Bad Guys: on episode 6~8

Up to episode 5, we see and know little of Jung-moon — his history, feelings, and character. Neither the strongest nor the nimblest among the mad dogs, he’s easily overshadowed by Woong-chul and Tae-soo during action sequence or more intense scenes. He is unrivaled when it comes to smoldering stares though, contended only by Goo-tak. Don’t let them have too many rounds of stare-down battles, my heart can’t take it!

Rejoice, ‘cuz the show is giving us more and more of him. The past three episodes (#6~8) center around him, digging into the burning questions of whether or not he is a serial killer and the man behind the hit orders on him. Also the connection Goo-tak shares with the trio and if any of them is related to her daughter’s murder case. We are arching toward the big reveal and eventually the truth all while shedding some lights on Woong-chul’s and Tae-soo’s lives pre-jail.

Woong-chul’s first. This is the second time he’s ‘kidnapped’ by gangster boss Lee Doo-kwang whom he called hyung. (He was sort of Woong-chul’s benefactor; he got him out of slump and enabled him to enjoy the finer things in life.) First to relay the hit order with two-week deadline, then to see how it goes. It is a non-negotiable assignment: kill Jung-moon or get killed. But he isn’t into the business anymore and shows no attempts to carry out the order two weeks pass by just like that. He’s ordered to buried alive (eek!!).

Luckily, Woong-chul is able to climb out of it though Doo-kwang considers his dongsaeng died there. But then he himself got kidnapped and Woong-chul is hell-bent to find and save him. Knowing his limitations, he asks Team Mad Dogs for help, because don’t people deserve a second chance to live the right way?

So episode 6’s mission of the day is rescue the mob boss — zeroing on the instigator (most likely an insider/one of the district bosses) and then locating his position. The track-down is made easier once he manages to contact the police. Jung-moon gets to him first but instead of being thankful, he goes to attack unalert Jung-moon until Woong-chul comes to the rescue. Doo-kwang says none of this would happen if Woong-chul executes the order. This is news to Jung-moon. He notes everything that has taken place thus far is no coincidence and warns him that betrayal always stabs from behind.

Tension within the team heats up further following the blurt-out. But the ever so curious Mi-young is more interested in the relationship Goo-tak has with Doo-kwang. The call wasn’t redirected from police to Team Mad Dogs as we’re made to believe, Doo-kwang called Goo-tak directly. As usual, Goo-tak answers none of her attacking questions. Asking Commissioner Nam is also futile, he will only reply metaphorically. Hmm…

After the hit order to Doo-kwang and Woong-chul goes south, we shift focus on the one’s falling into Tae-soo’s lap. It is the second time he receives such order. He flatly refuses but does muse the who. He starts losing his cool when the old man he’s been trying to get hold of is found… dead. The murder weapon left on the crime scene bears fingerprints of Hyun-woo, the young fella Tae-soo came to see at the shooting range. But he too is found dead in what looks like suicide.

Tae-soo is quick to deduce that the old man was attacked by a pro, not Hyun-woo. He uses gun not knife and is about to get married, so it isn’t suicide either. Tae-soo has a person in mind, the same one Hyun-woo warned him to be wary of: Jong-seok.

In the intervening time, Jung-moon is stabbed by a passerby as he waits alone while Woong-chul meets Doo-kwang to find out who’s behind the hit order. Ack! How many times his body has to be grazed by blades? That’s why i’m always on pins and needles whenever they (Jung-moon especially) are alone and unarmed!! The knife was dropped on scene and Woong-chul’s fingerprints are on it. The case is eerily similar to that of the old man’s where another person is perfectly framed for the crime. If Jung-moon died, Woong-chul would be the culprit. And if the case closed at that, those who love Jung-moon would be hating the wrong person for the rest of their lives.

Why do i find Doo-kwang’s and Tae-soo’s wise words foreshadowing? I am not sure about Doo-kwang’s, but Tae-soo’s feels directed at Goo-tak.

