01x08 - Episode 8

[bunniefuu]

You think this is

"a nice place for a glass of wine"?

Actually, places like this

are considered really hip nowadays.

Wow, pretty hip ambiance out here, huh?

Of all our stores,

this one has the best vibe.

Hey,

move your phone, bro, come on.

Cheers.

And just for you, Mr. Han, I'm gonna

throw in a little mood lighting. Ta-da!

Here you go…

One last thing.

A pair of hearts, in your honor.

Enjoy your evening.

You've got this. Fighting!

So why me?

Why do you have to keep bugging me

instead of Oh Soryong?

Producer Oh Soryong

"Kidnapped. Convenience store

near Han River if you wanna save him."

You must not know her very well.

She's not coming,

she doesn't play games like this.

Seems like you're the one

who doesn't know her well.

You've only met her once.

You think you know her better than I do?

If she leaves right now,

she'll be here in half an hour.

That was a fake tip you gave, right?

I'm not here to be interrogated.

I came to give a tip.

That night,

someone came to see him before I did.

A woman with burgundy nails

who reeked of this perfume called Reine.

You only got a brief look at her.

And it was late at night.

So how could you possibly tell

whether her nails were burgundy or black?

Do you have night vision?

You said the mystery woman

wore a perfume that was quite strong…

but was that just you?

That's pretty good.

What's your goal?

You disappeared for 20 years,

so why show up now?

For the past two decades…

my father's been giving me an allowance,

but recently, he stopped all of a sudden.

No more powerful motivator

than money, is there?

This is Hanju.

The people over there detest the media.

I'd like to…

let them know I'm here.

That's where Trigger comes in.

I once spiked

a glass of 50-million-won wine.

Destroying someone's easier

than I'd thought.

What are you saying?

I'm saying I k*lled him.

What did you--

Uh, I'll go get tissues.

Lunatic Han!

What happened? Huh?

Oh, what are you doing here?

I received a ransom note!

So you seriously thought

Cho Haewon managed to abduct me,

a full-grown man?

I was worried you might start

talking nonsense like that.

Where is she?

She's gone?

Why here?

How'd you end up here?

She just told me

she once k*lled a man by spiking his wine.

She what?

EP08: The Vanished Witness

You flatter me, Chief Prosecutor.

Me? The mayor of Seoul?

We both know the nominations

are just a popularity contest.

I wouldn't dream of it.

Choi Hoseong's dead now anyway.

Oh, about the Mr. Lee matter…

I'll smooth things over with Ms. Oh.

Oh Soryong just k*lled a father and son.

I wonder how she'll deal

with all that bad karma.

Well, the public seems to think

they got off easy

without having to pay for what they did.

I gotta hand it to you.

You've got an eye for talent.

Sir?

Han Do,

turns out he's a real go-getter.

"VVIP Koo Hyeongtae, KNS"

I don't think

I'm being compensated enough…

for helping with the Cha Seongwook case.

So the money isn't enough for you.

As soon as the story's done…

I'd like to transfer to Animal Kingdom.

Ms. Oh would be disappointed to hear that.

I mean, my coworkers aside…

I don't feel good about working on a show

based around people's pain and misery.

I don't have any sense of duty,

like certain people.

I hear you. The show can be soul-crushing.

I mistook you for a cynic,

but you're more of an idealist.

"Cho Haewon: This is my number.

Save it, and I'll be in touch."

"Loved the show tonight. How's work?

Busy again? Just checking in."

"I'm free right now.

Wanna go out for dinner?"

Okay then…

Is there any information

you'd like me to give…

in exchange for Animal Kingdom?

What were you discussing with Han Do, sir?

Go find Oh Soryong,

and tell her she needs to stop

snooping around the prosecutor

who granted a stay of execution

for Choi Hoseong.

Wow.

Wow, bro,

you really cover all your bases, huh?

Come on, I know you drew her out there

so you could get her on CCTV.

Like I always say,

you guys at Trigger are so hardcore. Yeah!

You know who she is?

No, who? Is she famous?

I'll tell you who.

She's the person who stole your lamp.

-Oh!

-Cha Seongwook, does that ring a bell?

Cha Seongwook…

-No, I don't know.

-He was a celebrity 20 years ago.

He was in a commercial

and broke into movies.

Still no?

Come on, bro, you expect me to know

some celebrity from 20 years ago?

I barely remember 20 minutes ago.

Right.

Well, I guess

we need to jog people's memories then.

