Dae Goo squeezes his eyes closed and turns his head away. Hit man continues to strangle Boots. And I am impressed at how real this scene is – Boots’s face is really red, the way it would be if you were cutting off the blood flow… And then – something I didn’t expect – Dae Goo karate kicks Hitman in the face to knock him off of Boots. Hitman scrambles to his feet, but Dae Goo stumbles to stand in between Hitman and Boots, clutching his arm as he does. As soon as he comes face to face with Dae Goo, Hitman runs. What does that mean? Why wouldn’t he come after Dae Goo? Especially since Boots was there to kill off Dae Goo? Does it have something to do with who Dae Goo’s father is? Is there more than one power player here? A war between two corrupt powers, where one is protecting his flesh and blood from the other, and the other doesn’t know it? Hmmm…
Dae Goo doesn’t bother to try and chase after Hitman’s car. But when he turns around, Boots is holding his gun on him. Boots stands up and tells Dae Goo that he’s an entertaining kid, saving him and all. He laughs and says that there was a time when he was like Dae Goo, jumping in blindly to save his friend. And how was he repaid? The world just threw shit back in his face. So, kiddo shouldn’t resent Boots when Boots kills him.
Pan Suk arrives with Soo Sun in the car. So did he put a tracker on Dae Goo? How did they know where he went? I hope they answer that later. The pair are scanning the garage for any sign of Dae Goo or Boots.
Boots tells Dae Goo that we are just minute creatures who are toyed with by God. Dae Goo should just think that his fate is terrible, like Boots’s is, and there’s reason for it to be good. It might not have been terrible, if Boots had made different choices after getting kicked off the force. Dae Goo looks at Boots, his face asking if Boots is really going to kill him after Dae Goo saved Boots’s life.
Pan Suk and Soo Sun are now out of the car and are walking around the garage. They both have their guns drawn.
Boots aims the pistol at Dae Goo and tells him (Kim Ji Yong) to die well. Dae Goo yells and hurls himself forward.
Pan Suk and Soo Sun finally find Dae Goo. He’s lying on the ground. But he hasn’t been shot. Boots is also lying on the ground, dazed. Pan Suk starts to go after Boots, but Dae Goo stops him. Mustering up all his energy, Dae Goo crawls over to Boots. Pan Suk and Soo Sun watch as pulls handcuffs out of his back pocket and puts them on Boots. Aw, you done really good, Ji Yong! You’re making me get misty. Triumphant music plays as Dae Goo, voice breaking, tells Cho Hyung Cheol that he is under arrest for the Masan School Nurse murder case as a prime suspect from 11 years ago. Boots just looks at Dae Goo with a small smile on his face. I think partly because Dae Goo did what he wasn’t able to do and somewhere, Boots is happy about that. Dae Goo has to stop for a moment to cry and then, as the tears run down his face, Dae Goo reads Boots his rights.
Pan Suk goes over and picks up Dae Goo’s gun. He looks and finds that the gun isn’t loaded. His face is a little surprised but also proud because Dae Goo heard him. Dae Goo collapses on top of Boots and cries, because he finally caught Oma’s killer. His sobbing makes me cry, too. Boots laughs and calls Dae Goo a crazy bastard for coming to the garage with an unloaded pistol. Soo Sun blinks to keep herself from crying. Dae Goo sits up and tells Boots that he came without bullets because he didn't know what he might do. But at the very least, he didn't want to become a monster like Boots. Aw, he listened to what Pan Suk said. And like the good son he is, he didn’t do anything to shame his Oma. Boots looks a little stunned at these words and then smiles again.
Dae Goo lets Boots go and staggers away from the body. The triumphant music still plays. Pan Suk and Soo Sun are emotional for him. Pan Suk’s eyebrows quiver slightly and an ever-so-slight smile plays on his lips. Back at the station, Eung Do, Tae Il and Gook are nervously waiting for news from Pan Suk. The phone rings. They’re ecstatic to hear that Dae Goo caught Boots without any incident. Someone who doesn’t look ecstatic is Chief. She looks like she’s dreading them bringing Boots in.
Eung Do, Tae Il and Gook wait outside the station for the van to arrive with Dae Goo and Boots. Soo Sun and Dae Goo climb out of the van with Boots and Boots’s face is one of dread, because he’s entering not as a policeman but as a murderer. As they escort him though the station, everyone is clapping and cheering.
Toad gives a press conference. With lots of strobes going off, even though in that room with that amount of light and at that distance the use of flash is completely *unnecessary,* especially for news photography. At least they’re moving around some. That part’s true to life. Toad announces that according to the testimony given by the victim's son, the culprit for the Masan School Nurse cold case, has been captured. The culprit is Cho Hyung Cheol. News reports shows a photo of 15-year-old Ji Yong and Dae Goo’s official photo. Scene switches to Moon Bae reading the news report, that the son was the sole witness of the murder, but he went missing on the day... Moon Bae swallows hard and orders his aide to find out everything he can about Dae Goo.
Tae Il is doing some repair to Dae Goo’s stitches and clucking at him for going there alone. Gook is putting bandages on Dae Goo’s face. And Dae Goo is letting them without complaining. Which makes me happy, because he’s letting people in. It means that he knows that he’s not alone anymore. Soo Sun enters and asks how Dae Goo’s wounds are. Tae Il says that even though there was some bleeding, but it should be okay. It’s handy having a doctor as a colleague.
Soo Sun asks her pah-te-nuh about leaving early. Dae Goo is planning on straight to the interrogation room to start the interrogation. She clucks at him about his physical condition. Dae Goo rolls his eyes and says that it’s fine. Pan Suk enters and tells Dae Goo to go home early and rest. Dae Goo answers with a “no, thank you. I'm going to interrogate him myself.” Which surprises me a little, because he’s being polite. But it also means that the Dae Goo mask is coming down even more and he’s admitting to himself that Pan Suk is on his side.
