Flower of Evil Episode 10

It was the spring of 2008. Hyun Soo, engrossed with his metalcraft work, was oblivious of the rain that rattled the windows.  The light outside the window was orange.           A hanging cream-coloured cloth draped the wall. Though the image wasn’t clear, it reminded the viewers of M.C. Escher. It seemed like an Escher-style tessellation art piece.     M.C. Escher tessellations     The sofa has a covering with a design of squares.   A plethora of metalcraft instruments and equipment cluttered up the small workshop. There were police books on the side table.               Ji Won rushed in with the good news she had passed her police academy examinations. She was now a police officer; it was a great achievement. Her hard work had paid off. Full of exhilaration, she hugged Hyun Soo tightly.               Youthful ambition. Her dream of being a police officer since her kindergarten days had materialised. It was a job that demanded respect. Many youths have their ambitions frustrated so, one is not amazed by her supreme happiness. Will such joy last forever?               Having sensed that Hyun So was involved in some dangerous dealings, Ji Won’s thought were chaotic. She phoned her husband. Do Hyun Soo’s monosyllable answers made her suspicious that he might truly be in danger.   Ji Won brittle voice betrayed her emotions; she demanded that Hyun Soo that Hyun Soo meet up with her within one hour. Her words, ‘I miss you’ must have surprised and energised him.             The thug extended his hand to Hyun Soo to indicate that they had a deal. He would bilk Hyun Soo of tens of thousands of dollars.   The younger man couldn’t afford to lose his head; he had kept his wits around him so far.   He smirked at Yeom Sang Cheol for trusting him so easily.             Yeom explained it was all business and stressed, ‘I do not care who you’re or what you’ll do to the material or whatever. What is of key importance about our deal is that you trust me more than I trust you.’             Signalling to the bartender, the other thug was ready and brought over a computer to show the ‘goods’ to Hyun Soo, whose eyes widened in surprise.               Ji Won was mulling over Hyun Soo; she was impatient. Simultaneously, checking her watch and studying Hyun Soo’s location on her handphone, it dawned on her that it seemed rather strange that he was in the Jaerim-dong district of Seoul. Was it not a coincidence that he was at the same area as the one that police would be casting their net to catch their targeted criminals?   By now, it is now obvious that she was not only monitoring her husband’s movements on her personal computer but also on her mobile phone, a secret he was not privy to. Ignorance was bliss. It was a state-of-the- art phone.           At that point, he called to ask where they should meet. She would wait for him in the park in front of the police station.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moo Jin dropped in for a visit. He had, without her prior permission, taken over the responsibility of fixing the lights in Hae Soo’s rooftop apartment.         After fixing the ceiling light, he showed her a bottle of aromatic liquid that he had also bought to solve her insomnia problem. A teeny-weeny drop would send her into dreamland.   Despite her protests, he also installed a standing lamp he bought.         His undeniable air of confidence and unusual generosity of spirit did not impress her. Although he had spent a tiny fortune on her dwelling, Hae Soo reproached him. There was an edge to her voice. As she recalled the past, she snapped, ‘You ran away when I needed you most.’   The audience are given a flashback of the duo’s high school days. How Kim Moo Jin not remember the incident?   Glaring at her student boyfriend with hate, the young Do Hae Soo had wrenched the necklace that Kim Moo Jin had given her from her neck and threw it angrily away. The frightened young student could not trust the immature teenager and had fled.   Though they had parted ways, Moo Jin had picked up the necklace and pocketed it.           Kim Moo Jin was bought back to reality with a bump. He surprised; he thought that she had let go of the matter after all those years. Her veiled cool indifference had all been a pretence for her. It seemed as if she had let go of the past, but the truth was, after all those 18 years, the memory of it still haunted her.         She walked out of her apartment for a breather and he followed her. He stated he would not apologise for what had happened. But, she rebutted she didn’t need his apology. She stressed that he couldn’t do anything for her.   Moo Jin sheepishly explained he had also run away so he would have some insight into her feelings; he understood her pain and suffering.           She reminded him that she had killed someone but had allowed Hyun Soo, her younger brother, to shoulder the burden of her crime. Hyun Soo was not the vicious murderer that people claim him to be. It was a cruel accusation.   Her priority was to make amends by revealing the truth. She was living a lie and her younger brother was compelled to live behind a mask. Moo Jin tried to dissuade her but to no avail.                 She returned to her apartment and locked the door.   He bellowed at her. Who said that he couldn’t do anything for her? He would be indispensable. ‘When you’re sick, when your toilet is blocked, when you’ve to move something heavy or if you’re so scared all of a sudden, call me at any time - day or night. I just hate it that you have to suffer alone.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having made a firm decision, Hae Soo She phoned Ji Won to tell her specifically that Hyun Soo did not kill the village chief. Ji Won had already known it, but this was direct confirmation from his sister’s lips.           She would tell her the complete truth of what happened that fateful night once she had done what she needed to do.           Ji Won did not have to crane her neck to see whether her husband had made his appearance or not. It was at that moment that Ji Won saw Hyun Soo running, like marathon runner, towards her. Her husband had the lithe athleticism of a star runner.   He was flushed with excitement. Perhaps, she could hear the pulse of her heartbeat. Although breathless, he was full of complacency that he was not a moment too soon nor too late. He took only 58 minutes to reach her side. Having him so close to her was a huge comfort to her.   She thought emotionally, ‘Right at this moment, you only have me.’                     Anxiety crept into her voice. She drew in a shaky breath. ‘You’re not hurt, are you?’   She cried, ‘When I said I wanted to break up with you, it wasn’t the truth. When I said I didn’t like you anymore, it wasn’t the truth either.’   She gazed at him, her eyes brimming with tears.             He felt sad as he studied her for a moment; he confided that he knew and understood her.   She hugged him, emphasizing clearly, ‘You don’t know. All I wish is you could live as me and be in my shoes for at least one day and feel how much I love you.’           He was puzzled and bewildered. Confusion and anxiety flickered in his eyes. He was stumped by her emotional behaviour.   His curiosity was aroused but it was not appeased.                 Do Hyun Soo and Cha Ji Won’s marriage is a dance.           Life had a very smooth dance for Do Hyun Soo and Cha Ji Won for 14 years. They kept in step with each other. They had learned some basic rhythms, some fancy steps and learn to synchronise their steps with each other. Do Hyun Soo committed himself to understanding and complementing Cha Ji Won. His online facial expression training was one example.   Everyone, including Ji Won’s colleagues and Do Hyun Soo’s fake parents, was impressed.   The sweetness did not last. When she became suspicious of his past, they were out of step with each other. Their dance steps pause. They were having trouble finding their rhythm and they grew apart for a brief period. She had to navigate cautiously around her unsuspicious husband. Cha Ji Won removed her wedding ring.   And, when she discovered the truth that he was not a killer or the accomplice of a killer, she resumed wearing her wedding ring again.   But, it was not possible to sway to the same rhythm.   Just before he went on his dangerous mission of gathering information on the accomplice, he would remove his wedding ring. His rationale could be - just in case he died, she would have his wedding ring, as a reminder of his everlasting love for her.   Would their dance last forever? Would they be able to master the Art of the Marital Dance?