"Violinist Choi Geon Kills Son

And Commits Suicide"

So this is how that whole thing ended.

My God.

Hey, did you hear?

That prosecutor has a habit

of letting people off easy, hmm?

He let off the Gogwang Group

and Chairman Park of DOQ Industries,

- just to name a few.

- I know.

Why even lock them up,

if the prosecutor's

just gonna let them back out?

Yeah, exactly.

Giho, what are you up to?

I'm just thinking.

Thinking, huh?

Oh, you poor, inexperienced little thing.

- Stop it. Cut it out.

- I know what this is about.

It's 'cause Exclusives 24 aired

the story you'd been working on.

Villa King, right?

I heard they even caught the guy.

You know,

their guys really put in the work.

All right, come on, quit it.

- You're gonna make him cry.

- No, no.

This is the perfect time

to whip him into shape, for his own good.

Giho, wrap up whatever you were doing

and go ask Ms. Oh

to assign you the Choi Hoseong follow-up.

Listen, you gotta do what you gotta do

for a good story.

Why be so loyal to her?

Utilize that leverage to--

Oh, my God, dude.

Just let me handle it, okay?

Leave me alone. Stop it. Sheesh…

- Stop it.

- Okay, fine.

Can everybody stop bullying me?

Current Affairs Department

Hong Sunnam

Current Affairs Department

Hong Nahee

I was so young back then.

"March 2004."

Goodbye party for the main writer?

Wow, we had Hyeongtae,

and even the famous Mr. Ma.

Hey, what's up?

Thank you.

Oh, Ms. Hong.

I guess you two were out

having a lunch meeting?

Yup, first time in a while.

On your way to meet Mr. Park?

Goodness, no.

I'm headed to check on ratings.

Mr. Han?

Mr. Han?

Mr. Han?

You're here.

The… the lights…

Uh, can you wait three seconds

before turning them on?

Okay.

One.

Two.

Three.

Now, question for you,

what color are my nails?

Huh?

I… couldn't possibly tell the color

in the dark.

Right?

Just like I told her.

Come on.

Go to Songi or someone else

with that kind of question.

I'm busy, you know?

But I heard Songi's on leave this week.

Thank you.

God, why's that weirdo…

wearing nail polish anyway?

Was he… flirting with me?

Songi shouldn't be taking

so much time off.

We don't have any newbies

to cover for her. Sheesh.

Don't you want to know why Ms. Oh

showed up at the convenience store?

Not the obvious reason.

What she's really thinking.

Help us find Cha Seongwook!

Him at 22 / Him now

You really think just adding wrinkles

will make people recognize him?

I don't.

How else can we improve this photo though?

I'm stumped.

"Episode 1,802: DeepFakes' Crosshairs."

It was your story. You should remember it.

Look at you, memorizing stuff.

You're proposing we alter it?

In a recent episode, Mr. Choi used AI

to come up with a facial composite…

of a missing child.

Keeping tabs on other people's episodes,

way to show initiation.

Kang Giho, we can hear you.

I'm sorry they screwed you,

but don't take it out on us.

Ms. Oh, did you see

the recent Exclusives 24 episode?

It's my job to do so, yes.

So, um… uh…

Ms. Oh, since we're on the subject, uh…

do… do you mind putting me

on the Choi Hoseong follow-up?

You know, since I'll have to

give up on my current story and all.

Are you gonna abandon your story

over a scoop then?

You wouldn't be so cavalier

if you'd really poured

your blood and sweat into it.

Come on, you even said you watched it.

I'm not quite sure… what more I can do.

Why should I let you?

What would be the focus of this follow-up?

Uh…

Is there something you've uncovered

or a refreshing take

that makes us see it in a new light?

You need to give me

at least one good reason

that we should air this follow-up.

I won't trust someone

who has no plan at all, so no.

As for you, Lunatic Han,

I'd like you to arrange

a new facial composite

since you proposed it.

Haven't seen that nail polish in a while…

but it's back in full force.

Oh…

I only wore it

to test out Cho Haewon's claims.

Couldn't see them?

Impossible.

Do you know

why I let Dr. Trigger stay on?

-No, why?

-It's 'cause…

I think you're a born investigator.

-No, I'm not.

-You charge headfirst into danger.

You always chase after the stories,

even when you pee your pants.

And you're willing to butt heads

with the higher-ups.

Those are the qualities you need.

I don't think you know me.

Cho Haewon's strange.

Whenever I'm with her, it feels like…

it's like she's baiting me.

Maybe with her looks?

