Island: Episodes 5-6

0 January 17, 2023January 17, 2023

Two of our leads reconnect with people from their past, though one reunion is a lot more confrontational than the other. Grief has our protagonists in its grasp, and it’s not about to let go without wringing a good deal of despair out of them.

Editor’s note: Island will resume streaming on February 24, and weecaps will continue.

EPISODES 5-6 WEECAP

“Island

We resume where we left off last week — demon-eyed Ban sprints towards Mi-ho, and when his dagger finds its mark, blood splatters onto Mi-ho’s face. Except she’s unharmed. As her shock subsides and Ban’s eyes return to normal, they realize that Ban stabbed his own arm in a last-ditch (and perhaps instinctive?) attempt to avoid hurting Mi-ho.

Despite the danger that Ban’s other side poses, it’s clear to Mi-ho that he isn’t the least bit malicious. Worried about his injury, Mi-ho climbs all the way up to Ban’s stone memorial site with a first-aid kit, since he’s been intentionally staying away. Mi-ho reminds him that he’s protected her multiple times, but Ban still rebuffs her. He’s afraid he might lose control and hurt her again.

“Island

Since Ban has decided to remove himself from Mi-ho’s immediate vicinity, Yo-han takes it upon himself to become her new bodyguard (or trailing puppy, really). He follows her to school, where they run into Soo-ryun. Though she’s understandably still traumatized by the incident, she seems to be doing better, to Mi-ho’s relief.

Meanwhile, Goong-tan is up to no good (as usual). This time, he’s chosen to take a more proactive approach, directly inciting a lust demon to go on a rampage. The demon wears a fur-lined parka that obscures his face, but we see him yanking out people’s livers left and right, only to murmur mournfully that the livers aren’t his.

“Island

It’s time for the spotlight to shine on the third leg of our main trio, which means we find out about Yo-han’s past. A sudden phone call has Yo-han abruptly leaving the dinner table, uncharacteristically discomposed. As Butler Jang explains to the curious Mi-ho, Yo-han grew up in an orphanage with his older brother KANG CHAN-HEE (cameo by Choi Tae-joon).

Both kids were adopted by a foreign couple, but the blissful times didn’t last long. Their adoptive parents didn’t view them as sons, but as convenient organ donors for their ailing biological child. Forcefully separated from his bedridden brother, Yo-han was drugged and dumped on the side of the road, where he was found by the priest who took him in. Ever since then, Yo-han has been searching for his estranged brother, but to no avail.

“Island

Now that she knows about Yo-han’s tragic backstory, Mi-ho can’t simply sit idly by. Leveraging on her extensive connections, she manages to narrow down Chan-hee’s current location — he’s working as a deckhand in Jeju. It’s a tearful reunion for the two brothers, and doubly so when Yo-han discovers Chan-hee’s surgery scar.

Finally realizing why Chan-hee had been in so much pain back then, Yo-han vows to never part from his hyung ever again. Since Chan-hee has nowhere else to go, Yo-han decides to take him back to Mi-ho’s villa — but oh no, the fur-lined parka that Chan-hee’s wearing looks awfully familiar…

Meanwhile, Mi-ho’s in high spirits. She’s just helped two long-lost brothers reunite, and her best friend Soo-jin is about to get married — her day couldn’t possibly get any better, could it? Well, the answer is that it definitely gets a lot worse. Soo-jin’s husband is on his way to deliver a cake and a wedding corsage to Mi-ho, which naturally means that the death flags are at full mast. Goong-tan ambushes him on the road, then holds his dead body out on the villa’s rooftop like a trophy for Mi-ho to witness.

“Island

Ban arrives too, having recognized the postmortem injuries of the fox demon’s victim as Goong-tan’s signature twelve-stab killing method. His dagger led him right to Goong-tan, who drops the corpse and walks off, as if inviting Ban to follow.

That leads him to a deserted clearing, where the two half-demons come face-to-face for the first time in years. Goong-tan seems like he’s spoiling for a fight, but contrary to expectations, he tucks his dagger away. As Ban’s dagger halts a hair’s breadth away from his eye, Goong-tan reminds him that Won-jung deceived them both, using and then discarding them.

“Island

Back at the villa, a grieving Mi-ho puts on a brave front, playing the part of a good host to Chan-hee. Except it’s not reciprocated — Chan-hee is indeed the liver-hunting lust demon, and Goong-tan has already sunk his manipulative claws into him. Thankfully, his sneak attack is thwarted by Ban’s force field.