Pan Suk sucks in some air and tells Dae Goo that he needs to first go and get some sleep! But even now Dae Goo isn’t going to roll over and play dead. Dae Goo retorts that he did the arrest and it’s his case. He has the right to do the interrogation. Pan Suk’s about to argue again when Dae Goo sucks in some air because Tae Il pulled on the dressing he was applying and it hurt. Dae Goo looks at Tae Il and Tae Il tells him to go straight home! He’s ordering this as Dae Goo’s doctor. He threatens Dae Goo with more pain – making his dressing tighter – if he doesn’t listen. Gook gives Tae Il the thumbs up. Pan Suk tells Tae Il to make the dressing tighter. Heh. As Dae Goo looks up at him, Pan Suk tells Dae Goo to go home quickly. They’ll wait until tomorrow to do the interrogation so Dae Goo can do it. Dae Goo’s face shows that he’s going to give in this time. Pan Suk orders the other three to go home early, too. And I have this horrible feeling that Hyung Cheol is going to end up dead tonight, before he can talk.
The quartet are in the car, with Tae Il driving and Soo Sun and Dae Goo in the backseat. Dae Goo has his eyes closed. Soo Sun waves her hand in front of his face to see if he’s asleep. When Gook asks, she says that Dae Goo is. In hushed tones the 3 awake people talk about how the last 10 days feel like a dream. They’re happy that Dae Goo’s sorrow must have eased a bit. Tae Il remarks about how that kid (Dae Goo) is really amazing. Soo Sun smiles and says that her partner is really admirable and pride-worthy. And why do I think Dae Goo isn’t asleep right now? Gook clucks at her that, of course, they know he’s awesome. He calls Dae Goo “our Dae Goo” and the others’ faces show they share the sentiment. Which makes me happy, because they really have become his family. Tae Il asks Soo Sun what Dae Goo was like when he was young? She calls him Ji Yong-I and says that he was cute and smart even when he was young. Cute and smart. Aw. Gook asks if they lived in the same neighborhood and Soo Sun smiles as she remembers. And another shot of sleeping Dae Goo.
Boots is sitting in his holding cell, looking pensive. Like he’s reflecting on how his life went horribly wrong and waiting for someone to come try to kill him. Chief arrives and he laughs to himself about her being there. Her voice low, Chief says that she’ll be brief since she doesn't have much time. If Boots want to live, he’ll keep his mouth shut about the truth and say that it was the company president who asked him to do the deed. Since he's already dead, it can't be verified. Really? Someone already tried to get rid of him.
Boots smiles to himself – since he’s been expecting this – and goes over to stand by the bars. He puts on a hard smile as he says that he almost didn’t up there. Someone was sent to kill him. The unspoken part says, “you guys already tried to kill me. Why should I cooperate?” Chief’s face doesn’t react put she maintains eye contact as she tells Boots that this assassination attempt is something that she knows nothing about. He chuckles at that statement. She tells him that he also does not know anything about Detective Seo, either. Is she protecting Pan Suk or someone else? She tells him to say that he merely went to pick up the thing from locker 1 at the Masan Station. So is *she* Detective Seo then?
Angrily, Boots pounds the bars and declares that someone was sent to kill him! Does she think he’ll get tricked again? I really like the guy playing Boots. He really enunciates well in a very expressive manner. Instead of answering that she tells him to pay close attention! Because he can be cut off like a tail at any moment, so he better stay close to the body if he’d like to stay alive. Why does it seem like she’s talking to herself? And what the heck is she talking about in relation to Pan Suk? Did they kill his son on purpose to take Pan Suk out?! Wow, she’s more evil that I thought. Which makes me very, very sad.
Chief is ice cold as she tells him not to let the Elder get upset and that he should do as he’s told. Elder? What Elder? If Boots plays ball, not only will they let him live, but his sentence will get reduced. How’s that going to happen, unless the Elder is a judge… That’s even scarier… Boots replies that she should tell the Elder that he won't die alone. She replies that he doesn’t have to worry, she doesn’t want any more sacrifices, either. They both know he’s referring to Ji Yong. I actually think she’s being totally honest with that last statement. Boots laughs and tells her that she’s grown quite confident since she’s had Kim Ji Yong by your side. Perceptive little bugger, isn’t he? How *did* he get seduced by the Dark Side?
Chief tries to brush that off and repeats herself again: The company president is the source of the evil. Ji Yong in particular needs to think that. He can't dig into this any further. Does Boots get it? And she is really cold-blooded when she wants to be. She’s really scary when I think about it. Boots sighs and brushes the hair off his forehead. He says that he’ll think about it, about whether it would be a good idea to believe that the offer is sincere. Her response? To tell him to stop bluffing, since she knows that he doesn’t have any cards left to play. Boots isn’t smiling anymore and Chief leaves him to decide.
Dae Goo wakes up. He checks his arm, like he’s checking to make sure that arresting Boots wasn’t a dream. Another shot of Dae Goo telling Boots he’s under arrest. It’s just as moving the second time around. The trio pop their head in and ask if he’s awake. They are so cute. Unlike before, where Dae Goo would be perturbed that his space was invaded, Dae Goo instead tells them that they’re not disturbing him. Dae Goo’s voice is definitely softer, more like old Ji Yong. Soo Sun says that they were just wondering if he was still sleeping. Dae Goo shifts on his bed so that his feet are on the floor and tells them to come in. Definitely not the old Dae Goo! But more Ji Yong! This makes me happy.
They are surprised and eagerly enter the forbidden zone, bringing some beer with them. Soo Sun and Tae Il take the seats and Gook sits on the bed near Dae Goo. They toast and drink. Everyone except Dae Goo. But I think he took the beer to make sure they felt welcome. Dae Goo asks how long he slept. He’s surprised when Tae Il tells him that it’s almost 10 o’clock. Gook puts down his beer and asks Dae Goo-Dae Goo – he sure likes to repeat Dae Goo’s name – about those reward stickers that teacher give out. He pretends to be looking for Dae Goo’s but then says that he doesn't have a stamp so he should give Dae Goo a hug! He is such a dork! But he’s definitely growing on me. Dae Goo intercepts and pushes Gook away, asking him what he’s doing. Gook asks Dae Goo if he’s shy and tries to hug him again. Again Dae Goo intercepts and pushes him away, protesting about his arm.