 

 

 

On being told that human traffickers were involved in the serial murder case, Captain Yong Sang Pil roared at Lee Woo Chul at the police station. He demanded for evidence but the latter needed more time to accumulate more information. He was clearly displeased that the woman connected to the Human Trafficking group might die from her fall from the hotel. It was difficult to explain the fatality to the public.   Ho Joon reported to Jaesup that the surgery was done but that night would be critical time for the patient.           Jaesup received a call from Oh Bok Ja, the woman from Homi village, Gakyeongri, who had promised to hand over Hyun Soo’s photo to Cha Ji Won.         Interestingly, she had something intriguing for the police; she found a strange gadget under her cupboard.   What the poorly informed village woman didn’t know was the strange gadget was a recorder. It had fallen from Kim Moo Jin’s pocket when he was grappling with Park Kyung Choon, the crazy taxi driver.

 

Hyun Soo and Ji Won walked to the police station hand-in-hand. Ji Won disclosed her encounter with the female human trafficker. She could not have foreseen that the criminal would try to escape through the balcony. Greatly embarrassed, she had to take responsibility for not having exercised due caution in the sting operation.           The severe stress had got under her skin. She could not continue with the pressure anymore. She suggested that Hyun Soo be the sole breadwinner of their family.           She was thinking about residing in a rural area with clean air. Eun Ha could attend a rural school. Her desire was to live quietly after the murder case ended.   Would he agree to that? He knew that she had wanted to be a cop all her life. It was her dream but not anymore. She had been jolted into reality; she didn’t think it was her priority to be a detective anymore.   Hyun Soo realised that his wife was behaving strangely. It was a Cha Ji Won who was a far cry from the excited person who informed him that she was finally a police officer in the spring of 2008.     The new Cha Ji Won in 2020 is contrasted with the former Cha Ji Won in the backstory who had just passed the Police Civil Service the examination in 2008.   Her goal post seemed to have shifted. Imagine in the past, the energetic and passionate go-getter aspired to be a detective in the midst of all the action. In the present, she had decided that a laid back and easy-going life in the countryside is more to her taste. What this means is that she wanted a lazy lifestyle.   Well, what do we know about the caprices of women?               She then went into the police station while he headed for home.