Why does she keep claiming

to know you so well?

She said she knew the real reason

you came to that store.

That's weird, right?

Well, 'cause I'm covering

the Cha Seongwook…

Lunatic Han…

you have her number?

I thought you had it too.

I have been messaging her on Elegram.

Why didn't you… tell me this sooner?

Give it here.

I'm so sorry about this, sir.

We sincerely apologize, sir.

To be honest…

that day,

when I saw the writing on my wall,

I got really excited, I almost thought…

Seongwook really was alive.

Ever since my boy disappeared,

my heart has hardened.

It's like I'm practically dead.

Mm. It's like…

Mm… Even though I knew they were…

just mindless scribbles,

they did get me hoping again.

I thought that somehow, he was alive.

I'm so, so sorry about everything, sir.

Oh, that's right.

You said you were a fan

of Seongwook's, didn't you?

Hang on. Wait right here.

I just remembered…

My son signed a bunch of autographs

for me to give to his fans.

Give me a second.

Now, let's see here… I…

Um, Ms. Oh?

He was diagnosed with dementia

four months ago.

He said he wanted

to let all his hopes ride on us,

before all his memories

slip away for good.

I'm so sorry.

I really had no idea.

Yes, Nahee.

That was taken

around the time Cho Haewon showed up.

There was a random woman

in Park Daeyong's office.

I figured

he was having an affair or something.

But today, I found out

that the woman was Trigger's main writer…

20 years ago.

Where's this going?

I asked around

and managed to get her on the phone.

Park Daeyong… do you trust him?

I trust him with my life.

We may not be related,

but we're like a family.

Ugh, how did a softie like you

make it this far?

So you had a call with her?

Apparently, Daeyong asked her

for Ma Seongchun's contact info.

That's the guy who was

Trigger's chief producer 20 years ago.

I heard they met up already.

You know that?

No. He never mentioned it.

If there's one thing I've learned,

it's that personal allegiances

rarely align with profits.

I'm not trying to badmouth Park Daeyong.

I'm just saying

that even the good ones can be gotten to.

If you're really set on putting out

the Seongwook episode,

don't trust anyone except yourself.

-Not even you, Nahee?

-Definitely not.

I wouldn't hesitate to backstab you.

I doubt you would've warned me

if that were really the case.

When we talked,

the writer said

Park Daeyong and Koo Hyeongtae

used to be inseparable.

She told me that

Park Daeyong joined Trigger 20 years ago

to cover

for Koo Hyeongtae's sudden departure.

Funny, huh?

I worked alongside him for years

and had no idea.

You're telling me…

- Koo worked on Trigger?

- Uh-huh.

He was on Trigger before abruptly

transferring to the News Department.

Anyway… that's what she told me.

Earlier, I saw Koo and Park.

They'd been getting lunch together.

That was everything that I saw.

Just something to consider.

Hold on a second.

What was the name

of the previous chief producer?

Can you give me his contact info?

You're making me uncomfortable.

Is this a staring contest?

Why won't you look me in the eye?

-You hiding something?

-I don't even look my wife in the eye.

Not that I can, since she's abroad.

Is there something you haven't told me…

about the Cha Seongwook case?

What? Come on, what is it?

I'm having the worst month ever, I swear.

What's wrong with all of you? God!

No way…

Did Seongchun get in touch or something?

And now I get the truth.

Wait, it can't be, the guy's not a blab.

There's no way

he would've mentioned this to you.

Come on.

- Come on, Park Daeyong!

- Ah! Scared me.

Okay, so maybe I did meet with Seongchun.

-Why's that so wrong?

-We both know there's more to that story.

Okay! Hyeongtae worked on

the Cha Seongwook case,

and he hid the tape before they could air.

So what? Not like it's my fault.

President Koo…

was on that case

while he was with Trigger?

Are you going to answer me?

Well, yeah, like I just told you.

So that's why Mr. Ma couldn't tell me

about this over the phone.

Because President Koo was involved.

Listen, Soryong…

Koo Hyeongtae…

is not the kind of person

we can take down.

Frankly, we're all just his employees,

and the guy's in charge of our survival.

When'd you get to be so pathetic, Daeyong?

Pathetic?

Hey.

Those who work nine-to-five

lead pathetic lives, okay?

If we wanna survive

and provide for our families,

then living a principled life

is not an option!

Stop it, stop it, listen to me!

You're the chief producer of Trigger.

You just admitted Koo ran off

with the tape right before it aired.

And you forgive him?