Ban chases after Chan-hee as he escapes, only to be taken out by a fireball — hold up, Goong-tan can wield fire?! He easily overpowers Ban, claiming that Ban’s humanity makes him weak. Goong-tan leaves Ban with an ultimatum — will he join hands with him, or will he die at his hands?

Devastated by the loss of someone so close to her, and tormented over witnessing her best friend’s grief, Mi-ho seeks out Ban at his stone memorials. There, she finds an exhausted Ban, who’s barely recuperating from the previous night’s injuries.

“Island

Ban finally explains it all to Mi-ho — she’s the reincarnation of Won-jung, who had the power to repair the broken barrier between the mortal realm and the demon one. As such, the lust demons are trying to kill Mi-ho before she can awaken her power.

Resolving to take charge of her own fate, Mi-ho reassures Ban that she trusts him, sincerely asking him to stay by her side. But that’s exactly when Ban coughs up blood. Swiftly putting distance between himself and Mi-ho, Ban insists that this is a burden he has to carry alone.

Since Ban is bent on solitude, Mi-ho seeks out Granny Geum, hoping to glean whatever information she can about Won-jung. Luckily, Granny Geum is a lot more forthcoming with her knowledge. According to her, a light will emanate from Mi-ho’s awakened body, enveloping the island and mending the land — just like how she managed to heal Benjulle.

“Island

Unwilling to lose his one and only brother again, Yo-han attempts an exorcism on Chan-hee, but the lust demon is too strong. When Chan-hee regains a brief moment of clarity, it’s all he can do to beg his little brother to kill him and end his suffering — but Yo-han can’t bear the thought of killing his brother with his own hands.

Yo-han pleads with Mi-ho to save Chan-hee, just like how she managed to rescue Soo-ryun from Benjulle. Motivated by her sympathy for Yo-han, and her desire to awaken her powers, Mi-ho courageously (or is that recklessly?) decides to give it a try.

“Island

Mi-ho takes Chan-hee’s hand, channeling healing intent towards him… and then he transforms into a lust demon and breaks free of his bonds. Yo-han shields Mi-ho, but even as Chan-hee’s claws plunge into his brother, it no longer registers in his demon-controlled mind.

Yet again, Ban arrives to save the day. But he’s clearly less powerful than before, and Chan-hee even manages to get several hits in, eventually tossing him aside. Chan-hee advances upon a terrified Mi-ho, mere seconds away from ripping her liver out — and then a blade stabs him clean through from behind. It’s Yo-han’s sword.

“Island

The demon subsides, and Chan-hee plaintively explains that he just wanted the pain to go away. Goong-tan had promised it would, if he took Mi-ho’s liver for himself. Heartbroken, Yo-han bids his brother an anguished farewell, chanting a prayer as Ban destroys the demon with his dagger.

Elsewhere, Goong-tan enters his evil lair, where a horde of followers await his return. And amongst them… is Yeom-ji?! Who calls him Uncle?! Ohmygod. Ohmygod. I suspected that she’d have a bigger role to play, given her close ties to Granny Geum, but I didn’t expect her to have nefarious intentions. This definitely casts her introduction of Benjulle to Soo-ryun in a whole different light…

“Island

That marks the end of Island’s first half, leaving us hanging on tenterhooks until the drama resumes on February 24. This week’s episodes may have floundered somewhat with its choppy editing (so many disparate plot threads, so much jumping around), but I’m still intrigued enough to anticipate the second half.

Sung Joon has such a magnetic aura as the enigmatic Goong-tan, and I can’t wait to find out what turned him against Won-jung and drove a wedge between him and Ban. I’m also impressed by Cha Eun-woo’s acting — he’s really outdone himself this time, and his raw desperation to save his brother brought me to tears.

“Island

As Mi-ho pointed out, it isn’t Ban’s promises that are weak (unlike what he claims), but his resolve. Ban has been letting his guilt hold him back, constantly keeping himself under scrutiny to ensure that he doesn’t inflict harm on Mi-ho/Won-jung again. Yet it is also this fear that gives rise to tunnel vision and blind spots — too preoccupied by his remorse, Ban cannot have sufficient faith in himself to fully commit to his purpose.

Ban’s still wilfully trapping himself in the past, as seen in how he still tends to his stone tower memorials, and how he still wears mourning clothes (yes, there’s a reason for all his black suits). Ban wants to do better, and he’s constantly trying to atone for his perceived sins — yet he doesn’t believe that he can do better, and that’s his biggest roadblock. Will he be able to make amends and forgive himself? What schemes lie in wait for him? Is it February yet?

“Island