Wanted: Episode 15

by TeriYaki

The true purpose behind a show that began as a search for a kidnapped boy has emerged. The kidnapper has used the show to reveal a threat to the public’s health while exposing a corrupt company. The power of the media, coupled with a public that is increasingly connected, has been the backdrop of this story of a modern day David and Goliath. The question now is, can anything good come of a show that has been forced to cooperate with the kidnapper, no matter how good the reason?

 
EPISODE 15 RECAP

With sirens blaring, two ambulances race to the hospital accompanied by police cars. As Seung-in, Hye-in, and Mi-ok follow them, Hye-in voices her worries about finding Hyun-woo if Joon-gu doesn’t survive. She checks her watch and remembers her instructions to bring Lee Ji-eun to the bus terminal for proof that Hyun-woo is alive. Mi-ok asks if she was to bring Ji-eun at midnight and when Hye-in says yes, Seung-in turns the car around. Pressed for time, Mi-ok goes alone to get Ji-eun while Seung-in takes Hye-in to the bus terminal to look for Hyun-woo.

Joon-gu’s mother-in-law walks with Hyun-woo through the bus terminal, their faces covered. She finds a secluded spot to wait and we hear Joon-gu’s instructions as his mother-in-law reads his note. She is to take Hyun-woo to the bus terminal at midnight and then leave with Ji-eun. Joon-gu’s mother-in-law waits with Hyun-woo and assures him that she is returning him to his mother. She then apologizes to him for everything that has happened.

Seung-in and Hye-in run through the bus terminal looking at the scheduled bus times. Seung-in reasons that Joon-gu wanted Ji-eun brought to the terminal so that she could run away with his mother-in-law. Hye-in wonders if Joon-gu intended to return Hyun-woo to her at the same time.

Joon-gu’s mother-in-law and Hyun-woo are disturbed by a homeless man who happens upon them. He recognizes Hyun-woo and grabs him, exclaiming, “Wow! I just won the lottery.” Joon-gu’s mother-in-law pulls out her phone, but the homeless man knocks it away. She screams at Hyun-woo to run away and find help. Hyun-woo runs into the bus terminal as the homeless man kicks Joon-gu’s mother-in-law repeatedly before running off to search for the boy.

Seung-in and Hye-in continue to search the terminal when Hye-in gets a call from Joon-gu’s mother-in-law. She explains that Hyun-woo is being chased by a homeless man and ran off into the bus terminal, naming the entrance he used. Seung-in and Hye-in run in that direction as Hyun-woo tries to stop some people, asking for help. One man seems to recognize him, causing Hyun-woo to remember the homeless man’s announcement that finding him was like winning the lottery. The boy panics and runs off.

Hye-in slams into a man as she runs through the crowd. They bow to one another in apology as Seung-in runs back to disengage her. Instead, Hye-in removes her mask and hat and identifies herself to the bystanders, sincerely and tearfully asking for their help in finding Hyun-woo. Phones suddenly appear as members of the crowd take photos. One man runs off to have an announcement made about Hyun-woo. As the rest of the crowd disperses to look for the boy, the announcement is heard, and Seung-in and Hye-in run off to continue their search.

Back at UCN, Dong-wook has unsuccessfully tried to contact Seung-in and Hye-in. Bo-yeon is worried about Joon-gu, so Writer Yeon suggests that they go to the hospital. Bo-yeon sees a video of Hye-in at the bus terminal posted online. Dong-wook realizes that SG Group will try to recover Hyun-woo first. Resolved to stop them, he instructs Writer Yeon and Bo-yeon to grab their cameras.

Ham Tae-seob gets briefed in his VIP hospital room about Hyun-woo’s presence at the bus terminal. His assistant informs him that SG has dispatched men to recover Hyun-woo. Meanwhile, the production team arrives at the bus terminal and hears random people calling for Hyun-woo. Dong-wook immediately notices the men from SG Group who are also looking for Hyun-woo. He instructs Writer Yeon and Bo-yeon to begin filming if anything dangerous happens. With their cameras ready, the team runs into the terminal.

A traumatized Hyun-woo cries as he crouches behind a closed information booth. Seung-in and Hye-in run into the section where he is hiding, and he hears his mother calling his name. Hye-in pauses right by his hiding place and shouts for him. As she begins to run off, he manages to peek out.

Seeing Hye-in, Hyun-woo pulls the mask from his face and runs after her, calling out for his mother. Hye-in turns as Hyun-woo runs into her arms, and just like that, mother and son are finally reunited.

