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Forest of Secrets: Episode 14

The murderer has claimed another victim, and this time the loss is particularly devastating for our disbanded investigative team. For Shi-mok, it’s personal in a way that no case has been before, and he struggles to deal with his newly discovered emotions and the destruction of what he’s been trying to protect and achieve this whole time. But if nothing else, the team is more determined than ever to find the killer once and for all.

 
EPISODE 14 RECAP

Eun-soo’s parents return home from grocery shopping, bags full of ingredients to make their daughter’s favorite food. Her mother says that this must be a good year for their family; her husband had his name cleared, and now all they need is for Eun-soo to meet a nice man. They laugh and joke together. Ah, this hurts to watch.

In Ga-young’s old apartment, the forensics team photographs Eun-soo’s body, Shi-mok frozen at her side. Yeo-jin looks away, tears in her eyes. Section Chief Yoon sits at the table, head bowed and hands covered in blood, with Gun kneeling beside him.

Shi-mok carefully covers Eun-soo back up. Section Chief Yoon says quaveringly that he’d come to see if Ga-young was here, but left because was no one was home. The current tenant came home and screamed upon discovering Eun-soo’s body, which was when Yoon claims that he returned to the apartment.

Paramedics take Eun-soo out on a stretcher. Team Leader Choi says that the murder weapon makes it look like the same culprit has struck again, and Shi-mok asks if they have any of the “victim’s” belongings. The others stare at him in shock, but Team Leader Choi says that they’re gone.

Shi-mok calmly tells them to track down Eun-soo’s transit records and to find out where Ga-young is, and then leaves for the autopsy. Once he’s gone, Gun and Team Leader Choi remark on Shi-mok’s cold reaction with disgust. Yeo-jin just watches Yoon, who is trembling in his chair.

Shi-mok drives behind the ambulance in a daze, unaware that he’s slowly drifting out of his lane until his car beeps in warning. He sighs and grips the steering wheel tightly, eyes shining.

Yeo-jin notes that there’s blood everywhere, even on the stairs leading outside, and Team Leader Choi replies that the criminal must have been in a rush this time. He yells at Section Chief Yoon as he approaches, telling him to stop touching the railings.

Yeo-jin offers to take Section Chief Yoon home, but he refuses, although he still looks shaken. As he leaves, Team Leader Choi points out that a prosecutor should know better than to keep touching the evidence, but Gun tells him that the man is just in shock. Yeo-jin watches Section Chief Yoon as he walks away.

At the hospital, Shi-mok waits while the doctors prepare Eun-soo’s body. The doctor asks if he’ll be okay viewing the autopsy of his own colleague, but Shi-mok just tells him to proceed.

Afterwards, Shi-mok washes his hands and leaves the bathroom looking numb. Suddenly, a high-pitched noise echoes in his ears, and pain pierces through his head.

“No,” he gasps, but the episode continues, doubling his vision and causing him to hunch over, clutching his head. “Not now, please,” he thinks as he collapses to the floor. He lies there, eyes open but unseeing, and doctors race to his aid.

At Yongsan Police Station, Yeo-jin’s team reconstructs the events leading up to the murder: The new tenant found Eun-soo when she was already dead, probably from stab wounds to the stomach and neck. She also had a bump on her head similar to Ga-young’s; blood spatter patterns indicate that she was unconscious when she was killed.

The murder weapon is also identical to the knives used on CEO Park and Ga-young. That and the links between the crime scenes suggest seriality, says Gun. Yeo-jin points out how messy this crime scene was in comparison to the previous two, since Eun-soo’s blood was everywhere. It seems that the murderer washed off most of the blood but ended up dripping it all over the bathroom and staircase as he left. Yeo-jin wonders if it’s too different from the other murders to be the same killer.

Autopsy results show that the cause of death was blood loss from the carotid artery, with time of death estimated between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. Eun-soo’s transit records show that she went only from home to work and back every day, with the exception of the last two days. Yeo-jin explains that Eun-soo went from to Shi-mok’s place and then to her place the evening before she died.

Yeo-jin shows the rest of her team a picture of Umbrella Man (Secretary Woo?), and suggests him as a suspect. She and Gun tell the rest of the team about the “warning” left at Shi-mok’s apartment, most likely in response to him outing the weapons deal.

Eun-soo’s last recorded movement is a taxi trip that ended at 4:47 p.m. in Haengdam-dong, her own neighborhood. Yeo-jin says that she must have been kidnapped on her way home. Team Leader Choi tells them to work through the night and try to find something by dawn, since this case will draw a lot of scrutiny.

They go to Eun-soo’s office at Seoul Western to search for evidence. Chief Prosecutor Kang enters, and they all bow somberly to each other. Kang asks them painfully to do their best before taking Yeo-jin aside to tell her that he’s been unable to reach Shi-mok. Yeo-jin has no luck either.

She rushes to the hospital, worried now, and finds Shi-mok unconscious in the emergency ward. “I really don’t want to see things like this anymore,” she says as she looks at Shi-mok’s prone form. A doctor tells her that Shi-mok’s brain scans show evidence of surgery on his insular cortex, the part of the brain that controls emotions, likes, and desires, and in the doctor’s words, the part that makes us seem human. He explains that it looks like a part of it was removed, probably due to pain—those with an overactive insular cortex often can’t handle excess external stimuli.

Yeo-jin asks if Shi-mok’s collapse means that the pain is coming back, but the doctor says it’s one of the the side effects of the surgery, along with personality changes and increased cognitive ability.

The doctor asks if Shi-mok has been under severe stress lately, adding that everyone has emotions, but when a person is unable to express them, those emotions build up and explode like this. Yeo-jin ponders this as she watches Shi-mok sleep, and before she leaves, she asks the nurse to call her when he wakes up.

In the morning, Dong-jae sits in his car at work and recalls his confrontation with Eun-soo, and his panic when he’d thought he had strangled her to death. “Foolish girl,” he mutters.

He remembers Shi-mok asking if he was curious about whether Chief Secretary Lee is really the murderer, as Dong-jae had suspected. “It’s no longer a matter of being curious,” he says to himself, and heads back to his post.

Section Chief Yoon carefully puts his letter of resignation in an envelope, laying it on his desk along with his prosecutor’s badge.

Child Shi-mok is in Adult Shi-mok’s office in a disturbing dreamscape, the cuckoo clock calling creepily on the wall. The room fades into Ga-young’s apartment, covered in Eun-soo’s blood, but in place of Eun-soo’s body is a young woman in a wheelchair. Little Shi-mok pulls the mask from her face and recoils in horror, screaming and sobbing at the sight of blood dripping from Eun-soo’s eyes like tears.

Shi-mok awakens with a sigh in his hospital bed. He dizzily tries to get up, succeeds after a couple of attempts, and walks unsteadily out of the hospital.

Returning home, Shi-mok is about to hang up his jacket in his closet when he sees the sweater he lent Eun-soo. He slowly picks it up and stares at it, remembering Eun-soo: her brightness and her determination, her desperation and her bravery; his often blunt and dismissive attitude toward her, and her sincere gratitude towards him anyway.

He notices how one sleeve is longer than the other, caused by Eun-soo drying the sweater incorrectly, and remembers her smiling face. Shi-mok notices that his fingers have clenched, crushing the sweater, and he forcibly relaxes them. Oh, my heart.

At Eun-soo’s funeral, Yeo-jin and her homicide team silently make their bows. An endless stream of mourners comes and goes, and Eun-soo’s parents guard their daughter’s memorial, frozen in a waking nightmare.

Outside, Gun and Jung-bon wonder when Section Chief Kang will show up. Jung-bon asks Gun if going through things like this often makes you numb to them. Gun replies that he’d thought so, but knowing that they were just drinking with Eun-soo a couple of nights ago has shaken him—especially since she was murdered by the killer that they still haven’t been able to catch.

Chief Prosecutor Kang arrives then with prosecutors lined up behind him as he enters the funeral hall. He lights a stick of incense for Eun-soo, and they all bow together. Chief Prosecutor Kang meets his old mentor’s eyes, but he’s unable to say anything and bows to Young Il-jae again before leaving.

The prosecutors are on their way out when Shi-mok finally arrives, pale and disheveled. His boss asks him where he’s been, but he simply bows and walks into the hall. Chief Prosecutor Kang sighs and turns to leave when Young Il-jae yells, “I told you to protect my daughter!”

Kang runs over to find the old man shaking Shi-mok by the lapel and berating him for failing to protect Eun-soo. He tries to calm the man down, when suddenly, Young Il-jae falls silent—Chief Secretary Lee has arrived.

“You scum,” Young Il-jae grinds out. “How dare you come here? Get out, you scum!” He flies at Lee and strikes hard with his walking stick, but the blow falls on Dong-jae, who moved to shield his boss. Young Il-jae shouts that Lee is the one who killed his daughter.

“Why have you just been watching?” comes a hoarse yell. Everyone turns to look at Shi-mok, who is still facing Eun-soo’s memorial. Shi-mok turns to Young Il-jae and continues, “Why didn’t you fight? Why did you just hide all these years? You taught us to fight using the law. What have you been doing?!

He points to Eun-soo’s picture. “Did you think you were doing it for your family? Not just because you were scared?” Chief Secretary Kang tells him to shut up, but Eun-soo’s mother suddenly screams for them to stop. As she sobs, Shi-mok turns back toward the bier for a long moment.

Dong-jae whispers to Chief Secretary Lee that they should go, and they quietly retreat. Shi-mok soon leaves too, Yeo-jin and the other special investigation team members watching him in concern.

In the car, Chief Secretary Lee tells Dong-jae not to interfere again—does he think his shoulders are made of steel? Dong-jae looks surprised at this show of concern.

Shi-mok observes the evidence gathered so far at Yongsan Station, turning the picture of Eun-soo’s body face-down. Yeo-jin tells him that Eun-soo took a taxi from Seoul Western at 4:06 p.m. the previous afternoon and arrived home at 4:47 p.m.; they have footage of her entering her apartment building at 4:48 p.m. She left again at 4:55 p.m.

Shi-mok remembers that Eun-soo had called him to talk, and he’d put her off until later because he was looking for Ga-young. He closes his eyes at that memory. Yeo-jin says that Eun-soo’s visit to his office was the last time anyone saw her, since she went straight home afterwards. Shi-mok remembers how coldly he dismissed her.

Yeo-jin says that the Eun-soo’s parents have no idea why Eun-soo came home yesterday afternoon, because she would never come home during working hours. The knife belonged to the killer, and Yeo-jin tells Shi-mok that they’re currently tracking down where it was purchased.

Yeo-jin asks Shi-mok if he thinks it’s the same criminal, but he just shakes his head. She asks about his head, and he walks away without answering. He keeps walking even when Yeo-jin tells him that they found Ga-young, who had been moved by her mother for safety. He looks at his call log with something resembling anguish: Eun-soo called him at 4:53 p.m., two minutes before she disappeared.

Afterward, Shi-mok questions possible witnesses. Clerk Choi tells him that she saw Eun-soo listening outside his office door that day for a moment before knocking. He shares this with Yeo-jin, who’s next up, and Shi-mok recalls that he’d told Yeo-jin that Young Il-jae had something dangerous on Chairman Lee.

Yeo-jin is distressed to realize that Eun-soo heard, and perhaps because of Yeo-jin asking what Young Il-jae had in his possession, went home and met the killer on the way. She tells Shi-mok that she was alone with Eun-soo the night of the get-together, but says that because Eun-soo spilled juice on Section Chief Yoon, they couldn’t talk for long.

Now it’s Yoon’s turn. His earlier testimony has been corroborated by the tenant. His face twitches as he recounts finding Eun-soo, bloodying his hands as he tried to revive her. “Please don’t let her parents see her body. If they do, for the rest of their lives…” he trails off, lips trembling. Shi-mok closes his file and bows his head.

Yeo-jin and her colleagues track down the manufacturer of the flower-patterned knife used to stab Eun-soo, and they check nearby stores to find out if anyone has bought it recently. Team Leader Choi questions possible witnesses in Eun-soo’s neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Yeon-jae barges into her husband’s office and asks if he’s preparing to divorce her. She knows he’s been looking into her assets—is he trying to figure out how much money he can take with him? He puts his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugs it off angrily.

“Are you having a change of heart now that the girl is awake?” she asks. “Tell me. What are you sorry for?” He apologizes again, but promises her that he’s never once cheated on her. She asks again what he’s sorry for, and he says that she never should have come to her brother’s trial, the day they first met. Or else he should have let her brother off as Chairman Lee ordered, and she never would have been interested in him. Innnteresting.

Looking as though she’s holding back tears by force of will, she asks if he means that they were wrong from the beginning. He just says that he’s late to meet her father, and they’ll talk at home. She precedes him out of the office, head held high even with tears in her eyes.

Once they’re gone, Dong-jae goes into Chief Secretary Lee’s office to “clean” and opens a folder the other secretary hid from him earlier, which contains a plane ticket.

Shi-mok rushes to the Eun-soo’s parents’ home, where Eun-soo’s father sits hopelessly in front of his empty dresser drawer. He tells Shi-mok that he had evidence of Chairman Lee’s tax evasion: 200 billion won that he turned into stocks and gave to his children illegally. Young Il-jae says that it was here yesterday, but he checked again today because of what Shi-mok said at the funeral, and it’s been taken.

Shi-mok asks Young Il-jae if the house has been empty since he last saw the evidence, and the old man says it was yesterday afternoon. Shi-mok tells him that only Eun-soo showed up in security footage during that time, and that she must have taken it. Realizing what this means, Young Il-jae gasps. “I’ve killed my daughter,” he says in horror.

Shi-mok calls Yeo-jin, and then sets to searching every nook and cranny of Eun-soo’s room. He finds her notebook and discovers a ripped-out page, so he uses a pencil to shade the page underneath. Yeo-jin arrives as he finishes revealing an image that looks like “07” on the paper.

Yeo-jin notices evidence that the figures were drawn and erased repeatedly, as if Eun-soo was looking for the exact right image. Yeo-jin deduces that Eun-soo purposely used pencil instead of her usual pen because she saw something and was trying to reproduce it accurately. As Yeo-jin leaves for a moment to help Team Leader Choi, Shi-mok wonders what Eun-soo saw, and where she saw it.

