Remember—Son’s War: Episode 13

by dramallama

The impenetrable wall of Il-ho starts to crumble, and we get a chance to celebrate the mini victories before the real storm hits. As Jin-woo begins to run out of time, he begins to realize the importance of those around him — that happy memories can only exist if he takes the time to create them. But Jin-woo has rarely had luck on his side. Two steps forward means one step back. Or two. (maybe three…)

 
EPISODE 13 RECAP

Gyu-man approaches In-ah in the secret alcove and tells her that he won’t be affected by Detective Kwak’s incriminating video. In-ah acknowledges this and reminds him that he’s capable of more — remember that murder confession video?

Triggered by In-ah’s goading, Gyu-man raises his hand to hit her, but In-ah continues without flinching. “You know what you’ve done better than anyone.” Gyu-man lowers his hand and warns In-ah that any further annoyance will result in the destruction of her family and friends. But In-ah scoffs that she’s not afraid — they’ll win justly with the law.

Jin-woo returns to the firm, briefly pausing to think about his memory loss diagnosis before entering. He fakes a smile and tries to go straight to bed, but In-ah tells him that Gyu-man found their secret investigation room. Jin-woo takes it pretty well, admitting that it’s a relief to have everything out in the open now.

In the car, Gyu-man expresses confusion about why In-ah and Jin-woo are helping each other. They can’t be serious, right? Secretary Ahn tries to explain the concept of partnership and will, but Gyu-man misunderstands it as a give-and-take relationship. Secretary Ahn just goes with that.

Detective Kwak meets with Jin-woo in the warehouse of all crimes, and he decides that he’ll give Jin-woo a final gift. He’s got nothing to lose now anyway.

Gyu-man receives a copy of that gift in the form a video. In it, Detective Kwak admits that his illicit activities during Jung-ah’s murder trial were pressured by Prosecutor Hong and Gyu-man. While watching the video, Gyu-man prepares for another angry outburst, and Secretary Ahn squeezes his eyes shut in anticipation. Gyu-man throws a tantrum and summons Joo-il’s gang.

Prosecutor Hong resigns from his position as superintendent public prosecutor, putting on a good show in front of the department. But In-ah and Prosecutor Tak don’t believe his fake sadness and regret. They know he’s escaping from further accusations and hidden crimes, though Prosecutor Hong claims that his resignation is a gesture of apology for mistaking Jung-ah’s father’s death as a suicide.

Gyu-man tracks down Detective Kwak in the warehouse with his entourage. He enjoyed Detective Kwak’s submissive begging enough to let him live, but the detective has a completely different attitude now. He’s haughty and provocative, fearlessly insulting Gyu-man. Before Gyu-man can make moves, the police arrive to arrest Detective Kwak, who self-reported himself.

As Jin-woo looks through Detective Kwak’s confession, Boss Ajumma cautiously asks about Jin-woo’s deteriorating condition. She suggests that he slow down and echoes Dad’s wishes that he have more happier memories. But Jin-woo seems determined to bring Gyu-man down, before he forgets what horrible deeds Gyu-man committed.

Yeo-kyung happens to listen in on a conversation between Prosecutor Hong and President Nam. They discuss the possible repercussions of the audit, and Prosecutor Hong ensures President Nam that he and Gyu-man have nothing to worry about regarding the Seochon murder. Yeo-kyung’s got to suspect something now.

Team Jin-woo discuss the suspicious correlation between Young-won Electric (the electric company tied with Il-ho) and previous problems with electrical appliances. Jin-woo remembers Young-won from the secret funds file received from VP Kang. He knows something’s up with the electric company and decides to investigate it further with In-ah while Boss Ajumma and Lawyer Song gather the faulty microwaves for reevaluation.

Assistant Sang-ho updates Dong-ho on Prosecutor Hong’s resignation and notes that they won’t have to deal with him anymore. Dong-ho doubts this, since their ill fate has tied them together for the past 17 years, and he’s right. The elevator doors open to Prosecutor Hong.

In the elevator, Prosecutor Hong comments on the irony of their relationship and announces that he’s been placed as a superior to Dong-ho. That doesn’t seem to bother Dong-ho much, and he warns Prosecutor Hong (technically, he’s Lawyer Hong now, but we’ll stick to Prosecutor for consistency) to watch his back. They bicker, and Dong-ho heads to his office in a huff.