Hye-in and Hyun-woo clutch one another, overcome with emotion. Hye-in calls out for Seung-in, who runs back to find them, just as the men from SG Group begin to advance.

Quietly but urgently, Seung-in informs Hye-in that SG’s people are close by and that they need to move. Seung-in tries to steer them out of the terminal, but they are already surrounded by SG’s people. Seung-in fights off the men, but he is outnumbered and is eventually kicked to the ground.

Unprotected, Hye-in begins to run away just as the production team arrives to record the scene. They advance with their cameras, causing the SG team to flee. Overwhelmed with relief, Hye-in clutches Hyun-woo as the production team films the tearful reunion.

The production team continues to record Hye-in and Hyun-woo as they exit the terminal, providing them with a protective bubble. Mi-ok guides them to a car, while Seung-in directs Joon-gu’s handcuffed mother-in-law to the same car as Ji-eun.

Hye-in steps out briefly to speak with Seung-in and tells him that she plans to go home. He promises to make arrangements to keep her safe and leaves her in the care of the broadcast team, as he has more work to do. Hye-in thanks Seung-in for his help, but he points out that she was the one to find Hyun-woo.

Ham Tae-seob receives the unwelcome news that Hye-in has Hyun-woo with her. He calls for an immediate meeting of the PR team and top SG officials.

Dong-wook drives Hye-in and Hyun-woo to their house. He urges her to rest just as Captain Jung arrives on the scene with a contingency of retired policemen. The captain explains that the retired policemen have no connection to SG Group and will provide the protection she needs.

Joon-gu wakes up in his hospital room, handcuffed to his bed. Dong-wook approaches his room, which is guarded by Detective Park and Dong-joon. Saying he must hear what Joon-gu has to say, Dong-wook asks to be allowed to visit, and Detective Park reluctantly allows him into the room.

Dong-wook enters the room and starts filming, announcing that he came on behalf of the show. Joon-gu weakly asks if Hye-in found Hyun-woo, and is relieved at Dong-wook’s confirmation. Joon-gu tells Dong-wook that he has nothing more to say, unless it’s to Hye-in.

Dong-wook asks about any other evidence, and Joon-gu mentions a doctor who conducted his own research and wrote an independent report. Joon-gu tells Dong-wook that he was to meet with the doctor three days earlier but never heard from him.

At the mention of a doctor, Dong-wook suddenly turns on the television to a news report detailing the discovery of a body in a reservoir. He and Joon-gu learn the fate of that doctor, who worked at a hospital seven years ago. The report identifies him as Mr. Kim and classifies the death as a suicide.

Shaken by the news, Joon-gu asks Dong-wook for a final favor. He mentions the tape that he gave Dong-wook at their last meeting and asks if he viewed it. Putting down his camera, Dong-wook sits by Joon-gu’s bed and remembers what he saw on the tape. He places his wallet and key on the nightstand and admits that he viewed the tape.

Joon-gu asks Dong-wook not to air the tape after all, concerned that if the public sees it, they might pity him. Not wanting to be pardoned for what he did, Joon-gu wants the tape to stay private. Dong-wook agrees, but says that he may create a show of his own some day and use it then. Dong-wook gets up to leave but leaves his wallet behind, telling Joon-gu, “This is all I can do for you.” Joon-gu thanks his friend.

Joon-gu’s nurse updates Detective Park on her patient’s condition, noting that he should recover after treatment. Dong-wook leaves the Joon-gu’s room under Detective Park’s watchful eyes. In his VIP hospital room, Ham Tae-seob is briefed by Lawyer Kim that Joon-gu’s injuries are easily explained, and he’ll only be questioned as a formality.

As the lawyer leaves, Ham Tae-seob’s assistant enters and is asked if the doctor found in the reservoir had anything. The assistant replies, “According to our investigations, KIM BONG-JOON had a report with proof. On top of that, he has evidence that SG Chemical knew tests had to be run on the the PHMC toxicity. He was in possession of that, as well.” The assistant then has to admit that they don’t have that evidence. He promises to find the evidence before the police or broadcast team discover it.

Seung-in sits in an interrogation room with Ji-eun. He asks about any other plans or accomplices, but she shakes her head. Ji-eun tells Seung-in that the plan began a year earlier, and he recalls Park Se-young’s mother mentioning her son’s attempt to build a bomb. Seung-in asks Ji-eun about the bomb’s connection to the case, and she explains that Park Se-young learned that his mother’s illness was due to the air purifier. In his anger, he tried to build the bomb, but failed.