 

 

 

 

While at home, Hyun Soo looked lovingly at the sleeping form of his daughter.               He waited for the Yeom Sang Cheol to call at the appointed time.   The gangster informed him that their deal would be conducted the next midnight and he was to bring $100,000 to his office.             There was a flashback of Hyun Soo had in the gangster’s office. He had seen three bound and gagged people in a room on the laptop screen in the thug’s office. Hyun Soo, when asked if he liked any of them, declared that he would have the child.                   The thug had written down the amount for the child: 10,000,000 Won. Hyun Soo confidently added another zero to the amount. The new amount, 100,000,000 Won, was not only for the child but also the name and details of the accomplice of the serial murderer.          The deal was sealed and the thug couldn’t contain his pleasure. As with all his shady deals, Hyun Soo was handed a burner phone. It was to be their means of contact.   Hyun Soo was warned not to breach the rules of the transaction or else not only was their deal be scuppered, the captives would also be killed.

 

 

The real Baek Hee Sung was briefed by his biological father on the stark and brutal reality of his situation. The family photo with Do Hyun Soo as his replacement confused him.   Baek Man Woo explained that they had not expected that he would wake up from his long coma.             So, how will he live? Identity crisis. He tearfully requested his father to beg Hyun Soo to return to him his identity.               ‘I want to see him and ask him. Let me meet him,’ he pleaded miserably. But, it was impossible.           Coincidenatlly, Hyun Soo phoned at that very moment. Baek Man Woo was irritated by the late hour call.   When Hyun Soo informed him that he needed 100,000 dollars in cash to obtain information about the accomplice of the Yeongju serial murderer, he must have been shaken.               When Hyun Soo informed him that he had found someone who had intimate knowledge about the accomplice, Baek Man Woo requested that they meet at the hospital the next day.   Wearing a complacent smile, he probably was pondering the possibility of delivering Hyun Soo into the hands of the criminals.         Later, when Baek Man Woo helped Hee Sung to bed,  his biological son begged him to be allowed to see Hyun Soo but his request was denied. Man Woo stressed that Do Hyun Woo was not easy to deal with. If he knew that Hee Sung had come out of his coma, the Baek family would be beset with grave problems.           Baek Man Woo said that they should just wish for a stroke of good luck.

 

 

Upon waking up, Hyun Soo, was surprised that his wife has resumed wearing her wedding band again. Many thoughts must have flashed through his mind.         His love for his wife was clearly reflected in the bedroom mirror as he carefully placed the bed cover over her sleeping form.   He compared his tanned knobbly fingers with his wedding ring with his wife’s smooth fair hand.         Ensconced in the bathroom, he reviewed the online lesson on how to put on a happy face diligently. The smile that took over not just the bottom half of his face but his whole face pleased him immeasurably.         Imagine going to such great lengths to make himself presentable and acceptable to his family, particularly, his wife. The perfect husband and father.   To many men, such efforts to please their other half were deeply embarrassing and beneath them. They might complain, ‘Shouldn’t it be the other way around?’     While practising diligently in the bathroom, he suffered a sudden panic attack.   The face twitched as pain seared through his body. He clutched at his chest; his face was contorted with pain.   His body crumpled to the bathroom floor.                                   The wave of nervousness must have passed and he recovered.   Ji Won was in a hurry as it was reported that the female criminal had passed away in the hospital. She had to leave quickly for the office.         He stopped her. Her hair was dishevelled. Some strands of hair tumbled helter-skelter around her brown locks and Hyun Soo used his fingers lovingly to smooth them down.   He was curious about why she didn’t ask him about what he did the previous night. He was withholding information from her. She was willing to wait for him to dole out information piecemeal or confide everything to her. When he was ready, she would be willing to listen to him.       He told her not to worry and everything would be okay. Strangely, when she left for work, he removed his wedding ring. He was aping what she had done to him previously.             But, why would he do that? He loved his wife so what was in his mind? Perhaps, if he died in the dangerous transaction, the ring will be a reminder of his unconditional love for her.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a difficult day for Captain Yong Sang Pil. As the head of the Gangsu Police Station, he was answerable to any blunders or mistakes commited by his subordinates during their investigative operations.   The police force was engulfed in controversy as Hwang Jung Soon, a criminal, had fallen from a hotel balcony during a botched sting operation that involved Cha Ji Won.   There was backlash from inquisitive reporters over the failed attempt to arrest the criminal.           The reporters wanted to know if it was right to continue with the sting operation.         Ji Won and the rest of the team investigated the female criminal who had died. An analysis of the CCTV footage showed that she went to Jaerim-dong, a district of Seoul. Ji Won remembered Hyun Soo was in that district the previous day but she seemed to have failed to connect the dots.   The subject changed to the issue of the recorder found by Oh Bok Ja.         However, they were interrupted by a call for Ji Won.   To her dismay and horror, he claimed to be Do Hyun Soo. He was seated in a public area, had adopted an elaborate disguise and speaking in a heavily disguised voice. The burner phone attached to a gadget had changed his voice.   Although Hyun Soo’s voice was masked, Ji Won instinctively  knew the caller was no other person than her husband.           Hyun Soo disclosed that he had important information on the Yeongju serial murders. A tip off for the police. Do Hyun Soo, was determined to reveal information concerning his transaction with criminals to the police. Flummoxed, Ji Won was robbed of her voice and was rooted to where she sat.             Do Hyun Soo was reflected in the glass barrier of the shopping area.   Standing up, Jaesup, grabbed hold of the receiver and coldly warned him about making hoax calls.   Do Hyun Soo lectured him on his rough talk; he promised that they would catch the accomplice with his information.             The audience are shown a flashback regarding the rules of the transaction between Do Hyun Soo and Yeom Sang Cheol, the gangster boss. Yeom Sang Cheol had briefed him on the rules.                 1. When they meet in the gangster’s office for the actual transaction, Hyun Soo must not have any communication devices on his body.   2. The gangsters would check the money first.   3. The criminal would only give him the accomplice’s picture, when he had confirmed receiving the exact amount of money.   4. Then, he would go to the next place to get ‘the product’ that he wanted.       Lee Wool Chul declared that  they would be speaking to him on the speaker phone and Hyun Soo wanted to know the exact number of cops who were present.         Lee gave his word that, other than the four detectives present, the information would not be divulged to other police officers.   Hyun Soo, in turn, informed them that he was also recording the call. Perhaps, it was done to ensure that they would not renegade on their agreement or promises.           According to Hyun Soo, there was a syndicate which kidnapped and supplied people to Do Min Seok and his accomplice. That night, he would be making a transaction with the organization. He would get information about Do Min Seok’s accomplice and one of the kidnapped victims.             Hyun Soo was offering them the chance to catch the criminals on the condition that they would not be revealed his identity and, in addition, all the information they had collected through the phone call must be destroyed when the investigation ended.                     The accusation that he was a murderer and a murderer’s accomplice was a miscarriage of justice that he had endured for 18 years.   Do Hyun Soo, who had been denied justice, declared solemnly that he wanted to prove that he was not Do Min Seok’s accomplice.                   Ji Won knew it was her husband. She requested for a name from him which would assist them greatly in their investigations. The name was Yeom Sang Cheol.             Hyun Soo requested that they tread cautiously or else the victims who might be trapped together with him would die, and so would he.