He looks at the page again, recalling Yeo-jin wondering if the figures are even numbers, and traces them again in realization. “D… T…” he murmurs. He straightens, remembering Yeo-jin’s story about Eun-soo spilling juice on Section Chief Yoon, and the confusion at the party about whether Yoon was a marine or in the special forces.

Yeo-jin returns, and Shi-mok says, “All this time, [he was] right beside us… I’ve found the killer.”

Police and SWAT deploy in force. Tracking Yoon’s location, they realize he’s headed to the airport. As our team drives, we hear Shi-mok’s explanation to how they came to this conclusion in voiceover.

After hearing about “07,” Eun-soo only had the time to draw at her desk that same night. Ga-young couldn’t have seen the numbers in a place she was kidnapped or held prisoner, because those didn’t overlap with the places that Eun-soo went. Both women had to have seen the numbers on a person—the killer.

Chairman Lee makes a phone call to someone who is taking off soon, and tells them not to call until he contacts them first. Ohmigod.

Our team arrives at the airport. The police split up to search while Shi-mok heads to the security feeds. Shi-mok’s narration continues: The only way to see numbers on a person is a tattoo, and the only people Eun-soo saw during that window of time were those at Yeo-jin’s dinner party. And they’d have to be people she saw when Shi-mok wasn’t there, or he’d have seen them too.

That narrows it down to three people: Yeo-jin, Gun, and Section Chief Yoon. Police aren’t allowed to have tattoos, so that leaves only (former) Section Chief Yoon.

And now we see Yoon, wearing a black cap and carefully avoiding the police that are now all over the airport. He stealthily checks in for his flight and is walking toward his gate when Soon-chang stops him.

Yoon freezes, then turns and throws Soon-chang and the other officers to the ground and takes off at a dead run. The police furiously pursue him, while Shi-mok spots Yoon on a security camera and runs toward his location. Gun catches up to Yoon and grabs his jacket, but Yoon shrugs out of it and dispatches Gun with his signature deadly kick.

Yeo-jin spots Yoon from a distance, and in an amazing action sequence, she runs at top speed up a staircase to intercept him. As she gets close, she pushes a cleaning cart into Yoon’s path, causing him to trip and fall, but he regains his feet. She grabs him, but he twists her arm, and in return, she judo flips him. (Yes!)

But then, he uses his strength and manages to roll them over so that he’s on top of her. (No!)

Yoon lifts his arm and clenches his fist to punch her in the face. However, looking at her face, he hesitates, and they stare at each other for a long, charged moment. It’s just enough time for Yeo-jin’s colleagues to pull him off her and help her up, and the police and SWAT surround them.

Shi-mok walks up purposefully behind Yoon and pulls down his collar, revealing the tattoo on his right shoulder blade: UDT, which refers to Navy Special Forces, with its emblem underneath.

 
COMMENTS

Every week I think that this drama can’t possibly impress me any more, and every week it does. Much of this episode was painful to watch, but I couldn’t look away, because every heartbreaking, uncomfortable moment felt earned. We’ve spent many hours getting to know these characters, and this hour felt like watching friends and acquaintances struggle in the aftermath of a tragedy. That’s just how real these people have become to me.

Firstly, Eun-soo. Oh, Eun-soo. I noted in a previous recap that she seemed to be in a different drama that the rest of the characters, and I meant that not as a criticism, but an observation. She saw reality through the lens of her quest to right the injustice done to her family by whatever means necessary, whereas Shi-mok and his team worked to solve the case from within the system, though often in unconventional ways. At first it was amusing to see Eun-soo constantly at a crossroads with Shi-mok, and how she provoked him and he kept shooting her down, but in the last two weeks, the danger of excluding her from the investigation became increasingly clear.

Eun-soo’s loneliness and desperation, and her desire to prove to Shi-mok that she could be both trustworthy and helpful, were clear to see for anyone but Shi-mok. Yeo-jin certainly noticed, as evidenced by her gentle admonition to him to treat Eun-soo better. Tragically, however, it was Yeo-jin’s generous impulse to include Eun-soo that led to Eun-soo discovering Yoon’s tattoo, as well as the clue that helped her piece together his secret—and turned her into both his target and the key to finally catching him once and for all.

My heart broke for Eun-soo and her parents, but it tore to pieces for Shi-mok as well. He obviously cared about Eun-soo to a degree that he never understood until she was gone, and the discovery was doubly devastating because he feels so much guilt for her death. Shi-mok takes his responsibilities very seriously, and Eun-soo was not only his hoobae, but she was the daughter of his mentor, killed by the murderer he’s been fruitlessly chasing for months. It must have been even more crushing to realize that she’d reached out to him before she died and he’d ignored her; and even more so, to know that Eun-soo might never have met Yoon if not for Shi-mok choosing him for the investigative team.

That scene with the sweater made me cry so much. We’ll never know whether Shi-mok’s feelings for Eun-soo were romantic, or if he saw her as someone under his protection; but either way, it was so hard to watch him break down, when all we’ve seen from him until now is stoicism, fearlessness, and the occasional hint of a smile. His emotions were finally clear on his face in this hour, and I felt much like Yeo-jin who could only watch him with constant and helpless worry. The scene at Eun-soo’s funeral was especially raw—Eun-soo’s parents’ grief was heart-rending, as was Shi-mok’s explosive confrontation with Young Il-jae, and all of it was masterfully executed on every level.

Now that Yoon has been captured in that epic ending sequence, the question remains of whether he committed all these crimes, or if Ga-young was his first victim, and CEO Park is the work of another villain. If it’s not a red herring, Chairman Lee’s phone call at the end was to Yoon, which makes me wonder what their connection is: If Yoon was truly taking revenge for his child’s death, why would he join hands with the chairman? Was CEO Park their common enemy? Or am I completely off, and that call was to Secretary Woo, leaving for his (suspicious) business trip? In some ways, Chairman Lee is the most terrifying character in this drama, because he’s cold like a snake, ruthlessly efficient at eliminating any obstacles in his path to power, and he can do it all with a pleasant smile.

On the other hand, Chief Secretary Lee and Yeon-jae grow more sympathetic by the week. I’d assumed it was a political marriage for her, but now I can see her love and care for him, even if their relationship is fraught with the tensions of their social position, and her father’s demands. Chief Secretary Lee’s affection for Yeon-jae has been clear from the beginning; though he’s willingly sunk deeper into his father-in-law’s corrupt schemes, in a twisted way, it’s sweet that he did it all for Yeon-jae.

It seems that he’s decided that he can no longer ignore the dictates of his conscience, however, and is preparing to cut ties with both the chairman and Yeon-jae, even though it will mean leaving the wife he sacrificed his youth, his profession, and his morals for. It’s tragic in a way, but Chief Secretary Lee seems weary, and somehow softer than he did at the beginning of the show—he’s even being kind to Dong-jae now. I’d love to see a redemption arc for him, but it would have to include an accounting for all the crimes he’s committed throughout the years, and not a simple escape. If part of that atonement is giving Shi-mok the ammunition he needs to take down Chairman Lee, so much the better. One more week (sob!) and we’ll know all the answers.

 
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This drama is so mind blowing that I can't wait for the next episode, though I'm really sad there's just2 episodes left, does anyone know if there's a possibility for a second season? also a very cute bts I keep rewatching.

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I also can't believe there are only 2 eps left. Usually, I don't touch a drama if it's more than 20 episodes; this time I find myself wishing FoS was a 50 episode beast. Honestly, the format and setup are perfectly suited for a multi-season treatment, because our attachment is rooted in the characters and their fate in this survival game, and not necessarily in the resolution of the conflict as an end in itself.

Besides, the "forest" is so damn deep! It's like playing a video game where every time you enter a new level, the villain becomes harder to beat. First they were suspicious of corrupt co-workers (i.e. Seo Dong Jae). Then the department chiefs were involved. Then a giant Chaebol organization comes into the picture, followed by the prosecutor general, Ministry of National Defense, and then even the president. The fact that Lee Chang Joon can even get that job as senior secretary at the blue house ... shivers, man, shivers. This is a huge system to dismantle, and I really can't see how it can be resolved in 2 episodes.

Also, character development!! We had our Freudian moment when Yeo Jin drew that mind map, with the giant chunk of unexplored subconsciousness buried somewhere deep in Shi Mok's brain. Like the doctor said, it's not that he doesn't have emotions; it's his ability to express and make sense of them that's compromised. 2 episodes to explore this new idea?? I wish we had more!

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Also, I have a theory to run by you guys... Tell me if I'm imagining things.

I think Yeo Jin has her own troubled or dark past, and this past is linked to Yoon. I think the two of them go way back.

I swear the cinematography wants us to pay attention to that moment when Yoon gets ready to punch her, but then meets her eyes. It's beautifully shot moment, and so bone-chillingly eerie.

There's something significant about his inability to punch. I highly doubt he stopped for a reason as narratively lazy as "I'm a man who doesn't touch women." This show has proved itself above such gender ed tropes, and Yeo Jin has proven herself over and over again as a true cop who can handle misbehaving men. None of the other dudes ever hesitated fighting her, because they know she's the real thing and if they don't fight they're screwed.

Also this: the writer knows what she's doing, and I think she's been purposely withholding Yeo Jin's back story. I've always suspected her past may come crashing at us at a strategic moment. For a key protagonist, there's no way the writer was so lazy as to leave out a backstory for her, when every other aspect of her characterization has been so detailed. Think about it... Shi Mok aside, almost every other character has a back story and family background: Seo Dong Jae comes from the countryside and never went to Seoul Uni (which explains the severe overcompensation lmao), Jong Bon had his finger broken by Shi Mok while playing the piano, Eun Soo is the daughter of a wronged minister, Moo Sung's own son was half in love with the girl his father made into an escort, Lee Chang Joon has a son who died, Lee Yeon Jae met Lee Chang Joon while he was sentencing her own brother for corruption.

But Yeo Jin? We've got nothing. We don't know where she came from and why at age 30 she's living alone without close family and friends, when everything about her personality suggests she should be well-beloved through and through. In my opinion, she's got a past as traumatic as Shi Mok's. She throws herself into things with as much intensity as he, without any regard for personal safety and the safety of loved ones. This kind of total dedication is only possible when you consider your own life to be sundered and forfeit to an extent, and the way to carry on is by committing yourself to a worthy cause.

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Yes! I wondered about Yoon and Yeo Jin as well. That moment in the airport was beautiful and scary at the same time. I've gone down a lot of rabbit holes since it aired!

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You're right about her past being a blank area. I suspect we will see some of that next week... or we can hope for a season 2. One of the very few k-dramas I would really like to see another season of.

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Awesome post! It is indeed strange that the writer would leave out Yeo Jin's backstory while everyone else gets theirs. Can't wait!

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More than him, I'm more suspicious with CEO Park's right hand man. With his mysterious vacation (and CEO Park grumbling about why it should in airport), I do think that right hand man also trying to run away.

Also with Shi Mok's suspicion about the reason why Eun Soo die, I think the killer is CEO Park's minion when he trying to steal the usb from Eun soo

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I think you are right too. additionally if Yoon had actually killed Eun Soo, then he should have no problem with puching Yeo Jin and escaping. So I believe that either he is not the murderer or just like you said, they know each other.

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I don't think that's necessarily the case, it looks like he was really shaken from killing Eun Soo so he might have hesitated to attack another woman he knows.

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With only two episodes left I doubt that yeo jin and yoon would have any connection. If anything that's going to leave a sour taste in mouth. I think after carefully observing yeo jin's conversations all these time and her determination about justice, (and those pictures that she keeps in her room, all the sketches etc) this just makes me think, that she's one of those people who has greater hope for humanity, like how she almost broke down for their chief, even if he's corrupted. If we question yeo jin, then we should question shi mok too, so far apart from his mental disability we haven't seen anything that supports his motive. We do see on the poster that this two are in the middle, and looking at the people around them. I would like to take them as the only few left, who are still innocent even if the concrete jungle are full of corrupted selfish people.

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I'm not suggesting we question Yeo Jin. She is one of the moral centers of this story, and that's not going to be shaken.

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If you suggest that yeo jin had past traumas too like shi mok, yeah that would something I would be curious too. In fact, I would like to know about her past, traumas or not, since from the start the drama has never shed any light on either shi mok or yeo jin's life, at least in shi mok's case, there have been some flashbacks, but nothing for Yeo Jin. Wonder if that's a deliberate attempt from the writer's side or there is a reason behind it.

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@Fay17 I *love* Yeo Jin. She's honestly one of my favorite female kdrama characters ... ever.

But don't you think it's strange she has no family? Like no mother to dote on her, no younger siblings to ask for her help, and no relatives to drop in. If I had a daughter like Yeo Jin, I would be visitng every other day with kimchi and precooked meals. Kdramas are big on family; even a lone-wolf character like Shi Mok has one (however unpelasant). Plus, notice how happy she was when she took in Moo Sung's mother, and how much she enjoyed the home cooked meals??

This makes me sad.

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Yeah, it is weird indeed. However after reading the writer's interview, I think I have stopped expecting anything ordinary, she never does what we deem normal, the only goal in the whole drama that has been given 100% attention, is solving the mystery. So if Yeo Jin's family life has been sacrificed, she must have felt it won't serve any purpose in the plot of the story. Like, see how we saw shi mok's mom in the earlier episodes just because she gave his colleague the information about his surgery? So she wasn't included without a reason. Maybe the same way, we didn't get Yeo Jin's side of the story, since it wasn't an important information. But who knows, we could be in for some major surprise in the last two episodes. I do love those big reveals, so I don't mind to see what the writer has yet to offer haha.

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Yes, I agree with your thoughts on the writer's style. There are no filler scenes in this drama, which is why my blood pressure and cortisol levels are always high while watching. She definitely doesn't waste our time. Everything's tightly packed and lean. If we don't ever get a backstory for Yeo Jin, I'm satisfied with that, and don't think it subtracts from the story at all. But still, I'm excited for the twists coming our way .. because you know this drama definitely has twists aplenty ;)

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I think you maybe right.
There is one thing I don't understand and it can be because I might have misunderstood it. if Yoon killed ES, then won't he had blood on him? because apparently the killer dripped diluted blood onto the staircase and he didn't use the towel. And if he did have blood on him, the tenant would have seen it. So he must not be the killer. at the same time, he kept on touching the banister and possibly? leaving his finger prints everywhere.