Soo Sun laughs at this and asks Dae Goo how he feels. Dae Goo sighs, considers and answers that he doesn't know. He says that he feels both numb and lost. The softness in his face makes me so happy. As does his vulnerability. Ji Yong is no longer alone. Watch out, Gook! Ji Yong’s about to get real with himself about how he feels about Soo Sun. And she’s not going to be so clueless anymore. This Dae Goo I would swoon for. Dae Goo says that the only thing he can think about right now is eating ramen.
Soo Sun makes the ramen. Everyone – especially Gook – are ready to eat it. But no one uses the lid. Dae Goo takes a big bite of it and Soo Sun asks him how it is. He replies that it’s al dente. She’s not sure how to take that, asking whether it tastes good. Dae Goo replies that it’s edible. Like she should understand what he means. Tae Il translates, saying that he likes it. Otherwise, he’s say right away it wasn’t. Which is totally Dae Goo. It’s kind of sad that Tae Il’s used to Dae Goo’s critique. Soo Sun is relieved and tells Dae Goo to eat a lot.
Soo Sun eats some of the ramen and Dae Goo notices her lips again. He swallows awkwardly. And I crack up. I love him so much! Gook mentions to Dae Goo-Dae Goo that he heard that he was two years younger than Soo Sun. And Soo Sun is a year younger than he is… Dae Goo starts to eat faster. He can tell what’s coming. He tries to distract them by asking if there isn’t any more kimchi. Tae Il smiles and calls him Maknae, declaring that he’s the youngest of them. I am totally cracking up now, especially because Tae Il called him Maknae! That’s so awesome, particularly because of how haughty Dae Goo has acted most of the time. Dae Goo looks over at him. Gook says that they need to get back to using the age hierarchies. Soo Sun can’t help but smile. Gook snaps his fingers and tells Dae Goo to call him Hyung. Soo Sun orders Dae Goo to call her Noona. I am rolling. Especially Dae Goo’s face at this moment. ‘You’re a woman, not my noona!’
Tae Il tells the Maknae to go get them the sausage and ham stir-fry out of the fridge. His tone of voice is killing me. He’s enjoying tormenting Dae Goo just a little too much. Dae Goo chews his food and his face says that he’s struggling as Tae Il repeats the order to go bring the stir-fry. Soo Sun stops eating and looks at Dae Goo expectantly. Are you going to go get it Maknae? Dae Goo puts his bowl and chop sticks down. Soo Sun and Tae Il tell Dae Goo to be quick about it. As Dae Goo walks to the refrigerator, Gook tells him to run until they can't see his legs anymore! Dae Goo brings the stir fry and puts it on the table without saying anything. I can’t believe it! Dae Goo went and got it and didn’t say anything!!! I am hallucinating. I would have thought he would have snapped or something by now, or poured the stir fry over Tae Il’s head.
The three of them smile at each other – and you can tell that they don’t plan on continuing to do this. They’re just waiting for Dae Goo to get mad about it. Suddenly, Dae Goo puts his bowl and chopsticks down and sputters that they’ve gone to being casual when they talk to each other, so they can't take it back! The trio start laughing, because they got Dae Goo, and Dae Goo even has to fight not to laugh at it. Gook points at Dae Goo and teases him about smiling just now. Dae goo pretends to be eating. They tease him a little more and Soo Sun looks over at him with a happy smile. I love how Soo Sun really cares about Dae Goo. It makes her happy that he’s happy. That makes me a little verklempt.
The next day and Boots is sitting in the interrogation room with Dae Goo and Eung Do. Pan Suk is behind the observation glass. Chief enters. She says, “Finally, he's being interrogated by Dae Goo. The background will surely get revealed today, right?” Now, I’m really starting to hate Chief. She’s really evil. Acting like she’s hopeful at what information Dae Goo will get out of Boots. Dae Goo’s looking over the case notes. Then he begins.
On the day of the incident, there were at least two people who came to his house. Flashback to the door ringing and Oma going to the door. This time, though, we see part of who she saw. It’s someone with a bob haircut. Oh, crap! Did you see the hair?!!! It was Chief! Chief did it!!! Holy crap!!! The Chief killed Oma!!! Dae Goo declares that the first intruder was the one who dropped the pendant. The second intruder was Boots. Boots has no reaction. Dae Goo states that it's unknown if the first intrusion included only one person or two or more people and that it's possible that Boots was also part of the first intrusion. However, according to the phone conversation that Dae Goo overheard, Boots wasn’t part of the first intrusion. He is smart and perceptive. I don’t know if I would have necessarily caught that. But holy crap, Chief killed Oma! That explains why she definitely doesn’t want Dae Goo to know.
Flashback of Boots asking what the pendant looked like. Dae Goo declares that the person who struck Oma down with the vase is the first killer. And Oma didn’t think she had anything to fear from Chief, which is why she turned her back on her. You are one cold-blooded woman. Dae Goo declares that Boots is the second killer whose reason to come to the house was clearly because of the pendant.
Dae Goo asks who the person it was that was ordering him, who was also behind this case and who dropped the pendant in the first place. Who killed Oma? Pan Suk and Chief wait for an answer. For different reasons. Dae Goo yells his question again: “Who was it?!!” Boots is stone-faced.
Dae Goo changes the subject to Detective Seo. Pan Suk steps closer to the glass at the mention of Detective Seo. Who is the Detective Seo who gave him the stolen pendant? Chief’s lips twitch. Dae Goo asks if perhaps it’s Detective Seo Pan Suk? Eung Do looks at Dae Goo with an expression of ‘what are you thinking?’ Gook and Tae Il look at each other over that question. Pan Suk doesn’t look upset by the question. He’s watching Boots’s reactions. Chief squints a little, like she’s willing him to not say who it is. If Detective Seo is the one who gave Boots the pendant, then Detective Seo is Chief. How did she get that nickname, then?