Thus, Tae-soo goes to meet Jong-seok. They made a deal that one of them would die the next time they meet and they’re set to end things once and for all. What follows is thrilling fighting sequence although i don’t want Tae-soo to kill him.

[the happy-times flashbacks are killing meee ;'(]

Like Woong-chul, Tae-soo has decided not to kill anymore. He found out the sadness, agony, and guilt feeling he gets from taking away someone else’s loved one. Jong-seok is the last person who will remember him, and if he leaves too, Tae-soo will truly be alone. Jong-seok may kill as a job and feel no remorse targeting those with whom he used to spend time together, but Tae-soo wants him to stay. Gaawd, it’s hard seeing him plead and (later on) grieve like that…

As for Jung-moon, he’s finally able to locate the scarred man he hired to record his activities two years ago. The man may know about Jung-moon better than himself as he holds the key to what happened during those blackouts: he killed people. At 8 PM on Tuesdays, he would go out and follow someone to his/her home and leave an hour later. He would also return to the crime scenes. There are photos as evidence. But the act of killing was not captured on camera.

Gosh, how scary it is to tail serial killer? And to witness that creepy smile… *shudder*

Goo-tak’s daughter was the last victim killed using the same method though the body was curiously found outside. The devastated Goo-tak pledged to catch and kill the culprit, after which he would beg her daughter for forgiveness, for being a useless father.

Present Goo-tak overhears everything and readily points his gun on Jung-moon. But if he seeks the truth instead of scapegoat, Jung-moon asks him to help him retrace his past. Which leads them to the illegal taxi driver who dropped Jung-moon at the scenes, and then to Doctor Kim who treated him. Together they get hold of Dr Kim, but Jung-moon gets Goo-tak out of the picture and decides to find out the truth himself. Ack! Why? No~!

Worse, Dr Kim manages to drug Jung-moon and now Goo-tak couldn’t contact or locate him (he removed the ankle monitor in the hospital). As Goo-tak lashes out in the precinct, Mi-young comes and peppers him with information she is now privy to after teaming up with Prosecutor Oh. She has one thing to ask/confirm though: did he issue the hit orders? At which he only smiles.

What does that even mean — Yes? No?

In mystery dramas, the ultimate baddie is more often than not the one we least suspect — someone kind, from the inner circle, or one we’ve known all along. From the development we’ve got so far, all signs point to Goo-tak. 1) Doo-kwang’s hyung whose daughter was one of Jung-moon’s victims, 2) a victim’s father who wants Jung-moon dead no matter what, 3) lower half of the instigator’s face looks very much like him, and 4) that enigmatic smirk…

Many viewers have also suspected him from episodes ago, the keen one even went to great lengths comparing and matching mysterious man’s hand with Goo-tak’s (and concluded they belong to the same person). I, however, don’t think it’s him. Everything falls into place too conveniently. I don’t deny the possibility, but i can’t fathom the motive. From what i understand, he’s given Jung-moon benefit of the doubt and just found out that the latter is indeed the killer in episode 8, how come he got Tae-soo to target Jung-moon from two years ago? Why hire another hand when he vowed to off the culprit himself? Why order the hitmen to be killed if they refuse the job?

Prosecutor Oh is suspicious. He brings tension to the already tense team and exudes a menacing aura. He also knows everyone’s background a bit too much he either has a super reliable in-the-know intel/informant or the puppeteer himself. Did he the one who brought Jung-moon to see Dr Kim? Why he wants to dissolve Team Mad Dogs and what he gains from it? He doesn’t want any of them to be freeman even if they earn it, because they’re bound to commit grave mistakes again? You just need to get to know them better — they have conscience and heart.

Back to Jung-moon, the revelation is no surprise to me. I suspected from the beginning that the blackout’s merely an excuse to cover up the crime or to not feel guilty of it. I never believe he’s completely innocent because he IS creepy. Now the show’s hinting that he’s under influence and thus half-innocent? Dr Kim is the real psycho or he is too just a tool?

Will we get the answer tonight — or in my case, mid next week when the sub’s out?