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Yeah, I don't think he's the killer. Doesn't make any sense from a story telling perspective-- giving away the big reveal all premature is like dosing a smoking grenade with water.

Another theory: what if Yoon didn't kill Eun Soo, but knows who the killer is? Is he purposefully contaminating the scene to protect the killer?

And then there's the 07 tattoo thing. What do you think? Does it mean Yoon was present in the basement as an accomplice? Or is it a total red herring?

The thing about murder mysteries is that the killer always turns out to be a character that's already been introduced. Makes no sense to pull out a random person and be like, yeah him, this random psycho did it. We can exclude the culprit from the list Shi Mok's made, because having a list like that always means red herring. So the murderer is probably not Lee Chang Joon, Young Il Jae, Lee Yoon Bum, or Lee Yeon Jae. These choices are too obvious.

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For some reason ... I think Kim Jung Bon is the killer.

He's been around since episode 1, keeps showing up in strategic locations and scenes, has a backstory AND a middle school flash back scene complete with a teenage actor ... (aside from Shi Mok, he's the only character to have a childhood counterpart).

All this trouble for what? Guy hasn't done anything significant so far except act as human rights interventionalist for Gyung Won and draft a press release or two.

Plus he's been laying low for the past few episodes ... totally suspicious.

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^^ I found Kim Jung Bon very creepy, I don't understand why he has been around for so long, or why he was included in the team. Shi Mok said, his reason behind choosing the team members was, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. So does that mean KJB isn't as innocent as he seems?

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@music

yeah .. Jung Bon gives me the creeps. They (purposefully?) chose an actor who's great at portraying him with doe-like innocence and a speaking manner that's all gentle. But there's an unsettling current running throughout.

Hmm ... let me try making another list.

Most definitely not the killer: Shi Mok, Yeo Jin, Eun Soo

Suspected, but ruled out: Kang Jin Sub, Seo Dong Jae, Gyung Wan, Grannie, Police Chief

Suspected, but probably not: Lee Yoon Bum, Lee Chang Joon, Young Il Jae, Lee Yeon Jae

Strongly pushed as killer, but maybe not: Sec. Yoon

So this leaves: Kim Jung Bon, Eun Soo's mother, Jang Geon, Chief Prosecutor Kang, some abstract force such as Hanjo as a whole, or the corrupt government.

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I haven't crossed Jung-bon off my suspect list as well. I still have my doubts about Yoon, and Secretary Woo being the culprit seems glaringly obvious, that it makes me think he's not the one either. If it indeed is him, I wonder if he's acting under Lee Yunbeom's orders or if he has his own agenda.

But as another detective once famously said: once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

So, who knows what this show still has in store for us.

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There is one thing I don't understand and it can be because I might have misunderstood it. if Yoon killed ES, then won't he had blood on him? because apparently the killer dripped diluted blood onto the staircase and didn't use the towel when he washed up. And if Yoon did have blood on him, the tenant would have seen it. So he must not be the killer. at the same time, he kept on touching the banister and possibly? leaving his finger prints everywhere to destroy evidence.

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sorry for the repeated comments, first time typing a comment here after the site changed.

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My best guess on this is plot hole + he was trying to be really careful when he killed her.

I don't think the show would have Shi-Mok be so wrong about something this big so late in the show then he's supposed to be so smart (?)

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Not having Yeo-Jin's back story has been bothering me for sometime. Even if it is not dark or sad or has nothing to do with the murders, I still want to know more about Yeo-Jin. She's such a great character that I want to know more about her. I would a prequel to this drama with Yeo-Jin as the focus.

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yes! there is no way Yeo Jin could be so flawless. Sometimes if a person seems so perfect, he/she must be through a lot in life.

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If my memory wasn't wrong, Shi Mok told Yeo Jin in the very early episodes something along the lines of whether she's corrupted depends on who Yeo Jin was before all these. I've been waiting to find out the answers. I'm sure the writer wouldn't put a line like this in without reason.

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Show, you're ruining my kdrama watching experience!!! How can I enjoy upcoming dramas when you are this good! I'm not ready to let you go!

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1 - Shi Mok and Mr. Lee are the main fighters
2. Yeo-Jin and Dong-Jae and Mr. Yeom Lee
3. Eun-Soo and Mr. Young

This show isn't are usual action-flick 1 week a case drama. From the start we had 1 main Tree and from then on we are tapping the branches. Once this big project is solved then what else will be there to show? Another corruption case?

Shi-Mok needs much more emotional growth but that alone can't carry forward a show. The show is set in present and thankfully doesn't delve much into the past of the characters.

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I'm so disappointed in this drama and in this hero. Shi-mok treated Eun-soo so terrible. He used her when he needed her and then always kicked her out. Where has he been when SHE needed him so badly? Of course he shuted her up and forgot about her as always. She was always there for him and tried to help, she was ready to do everything for him and he just used her. How can we respect such a hero? What a dissapoitment, this drama started so well and then we got this...(((

And how dare he yell at Eun-soo's father. He just came to their family and demanded the truth but he didn't offer any protection for them. While Eun-soo's father keep silence his family was safe. But Shi-mok kept to ask Eun-soo's mother, he kept to visit Eun-soo's father and of course he provoke thise evil presedent for action. If Eun-soo were a member of Shi-mok team (she begged about it so many times!) she would'nt go to her father's home alone to search the compromising evidence, Shi-mok would stop her or they would go together. But he just kept to push her away (but still not forgetting to use her) and she had to do it alone, he only wanted to know the truth and he did not care who will pay for it.

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Shimok yell at her ... bec he tried to protect her . She is too eager and tried too hard ....

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Shi-mok treated Eun-soo no differently than anyone else – he never let others approach him, never shared with them, but often rebuffed them, ignored them or walked away from them. The only one he ever treated differently in this sense was Yeo-jin, and he didn't start out like that with her either (remember when he let a door slam into Yeo-jin's face?) You can decry it's unfair he cooperated (at least to a degree, never 100% either) with Yeo-jin, but not Eun-soo, but that's life. Indeed, it may well have been to protect Eun-soo because she always acted so impulsively.

<Shi-mok would stop her or they would go together

When did Shi-mok trying to stop Eun-soo ever work? That conversation he had with her father very early on about "protecting Eun-soo" made it very clear, what he could do, and what not. And it was also made very clear why he excluded her from the team – she didn't have the necessary objectivity, she already had an answer formed in her mind and was on a personal revenge quest, which was neither professional nor something Shi-mok needed on the team.

When did Shi-mok ever go with anyone? Why would he share info with her when he barely shared with others, including those on the team? He was always selective about whom he told what, if he told anything at all. Even the Scooby gang didn't get to see his sophisticated sketch on the whiteboard until the gang was dissolved.

Eun-soo's father sat at home and did nothing, asking others (Shi-mok) to keep his daughter safe. Sitting at home in silence was never going to keep Eun-soo safe, not with her determination and stubbornness, and not with killers around.

Besides, Eun-soo wasn't a damsel-in-distress just to be kept safe in a glass box by the hero and I, for my part, am glad the writer didn't make her like that.

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Good . Nice comment

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dear @Alua : I'm +100% behind your comments/observations !!!

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You're being a little unrealistic. Why was Eun-Soo's father sitting on such damning evidence? He should have turned it over to Shi Mok or gotten rid of it.
Shi Mok's keeping Eun Soo from being on the team was smart and a way of protecting her. Were you not watching the earlier episodes when Eun Soo continually barged into situations with no finesse at all? She threw herself into danger several times, as Shi Mok saw. If Shi Mok was trying to protect her, how could he give her more information? She'd just throw herself into a dangerous situation in her zeal to figure out if Chief Lee was the culprit. And remember how she showed up to show Ga Young the picture of Chief Lee? She didn't check with doctors first to see if it was safe for Ga Young, and she sure as hell didn't check with the investigation team to see if that would cause any problems for them. She just rushed right in and did whatever she had decided would get her answers, without consulting with people with more knowledge and more experience.
Her enthusiasm was a good quality. But she was dangerous to have on the the team--both for the progress of the team and for her own safety. I don't see how Shi Mok could have included her if he cared at all about keeping her safe.

And think about at the end--if, as I suspect, she was killed because she had the incriminating information she took from her father, that was all her own doing. She heard her father had information, so what did she do? Did she talk to her father? Did she wait until she could ask Shi Mok about whether she should find it for him? Nope, she *immediately* rushed home and grabbed it and then ran out with it.

I don't know where you are seeing him using her, either. She voluntarily gave him information. He couldn't stop her from trying to help him, even though he specifically told her to stop.

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well said JR, but was that really because she took that USB?
was it the Chairman's secretary or Yoon who steal that information?

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I don't know! That's just what I suspect. Based on Yeo Jin's comments, I don't think Eun Soo's killer is the same as Park's. I don't think Yoon killed Eun Soo, or at least I hope he isn't. Based on the timing, I think Eun Soo took the evidence, and the show certainly suggested that's what happened. So where is it? I think it's possible that Secretary Woo followed her and took it. I am just guessing, of course. But the method and motive seems different for her murder than for Park's.

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hey, this is not a fairy tale; while it's true that shimok has been consistently cold towards eun-soo, being accused of using her is i think too much; it's not like he shunned her away completely, it's just that she's too emotional and focused of avenging his father against lee chang-joon so letting her in the team is not a good idea, at least that's what i think; and i definitely remember scenes wherein he listened to her and he gave her chances to at least explain her suspicious acts which if i may add were not groundless...

shimok is not perfect, he lacks so many things but he's not as terrible as you perceive him to be

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Yes ...the previous ep ES somewhat cross the line ... come to his apt several times ... want to involve romantic ly with shimok ... Therefore shimok make it clear and barrier ...

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*sigh*
we are all entitled to our own opinions and yet, I am stunned at how Shi-Mok gets blamed for Eun-Soo's death...

I mean, did we not all watch the same kdrama where they were both on different & yet intertwining paths to justice?
Did we not all see Eun-Soo having a one-track-mind and Shi-Mok having his eyes wide open to options of whom culprits were?

People complaining about how cold Shi-Mok was to poor Eun-Soo... Did we not all watch him give the saaaaaaaame attitude to EVERYONE, including Yeo-Jin?

Why did he yell at Eun-Soo's father, you ask? Because his inactivity, silence and cowardice were factors in killing his own daughter, that's why. Eun-Soo, the righteous daughter, would have done anything and everything to clear her father's name, with or without approval from anyone, including Shi-Mok. It just so happened that he got involved in a case that was intertwined with her goal for justice and that's where this KDrama started from.

SHOULD he feel guilty? yes. anyone would feel guilty about another person's death, given how closely they worked together and how the culprit is the one that always seems to slip from Shi-Mok's grip. Any normal person would feel bad about missing that last call, or that their last words had been cold ones.

but blaming SHi-Mok for her death? blaming him for the way Eun-Soo bravely & recklessly went about her one-woman quest? naaaaaaaaaaah !

People: she's was a grown, capable and strong woman. not a damsel in distress. we applaud her for it, and we will miss her tenacity. but she was also responsible for her own life and she should have been just a little more careful. She DOES NOT deserve being choked or being killed, but still...

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Why did he yell at Eun-Soo's father, you ask? Because his inactivity, silence and cowardice were factors in killing his own daughter, that's why. Eun-Soo, the righteous daughter, would have done anything and everything to clear her father's name, with or without approval from anyone, including Shi-Mok. It just so happened that he got involved in a case that was intertwined with her goal for justice and that's where this KDrama started from.

This! I can't agree more. The father didn't realize that his little girl had grown up. It's no longer enough to protect her by shielding her from the truth or keeping her at bay. More than these, Eun Soo felt she needed to do something because her father couldn't and wouldn't.

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Shi Mok yelling at ES's father was among the most compelling moments of this amazing drama. As raw as it is, I applaud SM's yelling because her father deserves this wake up call, albeit a heartbreaking brutal one. He should know better that sitting silently on such damning evidence would not lead anywhere, not especially with such a zealous daughter who would do things at all costs to avenge his father. A sad fact but blaming Shi Mok for her death? I guess you are watching a different drama.

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wait, we didn't know why eunsoo get killed, it maybe because of the document that shimok didn't know beforehand or even the tattoo that he also didn't know related to her.

> And how dare he yell at Eun-soo's father. He just came to their family and demanded the truth but he didn't offer any protection for them. While Eun-soo's father keep silence his family was safe. But Shi-mok kept to ask Eun-soo's mother, he kept to visit Eun-soo's father and of course, he provoke thise evil presedent for action

He offered protection but he wants to know what to protect. He makes eun soo out of the investigation cause everyone is that investigation team is exposed to "the secret background check" that involve tailed their movements.

If he only wants to know the truth and sacrificing everyone he can, he will use eun soo for the investigation because she is reckless and will accept any front runner investigation, using her to bait her father and all but he didn't.

I guess your point of view is the same that eun soo shares, that eun soo help him no matter happen and do everything for him like bringing him the case folder, asking gayoung and suspecting other people he also had suspected.

The problem with this view is everything she did will need to have a payoff while in shimok perspective, he didn't need that so he didn't need to give her anything in return. It's frustrating if you are eun soo when all of the things you did didn't get rewarded.

It just the things that she did is only hold so much power in her own point of view, in shimok and overall investigation, she didn't add something new [beside the 07 accidental meeting] and more often act on an impulse that throws the investigation off.

If you say that shimok used eunsoo, I can say that eunsoo also used shimok on a certain things, epsecially on emotional level. As someone to put her hope, a figure to make her wish comes true, try to take the result of the investigation every time she get the chance, use every occasion to eavesdropped and to share his emotional burden without his agreement, she saw him as his shining knight with the same purpose as her, someone with the ultimate goal to help her and jail lee chan joon when he never agree on that. You can say that she did it out of her passion for the truth and the same argument can be seen for shimok refusal about her, it's his passion to solve the case for his own purpose that isn't all about her.

There are 2 sides of the coin and I still don't see how shimok used her when he needed her or she was ready to do everything for him. Shimok isn't perfect just as eun soo isn't perfect on her view.

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Well said.

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Keeping her away from the team he mistakenly thought he was protecting her. But I blame her father more than Shi-Mok.

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I know I'll get hate for this, but Shi Mok had reason to exclude Eun Soo from the team: up until the very end, he didn't trust her. And the thing is, he *couldn't* trust her because she exhibited a pattern of morally-compromised behavior; for several weeks he was very seriously investigating the possibility of her being the killer.