In-ah meets with Prosecutor Tak with more evidence about Il-ho’s secret funds. He complains about the extra work she’s making him do after quitting the prosecutor job, but he turns around when In-ah hints at his rumored promotion to superintendent prosecutor.

Jin-woo meets with Detective Kwak in prison and reminds him that his sins aren’t washed away by one confession. But Detective Kwak presumes that Jin-woo will need his help to bring down Gyu-man. They’ve got the same enemy now, so they’re better off helping each other.

Lawyer Song practices his court examinations using Jin-woo’s arguments as his script. He’s able to deliver a charismatic argument, and Jin-woo and In-ah applaud his improvement. Out of earshot, Jin-woo and In-ah seem hopeful that Lawyer Song will be able to stand in court on his own.

In-ah asks how he came to work with Lawyer Song, and we get a quick flashback to Jin-woo’s early lawyer days. After a trial, Jin-woo happens to see Lawyer Song being scolded as an incompetent public defender. He approaches Lawyer Song and asks why he visited Dad in prison, to which Lawyer Song responds apologetically that he feels responsible for Dad’s life. He hands Jin-woo his business card and tells him to contact him anytime.

Jin-woo tells In-ah that Lawyer Song and Boss Ajumma are like family to him now, and In-ah smiles in relief.

In court, Jin-woo presents the video evidence proving that the chances of a defective light bulb are very slim in the case of the microwave explosions. Dong-ho refutes the evidence by bringing the factory manager to the stand. The factory manager lies that the company’s limited funds resulted in faulty light bulbs, and the defects were hidden from the public per the company owner’s request.

Min-soo’s father, the company owner, gets up in protest. He asks his good friend why he’s doing this and asserts that he’s never done such thing. The judge orders him out of the court and turns to Jin-woo for the cross examination.

Lawyer Song passes Jin-woo pictures of the factory manager and Dong-ho, which could prove the bribe. But Jin-woo thinks back to his own interaction with the factory manager, who seemed so desperate to save his daughter. Jin-woo stands up and announces that he will not cross examine the witness. Min-soo looks disappointed and shocked, and Dong-ho’s expression shows subtle surprise. Déjà vu?

Prosecutor Hong reports to Gyu-man that Dong-ho is starting to dig into President Nam’s past, though the reason is still unclear. Gyu-man orders Prosecutor Hong to keep an eye on Dong-ho.

Back in court, Jin-woo presents new evidence by connecting the current case to a previous one regarding defective refrigerators and microwaves. Dong-ho argues that this case is irrelevant, but Jin-woo points out that the cause of the defects was not in the appliance themselves, but with the wiring by the electric company. It’s the same case with the light bulbs, Jin-woo claims.

After these defective microwaves were found, they were thoroughly investigated by an outside company that deemed the wiring as the cause of the explosions. The initial investigation by Il-ho’s subcontracted company hid the real causes.

In-ah stands by for a press release and messages Jin-woo that the news is about to be disclosed. Jin-woo takes that as his cue to make the big announcement in the trial. He argues that it’s important to note that the defects originate from same electrical company because the underlying cause can be found in Il-ho’s secret funds.

Dong-ho notes the lack of evidence, but Jin-woo has cleverly timed the press release to take place during the trial and requests for the live broadcast to serve as evidence. On the screen, Prosecutor Tak announces the corruption of Il-ho’s secret funds circulating among Nam Il-ho, Il-ho Group, and Young-won Electric. The defective electrical wiring was purposeful to maintain the profitable secret funds.

Gyu-man watches this news from his office and grabs his pen with a tightening fist. Secretary Ahn looks scared for his life, but he’s thankfully saved by a call from President Nam, who summons Gyu-man home.

The judge rules that the Miso lightbulb company is innocent, and Jin-woo looks proudly at a relieved Min-soo. Jin-woo smiles in victory, and Dong-ho doesn’t look too disappointed either.

After the trial, Min-soo thanks Jin-woo for his help, and Jin-woo gives him a gift for him and his father. They’re gloves for when they work at the factory, which Jin-woo noticed was cold. Aww. Min-soo doesn’t know how to repay him, but Jin-woo just tells Min-soo to protect his father.

Dong-ho and his assistant couldn’t be happier with the outcome, even with their loss, and they praise Jin-woo’s steady improvement. Seok-gyu catches them before they leave the courthouse and asks to speak with Dong-ho. He asks about the video confession of the real killer in the Seochon murder, but Dong-ho refuses to comment.

