Fly Dragon: Episode 2

by lovepark

A high school graduate lawyer and a trash reporter cross paths and become an unlikely team as they face a whole flock of enemies ready to bring them down. They dream of the day where justice will earn them money, but in such an unfair world, can justice ever be lucrative? Our heroes are about to find out, and while they’re at it, they’ll stir up some trouble as well.

 
EPISODE 2 RECAP

Sam-soo meets with his CEO and chief, urging them to pursue the Samjung three-man case. He tells them that the prosecutor released the murderers after they were caught, but they ignore his pleas. CEO Moon is especially against the idea since Prosecutor Jang’s father-in-law is Mayor Kang, and he reiterates to Sam-soo that this isn’t like the old days.

The mayor texts Sam-soo a time and place to meet, which only irks the reporter more. Pulling out his trump card, CEO Moon reminds him that he brought the once factory worker inside the “four gates” (aka, Seoul), and promises to let Sam-soo cover the case after he does the mayor assignment.

Thus, Sam-soo arrives at the mayor’s estate and follows him around as he recites a verbose and exaggerated recounting of his youth. Sam-soo interjects, asking where the embezzlement falls into the story, and Mayor Kang scowls. He immediately calls CEO Moon to complain, and Sam-soo bows low in apology. From afar, a camera flashes and records the entire scene.

Tae-yong meets with the three men from the Samjung case and has them sign (or use their thumbprint since some of them can’t write) a contract to be their attorney. Before their leader signs, he asks about the fee, and Tae-yong tells them that it’s only 300,000 won per person. That’s still a steep price for his new clients, so Tae-yong offers to take ten percent of their government reimbursement, instead.

After the men sign, Tae-yong asks if they know the victim Ms. Choi, but mention of the supermarket angers one of the men. He decides to call Ms. Choi directly and learns that she handed over all her evidence to Sam-soo.

Speaking of whom, Sam-soo accompanies Mayor Kang to a batting cage and supplies him a steady stream of balls and empty compliments. When they finish, the mayor hands him an envelope and tells him to wash up. Sam-soo accepts the gift, and like before, a camera flashes in the background.

Tae-yong continues his research on Sam-soo and is impressed by the reporter’s skills and credentials—mistakenly assuming that Sam-soo graduated from the “S” University. Peering at Sam-soo’s photo, Tae-yong remembers kicking him out of his office, and he berates himself for not recognizing such an amazing person that day.

That “amazing” reporter is now a caddy for the mayor, huffing and puffing as he struggles to keep up. Mayor Kang keeps adding ridiculous monikers and chapters to his autobiography, and Sam-soo praises his eloquence. Once again, someone snaps photos of the encounter, capturing the exact moment when Sam-soo gets on his knees.

Next on Sam-soo’s to-do list is picking up dog poop for the mayor when he gets an unwanted call from Prosecutor Jang. Sam-soo complains about the poop—which, of course, isn’t aimed at the prosecutor—and Prosecutor Jang calls him a psychopath. Twirling around a cassette tape, he accuses Sam-soo of acting two-faced and thanks him for the trip down memory lane. The truth dawns on Sam-soo as he rushes back to his desk, but it’s too late.

Sam-soo screams into the air, asking who took the tape, and CEO Moon is the culprit. However, Sam-soo’s troubles don’t stop there as Chief Shin comes in to the office and shows them their competitor’s headline: News and New has been caught lobbying, and Sam-soo’s picture is front and center.

The new recruits read the news and quickly join the bandwagon, badmouthing Sam-soo and calling him trash. Only Yoo-kyung defends their senior and tells the others to shut it. As Sam-soo’s name reaches the number one trending spot, Tae-yong reads the accusations as well and wonders why such an admirable reporter would stoop so low.

Sam-soo leaves the office in shame, and only Yoo-kyung chases after him. For his final words, Sam-soo tells her to become a good reporter unlike him. Though she comes from an affluent background, he believes she’s cut out for it because she looks good in hiking shoes.

As Sam-soo leaves, he narrates a letter addressed to CEO Moon. He thanks him for the time he’s spent in Seoul and apologizes for his harsh words at the end. He says that he’s leaving the four gates to search for stories hidden outside and return to his rightful place. He recalls his first meeting with CEO Moon and faces of his past informants flash before his eyes. Standing in the streets of Seoul, Sam-soo cries.

Freshly unemployed, Sam-soo stares up at the ceiling in his apartment, and his lover and roommate LEE JIN-SHIL (Kim Hye-hwa) complains about him loafing around. Sam-soo receives a text from Tae-yong, asking to meet, and he happily informs Jin-shil that he has plans. While he brags about the invitation, Jin-shil warns him not to overdo it and reminds him of the benefit of living together: she can kick him out whenever.