His decision to keep her out wasn't groundless, nor rooted in a fundamental "meanness". When the whole mess opened with Park Moo Sung's murder, Eun Soo allowed Dong Jae to manipulate her into being the "public face" of the investigation, going so far as to hand over the taxi black box footage and allowing Dong Jae to do his fake "last minute dramatic reveal in court" (a charade Shi Mok is all too familiar with, given Dong Jae had tried to blame him for something similar in their junior prosecutor days). She expressly said, in a court of law, that "we've received this tape just moments ago" when Shi Mok knew that was simply not the truth. Plus what she did was a serious breach of their mentor-mentee relationship. He was the lead investigator for this case; she merely presented it at trial. If Dong Jae & co. had tampered with the tape, Shi Mok would have gotten into big trouble.

But the most critical moment occurred in episode 2, when Eun Soo met up with Shi Mok, blaming him for the whole kerfuffle, and crying, "Why couldn't it have been a perfect crime? Why did the criminal have to go and kill a dog?" You can see the trust/respect eroding in Shi Mok's face that moment. Instead of feeling remorse for the injustice done to Kang Jin Sub, she's pissed the real criminal screwed up and in the process outted the whole mess.

I know it's a jerk move to dig up things that happened 12-13 episodes ago, especially since Eun Soo has died (RIP, poor soul). But I just wanted to defend the writer and the writing. IMHO, the whole setup with Shi Mok being defensive and on guard around Eun Soo was logically supported, and not at all a case of "mean writer writing about mean people".

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What you wrote is what I've been writing for many episodes now. There was fundamental trust issues. Shi-Mok tells her to her face that he doesn't trust her in episode 1. It took him some time to eliminate her from his suspect pool but he still couldn't trust her objectivity when it comes to the corruption investigation and for good reason. She was single minded in her pursuit of Lee Chang Joon. In addition, she was a young prosecutor with no experience and her father asks Shi-Mok as her mentor to protect her. So many reasons as to why he kept her at arms length.

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Hehe, Kasumi, you're like my observation sunbae ;) I binge watched the whole thing this week, so I'm joining the murder mystery party way late. The thing about watching all the episodes in one go is that I saw things in a seamless bird's eye sweep, without having to wait between weeks. It also means I remember too many shady things Eun Soo has done in the earlier episodes to fully warm up to her even when the show built up the sympathetic elements of her character later on (though, sadly, this is a narrative trap to twist the knife when she does literally get knifed).

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Yes I agree. He didnt trust her enough and he said that point blank when she confronted him why she was excluded from his team.

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Thank you for writing this !
I also think that at some point he stopped thinking she was the killer and tried to protected her from her own recklessness.

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c'mon ES cross the line sometimes and put herself in danger just to prove something she's not sure,like when she goaded dongjae until he's too angry that he choked her. Shimok saw that. That's prolly 1 why he don't want her in his team cause she put herself in danger. What if dj was the real killer back then?we wouldn't have this conversation right now.

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I see it the other way around tho. It seems like Eunsoo is the one who try to use Shimok for her revenge plan. And that is why she was excluded from his special team. And she knew that as he told her right at her face. And have you seen Shimok shares anything with anyone? He keep info to himself and decide when and what to share, even with Yeojin, the one we perceived that he feel comfortable, his so-called ally.

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You would've been downvoted to hell if the option wasn't removed recently..

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Hopeful shippers of romantic entanglements sometimes really seem to be watching a different show altogether, from the rest of the audience.

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How did this episode manage to be infinitely sadder than the last one? The aftermath of Eun-soo's death was truly gut-wrenching. Both to the characters and viewers.

The way Shi-mok looked in this episode really struck a chord with me.
Usually, he's perfectly groomed and impeccable, but this time he was disheveled, his shirt was open and he didn't bother wearing a tie. He looked almost out of place amidst all those other prosecutors at the funeral. And compared to his usual self, it was a jarring sight. Even his face didn't seem so neutral anymore, he looked tired and visibly shaken. And the nightmare that he had at the hospital was surprising as well, since he said he doesn't dream often. His angry outburst at the funeral was what startled me the most though. It seems like even in her death, Eun-soo will forever be the person that brings out such visceral reactions in him. I think Shi-mok blames himself for what happened to her, he seemed to almost choke on emotions when Young Il-jae was lamenting to himself that his daughter's death was his own fault... almost like he could relate to that feeling.
Her death really got to him in a way that Lee Yunbeom's warning didn't, and it was heartbreaking to witness.

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...Oh and it would be kind of awesome if Lee Changjun was really playing mind-games with his FIL.
As for whether Yoon is responsible for Eun-soo's death, I'm doubting it even more than before, especially after his hesitation to punch Yeo-jin and the look on his face.

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I don't think Yoon is responsible for ES's death. He cannot even bear to hit YJ. It's hard to think he could have killed ES in cold blood, despite all the death stares he might have given her in a prior episode.

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That scene when Mr. Woo is checking whether visitors had hidden spy equipment or not and then Mr. Lee went to washroom and came back, they way camera was circling around him. Slightly Dong-Jae style subtle facial expressions.

Even in earlier episodes Mr. Lee has looked having different ideas than his Father-in-Law. And all talks about duty and virtues with Shi-Mok.

We all can see there lies some good in the heart of Mr. Lee. But taking down father-in-law will be interesting.

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Mr Woo is probably an ex member of the Navy Special Forces with the same tatoo. He has got to be the umbrella guy who discovered the tax documents that Eun-soo left outside Shi-mok's door.
She probably gave Shi-mok information on Chairman Lee's company tax evasion etc and wanted Shi-mok to investigate further.
She came too close and that's probably why she had to be eliminated.

Secretary Lee seems to hold a grudge against Chairman Lee and his family.
His father was probably another victim of Chairman Lee's corruption.

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I'm with you, I hope Lee Chang-Jun is playing mind games with his FIL too. I do think he is doing something because he said something like ' extracting oneself immediately, or if later, there will be a price to pay...'

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I like how SM broke down this episode. ES's death seemed to affect him more than he cared to admit. Though we will never get to explore if the feelings are romantic, at the very least, they are those of a mentor-mentee relationship, and the sudden loss of a mentee he is supposed to be protecting.

It is very hard to watch him this episode, what with his disheveled self and shaken composure.

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I realized just how much I had begun to like Eun Soo when she died. I loved that her death wasn't just treated as another victim and instead was a catalyst for Shi Mok and Yeo Jin to figure out the killer. I feel like that is the best honor to give Eun Soo since she died trying to bring something to light.
The highlight of this episode was Shi Mok yelling at Eun Soo's father because it made me so freaking happy that my thoughts were being said and it was Shi Mok who said them and when he yelled I got legit chills can.
Another scene that was beautiful was the end one where Yoon and Yeo Jin fought and then he couldn't bring himself to punch her. To me it just proves the good character of Yeo Jin when even a *murderer* who was so vicious couldn't punch a police officer. However is Yoon really a murderer? I'm still waiting for a twist in the normal fashion of the show. It's strange that he can't punch someone but can brutally slit another person throat. Ughhh I'm torn between wanting the finale to enlighten me and yet I don't want this awesomeness to end!!!

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When Shi Mok yelled, at first I couldn't even tell who was yelling, as I didn't recognize his angry voice. Plus he was still facing the memorial when he started yelling. They set that up really well. I felt the other characters were as startled as I was.

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I want to know what lee Chang Joon is planning! He is definitely a complex character. Not just the bad guy.

I genuinely cried in this episode. So much full of emotions. The funeral scenes were so great. Again lee Chang joon and the actor were amazing.

Love the airport scene. Now I'm having doubts about Yoon. He hesitated in hitting Yeo Jin.

Two more episodes! ???

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I can't wait for the next episode! Another two more days!

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I'm guessing Lee Chang Joon used Shi-mok as his moral compass and also a distraction for Chairman so he can do a lot of investigating behind the scene. He also used Yoon to keep an eye on the gang's progress, who eventually got tangled with ES's death. The plane ticket Dong Jae saw was for Yoon and the Chairman was talking to Secretary Woo, who I think is the realy killer.

Btw, so happy that the finale would 90 mins loooong! Wohooo!

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Still don't think this one is on Yoon - it was a glimpse last epi but it just doesn't seem right that he killed Eun Soo, especially with the stick the Chairman wanted in play. If his aim is to get back at someone - punish Park, use Ga Young as a pointing finger, there's nothing in that that says execution. And all that stuff about a similar scene, not the same.

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Two points (which I have made elsewhere):

Chief Secretary Lee Chang Joon is so collecting intel on his f-i-l (though I don't think I see this scene in the recap???): he was scanned by the secretary for a "bug", then left to go to the washroom. The bank directors came in, they were scanned. He used that moment to return – and wasn't scanned again.

Perhaps also that's why he didn't talk much to his wife, telling her that her father hates when people are not punctual – my guess is he wanted to arrive early, get his 'scan' done, use the pretext of needing the washroom to get something to record the conversation and slip back in when the other guests were arriving at the actual meeting time.

I don't think Yoon is the Eun-soo's killer. Yoon: "Don't let Eun-soo's parents see her body" > He must have seen his own child's dead body. He is traumatised by this.

I think Chairman Lee's phonecall was to Secretary Woo, not Yoon. Just because he's talking about being on a plane and Yoon is at the airport, doesn't mean 1 + 1 is 2. They can both be at the airport, and by the sounds of it whoever Lee was talking to was already on the plane...

Yoon & Yeo-jin looking at each other – wowzee..... so much pain in Yoon's eyes, baring them as he stares into the deep well of Yeo-jin's soul (that which has made her that character that is so sensitive and observant and empathetic to everyone I'd argue).

<We’ll never know whether Shi-mok’s feelings for Eun-soo were romantic

Well, if he chose to say something about it, we'd know. I don't think he will, I also don't think his feelings were romantic but only a care for her as an older mentor, but the only one's whose feelings we'll never know are Eun-soo's (unless she wrote something in her diary). In any case, it hardly matters. As someone said previously, there are many forms of love, and many of those are not romantic. (Maybe drama viewers are just too stuck on romantic love because that's 90% of love that seems to exist in kdramas?)

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I didn't think SM's feelings for ES are romantic. It's more of a mentor-mentee relationship, coupled with the fact that her father had asked SM to look out for her. It didn't help that she was constantly getting under his skin with her interference and looking to him for approval and validation.

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Agree ..he just try protect her from danger ... ES tried to hard to seduce shimok ... she is a little bit cross the line ... therefore shimok yell @ her and kick her out

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What, Eun Soo did what?? She merely stated once that it won't work on him so she doesn't give shit about that sort of situation between them. That does not equal seduction, manipulation sure but seduction, No.

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She probably did romanticised Shimok action towards her but Eunsoo did not seduced him. He yell at her because she keep on doing dangerous things.

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@alua - my sentiments exactly. This episode was truly heart wrenching on so many levels. My eyes were full of tears to many times. As a parent myself watching Eun Soo's parents at the funeral was so very painful.

I too think Chief Kim left the room to put some kind of bug in. Then again, we've been thrown those red herrings before.

I just can't believe that Yoon is the bad guy. The look of pain on his face when he laid down his badge, and how he refused to hit Yeo-Jin are telling. So why was he leaving? hmmm

I think that ShiMok truly cared for Eun Soo in his own way - and that was as a mentor and protector because he looked up to her father so much. His grief was palpable. I've not seen this actor in anything else, so watching the outtakes with him laughing was delightful.

This show has been so consistently excellent in every way. I'm not looking forward to it ending. :-(

Still, I can't wait for the next episodes to come out so we can find out the answers to our questions (at least I hope we will)!

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Perhaps he did not commit the murders himself, but was trying to cover them up?

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I have to agree about Yoon. I just can't buy him being Eun-soo's killer given that reaction and I'll have to believe that until proven wrong.

It's definitely not something he could have plotted out and I actually only realized that this episode. I admit, the buildup last ep had me briefly convinced he'd planned something sinister while watching. But the reveal that Eun-soo had already gotten a hold of her father's evidence was the final push I needed to question Yoon's involvement in this.

On the off-chance that Yoon really was capable of killing her, I feel like it would have been heated and unplanned, unlike the incidents he felt justified in committing. And this is why Chairman Lee trying to pass Eun-soo's murder off as part of the case makes much more sense to me. I definitely think Chairman Lee was calling his secretary at the end because I could never picture Yoon working for him.

almost immediately , and, for some reason, if he did kill

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Good points! And interesting theory about the scene where Lee meets his FIL. I had to cut that scene for length, but there is not a single moment in this drama that's unimportant filler. (Which is amazing, and also makes my recaps into endless beasts, lol.)

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@alua i just made the similar comment above. The whole scanning the visitors scene and then camera paying all attention on Mr. Lee gave enough to think about.

That phonecall trick is predictable - We have seen it numerous times in other shows. The basic trick every director uses. I'm also sure that its Mr. Woo. But we also know that Mr. Yoon was in Mr. Lee's team. So he is connected to whatever is happening right now. Like Mr. Yoon i think Mr. Lee also loves his daughter and that's a big difference between Father-in-Law and Son-in-Law.

Kdrama world's romance propaganda has changed viewers reasoning skills. As soon as male-female lead are in 1meter distance, same cliche ideas start to form into our minds. Best way to take choices away from audience.

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<That phonecall trick is predictable

Yep. I didn't think for one second that Chairman Lee was talking to Yoon because of airport/airport. I don't think Yoon is innocent per se, but I very much doubt he's Eun Soo's killer.

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I agree Chairman Lee called his secretary. Because his secretary couldn't make a run for it thanks to the airport lock down. This part is in the next episode preview. I think Eun Soo will forever haunt Shi Mok but as what kind of relationship, that part is up to Shi Mok, I've said before connections on emotional level between two human being aren't always simple, it can be complex and sometimes has no definition. There moments were always lost in translation so we'll never know. Sge felt and expressed too much and he either felt and understood and/or expressed too little and now its too late.
I strangely think his nightmare signaled loss of Innocence. This is major loss for Shi Mok as an adult. It marks a change for him and both a new beginning and end. Good or bad, I don't know if the writer will allow us to know.

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I agree with you on everything.

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(Maybe drama viewers are just too stuck on romantic love because that's 90% of love that seems to exist in kdramas?)