What if that tape contained

vital information?

What if it could've changed

the outcome of the case?

What if it had solved it?

That scumbag's drunk on power,

trying to get into politics.

Is staying silent like this…

really what you think you should do?

We both know there's no justice.

Of course not.

That's why we're working on Trigger.

We don't stand a chance on our own,

so let's use Trigger

as our means to fight!

My father…

has lung cancer.

You wanna know what I thought

when they told me

he had less than three months left?

"I can barely afford

my kids' tuition and living expenses."

"Maybe I should get an advance

on my severance."

You wanna live with integrity?

I was a morally upstanding citizen

for 50 years,

and this is all that it got me.

My life being what it is…

I'm fine staying silent.

It's not like it'll change anything.

Your father…

can he do chemo?

It's already spread everywhere.

There's no treatment option.

God…

Man, this world is so terrible.

How can…

How are you feeling now?

Mr. Ma told me

he has some important information

to give us.

We have a meeting tomorrow.

I plan on hearing him out

whether or not you can make it.

And then I'll decide…

whether to take it up with the president.

As for you,

just follow your heart.

Hey.

A piece of your heart

to share with your loved ones.

Whitemint.

It's true what they say

about beautiful people dying young.

What a shame.

You think we can make

an AI composite of Seongwook

like we did for your episode last week?

Uh…

You don't want

just a basic composite, right?

- Well, no…

- You're trying to evoke Seongwook

as he'd really look today…

Okay, here's an idea.

There's another company

that's come up with this hot new tech,

they're calling it

the "New AI Style Transfer".

I'd say they'd be

a perfect fit for you, but…

Hmm…

But what? Why not?

There are a few things.

First of all, it's expensive.

Second of all, it's super expensive.

And third of all,

it's so expensive

that our entire budget wouldn't be enough.

Do you think they might go for

public interest plus exposure

for their product?

I'm pretty sure management

won't approve of the ridiculous pricing,

but I can put you in contact anyway.

To Daeyong: Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

Passage into Mount Gwanun.

Producer Oh Soryong

Hello?

Oh.

- Oh, over here.

- Nice to meet you, sir.

- Hey.

- My name's Oh Soryong.

Whoa, Seongchun.

What's with the getup?

You're completely covered.

You've hyped this up so much,

if it's a flop,

you owe us dinner, I swear.

- I'm winded.

- Look at you.

I know I said to come to me

once you were ready to reveal my secrets,

but I can't believe

it took you a month. A month!

- Come on.

- That long?

Hey, I've been very busy… and so have you.

After meeting with this guy,

I went over some of your episodes.

I really gotta say…

you've done a great job, huh?

- I love your work.

- Oh, thank you, sir.

- One thing, sir…

- Uh-huh?

I feel like an incident

like someone running off with a tape

should've gone down

in KNS Current Affairs history.

How has no one heard about this?

Those were hectic times,

they were suing anyone

who even mentioned Cha Seongwook.

There were only three of us

secretly on the case,

including me and Hyeongtae.

I was so worried about a leak

and losing the episode,

that another producer and I

prepared a decoy episode

to use as backup. God…

So what's this vital piece of info

you wanted to give us?

But Koo Hyeongtae said…

-President Koo…

-Koo Hyeongtae…

Uh…

he told me that there was a witness.

Someone who witnessed

Cha Seongwook's m*rder.

Hold up. Uh…

So the man's dead? Not just missing?

Really?

President Koo identified a witness?

Well, actually,

the catch was

that it wasn't exactly your, um…

most typical witness, you might say.

This is Bom,

the dog that belonged to Cha Seongwook.

Bom, Korean for "spring".

Once Cha Seongwook went missing,

his agent jimmied the locks to get inside.

When he walked in, the dog was out there.

Ugh, okay, so?

There's that woman over at Animal Kingdom!

The animal communicator

who is able to talk with dogs.

I'm telling you, when they talk,

a miracle's gonna happen.

Christ…

This isn't some sketch show.

Anyway, if that were real, don't you think

-the cops would take the dog?

-Come on!

Isn't it our job

as the producers of this show

to try something new,

if it means we can get at the truth?

I'm not saying we make stuff up.

I'm just trying to say

that this psychic

really can speak with dogs.

Dogs that used to bite people

can become calm when she does this.

And they stop biting for good.

Oh, yeah?

This dog's apparently dying,

and it's being treated at a clinic nearby.

Why'd you want

this animal psychic's address?

You'll find out, my man.