 

Ji Won walked out of the meeting and called her husband. She is talking in the stairwell, her favourite place in the police station.             She asked what he was doing and demanded that he picked her up later so they could eat dinner together.             But, he informed her that he couldn’t go back home that night as he was attending the funeral of one of his suppliers.   She insisted that he should not go and she yelled at him not to go because she had a bad dream.           Hyun Soo told her that her that he wanted to be a person who would be a matching partner for her.   ‘I want to be someone who is decent enough for you.’   He wanted her to live up to her reputation. A clean, reputable and incorruptible professional image of a detective. Hyun Soo knew that with his tainted background, her fine reputation would wilt because of him. He wanted to find a way to be respectable in order  not to defile her enviable reputation.   He was in the dark that she knew the grim truth. He was Do Hyun Soo. It was a struggle for her not to disclose the truth.   It was a heartbreaking scene.   She promised to give him a phone call at 10 p.m.

 

 

 

Gong Mija brought her son to the garden to have some fresh air.         He was in his wheel chair. Hee Sung asked about the maid who was mute and hearing-impaired. They hired her since she couldn’t read lips and they had a confidentiality agreement between them.               Mija questioned him about the person that he was supposed to meet before his accident. He disclosed that it was a woman. Should they have met each other, he was confident that their fate would have changed.

 

Kang Pil Young read Moo Jin’s slipshod article that he submitted for the weekly. The manager complained that article entitled, ‘Three Mysteries Regarding Jung Mi Sook’s Disappearance’ was stale news. The mysteries were no mysteries at all. The article with a fancy title was all gobbledegook and hogwash which was meant to take the readers for a ride.     Calling him ‘a cunning little fox’, she demanded to read his special interview with Do Hae Soo. He should not withhold such an exclusive piece of news.   Moo Jin muttered that Kang was so inhumane for failing to sympathise with Do Hae Soo.                               Aghast by his lack motivation, Kang Pil Young encouraged him to carry out the interview. He might eventually end up with her.   When Kang mentioned that she got married after interviewing someone, he reminded her that she was divorced now.   Receiving a text from Hyun Soo, Moo Jin fled from the office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Do Hae Soo consulted with a hypnotherapist who put her in a hypnosis.           Under the guidance of the hypnotherapist, she able to search and pull up her repressed memories and buried emotions of her traumatic experiences. She went down memory lane right back to the time of her father’s funeral.       She was able to see part of the handphone number the criminal wrote on her arm.   One significant feature that stood out was his very short thumbnails.           That he was wearing a green silicon bracelet was not unusual.  She wondered where she had seen the familiar band before.   Then, she became aware that the criminal was looking at her and studying her face.         Dae Soo was scared and pleaded to be taken out of her hypnosis. The hypnotist counted to three and she woke up. Although she was even more worried than before, she had benefitted from the therapy.   She worried that he would kill her. The hypnotherapist assured her that it was not possible because the incident happened 18 years ago.