After that, Joon-gu convinced Park Se-young to help him with the show. Seung-in inquires about Ji-eun’s involvement in the plan. She admits that she prepared with Na Soo-hyun and Joon-gu for a long time and knew about her kidnapping all along. However, when she was actually kidnapped, she was scared because she was having doubts. Seung-in asks Ji-eun if she regrets her actions, but she is unsure, and is only sorry to Hyun-woo, Na Soo-hyun and Joon-gu.

Seung-in returns to the police station to find a very bruised Young-gwan sitting with Mi-ok. Seung-in demands to know why he is there so late. Young-gwan apologizes for not doing his job properly, and Seung-in promises to personally kill him if he gets beat up again. Seung-in then says he has a personal matter to look into, and Mi-ok asks if it has to do with Detective Kim Sang-shik. He leaves without answering her question.

Detective Park helps move a handcuffed Joon-gu for some tests. Joon-gu is left alone in a locker room, free of the handcuffs, with instructions to change his clothes. Seung-in approaches Detective Park as he waits for Joon-gu, explaining that he has some questions to ask their suspect. Sensing what he wants to know, Detective Park urges, “Isn’t the case for Detective Kim Sang-shik over with? You should let go of it now. Take care of yourself and think about others too.”

The nurse runs out, concerned that the changing room is locked and Joon-gu hasn’t come out. Seung-in and Detective park run into the room and find it empty, the window broken.

Hye-in lies beside Hyun-woo as he sleeps in his own bed. She recalls her conversation with Mi-ok when they tried to determine why she was targeted by Joon-gu. Hyun-woo becomes fitful and turns towards Hye-in. She wraps him in her arms and whispers how sorry she is, eventually falling asleep. A phone call from Seung-in goes unanswered.

Hye-in dreams of a casual lunch as she sits across the table from a man. He comments on her swollen eyes, wondering why she would pick a fight if she was going to cry that much. She blames him for calling all night and keeping her from sleeping. He motions her to come closer and she leans in, closing her eyes for an expected kiss. Instead, he places his cold cup to her face to help with her swelling. They share a laugh and as they eat their lunch, and the man matter-of-factly mentions that they should get married.

Hye-in protests the humble surroundings of his proposal, but he suggests that they should live a simple and natural life, like the rice they are eating. He points out how much they both want to live that way. Hye-in replies, “You know, Tae-young, you have some cheesy lines. I didn’t think you’d be the type.” Hye-in looks up to find herself sitting alone at the table.

The sound of the doorbell ringing and someone knocking awakens Hye-in. Leaving Hyun-woo to sleep, she checks the front door security camera. Captain Jung announces that Han Ji-yeon, one of the victims of SG’s products, is here to see her. Suddenly, Hye-in remembers another time when a young man appeared at her door saying the same thing.

Hyun-woo walks out of his room looking for his mother. Hye-in expresses her regrets to Han Ji-yeon, explaining that she needs to care for Hyun-woo. Han Ji-yeon understands, but begs Hye-in to see her.

Captain Jung escorts Han Ji-yeon inside, and Hye-in manages to convince Hyun-woo to return to his room. Once Hyun-woo is out of ear shot, Captain Jung informs Hye-in that Joon-gu escaped from the hospital. He then leaves the two women alone to talk.

Han Ji-yeon shares with Hye-in that her late daughter’s doctor contacted her recently. Han Ji-yeon asked to meet with the doctor, but he was anxious and wouldn’t tell her where he was. Han Ji-yeon then heard that the doctor was discovered dead in a reservoir. She asks Hye-in to please do one more episode of the show.

Han Ji-yeon tries to encourage Hye-in to do the show by telling her about the people who are dying and those who don’t yet know they are victims. Hye-in turns down Han Ji-yeon’s request, saying her only purpose in doing the show was to find Hyun-woo. Hye-in tells a dejected Han Ji-yeon that she needs to protect Hyun-woo and that she’s preparing to take him away.

An SG colleague meets with Ham Tae-seob to share the PR team’s strategy. Joon-gu’s escape helps their case, and they develop a plan to focus on his crimes and delusions of grandeur. The PR team will tie his on-air actions as acts of terror against SG Group. Ham Tae-seob advises that they stay silent on the air purifier issue and to use the broadcast stations to implement their plan.

