Dr Lee’s Final Puzzle Revealed in Nine Puzzles Episode 11 Recap

In this Nine Puzzles Episode 11 recap, the story begins with a flashback to a young Lee Seung-joo visiting Dream Land. A decade later, Yang visits her, offering Nam-suk’s photo and handkerchief. He had struggled to find her earlier due to her name change. As she questions him, he reveals everything about the past.

In the present, Dr Lee confesses to I-na that she is the puzzle killer and leads her to the next crime scene. Han-saem grows anxious after losing contact with I-na. When the police check CCTV footage, they track the two women heading toward The One City. As they arrive, Dr Lee throws Assemblyman Kim off the rooftop, nearly striking Han-saem below. Enraged, Han-saem scolds I-na for following Lee. I-na, however, is hurt by Lee’s deception. Dr Lee explains that her intentions were sincere—she truly wanted I-na to uncover the truth. She had paused her killings until learning that I-na was chasing the mystery, which reignited her motive.

A Past Wrapped in Vengeance

A flashback shows the moment after Yoon-su’s death when Captain Yang returns Nam-suk’s handkerchief to Dr Lee, who had dropped it at the scene. He pleads with her to stop, but she insists it’s too late. Yang senses her desire for recognition and urges her to hold a press conference. She refuses, still bent on revenge. In the present, I-na attempts to reason with Lee, arguing that murder isn’t the solution. But Lee reveals that none of the perpetrators showed remorse. They had erased Nam-suk’s death from memory. One such man, Dong-hoon, received three apartments as hush money, which he later sold to buy his home.

Following Assemblyman Kim’s death, Dr Lee gives I-na the final puzzle piece—blacked out and central to the puzzle—before vanishing. She’s soon spotted at a funeral home, mourning Yang, suggesting remorse. As Han-saem races there, I-na heads to the theme park to prevent one final act.

A Life Drenched in Guilt

At Dream Land, I-na finds Dr Lee inside the merry-go-round, now soaked in oil. Dr Lee confesses that she herself is the final puzzle piece—her life, her pain. She’s planning to die. I-na accuses her of cowardice, but Lee isn’t fazed. She recounts how, after forgetting the diner’s location, she would visit the merry-go-round hoping to see her mother again. She now feels overwhelming guilt, believing her mother died waiting for her. With no purpose left, she’s ready to end it all.

Han-saem arrives and joins I-na in trying to stop her. But Dr Lee simply says she despises those who struggle to live lives not worth living, unable to grasp why society kills one person to make space for another. She sets herself ablaze while I-na and Han-saem watch in silent devastation.

A New Beginning with Lingering Shadows

Back at the precinct, I-na refuses to give a formal statement, claiming memory loss. Han-saem doesn’t press her. She isolates herself at home, and Han-saem gently supports her by delivering coffee each day. At Yang’s funeral, he mourns his failure to save Dr Lee.

A week later, I-na attempts to resign, but Superior Yoon convinces her to take a break instead. She bumps into Han-saem, who teases her with the prospect of a new case. They share a lighthearted dinner with his mother, during which I-na learns they won The One City apartment via lottery.

Later, I-na appears on a TV interview about the puzzle killer. She’s back to her witty self and reveals that she became a profiler to analyze herself. At one point, she suspected she might have been the one who killed Dong-hoon and was determined to find the truth. When asked if she’s moved on, she doesn’t reply and appears lost in thought.

In the final moments of Nine Puzzles Episode 11, a chilling new case emerges: Jeon Mi-so is found drained of blood and posed like a doll. I-na returns as a profiler, analyzing the crime scene. She presents a new puzzle to Han-saem—and he’s stunned once again. For more recaps, check the link below.

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