Yes, yes, and yes. Although the speculation is fun to a point, Forest of Secrets is completely devoid of any romance.

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i was pretty convinced that yoon was behind all this mess but my solid theories were shattered as i witnessed those last few scenes at the airport... "he did something wrong here but no, he's not eun-soo's killer" were my thoughts (and i really hope so)...

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I know. In light if that last scene and bits of what we had seen throughout this episode I am unsure if he committed any of the previous crimes, let alone kill Eun-soo. He couldn't even punch Yeo-jin to escape. To me this indicates that he would not be able to harm someone he is close with ie Eun-soo. He still could be capable of the other crimes as he would not have any feelings of attachment to them. But, if he is a murderer, he must be working for someone but whom?

I wonder if we have multiple players each committing various crimes. One faction is threatening, one murdering etc. Or is there indeed one all Big Bad Guy.

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I think it's all related but committed by different players with different agendas.

My theory is that Chairman Lee is at the top of the corruption chain. Young Il Jae knew about it but was implicated and ousted.

CEO Park was Chairman Lee's tool and responsible for the death of Yoon's child somehow. He got away with bribery and thus incurred Yoon's wrath.

Yoon or Chairman Lee's henchman killed CEO Park. If it's Yoon then it is for revenge. If it's the henchmen then CEO Park was silenced.

Yoon or someone else kidnapped Ga Young and also killed Eun Soo. If it's Yoon then it is because he wanted to out all who were involved in the corruption and Ga Young has relationships with many of them.

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I just don't wanna guess anymore whether Yoon is responsible for all those crimes or not. This show keeps surprising me in a very unique way: we can never be sure whether we can outsmart the show or not.

All I can say is that I have been loving and enjoying every bit of this show. ❤️

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me second to this. there is still 2 episodes left. I don't wanna keep guessing and being dumbfounded anymore, I just wanna enjoy my last moments (noooooo!!)

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And the last episode will have 90 minutes airing time! Everybody rejoice!!! Every second matters in this drama, and I'll happily take extra helpings (read: so not ready to let go)

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I'm with you 100%. No more guessing. I'm so sad it's ending. This is certainly one of the best dramas I have watched in a while

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It's hard to watch Shi-mok looked so... haunted. He looked uncharacterically haggard, with thick eye bag and unfocused gaze. Despite him not showing any other signs of distress, I think he felt Eun-soo's absence more strongly than his other colleagues. After all, he is closer to her than any other member of his team, and she always sought him for advice and approval. When he exploded at the funeral, there was a storm of emotions behind his gaze, including that irrational guilt that seemingly choked him. It's strange to watch him almost frantically searching for proof in Eun-soo's room, unlike his usual organized self at all.

On the other hand, I'm glad that they finally apprehended their main suspect. (I felt heart broken all over again to see Yoon tried his hardest to escape. I still have so much hope for him. ?) But honestly, Yoon's reaction still bothered me till the end. If he is indeed the big baddie, I expected him to already used to do all kind of crimes, murder and kidnapping included. But he looked so shaken after Eun-soo's death and he is not faking it. And while I can see him doing vigilante move using Park Moo-sung and Ga-young, I can't imagine him stabbing Eun-soo to death. He also looked broken and beyond desperate when the police tried to catch him. It's almost like he knew something dangerous and used everything he has to run away.

Okay, I know it's foolish, but I still harbor some hope that he isn't the real murderer. Because while Shi-mok's deduction and reasoning are sound, we never saw firsthand that Yoon really killed all those people. There must be more to his stories. (Or maybe I'm just too stubborn to admit that he IS guilty.)

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"Despite him not showing any other signs of distress, I think he felt Eun-soo's absence more strongly than his other colleagues."

That is very true. All his feelings are just intensely brewing underneath, and just because he doesn't throw a fit every time, doesn't mean they're not there. (Bravo again to JSW for the amazing performance)

It makes me sad the way other characters look down on him, and kind of dehumanize him for seeming apathetic.

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Not ready to say goodbye

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Me too, I'm so ready to uncover everything in the final week, yet so not ready to say goodbye. How am I going to deal with post Secret Forest?

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I hope Seo Dong Jae will play the crucial part in last episodes. Just because.

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Same... I didn't realize it's the end

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Shi Mok has feelings! He probably had pent up emotions which caused him to pass out at the hospital and yell at the funeral. Even though they weren't positive events it's nice to see some emotions.

On the other hand, Yeo Jin is super awesome! I'm so glad she was able to catch Yoon but I was really nervous because I thought he was really going to hit her.

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This episode killed me. The fact that her death was such a, not shock exactly, because she had been in danger as soon as she saw the tattoo and with the way Yoon was looking at her afterwards, but that it happened so quickly and so immediately. And the way her death reverberated through this episode was so effective, even if it was borderline emotional manipulation. But it worked gdi.

But the fact that Yoon was the one caught with her makes me suspect he's not the one who did it after all, because if there's a drama that would make that a red herring it's this one, but who even knows.

And now I'm thinking Lee Chang-Jun is the mole and everything is just up in the air and how is there only 2 episodes left??

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Yes, her death is rightly predictable but the way it happened was just so abrupt, like a punch in the gut. I was still reeling from her death in this episode, it feels like an entire episode dedicated to her and I loved it.

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Yeah I appreciated the fact that her death permeated through all levels of this episode, as it should have. And even Dong-jae got to have a brief moment of humanity that was not primarily about him saving his own skin.

Her death was given the weight it deserved and it has far reaching narrative consequences which is also good because I would have hated it if she had only died to motivate Shi-mok even more or something.

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For me the thing that makes Yoon look guilty is the way he kept touching evidence that he wasn't supposed to touch (like the handrails). That said to me that he knew his DNA was at the scene and wanted plausible deniability for why it was there.

That being said, I actually think it's too easy. I think he was involved. Maybe he did the clean up though? But I don't think he killed her and I dont' think he was the person at the end of that phone call by evil FIL.

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This episode gives me all the feels.

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Me too! Still feeling emotional as I read the comments. I was crying so hard during this episode. I don't think a thriller/law style drama has ever made me feel this way

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Sadly, Shi-mok and Yeo-jin have no romantic chemistry. They are so buddy-buddy. Just friends to share a cup of coffe or beer after the hard day. He had a great chemistry with Eun-soo, there always was such a tension beetwen them, but now she's dead. He has such a storm of emotions because of this and I think he lost his chance for love with Eun-soo' death.

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Their relationship strikes me as very loving platonic friendship, Yeo-jin brought Shi-mok out of his reclusive self and help him interact with others like normal people, to me, it doesn't have to be romantic but it's definitely a good thing to see. Sadly, whatever chances he may have with Eun-soo is gone now and we will never get to explore both sides of their feelings.

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I honestly ship Yeo-Jin and Shi Mok so hard ?, but I'm also ok without a romance between them. I agree that their friendship is a good thing. I feel like Yeo- Jin brings out the humanity in him and through her, we get to see him express himself a bit

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A powerful episode brought by devastating sacrifice. I loved the funeral house scene the most, the display of sorrow, anger, regret, and intensity in these characters as they struggle with Eun-soo's death, even those who are strangers to her, are powerful stuff. After getting used to seeing emotionless, cold and almost unfeeling Shi-mok, it was so refreshing to see his vulnerable side, I cried a lot when he took out the sweater and thought of Eun-soo, great choice of OST as well.

Another scene that comes to mind is Yoon almost striking Yeo-jin, but stopped as soon as he saw her face, guilt was obviously overriding his every emotion. I still stand by my opinion that he killed Eun-soo, based on the Yeongsan police team speculations of the crime scene, the murder was done in a haste and different from his usual MO, that might be because Eun-soo showed up unexpectedly and revealed her knowledge of his tattoo. That being said, I do think he regretted it dearly, I don't think he's Park Moo-sung's killer, but he's definitely behind Ga-young's kidnapping, maybe he's not out for a kill but Eun-soo's knowledge of his tattoo really did jeopardize him a lot.

Also, I'm starting to see Lee Chang-jun in a new perspective. I always go back and forth with his character because he seems to swing to both sides, but now, it feels like Lee Chang-jun has been fighting his own guilty conscience all along. Maybe the person who orchestrated this whole thing is him? That's why he was sorry to his wife? Because he's planning to bring down everyone within the system, including his own family.

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Enjoy our last ride guys, bearing the emptiness with me.. it's only few days starting from now.
OMG ShiMok brain's speed is so much faster than my connection speed. If only I could put ShiMok in Tunnel instead, the serial killer will ends up 30 years ago and ChoiJinHyuk wouldn't be wandering around right here and there.

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I think Tunnel is the exact opposite of Forest of Secret but can't be compared cause Choi Jin Hyuk's character has so much emotion and act on that with limited knowledge.

They didn't even know it's a serial killer case for a long time so I felt the show has a different priority for their viewer. If FoS is about suspecting anyone and try to know their secret before they tole you based on deduction, Tunnel is about believing people and ask them to come out.

So putting shimok in Tunnel will make shimok in the 80's and if he ended up in 2016, idk if he wants to go back. Also, there's no encounter that makes the killer can be catch in the 80' or faster in 2016 since shimok/choi jin hyuk have no relation with the killer

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yeah I agree with you that he wouldn't want to go back because perhaps there is none in his past that had entangled emotion with him.
I meant if there is person who could be as rational and such a brain, probability to the villain to get caught sooner is somehow get bigger imo.

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I somehow don't pity Shi Mok in this episode. I kind of feel that he deserve this pain.

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Of course he does deserve. Now that he is being able to express his emotions , however much / little - a step up, isn't he getting better?? :)

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When Shi-mok went off on Young Il-Jae it shook me up so much. This episode was devastating, but I loved every minute of it, because the emotions were raw and real and, for Shi-mok, finally starting to poke through to the surface

Also, that moment at the end when Yoon hesitated before punching Yeo-jin was sooo gooood. Enough to make me wonder, even now, if he truly is the one who killed Eun-soo

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That scene was amazing! I love that this show illustrates that people are complex. No one is purely good and no one is purely evil. That even "bad" people struggle with their conscience. I'm so grateful that villains in this universe are not the cartoonish type so common in dramaland

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This episode was particularly heart breaking for me to watch. I felt numb. Eun Soo died in cold blood. A 26 year old young prosecutor who has suffered immensely and silently but who fought for the sake of justice for her parents although she had nobody by her side, to see her light, her passion, her spirit, her cause, her hopes all ending in a pool of blood. It felt heart-wrenching. Yes, she was misguided, ruthlessly manipulative but she had years to live, to learn. I think nobody ever talks about how her follies stem from not only her stubbornness but also her lack of experience and wisdom. Yeo Jin, Shi Mok, Chang Joon, Dong Jae have years of wisdom that shaped them. She was just learning, making mistakes and had potential. All of that just became nothing in a mere second. Has anybody here watched Fault in Our Star. There the main character Hazel had this book she loved that tells the story of a cancer striken Anna but the book finished abruptly. It is because Anna had died without any warming and her story ended there. That's what I felt watching Eun Soo, her chapter just ended so abruptly, violently after burning so bright that I can not help but feel it is unfair. But that is how some stories end. I also felt helpless. Now, Shi Mok, I was convinced near the end of episode 13 but he really may not care for her. But I was wrong. Then I looked back on all the episodes. Yes, Shi Mok has been extremely manipulative and rude at times but he has never totally blocked her out. He did that after episode 8. He approached her first in the Pojangmacha instead of ignoring her, that speaks volume. He doesn't approach anybody on purpose. I think he really might have tried to keep her out of this in his own way. But he realized that blocking her out was unwise idea only when it was too late. Also, Eun Soo repeatedly sought him out. She invaded his space, put her trust on him on numerous occasions, even when he tried he was extremely mean to her she still looked upto him for guidance, sought to pay back him helping her in her own way and refused to leave his side. Shi Mok is lonely. Very few people other than Yeo Jin reach out to him, even his parents has abandoned him on a level. So, Eun Soo was a constant he took for granted and I can bet that constant was a comforting. It doesn't help that his stunted emotions make him incapable of registering those tiny little emotions we all can recognize very well. So, whatever connection be it love that exist between man and woman or feeling of caring for the other and looking out that exists between a sunbae or hoobae or both or nothing, it all came to him in the wake of having lost the opportunity to understand them and convey that to the other. Loss, grief first made his symptoms reappear and then when he realized the full extent of it all, he looked resigned and then came the anger at having lost her. We will perhaps never know what could've been there between the two or may not agree on what it was as we all...

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Yessss, @gem28

You actually put into words all I wanted to say about Eun-soo, especially this:

"I think nobody ever talks about how her follies stem from not only her stubbornness but also her lack of experience and wisdom. Yeo Jin, Shi Mok, Chang Joon, Dong Jae have years of wisdom that shaped them. She was just learning, making mistakes and had potential. All of that just became nothing in a mere second."

This! I admit, even though I'm guilty of this myself, it's sad seeing so many write about how her death is "expected". Even though that analysis comes as much from a narrative perspective, as it does from a dissection of her character, it is still quite tragic when you think about it...the way the nature of this story causes us to almost deem her death a given. When, in actuality, though her recklessness definitely hinted at her eventual demise, her ability to be smart and capable also showed that with more experience, firmer guidance, and a less painful past weighing her down, she probably could have flourished.

I also feel for the fact that she was trying to reach out to him first towards the end. Though she could be flawed and manipulative and crossed boundaries repeatedly, there was something very genuine and earnest about her at the end, like she really wanted to get to the bottom of this with their help. I actually will probably always wonder now: If he had taken a chance and placed his trust in her, would she have honored it? A part of me thinks that if he had taken the risk and brought her on the team, she would have wanted to live up to his expectations of her, even though I know her personal aims could have tested that at times.

You also described the connection between them perfectly. I'm literally with you on every line. Especially about how lost opportunity will keep him or us from ever understanding the full extent of what kind of feelings were between them. It's just over, before he fully realized it was there.

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I never expected eun soo to die at all, I just thought that she'll go into trouble if she keeps putting herself in a vulnerable position and then realised that she needs to tone it down, like her encounter with seo dong jae.