Boots laughs and says, “Seo Pan Suk. Detective Seo. That's excellent. Would you believe me if I say it's not him?” Dae Goo tells Boots to stop messing around and to answer plainly: is it Seo Pan Seok or not? Boots says that it’s not. Chief leans in a little. Boots says that it would be a waste of Pan Suk (his debt) to use him for frivolous work like that. Pan Suk looks away briefly, knowing the debt he owes to Boots. Dae Goo asks again who dropped the pendant. Boots looks over toward the glass where he knows Chief must be sitting, watching. Chief wills him to toe the line. Pan Suk’s watching Boots’s behavior. Boots does as he was told, saying that it was C.G. (the company president) who came to visit Oma to persuade her not to testify. Chief breathes, like she was holding her breath while waiting for his answer.
Is Pan Suk buying any of this? Please find this fishy.
Dae Goo doesn’t like the answer. Boots says that during the incident, C.G. killed Oma with the vase due to his rage and he dropped the pendant when he ran. I wonder what made Chief so mad that she hit Oma with the vase? After finding out about it later, Killer 1 sent Boots back to find the pendant. Dae Goo knows that Boots is lying. Boots smiles and tells Dae Goo that if he doesn’t believe it then forget Boots answering anything else. Dae Goo asks why Boots came back after 11 years to try and kill him again? Good question. And I’m glad that Dae Goo isn’t quite buying it. It doesn’t look like Pan Suk is either. Here’s hoping that they start working together to solve this mystery.
Boots answers that it’s because Dae Goo’s the only eye witness. Once Dae Goo’s gone, it becomes the perfect crime for him. Whatever! You were living Scott-free in Indonesia up to now. You didn’t need to get away with it, because you already were. Dae Goo sighs and asks why he did it 11 years ago. Boots says that it’s for the same reason. Detective Seo said that Dae Goo was watching from under the bed. Dae Goo repeats his question about the identity of Detective Seo. Boots smiles and says that he’ll have to leave at least one out, that way Dae Goo will feel like he’s working. Chief’s eye twitches, because she knows that this means that the issue isn’t dead. Boots is sneaky! And clever. He did exactly what Chief told him to do, but he also did enough that Dae Goo *isn’t* going to bury it now… Dude, you are totally dead now. But Boots already knew that.
Dae Goo reaches over and grabs Boots’s shirt, yelling at Boots to tell him Detective Seo’s identity! Eung Do is there to pull Dae Goo off and tell him to calm down. Chief doesn’t look happy but when she stands, she says it’s fortunate that Boots talked. Since they now have his statement, Chief says to move quickly and forward him to the prosecutor's office. She leaves the observation room. Possibly going to make a call to report what’s happened? Arrange for Boots’s assassination, maybe?
Dae Goo and Eung Do start to leave the interrogation room, after Eung Do insists Dae Goo get a glass of water (to calm down). Boots tauntingly asks if Dae Goo is leaving already? How sad. It was really fun. Dae Goo angrily glares at Boots. Boots tells him not to believe in people too much. Trust makes way for treachery. Then he wishes Dae Goo a blessed future. I think he actually means that, in his own twisted way. He looks over at Dae Goo and nods and then starts to cackle. Dae Goo kicks the door. He storms out of the interrogation room and past Soo Sun. She asks how it went but he ignores her and keeps on walking. She follows.
Boots is just sitting there waiting. Waiting for his interrogation by Pan Suk, because he knows it’s coming. Pan Suk was his partner after all. He knows the man’s character. Pan Suk enters and sits. He asks Boots about his request for a boat ride to China, whether Boots was planning on killing Kim Ji Yong when they spoke. Boots is vague as he confirms. Pan Suk wants to know why Boots tried to kill Kim Ji Yong over something that happened 11 years ago. I love that Pan Suk is GOOD and didn’t buy it. It makes me so happy. Please give your old partner a hint, a clue, Boots. You know you want to. Pan Suk points out that there wasn't much left to the statute of limitations, plus they weren’t even investigating it. I’m so glad that Pan Suk didn’t buy Boots’s lame excuse of wanting the perfect crime. We all know he’s not that type of guy. Boots doesn’t say anything. Just in case Chief is still watching.
Pan Suk tries to reach his friend, Cho Hyung Cheol. He asks if C.G. is really the person behind the case. Boots doesn’t say anything. Pan Suk says that C.G. admitted to threatening Oma but he denied to the end that he ordered the murder. Looking Pan Suk straight in the eye, Boots asks Pan Suk why he’s asking him (Boots) that; he should be asking C.G. instead. Didn’t Boots kill C.G.? Is this him being extra smart-mouthed? Pan Suk asks who Detective Seo is. Boots says Pan Suk’s name and asks him if the liked each other in the past. Pan Suk demands that Boots stop talking nonsense and tell him the truth! Boots pulls a photo out of his jumper. It’s wrinkled and worn. It’s the photo that Pan Suk has! Wow. Boots asks if Pan Suk has this photo. Pan Suk just looks at it. Boots says that he likes it because it's proof that at one time, he was a human being. Pan Suk looks up at Boots. Boots says it’s a souvenir and Pan Suk should take it. And Pan Suk just looks sad. But there’s your clue, Pan Suk!
Moon Bae sits in his office. His assistant brings in a file with information about Dae Goo. There’s Dae Goo's police file. Then the bio page from the orphanage, which says that Dae Goo’s parents died during Cheonan bus accident. It lists Dae Goo’s sponsor as Kang Seok Soon (since June 2003). Seeing the name, Moon Bae thinks to his visit to the police station and Dae Goo’s bow to Chief. Ooooo. It’s all coming down now. She’s gonna end up dead. He angrily asks the absent Chief how she could dare to stab him in the back.
