It left me confused, mad and disappointed. And all I could think was "wth did I just watch?"