Is this for a Trigger story?

Here, take my last cig. You enjoy.

-Oh…

-Thanks.

I certainly will!

Hey.

-What?

-What's wrong?

Oh, uh… uh, nothing.

I only heard him talk about it.

Never saw the tape with my own eyes.

I went to talk to him again

after he transferred

to the News Department.

I asked for the tapes

of the episode we did,

for the archives.

You know what he said?

That prick was shameless.

- How'd he respond?

- What was it?

"Seongchun…

you gotta forget Cha Seongwook."

Which episode was the one

he tried to hide? What number?

Child m*rder in Ungyeong

Red Hairband Mystery:

Child m*rder in Ungyeong

So…

you're really gonna do this?

You wanna take the president on

in this fight?

Basically, you'll be opening up

the gates of hell.

No turning back.

Those gates opened up 20 years ago

when a rookie producer

ran off with the tape.

For all we know, he's covered up

even worse cases than this.

I'm here for the president.

Trigger episode 890.

Do you remember that one?

Why did you do it?

A producer runs off with an episode

before it airs?

Oh, you mean Cha Seongwook?

I simply stopped pursuing that case.

I'd done some digging,

and nothing had turned up.

Digging?

You've dug pretty deep though.

Well, I'm here to…

offer you another chance, President.

A final chance

to tell us the truth about

the Cha Seongwook case from 20 years ago.

I'm not addressing the President Koo

sitting in front of me now.

I'm addressing the man

who had a passion for the truth…

Mr. Koo, my predecessor.

Would you like to offer a rebuttal now?

If you must know,

you try digging it back up.

Fine.

I'm formally requesting to interview you.

Episode 890 of Trigger,

the Cha Seongwook incident,

should've been aired

without any interference,

which is why we'll air it properly.

Unlike some, I won't be using any decoys,

and I most definitely…

will not be running away.

So if you…

have a miraculous change of heart, and…

reveal the truth…

the truth you're covering up…

I'll be standing by.

You know…

I too used to believe in good and evil.

But life has taught me

that they're mere illusions.

There are simply

the consequences of the choices we make.

I wonder what kind of choice you'll make

once you're pushed

to the limits of your resolve, Soryong.

I'll choose to air the episode as penance.

I want to issue an apology to the viewers

who have always believed in Trigger.

That's the choice I'll make…

President.

I'd think it over.

You might be digging your own grave.

Believe me,

I'm ready to accept consequences.

But are you, sir?

Prepare yourself…

to face the music.

"The Confession."

How's that for the title?

I like it.

What are you doing?

It's what you do

when someone's having a hard time.

Says who?

A communications expert.

Some guy on YouTube.

Why couldn't you reign in

your anger for once?

Why'd you have to do this now,

of all times? Ugh, whatever.

The facial composite is ruined,

thanks to you.

What do you mean "ruined"?

Even with a discount,

it would cost an entire episode's budget.

You think President Koo's

gonna leap to help us now?

You aren't experienced enough

to know this, but…

large companies do something

called "corporate social responsibility".

Get in touch with the gum company

that shot the ad with Cha Seongwook.

They're a big company.

Appeal to their sense of public duty.

Don't reduce our project

to little more than manipulation.

It's not that bad.

No way. This is the animal communicator?

Turns out I'm the one

who introduced her to Koo Hyeongtae.

Huh.

Sound like you two were

as close as they say, huh?

The man used me,

at the price of a cigarette.

I'm dying to know what he found out

and ended up covering up.

It's driving me crazy.

If one cigarette was all it took,

it's about time we dethroned him.

I mean, I could've been president myself.

The "animal communicator"…

Can anyone fill me in?

Listen…

Wow, this is just…

Right?

I'm not sure it's a very good fit for--

All makes… such perfect sense.

- What?

- Hmm?

Dogs know everything.

Everybody knows

they have the purest of souls.

If the animal communicator heard

anything at all from the victim's dog…

that'd be…

-I'm gonna go meet her.

-Huh?

What's wrong?

But once you find

the veterinary clinic director,

you're gonna fact-check to see

if they saw Koo Hyeongtae

back then or not, aren't you?

Right, I… I guess you're right.

Then why don't we find the director,

meet them, cross-check their claims,

two birds, one stone?

That's it!

You're a producer, do whatever it takes.

We'll decide later

whether or not to use it,

just charge in there

and make this happen.

Where and when do I go?

What's that book called again?

The Psychopath Within Us.

Why do you need that?

Can't you just learn from yourself?