 

 

 

Having run a background check on Yeom Sang Cheol, the detectives were discussing the organization structure of his employment agency.           One stunning revelation was Yeom Sang Cheol  had been treated in the same centre as Do Hyun Soo. Deep Spring Psychiatric Children’s Clinic. Do Hyun Soo was treated there between 1997 and 1999.   It showed a probable connection between Yeom Sang Cheol and Do Min Seok.                   Based on CCTV footage in Jaerim-dong, they were also able to determine that deceased female criminal, Hwang Jung Soon, was connected to Yeom Sang Cheol’s employment agency.         They believe that Do Hyun Soo’s information was trustworthy. Jaesup was gleeful. If they caught the human trafficking syndicate and solve the serial murder case, the entire team would be specially promoted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do Hae Soo was driven home by Moo Jin. He encouraged his former girlfriend to open her heart to the hypnotherapist so that she could help her to get to the root of her repressed trauma.         She distrusted others and created her own fears and anxieties.

 

 

 

Jaesup had distracted Investigation Team 3 by suggesting that they catch informer, Do Hyun Soo, as well.   The voluble talker was not beneath being unethical wih the idea of reeling in Do Hyun Soo. If they played their cards right, they would not only catch the body traffickers but also Do Hyun Soo. He was not above all dirty tricks to arrest those whom he considered to be criminals. His brain seemed to be sloshing in his skull.           There was no law to protect a murderer.         Riding on his high horse about catching criminals, Jaesup was convinced that police should not be protecting Do Hyun So. He forgot that a man was innocent until proven guilty.   Having lost all rational objectivity, he suggested trapping Do Hyun Soo by making him ‘talk longer so that they could trace his whereabouts.’   All in the room, except for Cha Ji Won, were suddenly influenced by his unethical talk. Lee Woo Chul felt that they would be able to pin point his location. They could narrow things down by giving a DNA test to people in the same age group in his neighbourhood. The test results could be compared with Do Hae Soo’s DNA. Even Ho Choon joined in and exclaimed that they were siblings. Very simple. Then, they could identify him.               Ji Won was horrified. What happened to their sense of decency? She was no fan of deceit, dishonesty and betrayal. They seemed to have degraded themselves by such unethical talk after the promise that they have made to Do Hyun Soo.   The homicide detectives were not men of their word or men of honour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trio were at Moo Jin’s house. While Hyun Soo was leaning against the French window, he divulged that he, had called the police in his own name. He rationalised that the police would be able to act more quickly with additional information that he provided. They were already short of time.              The air buzzed with tension. Moo Jin and Hae Soo thought ill of his actions as they believed that the police would betray their informants. They were not legally obligated to protect those whom they considered to be criminals.   The criminals, if they knew that they had been betrayed by him, would be driven by a desire for revenge.             The viewers would have noted the world map which was hung on the wall in Kim Moo Jin’s apartment.   A cursory glance at the picture of the map of the world, the globe, makes one shudder. One feels uneasy every time the image crosses one’s sight. It is impossible to avoid gazing at the picture which shows two eyeballs looking down at the trio, particularly the siblings.               The seeing eyes seemed to be staring at what they were doing and planning to do.   Hyun Soo asked a hypothetical question, ‘What would Ji Won do if Ji Won was me?’ What would his detective wife do if people were kidnapped?   ‘I was thinking about that. If it was Ji Won, then she would never ignore them.’   Ji Won, who was passionate and dedicated to her job, harboured bone-deep convictions about responsibility. She would never avoid rescuing victims and bagging criminals.           Hyun Soo was detailed oriented. Refusing to assume that he had an edge over the criminals, he requested for Kim Moo Jin’s help. They had to make prior arrangements.         When Hae Soo offered to help him, Hyun Soo did not mince his words. He spoke disparagingly of her. He could not trust her because she was emotionally unstable.         Wasn’t it true that she had not been able to control her emotions, especially in Ji Won’s presence?         Whilst arguing, Ji Won phoned his burner phone but Hae Soo forbade him from answering. He answered all the same.