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<I think nobody ever talks about how her follies stem from not only her stubbornness but also her lack of experience and wisdom

Well, I remember someone bringing up lack of experience before and then someone objected that Eun Soo was a full blown prosecutor

Pretty obviously she's stubborn but also lacking experience and wisdom. She's just a flawed person, as is everyone else in the show (though some have suggested that Yeo Jin is somehow perfect, but I don't agree with this). They are pretty much all... 3-dimensional characters, which is rare in kdrama.

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She may be a "full blown prosecutor", but she was also just recently promoted from a junior prosecutor... I think this was in the first or second episode? ... anyway, I agree with you. LOL

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Yup, this was her first year of work. 6 months under SM and then upped to be a prosec. How does it work in real life in S Korea no clue whether a newbie could be given a case immed'ly.
Here LCJ had a motive to set her up in Park's case and even SM bit the bait unknowingly. And its all till here now. Ah. Well.

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Oh. They are posted to remote offices away from the city. This was mentioned, to small towns / villages. She was to be pulled in into this mess...and certainly wasnt ready for it..

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This.

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You're quite right about Eun-soo, the most tragic thing is all the wasted potential she left behind. (a) The potential to really develop her skills and be a great prosecutor, (b) the potential of forming whatever relationship she would've had with Shi-mok, (c) and most importantly to her, the potential to completely clear her family's name.

There's so much she could've accomplished, but it was cut short and ended so abruptly.
All of these could've-beens make her story truly tragic.

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We will perhaps never know what could've been there between the two or may not agree on what it was as we all feel differently about Eun Soo but I think he did care. Part of Me wishes that he didn't because I felt devastated seeing him stumble his way through his emotions and understanding.
As for Yoon, he didn't kill her. It was Lee Yoon Beom's secretary. He killed her when he found her with the pendrive and then staged it to look like a serial murder. I hope they catch that bastard. He bashed her head and slit her carotid, that is one horrifying way to kill another person. If I turn out to be wrong and it turns out to be Yoon, whatever his back story may be I will not forgive him. So, I hope my theory is right.

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I agree. I don't think it's Yoon either but if it is, then he's off the rockers - two sides to his personality which doesn't gel.

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This episode was sadder to me. This episode was about grieving for Eun-Soo and the impact death has on those left behind. Her parents grief was heartbreaking to watch, especially after watching their optimism for her future in the beginning of the episode.
Shi-Mok's grief was also difficult to watch but it was Eun-Soo's parents grief that was exceptionally heartbreaking.
I grieved for Eun-Soo in this episode and cried watching her parents stand vigil at her memorial.
The Yoon reveal was not as surprising. Instead it only made me think there is more to this than him being the murderer. The timing does not seem to fit either. Eun-Soo called Shi-Mok right before she was abducted or attacked. But Yoon called Shi-Mok right after that from Ga-Young's hospital. Was there enough time? Had he already attacked Eun-Soo and was pretending to call from the hospital?
His demeanor after finding Eun-Soo's body and during the interview with Shi-Mok was so distraught. I'm not sure. Also, his hesitation to punch was interesting. It could be because he saw her face (and her disappointed but yet hopeful gaze) and with Ga-Young and Eun-Soo he first attacked them from the back. I have more questions than answers now and we only have two more episodes to go!

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It was specially very heart breaking that everyone who were trying to protect Eun-Soo lead her to her death...!

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everyone who were trying to protect Eun-Soo

It is more on the lines 'they thought / assumed' that they were trying to protect Eun-Soo.
Hence the problem.

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Gonna miss Shimok & Yeojin ... and all the casts ( esp SeoDeongjae ... a villian but know how to survived ) ...

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Seo Dong Jae is a total riot! A likable villain with NO redeeming traits whatsoever. He's such a huge piece of turd, but so committed to being a turd he's hilarious as consequence. Every time he shows up on the screen I'm howling with laughter. Someone needs to compile a list of "Seo Dong Jae's Greatest Hits" ... #iconic classics such as: "I'll roll around in a field of dog shit if that's what it takes to survive."

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Right? During episode 13, I got so nervous for him that I had to say "I'm worried about Dong Jae. I cannot believe I'm worried about Dong Jae." Lee Joon-Hyuk is giving such a great performance in this.

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Don't forget his "crane from Hong Kong" bit. He sure was hilarious ?

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LMAO he was so smug about that one too ? ?

Or this one:

"I'll be like a mama bird and feed you anything you need."

There was also something wildly funny about the way he was like "don't put me in jail, I have a mother in the countryside." The way he delivered the line was so insincere and duplicitous I was cracking up so bad.

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In a strange way Dong Jae's interactions with Eun-Soo were more real than with any one else. He said the same line about his mother to her and his emotion was believable. I felt Dong-Jae and Eun-Soo are very similar in character. They were dogged in their pursuit of what they wanted and were smart, impulsive and resourceful.

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This. I keep on thinking why I'm so nervous about Seo Dongjae working/spying on the Lees despite he has no redeeming traits. I loathe him and how he always manage to wriggle from any situations but I want him alive and fine (ok, probably in prison just so we can wipe off that smugness of his face). I'm nervous at his sudden change in this episode.

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Dong Jae is hilarious I really want to hate him but I can't. Even Shi Mok tolerates him.

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I think the way shimok reacted is based on the thought that he failed to protect eun soo.

Shimok hasn't realised that not many people thought like him and live in the same reality as him. He thought that his explanation for eun soo is always enough since it clear that he doesn't want her to dig deeper but he never sat down on it with her to make she realised on what he thought.
We never see any loss in shimok's life beside his mother and this is the 1st time he has another loss in life and that takes a toll on him.

Imo, shimok and eun soo really don't understand each other. Shimok doesn't get why eun soo keeps trying for the investigation [well this can contribute to the surgery] and eun soo doesn't understand why shimok doesn't want her to know.

Sorry if I sound like anti-eunsoo but I am not.
I just keep remembering that all this time, I don't think they ever understand each other motivation. Eun Soo wants it all and she keeps wanting shimok to hold her because she thought she has the right to all of that information while he refused because he thought holding it with her will put her in a vulnerable position.
He never agrees on sharing everything to her so he keeps on that page and she keeps giving him hints then asks for a payback without realising why shimok didn't share it with her.

In contrast to yeo jin or seo dong jae, they have a mutual agreement and they actively trying to bargain shimok's decision. Yeo jin with her go to his face and ask him point blank attitude and dong jae that clearly asked him what he wants to know. Yeon Jin and Dong jae are persistent into going inside of his life for the things shimok's care or actively helping him when he is unaware while eun soo only there when she needs something from him. She hides everything until get asked but yeo jin and dong jae say what important before getting asked.

I might be wrong and sorry of this is redundant but this is all I remembered for the relationship, [can't believe I say this] they never on the same page and they both assume that they already make it clear to each other while in fact, they didn't know each other.

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I think you're right on the nose that Shi Mok has always wanted to protect Eun Soo (the most recent misunderstood example: when he told her to get out of his car before he went back to his recently-invaded apartment) and otherwise has had a mentor relationship with her (even if she didn't recognize it), and it's interesting to bring up Yeo Jin and Dong Jae as counterexamples. He respects Yeo Jin, is comfortable with her and sees her as a peer, and doesn't worry about her. He has disdain for Dong Jae, is just using him at this point, and worries about him even less.

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I agree and disagree with with you say. I'm totally on board with ShiMok wanting to protect EunSoo as best he could. He thought that if he withheld information, she wouldn't be able to make any reckless decisions. Of course, we all know how that ended. ?

But to say ShiMok doesn't worry about YeoJin sort of ignores all the small signs that indicate he does. Like in Ep9 when he realized she hadn't said anything during their "Bread Party" he was visibly concerned (he even sighed!). There's the scene at the beginning of Ep8 when the apprehend DongJae and DongJae starts sounding aggressive and ShiMok steps forward as if to defend her.

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I interpretred the bread talk as more of a concern that she's upset at something (or with him), but that demonstrate a contrast in how he was more protective of Eun Soo like a child (complete with scolding and not telling her what he didn't think she needed to know) and with Yeo Jin he's more concerned and clued in about her general well being as a person.

I don't remember that part of Episode 8 (I'll have to rewatch it) except for Yeo Jin pulling out the cuffs and Shi Mok indicating they're not necessary (it's like she's the brawny enforcer of the two), but now that you mention it, I remember he started to get upset when Gun talked about how Dong Jae was bullying Yeo Jin. Of course, she was just going along with it (she could take apart Dong Jae in five seconds), and I think Shi Mok feels Yeo Jin can take care of herself, but I'd agree he does care and have concern for her as a partner and friend (his only partner and friend!)

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Liked this.

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I absolutely loved the filming technique used when Shi-mok awoke in the hospital. It perfectly portrayed his emotional state. The disorienting camera movements mimicked his feelings of loss, helplessness, and pain.

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Yes! I even wanted to make a gif but couldn't find a clip for it. I just love the camera work in this drama!

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Everything is top notch. Writing, acting, directing, editing, cinematography and music. All A++++

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The camera work is just out of this world superb. Shi-mok's waking up scene in the hospital was one of the many outstanding examples. Sometimes a scene would play out and I felt like I'm about to burst out crying from the joy of watching it, if you know what I mean. In the last episode where Chairman Lee was forced to apologise in a press conference for the military supply scandal, he bowed deeply and the camera focused on the top of his head, the part that otherwise will never be exposed in a man of his status because he'd never bow to anyone, and it made me feel SO TRIUMPHANT to see it. That one shot alone invokes shame for him, and vicarious satisfaction for the audience. This director sure knows how to use the camera to TELL A STORY (Kim Kyu-tae PD-nim please pay attention)

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Such a great episode. My heart is heavy for Eunsoo,Shimok and the rest. As Shimok stressed to Yeojin: you need strong motivation to kill someone, as badly i don't want to suspect it, Yoon has the biggest motivation to kill Eunsoo. Though i too, are bothered by Yoon's hesitation to punch YeoJin. I think he's somehow a good person at other time but again, strong motive to kill (can't deny i still like Yoon *cries*)

The scene at funeral was the best, everyone's acting is on point, the silent, exchanging gazes, Shimok's outburst and Lee Changjoon's unfazed face, and of course YoungIljae. Awesome and heartbreaking.

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I was particularly taken with that shot only of Chief Kang's face, no dialogue, nothing in the background.

Even if Yoon didn't kill Eun Soo, I'm assuming at this point he's responsible for killing CEO Park and thus leading to the framing and suicide of an innocent man, and the stabbing and near-death of Ga-Young.

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I was particularly taken with that shot only of Chief Kang's face,

I was so so taken aback when he comes in ES's office, the actor was great here. However shady, this death was a sudden sharp slap to his face and he conveyed it so well. All the actors are top notch.

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The funeral!

This drama is so un-makjang like but yet delivers all these gut wrenching emotions!

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Exactly so !

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The most interesting parts of the funeral were was NOT said out loud.

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"Chairman Lee is the most terrifying character"! I agree bu I swear that these people are way more scary in real life... They eliminate anyone who compromise their power/money with much smarter method such as man-made cancer or terminal illness...

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1. Yoon - It's this episode which made me doubt that he killed Eun Soo. If he said not to let ES's parents see her body, how could he be the one who killed her in such a cold blooded manner?

Remember, she was likely bludgeoned or hit unconscious then stabbed in the stomach and neck. Yoon couldn't even strike Yeo Jin.
Actually if Yoon was the culprit in Ga Young's case, he is not beyond killing a person. Although Ga Young wasn't killed, she was dangerously close to death and subjected to a horrific ordeal.
Is it someone else or is Yoon schizophrenic? Such that he can turn into a cold blooded killer in a snap.

2. Chief Secretary Lee - This is the biggest mystery of them all. I am very curious to know if it was something huge that made him turned against his FIL or was it resentment build over the years? I believe him when he said he had never been unfaithful to Yeon Jae. If it is such, then he must have used Ga Young for other purpose.
I think his FIL has underestimated him.

"He remembers Shi-mok asking if he was curious about whether Chief Secretary Lee is really the murderer, as Dong-jae had suspected. “It’s no longer a matter of being curious,” he says to himself, and heads back to his post.'

What did Dong Jae mean? Is he convinced that Chief Secretary Lee is a murderer? This was what DJ said after he thought about Eun Soo. I can't imagine how Chief Secretary Lee is involved in ES's death.

3. Romanticizing SM-ES and SM-YJ.
I think the show has intentionally left things ambiguous and I like it that way.
It's obvious that Shi Mok is devastated beyond our imagination about Eun Soo's death. However, whether he had any romantic feelings towards ES, does it matter?
I disagree with those who felt that SM treated ES badly and was somehow responsible for her tragic fate.
Let's put it this way, Shi Mok treats almost everyone badly going by convention. Eun Soo was no exception, in fact she seemed to bear more of the brunt. This was because she wouldn't be denied or turned away so easily like most. She just kept on coming to SM.
I also think that SM kept Eun Soo out of the team and withheld information from her because it was his way of keeping his promise to her father.
Now, we know that despite his coldness and harsh treatment, he actually quite deeply for Eun Soo. Now he is devastated by her death as well as feeling very guilty about it.

While I was shipping Yeo Jin and Shi Mok, I also realized that I can't read Yeo Jin's feelings towards SM either. It seemed very strange that she was 'encouraging' SM and ES at the gathering at her place. It is not something a woman would do if she has any romantic interest in the guy. She acted like she was more curious than anything else. I am sure she is fond of SM and cares for him but that's also something not very unexpected of Yeo Jin.

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Hello! Just wanted to share my thoughts (: About Dong-jae, what he thought struck me as a sign that Dong-jae would be taking more active measures to find out whether or not Chief Secretary Lee was truly the murderer. I was thinking that it could mean that Dong-jae was drawing a line here, that if Chief Secretary Lee was somehow behind Eun-soo's death, this would be something beyond what even Dong-jae could accept, and he would definitely go against Chief Secretary Lee if this was the case. So maybe we'll see him cooperating with Shi-mok even more in the next episode, to not just be "curious" i.e. in a passive way, but to be determined and actively working to find out.

And I agree with you about how it's hard to read Yeo-jin's feelings for Shi-mok. While she did defend Shi-mok at that dinner at Yeon-jae's house by saying she likes women too, like you said, it felt strange that she seemed to be "encouraging" Shi-mok and Eun-soo, by inviting Eun-soo over, and by suggesting that he send her back home. And even when she went over to his house, it felt like she didn't have any intentions other than to just make sure he would be alright, and she even left when she realized it was late. Sigh. I can't deny that as a shipper of Yeo-jin and Shi-mok, I felt crushed when these happen ? Then she goes and smile when she finds out about him keeping her drawings, and I just melt, sigh...