Pan Suk enters the briefing room. Dae Goo is sitting with this head resting on his hands. He looks up when Pan Suk closes the door. Pan Suk asks Soo Sun about when she was young, how she told the police that she saw Cho Hyung Cheol leaving the science lab. Soo Sun replies that she definitely reported it. And Pan Suk definitely isn’t buying it. I love him! Dae Goo is shocked since it’s not in the incident report. Soo Sun’s surprised since she definitely did report it. Pan Suk asks if she can remember who she reported it to. She says that she’d probably remember his face. Pan Suk proposes they go to the Masan Police Station. Dae Goo looks like he can’t believe Pan Suk’s doing this. See, he *was* on your side all along. Dae Goo asks to come along. Pan Suk agrees.
Awkward elevator ride with Soo Sun standing in front and Dae Goo and Pan Suk standing in the back of the elevator. Awkward elevator ride! Got to love them. Soo Sun looks especially uncomfortable and like she’s trying to think of something to break the tension. Pan Suk’s phone goes off and then does Dae Goo’s clone. Dae Goo tries to silence it but he knows he’s busted. Pan Suk’s face right now as he realizes what Dae Goo has done is priceless! Pan Suk answers the phone and the clone stops ringing. He tells the caller that he’ll call back. Pan Suk snaps the phone shut in Dae Goo’s face. Which makes me roll. Dae Goo can’t say anything. Pan Suk says to Dae Goo that he’s done all kind of things. It wasn't enough to put a CCTV in his house, but Dae Goo even made a double of his cell phone? I am rolling as Dae Goo blinks his eyes uncomfortably. The elevator reaches their floor and Dae Goo bolts out of the elevator. Just like a little kid. I love the father-son dynamic they have going now!!!
Pan Suk huffs and goes after Dae Goo, telling him to stop. Dae Goo does. Still reminding me of a kid in trouble. Pan Suk tells Dae Goo that he’s decided to let the CCTV thing go and he’s going to just hold it in this time, but from now on Dae Goo needs to act properly as a team member. Got it? Dae Goo looks down and Soo Sun tries to act like she’s not hearing any of it. Pan Suk asks Dae Goo why he isn’t answering. Just like a dad. I love it! Dae Goo doesn’t look at him but answers ‘Yes.’Like a teenager who has to agree.
Pan Suk isn’t satisfied. He asks Dae Goo what his problem is still. Isn’t his misunderstanding of Pan Suk cleared up? Soo Sun’s still in the background not hearing anything. Dae Goo looks at Pan Suk and asks “Misunderstanding?” He declares that Oma’s murder as revenge for her agreeing to testify hasn’t changed. But Dae Goo’s look at Pan Suk isn’t full of rage anymore. Pan Suk nods and says, “That's right. You're really consistent. Of course! People should be consistent!” By the end of that sentence, Pan Suk looks like he wants to punch Dae Goo but he walks off instead. I love that Pan Suk called Dae Goo on not letting things go. In this round-about way. Dae Goo yells after Pan Suk that Pan Suk’s no less consistent! Because he can’t let Pan Suk be right! Yes, I love that they’re going to still fight and call each other on things! Just because Dae Goo’s over hating you doesn’t mean he’s going to idolize you, either! Pan Suk turns around and sarcastically claps then walks off with an ‘Aish!’ And I roll. Plus, I love the fact that Soo Sun had to just sit and whistle in the background like she wasn’t there. Heh. Dae Goo sighs and follows Pan Suk. Soo Sun looks after the both of them and mutters that it’s going to be rough road to Masan. She is hysterical.
They get to the car and Pan Suk gets in shotgun. He’ll let one of the rookies drive him. Dae Goo starts to get in the back when Soo Sun declares that she’s so tired! She climbs in the back quickly and shuts the door, making Dae Goo drive. And as Maknae he has to do what his Noona tells him. She is really cracking me up.
As they drive, Soo Sun tries to lighten the mood. She proposes they play a game. No one else wants to play. Cheerily, Soo Sun suggests they play some music. Aw, Soo Sun is trying to make the drive pleasant. I love her. On comes classical music. Pan Suk mutters about it being depressing and changes to a jazzy station. Dae Goo mutters that it’s tacky and turns it back. Jazz. Classical. And of course they would fight over the radio.
They arrive at Masan and Pan Suk joyfully greets his old Sunbae. Soo Sun scans the squad room for the detective. He isn’t there. Pan Suk presents her with the personnel records for detectives that worked 11 years ago. Soo Sun finds the guy. They ask Sunbae and find out that Joong Tak stopped being a detective and he's a businessman now. To make matters worse, he went to Brazil to sell clothes. Brazil? Why did they pick *Brazil* of all places? No one goes to Brazil? Maybe that's the point, because no one goes to Brazil.
Moon Bae arrives at the Gangnam precinct unexpectedly. Chief rushes in. Moon Bae dismisses Toad. Moon Bae says that he heard "that child" is there at the station. She meekly says that it was a surprise for her, too, and she only found out a few days ago. Why are you going to lie to the man? He already knows you’re lying. You’re only digging yourself deeper… Pleasantly, but with a hint of malice, Moon Bae supposes that Chief Kang must feel like they’re friends and because of that, she’s become comfortable, relaxed and easy. If she becomes relaxed and easy, she can start to make mistakes. Chief assures him that it’s a misunderstanding. It's only a coincidence that seems like a lie. Yeah, right. That child volunteered to come to Gangnam Police Station. He even changed his name. How could she have known? And Moon Bae’s face, with it’s pursed lips, says he isn’t believing a word coming out of her mouth. I wonder if he’s wondering how many other lies she’s told him.
Moon Bae’s eyebrows raise like he’s surprised. He smiles mirthlessly and repeats her words, “A coincidence that's like a lie?” And his face looks like a spider talking to a fly… Come into my web, if you please… It’s nice here… Chief tells him to trust her. He sighs and says that he’ll give her an opportunity to prove her innocence. After all, she knows that that child must not exist in this world. Why shouldn’t he *exist*? I’m so getting the feeling that this all has to do with Dae Goo’s father. Chief swallows. Moon Bae tells her to take care of that child yourself. Chief knows she’s busted. Is she going to sacrifice herself or kill Dae Goo? I’m inclined to think that she’ll kill him.