Immediately, SG’s version of the previous night’s events hits the airwaves. Dong-wook hears the news while at UCN, as Detective Park questions him about Joon-gu’s whereabouts. The detective asks what they talked about, but Dong-wook points out that their conversation was recorded. Dong-wook assures Detective Park that he doesn’t know where Joon-gu could be.

In their meeting room, Writer Yeon turns off the television report on Joon-gu’s escape. She observes that he is being pursued not only by the police, but by SG Group as well. Bo-yeon is worried about Joon-gu’s injury.

Seung-in runs in to ask if there was anything from Joon-gu’s files that wasn’t used on the show. Looking down at the table littered with tapes, He zeroes in on one labeled, “Detective Kim Sang-shik.” Writer Yeon tells Seung-in that she hasn’t viewed that tape, and he asks if he can see it.

Hye-in packs a suitcase in Hyun-woo’s room as he sleeps. She happens upon two boxes of baby shoes, one pair in pink and the other in blue. Another memory of Ham Tae-young comes to her. This time he is lying on a blanket with her as Hye-in asks that everyday be just like this one when they go to France. He starts to tell her something but stops himself, saying it’s nothing.

Ham Tae-young leaves to get something and returns with a bag and a big smile. Hye-in opens the boxes of shoes, laughing because they won’t fit the baby for a long time. Ham Tae-young makes Hye-in promise to put the pink shoes on their daughter for her first birthday, “Tell her it’s the first pair of shoes that her dad bought.” Hye-in reminds him that he can tell their baby himself, but her husband doesn’t seem so sure.

Looking fondly at the pink shoes in her hands, Hye-in rubs them and feels something under the lining in one of the shoes. She pulls the lining back and discovers a memory stick taped inside the shoe. Hye-in inserts the memory stick into her computer and listens to what is on the file.

At UCN, Seung-in views the tape he found in the production room. Detective Kim appears on screen, protesting about the need to be filmed. Joon-gu can be heard explaining that he needs to record everything in case something were to happen to him. Detective Kim is on his way to meet Im Hyung-soon, and they discuss the man’s partnership with Jo Nam-cheol on a hunting website that connects people with hitmen. What started as a con turned into actual contract murders performed by Jo Nam-cheol. Frightened, Im Hyung-soon planned to become an informant and then flee to another country.

The tape confirms that SG Group sent someone to give Detective Kim a warning. Joon-gu worries the meeting may be a trap and asks why Detective Kim didn’t bring any of his team members. Detective Kim mentions not wanting to embroil Seung-in in such a troublesome case as he is just beginning his police career.

Detective Kim, on the other hand, is already involved and must follow the lead as he explains, “I am a detective, after all.” Tears fall down Seung-in’s face as he sees his sunbae smile into the camera.

Captain Jung is inside Hye-in’s house as she and Hyun-woo walk out dressed nicely. She informs the captain that she has to go to the broadcast station. Captain Jung cautions her it isn’t safe for her to leave, but she tells him that she needs to finish something that she started.

At UCN, Hye-in arranges to leave Hyun-woo in the care of Writer Yeon and Bo-yeon. Hye-in walks alone behind the Wanted set and finds Joon-gu standing there. As she glares at him, Joon-gu apologizes and asks about Hyun-woo. Hye-in forbids him to say her son’s name, and Joon-gu only apologizes again.

Hye-in tells Joon-gu that after Hyun-woo was kidnapped, she wondered every day, “Why me? Why my Hyun-woo? Why did something like this happen to us?” Joon-gu tells Hye-in that he was too severe, but he had no other choice. Hye-in admits that she was guilty of a sin after all.

Another memory explains Hye-in’s claim. Ham Tae-young appears distraught as the doorbell to their home rings. Hye-in argues with him, reminding her husband that he promised to move to France as soon as she was pregnant.

The young man on the security monitor cries that Ham Tae-young agreed to meet him, and he’s the only one who can help. He begs, “You’re the only one who can investigate and apologize for this. You’re the one who can rescue people who don’t know anything and are dying. Please.”

Hye-in argues that Ham Tae-young can’t be sure the young man’s claims are true. Her husband counters that he should be investigating the claims, and asks her for three months before they leave for France. Hye-in wants to know what is going on and promises to help, but Ham Tae-young refuses, saying that the responsibility is his.

Hye-in gives Ham Tae-young an ultimatum: her and their baby, or people he doesn’t even know. Hye-in admits that she is frightened that something bad might happen to him, so Ham Tae-young agrees to her conditions.