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Yeah, I took those comments as Dong Jae saying that now he needed to know whether Chief Secretary Lee is responsible, and to do something about it if he is. Of course, with this writer, who knows! There were so many twists that I didn't see coming.

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1- I believe Shi-Mok relationship were never romantic with either ladies. He has a mutual friendly relationship with Yeo-Jin. While he had mentor-mentee relationship with Eun-Soo. Both relationships were very great in their own way!! So, I don’t understand why people shipping him with either ladies while the chance of romance is very close to zero!!
2- The show never tried to show Shi-Mok as a person with no mistake. He certainly has some psychopathic behavior and low EQ (despite his very high IQ) and lack of emotional sensitivity. He tried so sincerely to protect Eun-Soo because his father asked so. However, his lack of emotional sensitivity made him to ignore Eun-Soo when he should not, and that's why he feels guilty about....

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I can understand why viewers ship ES and SM or SM with YJ but I can't understand why SM is blamed for not treating ES well because she was so nice to him.

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I guess whoever blaming SM for that did not get the main point of this show! I wonder if they are watching the same show, or if they think this is a rom-com...

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probably they need to see more crime-mystery genre..

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Mann...if this a rom-com, SH is probabaly drinking and crying somehwere at a cliff. (Cold hearted emotionless lead will display all his emotions the moment he fells in love~) And we will get 45 mins of flashbacks on their interactions. And subway. Dont forget the subway ppl.Drowning his sadness with a sub.
*shudder*

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1. I'm not sure Yoon is Eunsoo's killer but I can believe it if they goes to that plot. Remember, Eunsoo is already unconscious when the killer stab her. So he didnt have to to look at her in the eye or whatsoever with Eunsoo. Staring and making eye contact with Yeojin, a familiar face, a team member probably shakes him up for a bit thus giving the other policemen to apprehend him.

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"Shi Mok's keeping Eun Soo from being on the team was smart and a way of protecting her".

Yeah, it worked so well, right? He could kill her by his own hands with the same success.

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well, it maybe not smart as perfect because he didn't predicted how much eun soo and him understand each other and what she is willing to do but I hope we can agree that we don't know why she got killed yet.

What if it because of his father? to keep him silent, or maybe it's the document? or maybe it's the tattoo she discovered?

and isn't this accident happen after the team got disbanded?so whether she is on the team or not doesn't contribute much to why she gets killed as all the cause didn't come from "being into the team"

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Her father is far more to blame than Shi-Mok.

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Smart, not foolproof, not infallible. Based on her actions and what he knew about who they were up against, it was the best plan.

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Yeah, this whole assumption of 'protecting' her by keeping her away.

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I found it odd when Chief Secretary Lee left for the bathroom AFTER he'd been searched for bugs. Did he go turn one on? It may be a red herring, but now I'm wondering if he's been actively working behind the scenes setting up his father-in-law for a major downfall.

I think CEO Lee's man killed ES. Yoon may have killed Park, but I don't believe he killed ES.

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He probably had something hidden - recorder or something.

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Thank you for the recap, @laica. Your words were like magic which revived the feelings I'd had while watching the episode, and it felt like I was reliving the episode again just from reading your words. It's the first time I've ever felt that way from just reading a recap, so thank you for this memorable experience. ❤️

I'd never expected myself crying on a mystery/crime/thriller show, especially not this one, where I was usually just excited to meet the newest answer which would be coming around the corner. I really appreciated how the show addressed this notion of grief through Shi-mok, especially in the sweater scene where all his memories of Eun-soo came back to him in a flood. It might sound strange, but somehow... The way the show's characters reacted to Eun-soo's death was both painful and comforting at the same time; by showing how people react to loss in such varied and realistic ways, I felt like the show was truly empathizing with all of us who had ever felt the same pain.

Other random thoughts: I really enjoyed the way the scenes were filmed, when Shi-mok was in the hospital, groggily getting up. Like other Beanies have mentioned elsewhere, the camerawork made me feel the same disorientation and nausea, and it was just so satisfying to be able to get so close to what a character was feeling. While on the subject of the hospital scenes though, am I the only one who was disappointed because Yeo-jin didn't hold Shi-mok's hand while he was unconscious? ? *sheepish* I know I shouldn't ship them so hard, but I kinda just wished she'd have felt that kind of need to hold him, you know? Like, a protective gesture. But of course, it's "real life" in Forest of Secrets, so Yeo-jin has to go and nab the bad guy, and not hang around by his bedside waiting for him to wake, which was a touch of realism that I appreciated as well. ?

Finally, on a more lighthearted note I just wanted to say that part of me found the last scenes at the airport hilarious; I couldn't help but think about how this could totally be a scene from Running Man! Think about it, a chase at the airport! And the funniest part for me then was how Shi-mok, when Section Chief Yoon was caught, strode up to him to pull down his shirt collar, to reveal the UDT tattoo! I mean, that's totally like a Running Man name-tag chase which
ends up with you tearing a name-tag and finding out that underneath it was the label, "spy"! ?

I also can't believe that we are nearing the end of this wonderful show. It's also the first time I've experienced watching a show which initially had very few Beanies commenting here on Dramabeans, but later on had rapid explosions in the number of comments every time after a recap is put up. It's a surreal experience, and I'm glad to be part of this experience of watching a show I enjoy become a hit with so many others (((: It has been truly satisfying to read through what all of you Beanies have had to say...

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Ahhh, so glad to know I wasn't the only one hoping that yeo jin would stay at his side in the hospital. Wouldn't it be nice if shi mok's wake up first then notices yeo jin is sleeping in her chair next to his bed?

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Sorry but IMHO such a scene wouldn't fit with this show and that's exactly why the writernim has avoided it :-)

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Aw, thank you @rhapsophie, that's the best kind of compliment! ❤︎

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how Shi-mok, when Section Chief Yoon was caught, strode up to him to pull down his shirt collar, to reveal the UDT tattoo!

In that whole absurd airport sequence , I found this quite erotic.

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Lmao, I thought he was gonna punch Yoon.
Funny how everyone interprets it differently.

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LOL IRL

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I don't want to say goodbye to this amazing, amazing drama. This is the whole package! It'll be hard to watch a drama with the same genre, the standard is too high now.

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(oops, I didn't realize I was writing so much! T.T)...about the show. Here's to the weekend...!!! ?? (And a bunch of tissues too because I'm so not ready to say goodbye...)

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It was so heart wrenching to watch eun soo's parents all happy and smiley talking about their bright one and only eun soo, when we know that she's already gone. I remembered that I keep praying that they will not show the scene where they had to informed eun soo's parents that their child is no longer here in this world. Because god, that surely will add more pain for me as we had to watch those laugh turned into an endless sobbing.

And shi mok! He must be feeling so guilty knowing that he might be the last person she tried to reach out, and he dismissed her with "I'll call you back" (now, he never could). The guilt must be stressing him out that he even collapsed.

I was relieved to know that it was yeo jin who knows the news about shi mok first and rushed to the hospital. Why the hospital called her first? Was it because yeo jin is the most frequent contacted number in his phone rather than his fellow colleagues in prosecutor's office? Or was it simply because yeo jin was the last person who had contact with him? I think I would be super happy to know that maybe shi mok and yeo jin had a midnight conversation so often (even if it was all about case, I wouldn't mind).

Also, so glad that our team finally catch Yoon! Although, now I'm not sure if Yoon really is the one behind all the murder and attempted one at ga young. Because if he is the one behind it, why would he hesitate about punching yeo jin? If he really is the murderer, sure thing punching is never a problem. He is capable of it. Or was it because of his moral "I do not punch women"? I don't think so. If he punched yeo jin, he would've had time for himself to run, escape. Did he know the consequences of his hesitation resulted in him getting caught? Or was he surrendering himself?

On a side note, this show sure does have the best OST!!

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< Why the hospital called her first?

I don't think the hospital called her first, but that she called the place where the autopsy had taken place, since that was his last known whereabout. Since he fainted there, the people there would have been able to tell her which hospital he had been taken to. Kang didn't call there to begin with, because he probably didn't know that Shi Mok went for the autopsy (Yeo Jin knew, since she watched him leave from the murder scene to follow the ambulance with Eun Soo's body).

I think it's possible that she is the only (other than the autopsy people) to know that Shi Mok collapsed and ended up in hospital, since he left from there quickly and probably didn't tell his superiors about it later. I hope he knows that she stopped by :-)

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Now that also makes sense?

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"I hope he knows that she stopped by :-)"

I think he would know that she stopped by, bc Yeo-jin asked him in the police station if his head was alright. He probably connected the dots on why she would be asking it in the first place.

I'm more curious about his reaction on finding out that she knows about his surgery. If he doesn't already. Or if we'll even get to see it.

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I sobbed at the funeral scene. Eun Soo's parents' grief, Shi Mom's grief, guilt, and anger, Yeo Jin's bow to ES's mom. This drama may be about Byzantine political machinations and corruption, but it's always about people first. Chairman Lee may be playing a very long game and playing everyone around him, but those pawns are real people without being reduced to villainous or heroic stereotype.

Yoon has become such a mystery. Who's game is he in? That charged moment between him and Yeo Jin was incredible and fascinating! I wondered if there's a longer game out there. Is it possible that she knew him before, but wouldn't she know about the loss of his child? Was he just feeling all the regret from going to the dark or is there something else?

Is Chairman Lee even his own man? Sometimes he seems worried and vulnerable himself, then he turns back to Mr Evil.

Our Shi Mok. He became so very vulnerable. I'm even more worried about him now. You see the weight of every supposedly rational decision on his shoulders. His ability to control his anger came at such a high price, I'm terrified about what happens if he breaks. Cho Seung Woo is an amazing actor!

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What is this reference about? "Byzantine political machinations and corruption"

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That scene with sweater makes me cry a river and torn my heart into pieces, indeed! Even worst while listening to the OST by Peter Han ??
Now I'm in total dilemma where I can't patiently wait for saturday yet can't also accept reality that it's ending this week. Arrghhh

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Masterful is how this hour drenches to the bone the effect of one person's brutal sudden end on every person on screen and the viewer.
From the first scene in the prosec's office when Chief Kang comes in with a look of being shaken, shocked and saddened to greet the police officers to last scene of Yoon and YJ staring down at each other, both broken, both lost it was a heavy feeling through out. This is the best episode in this series because everything was internalised, every character was made to stop in their tracks and feel. Feel what when all of them have been whirling around in a carousel that has suddenly comes to a stand still?

What brought a lump in my throat was the scene in LCJ's car when he says Dong Jae aa and asks him not to be his shield. LCJ was ready to take the fall. This silent stern man, who I really thought was good-bad-good- now clearly wants to repent for what he has done.

SDJ's slow unstable walk to his office doors from his car in the basement. This man is changing for the good I felt (until he gets wily again with the ticket episode). But there is change I think in him, for the better.

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YJ, how empathetic and sympathetic a person she is. She cries for every victim's loss , yet simply carries on. Her banging her feet and head in frustration after SM left I really liked.

SM yelling at ES''s father was cathartic for me. Atlast someone spoke the words that he absolutely had to hear. The actor who plays the father is great as well, it was just a change in his eyes, they became rounder, softer , as he realized he had failed his own daughter big time. It brought immense relief.

LCJ, what a stoic man. I was simply admiring how he held position, held still during the whole funereal fracas. I became shallow and thought, Id like to get to know a guy like him, although he is older.
But his expression didnt waver , he stood his ground and it was in the personal space in his car that he sunk. This actor through out the series has always taken centre stage for me. Now he is really the only one under the arc light.

I didnt not relate to the whole 0 7 Yoon episode. It felt rushed and sudden for a series that has calculated its every move so carefully.

I'm not interested in who killed ES, its become so tight knit that there are just so may suspects and one will thrown in the spade sooner or later. I want to trace her moments of her last day. What was she upto and how she ended up like that. Did she put up a fight? How much pain was she in? Surprise? Hurt? Defeat that till the end she couldn't achieve what she wanted? I want to know her last day. I wish I know this in ep 15 . This is what is in my mind.

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A

That is such a powerful comment. Thank you.

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You are welcome, Tom.

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Yes to Dong-jae's slow walk after his "What a foolish girl" remark! I feel like it signifies an important turning point for him as well, like he's preparing himself to actually do some good things behind those doors. I don't know how the actor and director did it but it sure is working.

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My theory is that it is not just a single killer or crime. Many criminals, each with their own motives.

Yoon took down Park and used Ga-young as a bait to lure SDJ, knowing that he helped Park to cover up for the accident which killed his child and received alot of won for it. He was the one with SDJ when he was arrested. Maybe Yoon did it for his personal revenge (which would be an underwhelming reason) or he could have done it for a greater good to kick start this whole sequence of events. Who is/are his targets? Park was involved in bribes and framing ES's father with the Chief Secretary Lee's Father-In-Law.

ES was killed by Woo, who probably framed Yoon by staging the murder to be like Park's. He killed ES under the order of the FIL to recover the USB. Because of the tension, he was afraid that ES'S father will reveal the truth. What better way to get the USB by stalking and waiting for it to resurface? Again the FIL is involved, this time, murder.

Lastly, perhaps Chief Secretary Lee is secretly collecting intel against the FIL for treason (?) against the country with the matter of the weapons. FIL has apologised in order to turn things around but with solid evidence, he can't escape. Maybe Chief Secretary Lee is ready to go down with his FIL, hence his apology to his wife and checking of her assests to see if she would be well provided for when they are both in jail. FIL is involved and this time he is doomed ha ha ha.

I hope there is a big plan which sets off these events and not a chain reaction plot! Who knows, maybe Chief Prosecuter Kang is the ultimate mastermind and Yoon is an undercover police LOL.

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Thanks for the recap!
What is the reason behind Yoon? Did he work alone or someone behind him?
What I see is, Yoon is actually in disbelief....maybe he actually don't want to kill Eun-soo. Whatever the reason is, Yoon is a mistery to me.
With only 2 episodes left... can we get season 2 please?!?
I want more Shi-mok, now that we know he can actually feel something (though can't express it), that's explain the ring sound at the 1st episode.