 

Detective Team 3 were ready for Do Hyun Soo, their informer.  They got in touch with him through Cha Ji Won.   Cha Ji Won’s image was reflected in the smooth green table top as she spoke.         Hyun Soo elaborated on how the transaction would be carried out. It was a two-step process.             First, he would meet Yeom Sang Chul, the criminal, to give him the stipulated sum of money. After Yeom had confirmed the amount of money received, he would give Hyun Soo the information about the accomplice. Hyun Soo would then be directed to the second meeting place.   Second, Hyun Soo would proceed to the second meeting place to get the victim.   If the first meeting did not go smoothly, the second meeting would be called off.           So, if the police botched their covert operations, they would not be able to crack the human trafficking case nor arrest any criminals.   Jaesup confirmed with him if that meant that Hyun Soo  had to successfully complete the first transaction before he would be told about the second location.     The detectives, who would be responsible for the second location, would then, take the criminals by surprise.               Hyun Soo confirmed the plan but the key point was he would not be able to tell them about the first meeting. It would be impossible to contact the police at any point. Ji Won assured him that the police could be trusted.              It was a 2-prong plan of action. Hyun Soo emphasized that he would be responsible for the first stage but it was the responsibility of the police to rescue the kidnapped victims.   He refused to reveal the location of the first meeting with the criminals and repeated that he would not contact the police for any reason.             Jaesup rose to the occasion and reassured Hyun Soo in a confident tone that the police would not arrest him.                 The viewers, in a flashback, learn that initially, Jaesup  had influenced the team to arrest Do Hyun Soo.   Ji Won had not seen eye-to-eye with him on the matter.           She showed her colours. Her passionate argument was the police should not arrest Do Hyun Soo because he had provided invaluable information to save the kidnapped people. It would be counterproductive to betray the informer.           If that was their policy of not honouring their promise, then she threatened to withdraw from the investigation.           The team made a final decision to fulfil their pledge. When Jaesup assured Hyun Soo that the police would not betray informers, Ho Joon cast a sidelong glance at him. He smiled mischievously at his senior.   ‘We’re not low lives who would go after informants.’       However, Lee Woo Chul stated clearly that the police could not ensure his safety. Despite his worrisome plan, Ji Won assured him that the police would protect his identity as best as they could.              Hyun Soo reiterated that the key point that he would not contact the police but the onus is on them to rescue the kidnapped victims. That took precedence. They would have to follow his plan to the T. Although it was dangerous to be without police protection, he would not reveal himself. He would be responsible only for himself.

 

 

 

Lee Tae Sup, the experienced bartender at The Whisky Bar, gave his boss, Yeom Sang Cheol whiskey on ice.   This information on the hand carved ice ball has been kept from the viewers and has now only been revealed.   For a viewer who has no knowledge of the whisky culture and hand-carved ice balls, it is hard to understand the chipping of ice. The ice ball would keep the whisky colder for a longer period without much dilution.   One remembers Do Hyun Soo’s memory of the sound of the chipping of ice. It dawned on Hyun Soo that on that particular visit to The Whisky Bar, the same bartender had been hand carving an ice ball. The bartender had stressed that ritual of ice carving, an old practice, was only done for important guests or patrons.   But, looking at Lee Tae Sup, the bartender, makes one fear for his hands.   Do Hyun Soo had observed and heard the sounds of ice being chipped with an ice pick.   But what the viewers have not understood until now was that it was not just the sound of the ordinary chipping of ice but the chipping of the ice ball. A hand carved ice ball.           Carving ice balls is an art form and technique passed down by the Japanese bartender culture. A bartender has to be extra vigilant and careful about chipping ice without the use of gloves because it is even more dangerous.         Nowadays, it wouldn’t be necessary as ice balls can be made by round ice moulds or a spherical ice maker.   Lee Tae Sup, the bartender, inserted the smooth orb into a glass and poured in the whisky. Yeom asked about the kidnapped victims. The bartender reported that the old woman wasn’t in a good condition as she had diabetes. The kid, while dehydrated, was fine. Yeom was pleased that the kid was fine as he was the one that Do Hyun Soo wanted.         He inquired if Hwang Jung Soon was confirmed to have passed away.       The bartender, who confirmed her death, thought lowly of her. Condemning her as stupid and bothersome, he laughed inappropriately at her death.   Irritated, the boss chastised him, ‘Why are you laughing?’   How could he laugh as she was one of them? It was a case of schadenfreude. The bartender, rather than feeling sympathy towards her fate, gloated at her death.   One is certain that the man is psychopathic. If his boss had not stopped him in his tracks, he would have been cackling uncontrollably with tears rolling down his cheeks. One of the many psychos in the story.           Yeom instructed him to keep a low profile after the deal with Do Hyun Soo was done. The bartender was to load the rest of the victims onto the boat.       A lackey brought some photos. Yeom, while studying the photos, commented that he always used to see the accomplice with Do Min Seok, but he had not seen him for a long time. They were inseparable. ‘He and Do Min Seok used to be joined at the hip.’