Why do we have to carpool?

Hey, Do…

The prosecutor

who let Choi Hoseong out of jail

is out on a national judicial

exchange workshop

slash golfing trip or whatever.

The least I can do

is get an interview with him

since I want Ms. Oh to give me the story.

Right, and how is that any of my concern?

It's got nothing to do with me.

I'mma man up and ask you.

Can you help me?

-What?

-I mean, like…

the place will be crawling

with prosecutors.

I don't wanna walk

into the lion's den by myself,

you know?

Look, I--

We need to have solidarity right now.

That's what Trigger's about, teamwork,

you know what I mean?

So you offered a ride

just to ask for help?

Well, you know, we were going

the same way, so it made sense, right?

Uh, you'll help me, won't you?

I'll drive you anywhere

as fast as you want,

wherever you want, huh?

You won't believe

how fast this goes. Yeah.

Way to brag about your car

while asking for a favor.

Can I listen?

This puppy won't be crying anymore.

Promise?

Let's wrap it up for the day.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- And that's a wrap, everyone!

- All right, let's clean up.

Nice to meet you.

We're producers

from a Korean TV station named KNS.

Nice to meet you.

W… Welcome.

We thought you'd be in Japan.

I happened to be in the country

on a business trip.

Right. My name is Han Do.

And this is…

Kang Giho.

- Producer at Trigger.

- Oh!

One of our staff members

briefed me on you two.

Oh, right, right, right…

How did you learn to…

I'm a fan of K-drama.

Whoa!

I looked through my records

when I first heard from you.

I usually videotape my sessions,

but it seems my camcorder

was broken that day.

So there is no video of that session.

That's unfortunate.

Do you not have the footage

that the producer filmed at the time?

Unfortunately, no.

Could you tell me if this was

the producer that you met at the time?

Oh my.

He's become very clean-cut.

He looks even younger

and more stylish now.

So…

do you remember your interaction

with the dog at the time?

Bom and I share a similar namesake.

Bom and haru both mean "spring."

What Bom told me was quite shocking.

I still remember everything.

She's terrified.

Can you hurry up and ask the dog?

Get him to tell us what he saw.

We need to move on.

There is a man

whose life could be in danger.

Bom.

Could you tell me what you saw that day?

"It looked like a ball."

To Bom, his head

must have looked like a ball.

Wait, what does that…

What'd she say? Huh?

Why do you look shocked?

This is a copy of the notes

I took during that session.

I hope you find it helpful.

Do you know what the k*ller looks like?

The producer at the time

showed me a photo.

I asked Bom if it was the same person,

and he said yes.

Could you tell me…

…if this was her?

I don't remember her face very clearly.

I'm sorry.

For God's sake… Hey!

Try to focus.

If I don't score the interview,

that's gas money wasted.

Huh?

Isn't that the guy?

How did I miss that swing?

I gotta use the can.

- You go on ahead. See you in a bit.

- All right, see ya.

-We're over this way.

-Damn it.

Let's go, let's go, let's go!

Man… swoosh…

Hey, uh, Lee Jeonggeun?

-Yeah?

-I'm Kang Giho, producer at Trigger.

You know Choi Hoseong, right?

Uh, we were hoping

we could get a statement.

Oh, for the love of--

Are you kidding me?

You seriously followed me here?

I'd like this to stop now. Okay?

Uh, how did you grant a stay of execution

for Choi Hoseong with a fake diagnosis?

You go way back with his lawyer.

I believe you came up together

in your days

-at the Training Institute.

-Mm-hmm.

What's your name?

K-Kang Giho is my name.

Right. Kang Giho.

Kang Giho.

Listen up.

I have… tons of connections

because I went to a nice school.

Is that a crime? Huh?

-Which university did you go to?

-Sorry?

Which backwater school did you go to?

You learned

hack journalism somewhere, right?

Some nerve just showing up.

How dare you follow me here?

The… The Gogwang Group family.

And Chairman Park…

Park Seongun of DOQ Industries,

-we know you let them--

-Man, you're kidding me.

Has no one taught you

to be scared of prosecutors? Huh?

Let's see now.

I'll bet… you have

a camera hidden somewhere, huh?

If you dare… try and use

whatever clip you're recording,

I'll have you locked up.

Got it? You understand me?

Piece of sh…

Don't be like that, sir. Just one word?

I went to a nice school, just like you.

Well then, you wanna go to jail too?

Crime of intimidation.

Declaring intent to harm in order

to instill fear in another person.