Chief gasps that she’s got his meaning. She asks Moon Bae to please let her determine the time; it's not the time yet. When the time comes, she'll definitely do as he wishes. Moon Bae declares that he’ll decide when. Chief declares that the child is in her hands. Why do I feel like she’s weighing whether to kill Dae Goo to save herself right now? Chief says that Moon Bae needs to trust her since they’re still in the same boat. Questioning and hostility can flip the boat over and Moon Bae knows that better than anyone. What the heck is she really saying? There’s definitely more going on here than they’re saying. Moon Bae sighs and tells Chief that she’s grown up a lot. She replies that she’s still quite far off. She'll ask that he guide her more in the right direction. Yes, this is the dialogue. Moon Bae laughs and Chief looks down in a subservient manner.
Boots gets taken off to prison. He gives a final, almost apologetic look to Dae Goo and Pan Suk. I actually feel a little bad for him. And I’m hating Chief right now. Gook pats Dae Goo on the back as they watch the van go. Pan Suk looks after it thoughtfully.
Pan Suk is out by a tree on the edge of a lake. He leans his son’s toy robot against and pats the ground gently. Aw, they planted a tree for him. Pan Suk sits on the bench and looks up at the plaque, which reads Seo Joon Woo, 1998.11.5 – 2003.4.15. He smiles up at it sadly, but his face doesn't look as haunted anymore. It's like the arrest made Pan Suk's being late because of Ji Yong all worth it, just a little, because Pan Suk was finally able to bring Boots to justice and catch the bad guy like Joon Woo said his daddy does.
Dae Goo goes and visits his mom at the mausoleum. His face looks a lot less burdened, guilty. More like he can face Oma now and forgive himself. Dae Goo sits on the bench. And I’m already starting to cry. Dae Goo/Ji Yong calls her name and says that in all this world, the person he wants to see the most is his mother. Ji Yong sighs and a small smile settles on his face. He declares that he’s all finished. He did well, didn't he? And the look on his face, sad but happy at the same time, the tears in his eyes, really gets me. Stop making me cry, Dae Goo!
Soo Sun’s walking with a plastic sack of stuff and an ice cream cone. She sees Dae Goo waiting to cross the street. She walks up behind him, calling his name. She smiles at him and declares that she feels really happy to see him on a Sunday. He doesn’t say anything. She asks if he’s on his way to work. He replies that he’s going to get something. I like unguarded Dae Goo. He asks where she’s coming from. The convenience store. Where is she living now? Still at the station? Is that why they ran into each other? She asks about everyone else. Aka Gook and Tae Il. He responds that they're probably at home.
Soo Sun asks if Dae Goo wants some of her ice cream. Woman, can’t you tell that he likes you? Dae Goo sneers, making a crack about her eating it. She tells him it’s very delicious. He glances over at her. You just know that he really wants some. She remarks on how fresh it smells after the rain and Dae Goo is surprised that it rained in Seoul. She asks if he went far and Dae Goo says that he went to go see Mom. Aw, Dae Goo’s really being a normal, vulnerable person! Especially with her. He’s finally letting all those feelings come out. You should just kiss her now!
Soo Sun knows what that means. Dae Goo’s staring straight ahead. The light changes and Soo Sun steps forward, almost to be hit by a scooter, but Dae Goo pulls her out of the way… and into his arms. The look on his face is… he’s terrified of losing her now. It’s so… sweet.
They stand there, Dae Goo holding Soo Sun close, her not knowing what’s going on with her emotions. She drops the ice cream. Dae Goo finally realizes what he’s doing and tries to slowly release his grip. Soo Sun steps away and they look at each other. His face is so… I would be swooning! Now comes major awkwardness. Major awkwardness. Dae Goo leaves first.
Pan Suk’s hanging outside the precinct, waiting for Sa Kyung to arrive. She’s encouraging as she tells him that he’s worked really hard. Pan Suk does an ‘aw, shucks, ma’am,’ and then mentions being so busy recently that I haven't been able to call you at all. I’ve missed you, baby! Heh. Sa Kyung says that she thought so. She doesn’t give him anything else, just tries to go. He stops her with her name and apologizes for forgetting her birthday. Aw! I love you, Pan Suk! He realized yesterday after looking at the calendar. Which means that if this case hadn’t have distracted him so much, he would have seen the calendar and remembered. Her face shows that she’s surprised he did that much but tells him that it's something she’s always gone through with him. Dang, woman! The man is trying and you just aren’t making it easy! She says she’s being mean purposefully and then walks off.
Soo Sun is out riding her bike and coincidentally Pan Suk is out riding too. She challenges him to a race. And he’s cracking me up with how he’s pedaling: waving his arms like he’s power-walking. Later they eat a snack and he’s amazed at how much she’s eating. I think this whole scene is to show how he’s like a father to her, too. She and Dae Goo are his kids, his son and daughter-in-law. Hee. He asks her why she didn't go riding with Dae Goo. She’s confused. He mentions how she and Dae Goo are dating. I love Pan Suk! He is cracking me up with how observant he is! Oh, wait! I almost forgot he saw them kiss that one time… Soo Sun immediately protests that they’re *not* dating! Pan Suk doesn’t understand since they… He pinches his mouth because he can’t say the words. I love that he can’t even say it!
She’s confused and he doesn’t explain, other than he thought they were dating. She says they are definitely not dating. She’s totally against dating coworkers. She says that her Mom told her “You don't catch and eat the house rabbit.” Even though Mom kept calling Dae Goo ‘son.’
The four go out to eat for lunch. At Subway. Subway! Major advertising! I would have recognized the store even without the Subway logo everywhere. That’s a lot of logos. Dae Goo and Soo Sun awkwardly sit next to each other in one of the booths. It's oddly comforting and disturbing at the same time to know that Subways look the same no matter where you go. Soo Sun proposes that they make a mobile chat group for the four of them. Gook is all for that. More advertising for the mobile app, since we get to see how easy it is. Invitation sent (with Gook eagerly opening it now!).