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"that's explain the ring sound at the 1st episode."

Did you meant the time when he fell down after meeting his mother?

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The aftermath of her death is more painful to watch. Shi-mok looking disheveled and that angry outburst at the funeral said it all - no one can truly be completely without emotion ( which is so what comforting for Shi-mok's sake). The funeral scene was so well acted and set the trigger to explore everyone's humanity.
Eun-soo was always going off on her own and i don't see how shi-mok including her in the investigations would have changed that. She was always willing to test out her theories (no matter how dangerous) without the help of anyone like in Dong-jae case which got her killed. Shin Hye Sun did a really good job here, I hope she takes challenging roles like this in the future.
Yoon may not have killed Eun Soo but he is the #1 suspect for Moo Sung Park's death and Ga-Young's kidnapping. I am curious about his reasons. I highly doubt he worked with the chairman, maybe he was working with Chief Secretary Lee because he had the plane tickets instead to take down Chairman. One week to go and so many questions - Just the way I love my shows (keeping me guessing until the end).

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Whether he is guilty or not, I think he purposefully messed up the crime scene.

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yeeess, abt yeo jin and Yoon. I felt so ridiculous for thinking like that. But I am glad to see that I am not the only one. My first thought at the scene was "Omo is she his wife or sister or someone. while yoon took revenge's path Yeojin chose law. or worse she is his hidden acomplice." I think Shi mok noticed it too. I think he also was looking at Yeo jin's bewildered face.
I don't think the person who chairman lee called is Yoon. It must be his secretary.
By the middle of the drama, I thought it is better for Yoon to take the crown of the villain than yeojin, because I wanted to trust her completely.

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The only thing that makes me think that Yoon is innocent of Eun soo's murder is that he gained nothing from that. He is an efficient prosecutor and he himself knew that it was just a matter of time before his involvement is revealed. He would have known that he won't be able to escape from Shi mok after killing Eun soo. He has worked with the team and he must know how efficient the team is.
There was always a feeling in the drama that Shi mok was purpose fully dragged into the case by the killer. whoever is the killer, he chose Shi mok so Yoon would have known better.
But his messing up the crime scene was fishy.
Again I saw many comments idolizing Yoon. Yes maybe he has a backstory a tragic one at that. But he is a villain for sure, though there are more worse ones than him.

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This drama is sooooo good, the acting is top notch! It's amazing how Jo Seung Woo was able to convey sorrow, despair, anger and frustration in such an introspective manner.

Isn't it ironic that while Yeo Jin was the only one to make him smile, Eun Jae was the only one to make him lose his cool? Twice he lost his temper and yelled at her, this coming from a man who isn't supposed to feel anything, says a lot. Either way they are two women he cares deeply about.

I knew that he felt Eun Jae's death deeply and I wasn't surprised to see him pass out due to emotional stress. Poor man.

As a passing thought, could it be that when Chief Secretary Lee told Shimok that he would never catch him, was it because he really didn't do anything wrong? Part of me still hopes that Chief Secretary Lee is working undercover to catch his unscrupulous Father in law. It would explain why he feels he has to apologize to his wife though he never cheated on her.

Either way, I both anticipate and dread next week's episodes. Dread because it'll soon be over and then what will I do? Anticipate, because I can't wait to see how things play out.

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Eun Jae? You mean Young Eun Soo?

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Nah, actually the first time he yelled to the wife of the guy who was falsely accused and killed himself in ep2

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As well, not sure what is the basis of this absolute assuredness of a conclusion by many that SM did right and protected ES by not taking her on the team.

Who knows? Till date she was working alone, recklessly. If one accuses her of being all up to her own game, how would her dynamics change being on a team (broken and unsure even as it was)?
May be it would have worked , may be not. May be , atleast to some extent the way she runs her own course will be exposed? Would she share atleast with YJ and Yoon (before) what she had and get some head direction that she needed? Would she heed to their logical explanations? No idea.

What happens in this scenario when she is on the team is not something one can 100% know and conclude with such surety that is being done now here. Whether she would still meet her end or whether she would have improved and be on a better path , it is an unknown.

Hence this immediate given of ES's exclusion for her own safety has no foundation to stand its talk on. Who knows what could have happened if she were in. But just because she is not in the team, it was safe for her doesn't quite fit as her death simply proves otherwise.

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She was excluded because she was knowingly biased against the case, because of personal conviction that Lee was the culprit.

Maybe the exclusion was also for her safety, but Shi Mok made it clear from the start that a professional investigation is no place for getting your personal revenge. I don't think he was coming up with excuses for why he excluded her, his observation about her bias was 100% spot on, logical and professional. It's of course possible that other team members also had a personal bias, but Shi Mok, while having suspicions, was not certain of that – but he knew for sure with Eun Soo. He had no reason to include her on the team, more so than anyone else.

<Whether she would still meet her end or whether she would have improved and be on a better path , it is an unknown.

Exactly. She might have died either way, b/c even if she been on the team and Shi Mok had tried to stop her, she would have done it anyway.

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I don't think he was coming up with excuses for why he excluded her, his observation about her bias was 100% spot on, logical and professional.

Oh the sweater return scene. Hmmm. Still , not sure , but yes she didnt refute her reason as well here.

Exactly. She might have died either way, b/c even if she been on the team and Shi Mok had tried to stop her, she would have done it anyway.

No, Im not saying this at all. Gosh. She may have died or not no one can tell. It is not that as you say 'she would have anyway'. Not at all. A what if scenario cannot have a definite conclusion.

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Sorry, I don't get your point about the sweater return scene.

I didn't say she "would have died anyway", I said she "might have died either way". Might, which can also mean she might not have died at all.

Anyhow, she wasn't on the team and she died. I'll leave everyone to hypothesise other scenarios of their choosing.

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I'm so curious about Yoon.

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Hi Sylvia, I agree with you the way Yeo Jin and Yoon look at each other seems like have something there between the 2.

Honestly as a viewer of this serie I hope that Yeo Jin remains the good character. I will not like if we find out that she is a bad girl, because during the show she was a character that always tried to do the correct thing. But if turn that she is in the bad side this will be a big twist in the plot.

But yes agree with you the way they film the Yoon and Yeojin seems like have something more there between these 2 characters.

Other aspect that makes me think is the scene EP 12 the way ShiMok look at the drawings of Yeojin like something was wrong...

Some of the draws seems a child draw...maybe are the drawings that she made when child or maybe is something related to Yoon's Child.... Is just one idea I don't know if this assumption is possible or not....

For me until now this drama is the Best drama of the Year along side with Tunnel. But all the cast, the writer, production everything is perfect in Secret of Forest ... A Highly recommended Drama.

Excite for the 2 last episodes but I wish this drama have more episodes.

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<Hi Sylvia, I agree with you the way Yeo Jin and Yoon look at each other seems like have something there between the 2.

Yeo Jin might still turn out to be the big baddie behind it all. ;-)

Remember, this drama is particularly good at making everything and everyone seem suspicious. We'll know soon enough who the big baddie/s is/are!

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The scene between Yoon and Yeo-Jin took me by surprise. Yoon and Yeo-Jin had more chemistry in that small segment than Shi-Mok and Yeo-Jin in all past episodes.
I felt that her gaze was sad and disappointed but still filled with compassion. As if asking Yoon why? WHY? and Yoon just couldn't hit her when faced by that. He was fine twisting her arm and pushing her away it was only when he was faced with her gaze he couldn't punch her. It looked like he was trying to but couldn't.
But INTENSE chemistry between the two.

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No, Yeo Jin won't turn 'bad'; that compromises the entire fabric and integrity of the story. If that happens, it'd be a case of bad storytelling for the sake of shock value.

But I do think there might be a past link with Yeo Jin and Yoon, and yes, one that's linked to those drawings, which is another major recurrent motif throughout the drama. There's got to be significance to them.

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Yes. YJ is pretty much touch me not in terms of characters turning grey or outright black. She's been designed written such, as the only hope and positive source in this drama.

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I am a bit suspicious of Kim Jung-Bon also maybe he is a good guy but maybe have something there I don't know if he genuinely likes ShiMok It seems that he is still resentful of something that has been badly resolved in the past...I think as the named of the drama everyone have a forest of secrets...

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I know that many folks think that Shi-Mok yelling at Eun-Solo's father is wrong but I think his reasoning is correct. I agree that the place is not appropriate but Shi-Mok was not in his right mind.
For several episodes, Eun-Soo's father has been sitting passively even when he knew his bright and determined daughter was working on clearing his name. He did nothing to actively dissuade her other than mouth a few platitudes. He knew a lot more than a lot of of the other people but chose to stay silent. Also, it would have been so hard for someone like Eun-Soo who so obviously idolized her father to watch him shut himself up and be miserable. It would have only increased her determination to clear his name. Even when Eun-Soo was being dragged through the mud in the cable technician case, her worry was for her father. So I feel that what Shi-Mok said was true.

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I agree. Tactically it also wasn't the best move to yell in front of everyone how Eun Soo's father could have done something, but I do feel that Shi Mok has been getting too much blame for keeping Eun Soo off the team and out of the loop. There were valid, even professional, reasons for both, and with her headstrong ways she could have gotten into trouble anyways or even earlier (the one time she worked with Shi Mok to search Dong Jae's office she was physically accosted by Dong Jae, and the other times she tried to directly help she got choked and ended up in the back of a truck). So that's all debatable and speculative, but if anyone on the good guys' side (depending who you count in that category) could have prevented this, it's her father. He's had the most information for the longest time and revealed the least, including to Shi Mok and Eun Soo, even when he was asking Shi Mok to protect Eun Soo.

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This.

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Another bleeping USB holding critical evidence without any bleeping backups!!?????
Argh!!!
Do the writers who keep pulling this even make backups of their scripts??

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He wanted to the the original to the grave with him, why would he make a copy of it.

The thing is ES's father doesn't even destroy it, just keeps it and does nothing. Its repercussions had to blow up in his face.

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wanted to 'take'....

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I think he *wanted* to take it to the grave, but he *kept* it as a "nuclear option" in case the baddies went after him or his family. He should have known to keep backups, and to have a copy somewhere outside his home.

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Agree.

As much as I enjoy this drama, plot absurdities like this bother me a great deal. I also get frustrated when characters don't bother to lock office doors and can't figure out when eavesdropping might be a problem.

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Note: as an old computer professional who was responsible for company computer backups for over 20 years, I will *NEVER* get tired of complaining about crap backup practices. Humor me.

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USB drives don't last forever, either. I have several that don't work, anymore.

He should have kept the evidence in the cloud.

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umm perhaps he's too old to know how to save it in the cloud?

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I'm just kidding. I wouldn't rely on the cloud, either (I've lost documents in iCloud). And, umm, let's not get ageist. Eun Soo drew her critical sketch on paper. Who draws on paper, anymore?

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We don't actually know if Eun Soo's dad backed up or didn't back up the USB. All we know is that the USB he had in a drawer is gone.

Same for Eun Soo. If she took it, and took it somewhere, and her murderer stole it from her (none of which we know right now), we don't know if she didn't copy the content before.

Chances may be high that neither backed up but actually we don't know whether they did or not.

(Meanwhile, Time Machine is reminding me I haven't backed up my computer in 28 days. But I do have an automatic cloud backup that's up to date... :-D)

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I will *NEVER* get tired of complaining about crap backup practices.

Agree. This is something that has to ingrained in users but usually gets prime importance when terror comes calling and data is nearly lost or unfortunately one experiences a OS comp crash and does lose.

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The titles of this show are really appropriate:
Forest of Secrets / Secret Forest:
- it's like a forest where every tree has branches pointing at a zillion other trees
- no shortage of secrets
- a dense forest can be pretty dark
Stranger:
- yes, Shi-mok is kind of a stranger
- Lots of things turn out stranger than you might have expected

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So Shi-mok's surgery is coming undone and he is starting to feel stronger emotions...

Convenient if they want to hint at some romance in the final episodes, or if they want him to really cuss out the villain during the big arrest scene.

Not so great if they plan a season 2. His emotionlessness was part of the attraction of the show (like Spock in Star Trek). If being emotionless helped make him smarter like the doctor said, then getting emotional might make him less smart (?)

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The scene with the doctor didn't seem like his surgery is coming undone. In fact Yeo-Jin asks about that and the doctors response was more that when stressed he will have these episodes because he is not able to process emotions normally (crying or eating or even realizing he's sad). From the beginning it's been obvious that he feels emotions they are just not obvious to him or to anyone else. He is definitely aware of feeling anger and as he said in episode 5 is also aware of being able to feel a sense of superiority but all other emotions are much below the surface. So he needs an outlet and his body/mind seems to have found this fainting spell.
It's fascinating since anger and to an extent snobbery are fairly simple emotions but things like love are more complex.

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Chief Yoon's tattoo is UDT. Ga Young saw 0 7. Another red herring? And why didn't Shi Mok rip the whole shirt off to show the upper chest as well? And how can the viewers be certain that it was really Eun Soo in Ga Young's home? More misdirect? Doesn't all the flashbacks and and twists point to Chairman Lee's phantom housekeeper because she's really Dong Jae's mother who cloned him back in 1993 when his real father Hyun Jae time travelled to the Realm of the Gods?

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<And why didn't Shi Mok rip the whole shirt off to show the upper chest as well?

I was actually wondering HOW he knew to tear of the shirt from the right shoulder. Pure chance? Tiniest plothole, for to scene the film in the most dramatic way (since him tearing the shirt from the left, finding nothing would have been bit of a let down, even if he then had turned to the right side). Or maybe Yeo Jin knew which side the water splashed on?

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Good catch! Maybe Yeo Jin told him, maybe there's a standard place for such tattoos (I'm reaching), maybe he could see the tattoo through the shirt, especially after all that running and fighting (still reaching....)

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I don't think Yeo Jin really knew though. Because if she knew, I would think she would have seen the tattoo herself. Surely Eun Soo didn't say "I splashed water on his right shoulder"?

I think 'pure chance' is actually the best explanation (even if it's a little bit too convenient).

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Yes! This has been bothering me since I watched the scene. How did he know which shoulder?

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I was curious, too. So I looked up on the net. According to the UDT veterans, the tattoo is normally done on the right side of the shoulder. I guess our Shimok did his homework about UDT tattoo practice.

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That means writernim also has done his/her job :-)

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....thoroughly I mean :-)

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