Jin-woo and his team celebrate their win, and Jin-woo plans their next course of action. When he says that they need remove Prosecutor Hong from his position, he’s given blank stares. Prosecutor Hong has already resigned. Boss Ajumma covers up the slip by sending tired Jin-woo to bed, but In-ah looks worried. She asks about Jin-woo’s unusual behavior recently, but Boss Ajumma treats it as nothing.

Gyu-man kneels in front of his father, but President Nam is not happy with how this young lawyer is chipping away at his company. He tells Gyu-man to get rid of Jin-woo, but Jin-woo has become too famous for Gyu-man to stealthily put away.

Prosecutor Hong remains calm and offers a solution that he has up his sleeve. Then, we cut to Joo-il looking at Dong-ho’s name placard and the confession CD. He calls up someone and orders that the items be delivered to Dong-ho if something were to happen to him.

Gyu-man tells his father about Dong-ho’s investigation of Seo-kwang Group and asks why Dong-ho would dig into his past. President Nam dismisses his question and tells Gyu-man to worry about his own mess.

Seok-gyu invites just Secretary Ahn for a drink, and Secretary Ahn knows it’s because of his drunken threat to Gyu-man last time. Seok-gyu asks if Gyu-man is the culprit in the Seochon murder case, but Secretary Ahn vehemently denies it — Gyu-man may be crazy, but not crazy enough to commit murder. Doubtful of this denial, Seok-gyu asks that Secretary Ahn be honest, especially with him.

Dong-ho apologizes to Gyu-man about the loss, but Gyu-man seems convinced that Dong-ho collaborated with Jin-woo in this trial. With a glazed-over look, Gyu-man tells Dong-ho to look forward to his next move.

Dong-ho meets with Prosecutor Tak and Officer Bae, and they discuss Dong-ho’s new investigation on Seo-kwang group. Dong-ho hints that he may need Prosecutor Tak’s assistance quite soon.

Jin-woo gives In-ah a new stack of business cards, and this time the tagline reads, “Truth wins over the facts.” He also tells her to set aside time tomorrow, and he takes her to pick out a bag. In-ah says that she doesn’t need it, but Jin-woo wanted to buy her one in memory of the first time they met (when In-ah accused him of pickpocketing).

As they leave the store with a new bag, Jin-woo asks In-ah to grab dinner tomorrow night. In-ah pokes fun at Jin-woo’s pick-up lines, but Jin-woo says that he wants to remember to memories he’s had with her. In-ah agrees to the date and tells him that this noona will pay for the meal.

Prosecutor Tak arrests Joo-il with the charge of embezzlement, and Prosecutor Hong watches the scene with approval. In-ah marvels at Il-ho Group’s tactful placement of scapegoats, but Jin-woo knows they’ve got a long road to maneuver before the dominos come crashing down. Onward!

Dong-ho visits a gas business trailer and finds a man named Ha Young-won. He cuts to the chase and accuses Ha for covering up the Seo-kwang explosion, which indirectly in Dong-ho’s father’s death. Dong-ho warns him that he won’t slide by this time and throws his business card at him before leaving.

President Nam receives a call from Ha about someone digging into the Seo-kwang case, and he looks grave.

Dong-ho visits Joo-il in prison and vows to destroy Il-ho. But Joo-il still believes in the master he works for, as he thinks back to President Nam’s assurance that he’ll be out in no time and that he’ll play a larger role in Il-ho when he returns. Sounds like a bunch of fluff to me, but Joo-il tells Dong-ho that they’ll just go their separate ways.

Jin-woo passes by Yeo-kyung and tells her that Gyu-man slid by again, just like he did 4 years ago in the Seochon case. Yeo-kyung remains defensive of her family, but Jin-woo tempts her. Since she’s a prosecutor, she could easily find out the truth.

When Secretary Ahn reports the devastating impact on the company, Gyu-man starts to boil with anger. But the lackey on Dong-ho’s tail enters just in time for Secretary Ahn to avoid injury. The lackey gives Gyu-man the case file for the accident that caused Dong-ho’s father’s death. Uh-oh.

Ha Young-won from the gas company gets chased by a gang, sent by President Nam. He’s already injured, but he’s able to hide away and calls Dong-ho for help. He’s disillusioned by President Nam’s attempt to kill him, and Dong-ho scorns his trust in the corrupt president.