That night, Sam-soo arrives at Tae-yong’s office where he’s handed a spatula and ordered to flip a fish. Still in denial, Sam-soo asks when they’re going to the restaurant, and Tae-yong ignores his imploring questions. Since Sam-soo chose seafood for their menu, Tae-yong prepared grilled fish, fish stew, and anchovies for a side dish—even dessert is dried quid. Ha!

Over drinks, Tae-yong compliments Sam-soo’s writing skills and explains how he only finished a semester at Soocheon University. Sam-soo jumps up when he hears his admittance year and bows to his university senior. Tae-yong becomes slack-jawed when he learns that “S” University meant Soocheon, and frowns when Sam-soo links arms for a love shot.

After a few glasses, Tae-yong asks about the cassette tape, and Sam-soo acts cute to lessen the blow: he lost it. Of course, his tactic fails, and Tae-yong yells at him for being clumsy. Both sides start spewing criticisms, but despite all that, Tae-yong still wants Sam-soo on his side.

Tae-yong knows that it’s an uphill battle, but anything that’s worthwhile is bound to be difficult. He argues that both of them have reached the number one spot (as a high school graduate lawyer and a trash reporter, but that’s besides the point). His plan is to prove that justice can make money, and Sam-soo smiles at Tae-yong’s grand dream to flip the world on its head.

Sam-soo steps out to answer a call from the grandmother of his last article, and she asks for his help about her granddaughter Myung-hee’s upcoming trial. Sam-soo promises to find her a lawyer, and right then, Tae-yong tells him to work with him, instead.

He claims to be a good judge of character, but his plan backfires as Sam-soo asks why he kicked him out that day. Tae-yong tells him to forget about it, and Sam-soo agrees if Tae-yong does him one, simple favor.

That’s how Tae-yong ends up at Myung-hee’s house and meets the grandmother. He asks the grandmother if she gave Sam-soo a gift, and she tells him about the apples. Tae-yong curses under his breath, realizing that Sam-soo tricked him, but now that he’s here, he takes his duties seriously.

Tae-yong informs the grandmother about the upcoming trial procedures, and gently notifies her of the inevitable besmirching of her son. Grandmother understands and wishes to be the one who speaks about him in court.

Afterwards, Tae-yong finds Sam-soo eating ramyun and chomps on the apple he also received from the grandmother. He complains about the situation, but Sam-soo tells him to be quiet as a group of students approach the store. He silently motions to Tae-yong that it’s Myung-hee, but when Tae-yong greets the group, she walks away.

At the beach, Sam-soo tells Tae-yong that middle school students are scary, but the real reason he hid was because he used her diary without her permission. Since they’re here, Tae-yong suggests taking a selfie to commemorate the occasion, and despite Sam-soo’s whining, he smiles for the picture.

Tae-yong grumbles as he drives the pair back home since Sam-soo doesn’t have a license, and he reminds Sam-soo that their partnership ends the day a rich philanthropist appears. Sam-soo says that he never agreed to help, and anyways, he’s considering changing career paths and becoming a mortician.

Dropping Sam-soo off, Tae-yong shares that his father was a mortician and offers to cover his duties so Sam-soo can write about him instead of the dead. He asks if Sam-soo knows what their jobs have in common and explains how they reap benefits from others’ miseries. He advises Sam-soo to use his talents for good, but Sam-soo doesn’t fall for his obvious ploy.

Sam-soo complains about Tae-yong to Jin-shil, but she thinks their relationship might be mutually beneficial. She believes Sam-soo can soar again, and he agrees, vowing to re-enter the four gates.

Tae-yong continues working late into the night when his younger brother Tae-sung calls him. Hearing his voice reminds Tae-yong of the past and the day he first met his little brother—or more precisely, his half-brother.

Teenage Tae-yong witnessed his father talking to his mistress while holding a baby. Soon after, he saw his father asking his mother to raise the child, and Tae-yong yelled at him to either return the baby or throw him away. Aghast by his words, Tae-yong’s mother slapped him for suggesting such a cruel thing.

CEO Moon treats Sam-soo to a nice meal and asks how he’s progressing with the Samjung case. Claiming that he feels guilty, CEO Moon offers to keep Sam-soo on the payroll, but Sam-soo knows that nothing is free in this world. He asks for a couple of days to decide, and CEO Moon advises him to not overthink things. Sam-soo smiles since last time he didn’t think, he turned into a fool.

After Sam-soo leaves, CEO Moon makes a call, informing someone that he took care of things. Returning to his office, CEO Moon asks Chief Shin about Sam-soo’s replacement, and she suggests Yoo-kyung since she’s smart and comes from a good background. He approves of her decision, so later that day, Chief Shin takes Yoo-kyung for a walk.