Mom calls. She’s in Seoul. She says that she’s up because of a wedding and she’ll see them at the house later. Zoiks! Soo Sun begs them to cover for her again. Tae Il and Gook eagerly agree. Soo Sun looks at Dae Goo. He pulls out his phone to look natural as he tells her to do it, since Mom’s already here and everything. Eee! He totally likes her now. She gratefully thanks him and he tries to act like he doesn’t care at all. After all, he’s busy on the phone. Gook and Tae Il can’t believe Dae Goo just rolled over like that.
Mom’s at the mall, admiring a dress that would be perfect for Soo Sun. Rich snobby woman walks by with her bodyguard. Mom doesn’t notice. Mom goes to the bathroom where she sets down her stuff so that she can touch up her makeup. That’s a nice bathroom. Rich Lady comes into the bathroom and puts down her purse next to Mom’s stuff. She’s having an argument with her daughter. She screeches, scaring Mom, so Mom doesn’t realize that she picked up Rich Lady’s purse by accident. Mom leaves the restroom. Rich Lady gets off the phone and notices, throwing Mom’s purse in the trash. Because she’s rich and entitled.
Mom stops to check her food goodies that she’s brought with her. Probably for her son, Dae Goo. Heh. A woman with a runaway child hurries by with a stroller and runs over the purse, breaking the clasp on the front. Mom still doesn’t realize it’s not her purse. Stroller girl profusely apologizes, but Mom’s not too upset, since she’s had it for 5 years. And the clasp can be fixed with a bit of super glue. Stroller girl hurries after her runaway kid and Mom gathers up her stuff. She’s stopped by Rich Lady’s henchman.
Mom is now at Rich Lady’s house. Rich Lady is ticked at what’s happened to her purse. Not that she couldn’t just buy a new one, or anything. Mom can’t believe that Rich Lady’s bag looks so like a 30-won knock off. Mom offers to pay for the repair. Rich Lady looks bored. She sighs, calls Mom ‘Ajumma’ – even though Rich Lady looks even older than Mom does – and asks Mom how much she thinks the purse costs. Mom is floored when Rich Lady tells her 50,000 won. Dang! That’s ridiculous! Mom thinks that Rich Lady is trying to scam her and tells Rich Lady that her daughter who works as a detective for the Violent Crime Unit. Rich Lady’s secretary shows Mom the receipt. Rich Lady condescendingly asks Mom if she understands the situation now.
Mom begins to profusely apologize but Rich Lady isn’t satisfied. Because she’s a witch and a half. Rich Witch demands that Mom reimburse her for it. Which is ridiculous. It’s not like she doesn’t have 12 like it in her closet. Mom asks her for leniency and Rich Witch smiles as she says that she’ll grant Mom a favorable arrangement.
Gook’s phone chimes. It’s a link for something trending right now: Madam Designer Bag Video. Comments say that the video is completely dae-bak (awesome). Another says that it was completely scary. His friend asks him if he doesn’t investigate things like this. And it’s video of Rich Witch beating Mom with her handbag while Mom cowers on the floor and screams with each hit. This lady is crazy! As soon as Gook watches the video, he recognizes Mom. He hurries over to Dae Goo’s desk and pulls up the video. He has Tae Il hurry over to see it, too.
Dae Goo immediately recognizes Mom. And it’s like they’re beating *his* Oma. He stands up and asks if Soo Sun has seen the video yet. Aw. She appears and asks what video. Dae Goo quickly closes the laptop and yells at her for sneaking up on them. That should be an immediate tip off that Dae Goo is hiding something. She asks them what they’ve been watching, teasing them about its illicit content. The three try to keep her from opening the laptop. Another detective walks up and asks them if they’ve seen the video. Gook physically tries to stop her from looking, but she insists. Her heart breaks as Rich Witch beats Mom in the head with her bag. Soo Sun doesn’t want to believe that it’s Mom. Dae Goo tries to take the phone, to spare her, but she can’t bear not to know the truth. She immediately calls Mom, who is walking down the street with her head down because of the cuts and bruises on her face from the beating. The phone rings and she doesn’t answer it because she’s too ashamed. She starts to cry. I feel so bad for Mom. Her face is cut and she has a split lip. That Rich Witch was nasty. She needs to get arrested.
Soo Sun really starts to freak out. Dae Goo tells her to stay calm and try calling Mom again. He’s being so sensitive. But she’s freaking because Mom isn’t answering. Gook says that the netizens have found out this woman's identity, they say that she's the wife of Chaseong Corporation's President. Hearing that, Soo Sun’s going to go after Mom. Dae Goo stops her by grabbing her arm. Tae Il tries to reason with her, but she’s not hearing it. Dae Goo stops her by grabbing her by both arms. He tells her that he’ll go. He gets her to stop. And his face is so gentle when he’s saying this. I really like Ji Yong. Gook says that Soo Sun will cause an accident if she goes out in this state. Tae Il reasons that they (minus Dae Goo) should go look in places where Mom could go. Dae Goo gets his stuff and goes.
Dae Goo arrives at Rich Witch’s house. And it looks like it’s been used before in another drama. Could just be a coincidence… A car pulls up and a rich guy and his son get out. The ‘plot-thickens’ music plays. Could this be Dae Goo’s missing Father? Of all people to have beat Soo Sun’s mom: his stepmom. And the son looks like he might be *younger* than Dae Goo, too.
Dae Goo starts to identify himself and Rich Witch gets out of the car. She looks like she’s completely clueless why he would be at their house right now. Dae Goo declares that he’s come out from the Gangnam Police Station.
Another car arrives. Inside is Moon Bae. Oh, crap! This family is definitely important. The Elder, maybe? Moon Bae’s wearing my expression: ‘Oh, crap!’ But, of course, for different reasons. Could we be getting closer to the question of who Dae Goo’s father is? Could that be the real reason Oma was killed? I’m beginning to suspect that it is, but that the real target was Dae Goo all along. Eek!
The episode ends. I hate that I have to wait a week for the next one!!! Arg! No preview either.
Thoughts
Where do I begin?!! The title is very apt for this episode: “The End and the Beginning.” It’s the end of 11 years of heartache as Dae Goo finally is able to arrest the man who murdered his mother. It’s the beginning of his life where he can finally let people in and where he has a family.