In-ah confirms her date with Jin-woo over the phone and then proceeds to pick out her outfit, which is basically choosing from the same coats of different colors. As she heads out, Lawyer Song and Boss Ajumma comment on how pretty she looks and assumes she’s going out on a date. Lawyer Song asks her to introduce him to one of her friends (resulting in a slap from Boss Ajumma), and she runs out before getting more embarrassed.

Jin-woo gets a call from Gyu-man, who claims to have some enticing information and invites him to his office. When Jin-woo arrives, Gyu-man casually tells him about the timeline of Jin-woo and Dong-ho’s fate, which started much before Dad’s trial. He hands Jin-woo the case file of the car accident that killed Jin-woo’s family and Dong-ho’s father. Jin-woo trembles at the realization of their deep ill fate.

Dong-ho gives Prosecutor Tak the file on the Seo-kwang explosion, requesting for his help on this case that Prosecutor Hong manipulated. Prosecutor Tak asks why Dong-ho is interested in this 17-year-old case, and Dong-ho explains that this supposed accident was a purposeful set-up for murder. And he’s got a witness to testify for the case now.

While In-ah eagerly waits at the restaurant, Jin-woo walks aimlessly, still in shock. He thinks back to a jumble of memories and focuses on one of him waiting for his father, the night he never returned. Jin-woo suddenly sprints away.

After almost an hour, In-ah looks worried about Jin-woo’s absence and gives him a call. He picks up thinking it’s Dad and asks why he’s so late. When Jin-woo realizes it’s In-ah, he calls her In-ah noona, which seems out of character for present Jin-woo. He tells her that he’s home waiting for Dad, so In-ah rushes there.

When In-ah arrives at Jin-woo’s old home, there he is, sitting at the steps. Jin-woo sees In-ah and asks what noona is doing there. She asks him the same question, and Jin-woo says that Dad hasn’t returned home yet. He wonders why he’s so late and worries about the cold.

Unable to hold in her emotions, In-ah begins to cry and hugs Jin-woo tight. Jin-woo can’t seem to process what’s going on, as he’s still confused and lost in his memory.

 
COMMENTS

I thought crying Jin-woo made me sad, but clueless Jin-woo makes me even sadder. While the diagnosis and sudden time crunch makes little sense to me, I’m suspending my disbelief to see how everything unfolds. Quite honestly, the drama really started to get interesting when Dad passed without reclaiming justice and when Jin-woo began to rush towards the finish line. As we’re quickly winding down and losing time, I’m excited to see how Jin-woo continues to kick some butt while navigating his illness.

Joo-il really confused me in this episode, but I think in a good way. He’s stubbornly loyal, but he’s not blind and dumb enough to ignore the inevitable consequences of working under President Nam. I still think he believes in President Nam, but his suspicion definitely outweighs his trust. Even though his actions and words may not say so, he ultimately does everything for Dong-ho. Between the lines, there’s a fatherly instinct that can’t be ignored. I may be wrong, but I hope he does come around before descending into the pits of hell with the Nams.

I’m satisfied with the progress we’ve made in this episode because it feels like my patience (or impatience?) has paid off. It took a while to get here, but I’m very content with how this attack on Il-ho brought down and revealed the interconnected networks within. One major blow, and Il-ho will self-destruct.

Self-destruction seems to be a theme within the Nam family — Gyu-man definitely shoots himself in the foot on many occasions. He turns his essential allies into enemies without considering the consequences, and boy, is that fun to watch. When Detective Kwak set himself up to confront Gyu-man, I felt double the satisfaction — not only did he call Gyu-man a piece of shit, he got punished for his crimes before Gyu-man could get rid of him forever. Moral of the story: Prison is the better option if you’re an enemy of the Nams.

While I’m stoked about Il-ho Group breaking to pieces, I’m even more excited for Jin-woo’s upcoming trials, if this trial was any indication of how the future trials will go. His move to not cross-examine the witness was daring yet compassionate, and it’s telling of Jin-woo’s practice. He navigates the law with precision but also with value and empathy. He understood the desperation of the factory manager simply trying to protect his family — it’s no excuse to let perjury go unnoticed, but Jin-woo knew that he could make his case without excess damage. I’m right with Dong-ho on feeling proud of Jin-woo and his matured practice. I hope Jin-woo feels the same (and remembers it).

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