 

 

Baek Man Woo, while handing the hundred thousand dollars to Hyun Soo, mentioned that the matter may escalate to a bigger issue. It was surprising to him that Hyun Soo had the gumption to tackle such a dangerous  issue. Hyun Soo even promised to solve the problem.           Interestingly, Baek Man Woo promised Hyun Soo ten times the amount of money if he would just agree to leave town quietly. The old man probably didn’t want him to meddle in the affairs of criminals.   ‘Don’t worry about the family. I will take care of everything.’   Now, that his real son was recovering from his coma, he could do without Do Hyun Soo. His presence would complicate a lot of things.           But, Hyun Soo was smart enough to refuse his offer. He didn’t trust Baek Man Woo and he didn’t trust him to take care of his family.   Hyun Soo asserted that he resembled Baek Man Woo, a person who didn’t care about whatever means he used to conduct his life as long as he achieved his goals.           Did Hyun Soo, who had been branded as having an antisocial personality disorder, truly believed that he was cold and manipulative as Baek Man Woo?           Pleased to know that they shared something in common, Baek Man Woo was possibly thinking of getting rid of Hyun Soo. Hyun Soo was a danger to him.   By now, the viewers might suspect that Baek Man Woo, the hospital director, might turn out to be the real criminal. He betray Hyun Soo.   As soon as Hyun Soo had collected the money, he turned to leave.             Baek Man Woo called his name. When Hyun turned, the Hospital Director said his farewells. It was a chilling moment. Could he be saying his final farewell to Do Hyun Soo? Probably, he had already schemed and plotted against the younger man and expected him to be finished off by the evil syndicate.             The camera shows the perspective of Baek Man Woo as Do Hyun Soo headed for the door. He was staring at Do Hyun Soo’s back.   Baek Man Woo was glad to see the back of Do Hyun Soo. Baek was probably thinking, ‘Good riddance.’

 

 

Lee Woo Chul refused to divulge the name of the informant to Captain Yong Sang Pil. The police had to trust him in order to solve the serial murder case.           The detectives were all prepared for their dangerous mission. The bullets and their guns were checked. Did they plan their operations carefully and cautiously? Did they think ahead and foresee the problems that would cross their paths?   It would be criminal to neglect all the finer details of undertaking such a police operation.           Jaesup confided in Ji Won that he was pleased that she was on his team. Would his words come back to bite him? If he had known that Hyun Soo was Ji Won’s husband, he wouldn’t have been so generous with his compliments. She seemed more worried than moved.              Ho Choon thought the comment was cheesy. Jaesup received a call from the expert electronic technician. He had successfully recovered the data on Kim Moo Jin’s lost recorder which had surrendered by Oh Bok Ja, the old lady from Homi village.           Anxious and restless, the confused Ji Won, who had promised to phone her husband at 10 p.m., phoned ‘Do Hyun Soo’ instead. She was must have been confused.   She questioned Do Hyun Soo about the recorder from his bag that had been handed over to her by Nam Soon Gil’s wife. She had listened to the recording and wanted to know whose voice it belonged to.               Hyun Soo revealed that it was a recording of his mother’s voice which she recorded and given to him. It was in 1997 right before she disappeared.           Do Min Seok, his father reported her disappearance and the police confiscated her belongings but he didn’t give away that he had his mother’s recording.           Ji Won questioned him as to whether he really loved your mother. It was a loaded question.           It didn’t surprise her when Hyun Soo heartbreakingly revealed that, ‘It is impossible for me to have that kind of feeling.’ According to the psychiatrist, he didn’t have emotional sympathy for anyone. Seeds of doubt about himself had been planted in him by the psychiatrist.                 Asked why he kept it buried for so long, he explained that he never got properly diagnosed and he couldn’t make anyone understand.             Ji Won emotional plea was that he should protect himself and not get hurt.           He took off his earbuds and suddenly Hyun Soo remembered that Ji Won had promised to call him at 10 p.m.             He checked his watch and it was 10 p.m. Hyun Soo realised that his wife had already knew his secret and guessed his real identity.   The two black subdials of the watch, like two seeing eyes, gazed back at him but he was unaware of their presence or the real time GSP tracker that Ji Won had surreptitiously inserted into his watch.   Ji Won, with a heavy heart, knew what he would be doing in the dead of the night.               The camera takes the viewer out of the house. The viewers see him in front of his huge glass window of his house which is orange in colour.   It was the colour of the moon light. The moon must have been affected by the dust, smoke or pollution in the atmosphere.   The dark orange light on the walls of the house symbolises deceit and distrust.   There is deceit in the whole transaction. Do Hyun Soo distrusted the criminals in that dangerous situation; he was going to play them out.             Musing on the diagnosis of the psychiatrist, Ji Won was indignant. Her mind, in battle mode, bounded ahead of her. She was freaking out.   She remembered that the psychiatrist had noted that the voice in the recording elevated Do Hyun Soo’s aggression and violence. The voice of his mother. A calming voice. Her voice could not have launched him into explosive aggression. The people, who interrupted his period of listening to the voice, did.   It was clearly a terrible blunder on the part of the psychiatrist.             The assertive detective called the startled psychiatrist and hollered at her.       She demanded to know why a professional like her was so woolly and hazy and didn’t know that the voice belonged to Hyun Soo’s mother. The psychiatrist, who was a trained expert and had arranged for consultations with him, should have realised his vulnerable situation.     It was obvious when his mother disappeared from his life, he wanted to hang onto something that belonged to her. An insecure little boy would be obsessed with something like his mother’s voice in the tape.           A wave of fury swept through Ji Won. The wrong diagnosis had ruined his life. Instead of helping him, she had destroyed his future prospects.         She had implied that the psychiatrist was guilty of dereliction of duty.   It is criticism against those who do not take their responsibilities to heart and were accountable for what they do.