You as*h*le.

So, um, what's your name, prick?

Intimidation and insult.

Surprising behavior for a prosecutor.

Oh, really, you crazy shithead?

Destruction of property.

Trigger, huh?

How dare you quote the law

to a prosecutor,

you smart-aleck son of a b*tch? Hmm?

Do you even know…

what "authority to prosecute" is? Huh?

In the Republic of Korea,

even someone who sprays b*ll*ts

into the middle of the street

can get off scot-free

if a prosecutor deems him not guilty,

and if a prosecutor

wants to suspend a sentence,

that's simply what'll happen.

All I did… was follow protocol

after the doctor provided

a medical certificate.

All this nuisance over nothing, sheesh.

I only asked for a word,

but the guy just wouldn't stop talking.

Thank you for the interview, sir.

Additional Observation:

Bom is extremely stressed and scared.

Are you okay?

Well, you know,

we scored the interview, didn't we?

Why wouldn't I be all right? Huh?

It's the recording from earlier.

Can you fill us in on the patient records

-from 2004?

-Hello, New K Veterinary Clinic?

I'm calling

because I'd like to run a fact-check…

The name of the dog was Bom…

The owner's name was Cha Seongwook…

Lunatic Han.

I appreciate the work that

must've gone into translating this, but…

The dog claimed

its owner looked like a ball.

What if Bom saw the man's head

after he was decapitated?

What if Haewon spiked Seongwook's wine

and then m*rder*d and decapitated him?

Bom was describing the man's head.

I'm not saying we rule that out…

what I'm saying is

we need proof to back this up.

All we have are the claims

of an animal mind-reader.

It can't be the foundation of the episode.

This is not Animal Paradise.

All right, how do you expect

to dig up any evidence

on a m*rder case from 20 years ago?

Once we suggest a new path forward,

I'm sure

the cops will happily take over and--

You wanna throw around claims

to see if they stick?

That's how you'll nail the president?

God…

Ms. Oh, I mean… look at this.

Do you really think we'll find

the clinic director by cold-calling?

Ms. Oh, uh…

What's this?

This is what you were doing all day?

About Lee Jeonggeun, I, uh…

I got an interview.

- You're serious?

- Yes, ma'am.

You found an angle?

Yes.

Uh… since in our last episode,

we covered Choi Hoseong's stalking

and the victim's suffering,

this time, I'd like…

to find out why a monster like this

was able to do it again.

I wanna look at corruption

in the suspension of sentence practices

being abused by the cartel

of prosecutors and lawyers.

I've already gotten permission

from Ms. Nam,

and I'll be extremely cautious,

so as not to cause any repeat trauma.

You did great.

Okay.

Do the follow-up.

-Give it a go.

-Yes.

Thank you, Ms. Oh.

Do you happen to still have

any of the records from 20 years ago?

Finally, a glimmer of hope

after a series of disappointments.

What's that?

We just heard from the gum company.

"We concluded that we will be able

to provide you with the full payment."

I guess our dog enthusiast…

whipped up one hell of a pitch.

I transferred from Soaps.

Least I can do is tell a good story.

But why do you want their help?

Commissioning a gold bust

of Cha Seongwook?

We've come up with a foolproof method

to conjure Cha Seongwook

from 20 years ago.

It'll be the most impactful way…

to declare w*r.

One that can't be torn apart or corrupted.

Angel Animal Hospital

Reminder of Overdue Payment

Bet Amount: 5,000,000 won

Bet Placed: 5,000,000 won

Clinic hours are over.

Oh, man…

Who are you?

Oh, you're that producer

from way back when…

How'd you find me way out here?

You sold off Gangnam hospital

to cover your gambling debts,

and you moved down here five years ago.

-That right?

-What?

How'd you know that?

Do you still make a k*lling

off those dogs?

-Huh?

-I know the city pays you

100,000 won for every stray

you take off the street and put down.

This hospital received the most payouts

in the Yeongdong region.

I figured

I hadn't compensated you enough before.

I've never been one to sleep on my debts.

Why don't you take some time off?

And don't give another thought

to all those things in the past.

None of that matters anymore, eh?

Okay.

Good. I'll leave you be.

By the way…

what happened to that dog back then?

Here you go, sir.

"Magnesium Sulfate"

Thanks a lot.

Actually, I do remember

packing you a box of animal anesthetic,

seven grams of magnesium sulfate,

and three syringes, three ccs.

You wanted to put the dog down.