I’m really happy with how the garage played out, because it showed just how much Dae Goo took Pan Suk’s warning to heart and how much he wanted to honor his mother. He saves Boots so that he can arrest him and brought an unloaded gun so he wouldn’t be tempted to actually kill Boots and dishonor Oma’s memory. I hate that Boots *still* tried to kill him after all that, but the thing I’m noticing is how these corrupt people seem to do anything to protect themselves when it comes down to it, whether it’s Boots or Chief.
Side thought: I am so mad about Chief, I can’t stand it. I still wonder if she’s going to actually save Dae Goo in the end.
I was really glad that the gun was unloaded. Because I was really scared that Dae Goo was going to get shot. I like that Pan Suk and Soo Sun let Dae Goo handle it, that they didn’t baby him or be overly emotional, even though everyone was clearly emotional. It was a really nice moment where I cried a lot as he arrested Boots and then walked away, like he was leaving it all behind him finally.
And Dae Goo post the arrest is so much more like Ji Yong. The wall is gone finally which really makes me happy because it means that Dae Goo doesn’t feel alone anymore. I love that he invited them into his space and even is settling into his role as Maknae, even though he hates it. I love that they’re not going to do it too much to him either, just enough to give him a hard time. That whole scene with Tae Il telling him to go get the stir fry was awesome, because you know they were doing it just to get back at him a little for how he’s acted. It warms my heart to see how they’ve really embraced him, despite his cold pricklies. Gook tried to hug Dae Goo-Dae Goo twice, which was awesome.
Hooray on the romance front! Finally Soo Sun is starting to realize that her feelings for Dae Goo are more than being Ji Yong’s noona. The whole ‘save her from getting run over’ really touched me with how much Ji Yong has been alone for so long. He’s slowly admitting to himself that he cares about her and then to see how freaked out he was at the thought that she might get hurt or he might lose her. That said a lot. And it cracks me up how awkward they are. But how sweet was he when it came to Mom? I like how since she knows his secret he’s vulnerable with her and how he’s showing more and more that part of himself. He genuinely cares about Soo Sun – even though he would deny it – and Mom. And part of me thinks that he wants Mom to keep calling her Son.
When are the Soo Sun-Dae Goo roommate hijinks going to begin?!! Maybe since Mom got beaten up she’ll stay a few days so Soo Sun will really have to move in to make it look believable. I can totally see her starting to move out but then him asking her to stay, being the time where he really admits he cares. And Gook missing it because Gook can be oblivious.
Pan Suk visiting his son’s tree/grave and Dae Goo’s visit to see Oma ripped my heart right open, but it was a nice scene for both Ji Yong. It was also a nice beat for both of them as they let go of the pain from that horrible night. I really like that Pan Suk planted a tree for his lost boy. Man, Lee Seung Gi has a great smile. It just warms my heart when he smiles like he smiled talking to Oma.
To move on to Chief – wow, was I ever wrong about her. I so wanted her to be a double agent. Although part of me feels like I’m still right about her feelings toward Dae Goo. My gut keeps saying that she won’t end up trying to kill him. It’s not based on how she’s towing the line and playing the Detective Seo part… But holy crap! She killed Oma!!! I didn’t expect that one at all. Only 8 more weeks to go – why can’t this drama be longer? Maybe it can get a sequel (that and Gu Family Book – funny how Lee Seung Gi stars in both). But I digress because Chief killed Oma!!! Totally explains why she wants Ji Yong to stay in the part permanently, especially because I think she’s genuinely come to care about him and want to protect him.
I’m really HAPPY that Pan Suk didn’t buy Boots’s story and that Dae Goo is starting to see what’s been staring him in the face all this time: that Pan Suk is a good and decent man who wants to stop the bad guys and bring them to justice. Dae Goo’s reaction when Pan Suk started asking Soo Sun questions after Boots’s interrogation totally shows how he didn’t expect Pan Suk to still keep going, trying to get justice for Oma.
And speaking of that, I love, love, LOVE that Father-Son dynamic that Pan Suk and Dae Goo have going. Dae Goo being busted in the elevator was priceless. I like how they’re developing that with Soo Sun as well, what with the whole bike riding scene and Pan Suk not being able to actually *say* that he saw them kid. It’s how I can see a dad trying to have this conversation with his daughter and feeling sick that she might have kissed a boy. It’s like Pan Suk’s replaced her lost father, too. Pan Suk keeps calling them his kids. It seems like more and more that he’s really looking at them like that. Although I don’t think he’s going to like it too much if Tae Il’s feelings for Sa Kyung come out. And why is she making it so hard for him? She’s the one who left, after all. He already told her it was love at first sight for him and he still feels the same. But I digress from Dae Goo and Pan Suk’s relationship – I love that they are confronting each other now and Pan Suk’s sarcastic clapping. Awesomeness.
I hate the whole thing with Mom and being beaten by crazy entitled Evil Witch. Who thinks that they can get away with that? Although Chief did mention that Boots would get a lighter sentence if he played right, so it’s someone in the legal end of things. And if they can do that, they can sweep anything their wife does under the rug. But seriously, 50,000 won for a purse?
But some new questions:
- Why did the Hit man trying to kill Boots stop when he saw Dae Goo? Could this possibly be because of who Dae Goo is?
- Why does Moon Bae want Dae Goo dead? Could he maybe be working for Rich Witch who is trying to bump off Dae Goo to protect her own son’s inheritance, and the Hitman who tried to kill Boots is actually working for Dad to make sure that nothing bad happens to Dae Goo?
- How deep is Chief in all this mess? Why did she kill Oma? Has she been protecting Ji Yong all this time because she genuinely cares about him, or has she been using him all along for some endgame?
- Is there a clue to the whole thing in that photo that Boots gave Pan Suk? And how long is Boots going to stay alive in prison?
- Was Oma the target or was it really Dae Goo way back when?
Thanks for the recaps, it is very useful for catchup of episode 12 which I had missed out!
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