She advises her junior to not worry about Sam-soo since he’s nicknamed “Survivor Park” for a reason, and then offers her a position in their legal news team. Yoo-kyung wonders why she’s invited to a seniors-only division, but Chief Shin tells her that it’s a place for aces.

Lawyer Kim calls Tae-yong over to his new workplace since his boss wants to see him. The ex-Chief Prosecutor of the District Prosecutor Office and now Daeseok Law Firm Partner KIM BYUNG-DAE (Park Ji-il) greets Tae-yong warmly when he arrives and invites him to dinner.

As Lawyer Kim escorts Tae-yong, he describes his new, lavish working conditions, and hints at the possibility of Tae-yong joining him. During their meal, Partner Kim mentions a new foundation their firm is creating, and he wants Tae-yong to lead it.

Tae-yong is more than happy to accept and asks if he can continue his two cases when he enters their firm. Partner Kim shakes his head and tells Tae-yong to push for settlements, especially for the Samjung case.

Tae-yong mulls over the offer on his way home—the thought of a 70 million won (approximately $62,000) annual salary sounding quite enticing. At the same time, Partner Kim informs Mayor Kang that the problem will be resolved and thanks him for choosing their firm for all of Seoul’s legal matters.

Wanting to share the good news, Tae-yong wakes up his younger sister Sun-min and tells her about the job offer. Sun-min is excited to hear that he’ll be making more than double of what he does now, and sighs in relief since they don’t have to worry about their rent anymore.

The men from the Samjung case finally come face-to-face with Sam-soo, and Tae-yong assures his cautious clients that the reporter isn’t a bad person… probably. While they eat, Sam-soo notices one of the men is missing his front teeth, and he explains how he lost them in jail.

Pulling Tae-yong outside, Sam-soo asks why he didn’t share the fact that the men had developmental disabilities, and argues that they don’t stand a chance. Tae-yong tells him to have some faith, but Sam-soo calls him a cult leader and storms back inside. As they resume their conversation, the restaurant owner gives them free food because they look like good people.

Tae-yong tells his clients that he’s charging the police as well, but this causes one of the men to shake in fear and refuse to go. Tae-yong jokes that scary Sam-soo is on their side, but it does nothing to ease their doubts. Remembering Partner Kim’s offer, Tae-yong mentions the option of settling outside of court and leaves the decision up to them.

On their ride home, Sam-soo comments on Tae-yong’s politeness to which the lawyer explains how a lot of attorneys don’t follow the procedures when working with the disenfranchised. Sam-soo asks why he mentioned a settlement, then, and Tae-yong pretends that it was for his clients’ sake.

Tae-yong nags Sam-soo to write him an article, but the reporter has other plans. He says that the best way to open people’s wallets is through their tears and thinks the three men would make a great story. Tae-yong argues that he’s pitiful, too, but Sam-soo falls asleep while he talks.

At that moment, Prosecutor Jang calls Tae-yong, and he looks over at Sam-soo, contemplating on what to do. When they arrive at Sam-soo’s place, Tae-yong asks him to keep their retrial a secret, and Sam-soo tells him that no one else is interested in their work.

Sam-soo meets with Prosecutor Jang who asks about his progress on the Samjung case. He argues that his efforts are wasted, and as a fellow dirt-spoon individual, he advises Sam-soo to just become a mortician.

The prosecutor’s blunder is enough for Sam-soo to make the connection, but he plays along as Prosecutor Jang laughs it off. He hands the prosecutor some paper to return to his father-in-law, and it turns out that the envelope from the mayor wasn’t money but a new chapter for his autobiography.

Acting on his hunch, Sam-soo calls Yoo-kyung and tells her to repay him for the shoes. She eagerly obliges since she’s already been collecting evidence. The mayor dropped by a couple of days ago, and under the guise of a selfie, she took a picture with him to record his visit. When Sam-soo looks at the photo she took, he spots another clue and grits his teeth.

Tae-yong drops by Myung-hee’s neighborhood and runs into her and her friends at the convenience store again. He buys them food even though his card is maxed out, and it earns him enough trust for a quick chat.

He tells her that he used to be a troublemaker in his past and even went to high school twice. She mentions her plans to drop out since no school would want a murderer. Tae-yong objects, citing how one out of seven of his clients are murderers, but his argument isn’t very persuasive.

Seeing Myung-hee reminds him of his own abusive household, and like her, Tae-yong intervened when his father hit his mother. Back in the present, Tae-yong promises Myung-hee that he won’t let her go to jail and tells her to enjoy high school.