Your memory's gotten

so much better all of a sudden.

Oh, I've sold more of those meds

than I can count.

I gave it a respectful send-off.

Now if that's all…

mind if I go?

Yes, of course.

And…

thank you so much for this.

Good night.

You worthless little punks

don't know what it took to get here.

You have no idea.

Go home and get some sleep.

I don't think I can

since I have to check

the vet clinics' certificate of registry,

then go over the preview notes

like Kang asked me to.

For Choi Hoseong?

Yup.

Why don't you…

put your name on that one, Jiyun?

Sure.

Huh?

Mm… like… main writer?

You started working at the network

right after graduating high school,

you've cleaned up

everyone's mess for nine years.

It's high time you were initiated.

But your health…

should come before your work.

Make sure you sleep enough.

JY…

I guess us old farts

all had the same idea.

I was gonna ask for you anyway.

And why would you do that, Mr. Park?

So you're transferring to Soaps.

President Koo called me out

to eat with him…

…and asked if you were planning

something else… in secret.

Do you know why I stayed here,

in the same job all these years,

even though people couldn't care less

about the main writer?

What do you mean, people don't care?

Trigger couldn't function

without Hong Sunnam.

I changed my name to Nahee ages ago!

And yet,

you'll forever be Hong Sunnam to me.

-God, I can't…

-I mean, don't you remember?

Back when I was an assistant,

you were the scrawny Hong Sunnam

who'd cry and whine

when you had to run errands

for the producers.

-And now, you're all chub--

-Well, look at you!

Oh, my God, this guy.

Man, time sure flies by. It really does.

I get that…

you've been going through a rough patch

because of Ms. Nam,

but I want you to hang in there.

I'm struggling too.

I took pride in the fact that…

my writing was used

to vindicate the wrongfully departed.

In this fight club,

where only the most tenacious survive,

it was the pride that kept me going.

But the reality was…

I was just a nameless freelancer,

who didn't even need

to submit a resignation

to leave

all those years of hard work behind.

I want my name out there.

I want to be the main character for once.

Is that why you told Soryong

about the Seongchun thing?

You wanna run away

and keep me stuck here alone?

I figured she's gonna need

someone by her side.

Thanks for nothing.

It's been a displeasure.

That's all I wanted to say.

How much did they offer you?

I'll match whatever they're paying.

- Scrawny Hong Sunnam!

- It's Hong Nahee!

Oh Soryong, Park Daeyong…

hang in there and power through.

Man, Yoon's so stingy with his own money,

but he always goes over budget

for our expenses.

Wagyu steak? Seriously?

"Signed by: Oh Soryong"

Can we really air this on time though?

-The finger… you know, one of these.

-The finger?

You and I

are on the same page on most things.

Let's work together and air this episode.

Happy birthday… ♪

What did I say?

I told you she'd hate this, didn't I?

Three, two…

one.

Slept in the edit bay?

Why are you so early?

Well, today's D-Day.

Oh, we're getting

that composite sketch of Seongwook?

We are.

Man, I knew

Ms. Hong was stone-cold,

but how could she just up and leave us

without even saying goodbye, man?

I really wanted a chance

to work with her scripts.

I just keep clashing with Jiyun

on everything.

Nahee's not going anywhere.

I'll bring her back to us.

Seriously?

Why wait? Can you do it now?

No can do, I have work now.

Let's head out.

We've got a busy day,

if we're still rehearsing.

All right, Mr. Han.

Let's go.

This is Mr. Han.

He's a coworker of mine.

Introduce yourself.

Han Do. Nice to meet you.

Oh, hi, nice to meet you.

Hi.

You said you made a new poster

for Seongwook,

are we going to watch them

unveil it together?

That's right, sir.

We're gonna see it, here, together.

You see… that screen over there,

the biggest one?

I want you to look after I count down.

All right, sir.

Now close your eyes.

Three…

two…

…one.

Oh, look over there!

Oh, wow.

Wow, that's so cool!

Hello.

I've missed you all.

My name's Cha Seongwook.

I'm a missing person

who turned 43 this year…

if I'm still alive.

Seongwook…

Everyone,

please don't forget about me.

And please…

please try to find me.

Son Huiwon

"Don't forget Cha Seongwook" challenge

takes social media by storm

Cha Seongwook comes back after 20 years

sh*t!

Producer Oh Soryong

Oh Soryong: Can we meet?

I'm here to start a fire.

Cha Seongwook

Interviews

Cho Haewon solo interview

Shall we begin now?