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Jaesup went to see the technician who was helping him to retrieve the files in Kim Moo Jin’s recorder. If he had gone to the forensics department, every detail would have been recorded. Jaesup probably abhorred the idea of being under the watchful eye of the police department.       There was a meeting to finalise the details of the covert operations that night. Jaesup was heading that way.           While driving, he indulged in listening to what he thought were interesting secrets of Kim Moo Jin, the reporter. He was shocked to learn that Do Hyun Soo had assumed the identity of Baek Hee Sung.   Hyun Soo was convinced that Ji Won, his wife, was still in the dark about his identity.           Jaesup reflected on what had gone on at the police station and could join the dots about the whole affair.   The police team was ready to carry out their operation.                Hyun Soo had already picked up Moo Jin who would accompany him on the dangerous undertaking.           Moo Jin was unhappy with the way Hyun Soo showed contempt towards his sister. It hurt her. That was his objective. He was trying to dissuade her from joining their dangerous mission. He knew his older sister. The more dangerous the mission was, the more it held attraction to her.         Then, why did Hyun Soo ask Moo Jin for help? Hyun Soo knew he would agree to help if he was requested to help in the presence of his sister. Moo Jin would never refuse Hyun Soo’s request because he wanted to a good impression on Hae Soo.           Hyun Soo was blatant about manipulating Moo Jin. The new reporter must have been exasperated when his former schoolmate promised that he would continue to manipulate him  in the future.           The Renault Samsung QM6 LPG sport utility vehicle, which Do Hyun Soo was driving, had 2 back lights which looked like two bold and confident eyes. Resembling the courageous and fearless Do Hyun Soo, they look at the viewers challenging them to think of the consequences of the metal craftsman's dangerous mission.         Meanwhile, Do Hae Soo was researching on her computer at home. She was searching for green silicon bracelets.       She was studying at Google images related to an event at the Ilsin University Hospital in 2019. An image of Baek Man Woo appeared.           Her eyes widened when she saw the green silicone bracelet; she remembered part of the phone number.   At the police station, Lee Woo Chul briefed the police officers on their covert operations that night.           Jaesup burst into office and dragged Ji Won out. The shocked detectives followed.   ‘You don’t deserve to be part of the investigations. You knew everything, and you manipulated us. You lied to us. How can you do that?         Shocked that he had discovered the truth, Ji Won could not deny anything. Tears welled up in her eyes.   Was he accusing her of obstruction of justice?           The final part of the episode was Hyun Soo was driving. He remembered Ji Won telling him not to get hurt.

 

 

 

It is undeniable that the Thriller-Suspense-Melodrama, Flower of Evil, is a masterpiece. A fabulous masterpiece. The praise for the South Korean drama, has been so lavish, loud, unstinting and continuous on the Internet and elsewhere that probably, there is nothing more that can be said. Even as this is being written, praise is pouring in. It is truly amazing that local and international drama critics, news and magazine writers, T.V. reporters, drama writers, drama reviewers, bloggers, fans, viewers etc have all got into the act of actively supporting the drama. The dream team of Flower of Evil is awashed with global acclaim and approval.   No drama, so far, is comparable to Flower of Evil in terms of acting performance, script, directing, cinematography, lighting, editing, teamwork, production and the works. Even the posters and OSTs are amazing. And, Lee Joon Gi’s fans are also amazing.           Undoubtedly, Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won are the best drama performers of 2020 and deserve many, many awards including the top awards. They should not just get top local awards but also top international awards. South Korea, China, USA, Italy, France, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and elsewhere.           Lee Joon Gi’s performance leaves everyone amazed and leaning on the edge of their seats. It is a testament to Lee Joon Gi astounding performance that he is a globally-lauded actor.               Moon Chae Won, another amazing actor, is a perfect match for Lee Joon Gi. Their chemistry is incredible and they make fine acting partners.    The social media traffic for Flower of Evil, Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won, has been astonishingly busy in Mainland China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, USA, Europe and elsewhere.         It has been reported that Flower of Evil has topped the Wednesday-Thursday dramas in South Korea for several weeks and is a top global favourite. Lee Joon Gi has topped The Most Searched Actor for several many and Moon Chae Won is not far behind. In China   Seo Hyun Woo and Jang Hee Jing have also contributed greatly to the drama.   All actors, including supporting actors, like Choi Young Joon who plays Choi Jaesup, have played an important role in making the drama a huge success.       One has to write a book about Flower of Evil to do justice to everyone involved.