Tae-yong finds Sam-soo waiting outside his office, and they go up to share a drink. Sam-soo asks again why Tae-yong mentioned a settlement to the three men and prods him for an answer. Tae-yong gets defensive, accusing Sam-soo of working for the enemy, but what Sam-soo wants to know is if they’re being played by the same person.

To Tae-yong’s surprise, a visitor drops by his office, and as soon as Yoo-kyung enters, he’s smitten at first sight. Sam-soo scoffs at the bumbling lawyer, and Yoo-kyung gives Tae-yong an obligatory smile before getting down to business. She presents a document detailing the agreement between Daeseok Law Firm and the city of Seoul, which adds up to an annual 30 billion won deal (roughly $27 million).

Out of the loop, Tae-yong asks why she’s looking into that particular firm, so Sam-soo shows the group his latest discovery: in the back of Yoo-kyung’s photo is Lawyer Kim. The pieces fall into place, and Tae-yong jumps up in righteous fury. With Sam-soo egging him on, Tae-yong screams at the jerks who tricked him.

 
COMMENTS

The tone of this show definitely leans towards comedy, and despite the heavy topics, the dialogue and characters bring a certain levity to the scenes that make them feel lively and fun. So far, there hasn’t been any issues of tonal whiplash, and I appreciate the fact that even the bad guys are a bit humorous. Above all, I love the main characters who each have a strong moral compass, but what makes them so interesting is the fact that they aren’t always morally upstanding. They can be materialistic, and their goals are somewhat self-serving. Tae-yong isn’t taking on the retrial solely to prove these men’s innocence but because he thinks this case will help him net a rich philanthropist. Tae-yong’s dream of making money off of justice captures the quirky duality of these characters perfectly: on one hand, they strive for an equitable world, but on the other, they’re in it for themselves.

A lot of Tae-yong and Sam-soo’s motivations to take on the Samjung retrial comes out of spite, and I love it. It adds a lot of humor to the show, and helps the characters avoid coming off as self-righteous. When the bad guys were bribing the main characters, Tae-yong and Sam-soo don’t turn down the deals because it’s the morally correct thing to do. While Tae-yong does struggle over the decision because he feels responsible towards his clients, the thing that finally tipped the scales was Tae-yong figuring out his enemies’ intentions. Sometimes, a bit of spite is all it takes to spur action, and I found it hilarious how Tae-yong and Sam-soo basically shared one brain cell in that last scene. The other interesting concept that comes out of this scenario is the idea that Tae-yong and Sam-soo could be bought. If given the right deal, I’m sure both of our heroes would be willing to compromise some of their values, but clearly, the bad guys have underestimated them. While the mayor and law firm partner offer Tae-yong and Sam-soo around the ballpark of 70,000,000 won, they’re out there cutting billion won checks for themselves. It’s almost silly how much the rich and powerful assume those beneath them would be willing to prostrate themselves for their pocket money, and I’m sure it was our foes’ haughtiness that irked our heroes the most.

What I love most about the main characters, though, is that they’re smart and resourceful. Sam-soo may be worried about being the “most educated” in the group, but Tae-yong had a point when he said the enemy hasn’t reached the number one spot outside of school, unlike them. While the other side might be book smart, there’s a certain street smart and wiriness to Tae-yong and Sam-soo that can’t be learned in the classroom. Growing up in troubled homes, it seems that Tae-yong and Sam-soo have constantly faced stressful moments, so even when things get tough, they aren’t easily discouraged. Without the comfort of external validation, Tae-yong and Sam-soo have come to rely on their skills to prove their worth, and as a result, they have confidence in their abilities even if others don’t believe in them.

While they might still be in over their heads for these upcoming battles, I think the bad guys are undermining the sure doggedness of these two characters even more. Tae-yong and Sam-soo already know that life isn’t fair, so they aren’t expecting a fair fight. In contrast, the bad guys are looking down on our lawyer-reporter duo and not taking them as a serious threat. However, their overconfidence isn’t a problem for our heroes, especially not to Sam-soo who actually uses his image to his advantage and plays up the part of the buffoon. Sam-soo knows exactly how others view him and doesn’t go out of his way to correct them, either. Instead, he makes them think he’s harmless, but the entire time, he’s observing and calculating his opponents. Sam-soo deliberately creates an atmosphere where his enemies feel comfortable and lower their guard. Thus, even when he makes sly comments that point out the enemies’ mistakes, he can pass it off as a joke, and the bad guys are none the wiser. Despite Tae-yong’s jokes about Sam-soo’s thug-like looks, Sam-soo knows how to project a certain image, whether that be an obnoxious senior, scary reporter, or sycophantic gofer. While victory isn’t guaranteed, with Tae-yong and Sam-soo on one team, I’m looking forward to how these two will flip the world upside down.

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