Joon-gu explains to Hye-in that Ham Tae-young had agreed to take responsibility and conduct a proper investigation. Instead, Ham Tae-young met Joon-gu and explained that Hye-in was pregnant and he needed to protect her and his child from his family. He feared how his family would take the child or use it as a pawn. In spite of Joon-gu’s protests, Ham Tae-young handed over his files and asked Joon-gu to “please tell Na Jae-hyun that I’m sorry.”

Hye-in was unaware of her husband’s involvement with Joon-gu’s effort to expose the danger of the air purifier. Joon-gu tells her that Ham Tae-young was purposely trying to protect her.

Hye-in recalls leaving her home after Ham Tae-young’s funeral. As her car pulled away, a young man in army fatigues jumped in front of her car. The young man insisted that he had to talk to Jung Hye-in about the death of her husband. He yelled out to her, “You’re the only one who can do it. The only person who can help expose this, the only one who has to do it is you! You’re the only one, Jung Hye-in!” Instead, a frightened Hye-in asked her driver to leave, worried that she would miss her flight.

Finally remembering the encounter, Hye-in asks Joon-gu if that young man was Na Soo-hyun. Joon-gu nods, and a heartbroken Hye-in tells him that she realizes what she did wrong. Joon-gu explains that he needed Hye-in to be involved in his plan because he wanted her to finish the work that Ham Tae-young had started.

Insisting she can never forgive Joon-gu for what he did to Hyun-woo, Hye-in tells him it’s time to pay for his crimes. Joon-gu tearfully nods in agreement as Hye-in adds, “As for me… I’m going to do what I can.”

COMMENTS

Hye-in and Hyun-woo finally have their long awaited reunion, but it is somehow bittersweet. This story has revolved around Hyun-woo from the beginning, and it’s difficult to understand how his very existence set into motion the events that set Joon-gu on such a desperate path. Equipped with the information that has come to light through the various missions, Hye-in’s memories have finally surfaced, and now she realizes how she contributed to the tragedies that have unfolded. Upon learning she was pregnant, Hye-in’s maternal instincts led her to pressure Ham Tae-young to abandon his promise to investigate SG Chemical’s air purifier product. Lost was the chance to link the product to the terrible condition that took the lives of Joon-gu’s wife and baby along with countless other victims. By placing her child above everyone else, Hye-in unwittingly contributed to the harm that fell upon countless other families and their loved ones. With nowhere else to turn, Joon-gu and his accomplices eventually found one another and came up with their desperate plan.

As Hye-in comes face to face with the effects of her long-ago decision, she has to accept the irony that no matter what she did, her fears became reality. She lost her husband, Hyun-woo grew up without his father, and he’s about to be taken in by the family he was to be protected from. Hye-in gained little when she intervened and pressured Ham Tae-young to choose her and their baby over the people who wanted his help. Even though she was able to bring Hyun-woo into the world, even he was taken from her when he was kidnapped, leading to Hye-in’s desperate participation in the show. The adage “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” seems appropriate when Hye-in’s crime was her desire for Ham Tae-young to withdraw from the investigation that could have exposed the danger of the air purifier product.

Unable to change the past, Hye-in is faced with how to move forward. She still has the instinct to run away to protect her son. Hye-in has learned the hard way that running away doesn’t solve problems, but only leads to other problems, and more people seem to suffer as a result. Will she be better able to protect her son by facing her fears and exposing her husband’s corrupt family, or is she destined to run away and hide forever?

We find Seung-in also faced with the truths of the past as he viewed the tape of his sunbae, Detective Kim Sang-shik. In no uncertain terms, he heard of his mentor’s unwillingness to risk the young policeman’s future by bringing him into the investigation surrounding SG Chemical. Seven years later, Seung-in is in the middle of the very same investigation because with no one to stop them, SG Group has grown in power, influence, and corruption.

The truth for Hye-in and Seung-in is that they are faced with having to finish the work that Ham Tae-young and Detective Kim Sang-shik started seven years ago. It seems the best way to honor the good men who tried to do something in the face of evil.

 
RELATED POSTS

• Wanted: Episode 14
• Wanted: Episode 13
• Wanted: Episode 12
• Wanted: Episode 11
• Wanted: Episode 10
• Wanted: Episode 9
• Wanted: Episode 8
• Wanted: Episode 7
• Wanted: Episode 6
• Wanted: Episode 5
• Wanted: Episode 4
• Wanted: Episode 3
• Wanted: Episode 2
• Wanted: Episode 1