Unlock the Boss: Episodes 7-8

by mistyisles

The task our hero has taken up is neither easy nor safe. Although he’s got a great support system, he’ll have to decide if the reward is worth the risk.

 
EPISODES 7-8 WEECAP

In-sung is so shaken by finding Sam-soo dead that he doesn’t seem to process why the detectives are taking him in for questioning. The detective in charge has to spell out that In-sung is the prime suspect, not buying his explanation that he knows it’s a (poorly disguised) murder because of a previous acting role. Still, all it takes is a visit from a Bumyoung lawyer and suddenly In-sung is released and the case is ruled a suicide after all.

This is more than In-sung bargained for. Ignoring Sun-joo’s offer to double the reward money, he drops everything and goes back home to his parents’ orchard. While he’s there, his dad brings up the last time he quit something that made him happy: acting. In-sung had tried to report someone influential for sexually harassing one of his castmates, only to be told he’d better keep quiet if he didn’t want to get blacklisted. In-sung refused, his acting career tanked despite his undeniable talent, and that was that. In-sung’s dad overheard the incident, and now he tells In-sung he’s proud of him for doing the right thing.

In-sung does eventually go back to Silver Lining, mostly for Min-ah’s sake. Parent Field Day is coming up at her school, and she has no parents to attend with her. Se-yeon joins them, and the three take home a medal and lots of happy memories. Afterwards, Sun-joo thanks In-sung for returning, still ready to offer that double salary even though he knows that wasn’t why In-sung came back.

Having reunited, the team hunts for clues about Sam-soo’s killer. Sun-joo tracks down the payphone Sam-soo used to call In-sung, but there are no working security cameras facing it. Thankfully, though, it’s located in a popular busking spot, and after hours of scouring social media, they find a video that captured the moment Sam-soo left the payphone and someone else followed him. Namely, Young-geun’s chauffeur, NOH WI-JE (Bang Joo-hwan).

Determined to get some real answers, Sun-joo devises a plan: In-sung will get caught following Wi-je and “accidentally” get Sun-joo’s phone stolen. Aside from a fearful moment staring down the barrel of Wi-je’s gun, this plan works perfectly. Wi-je makes off with Sun-joo’s phone, unaware that he’s carrying around a pocket-sized spy that can remotely broadcast his whereabouts and activities.

But there’s one downside to this plan, which is that Sun-joo can only communicate with In-sung and Se-yeon when Wi-je leaves the phone unattended, and that doesn’t happen very often. That means In-sung is on his own to handle CEO duties at Silver Lining, like deciding whether to discontinue the AR glasses that aren’t bringing in any profit and are instead putting the company at a deficit. The problem? Doing so will put the project’s subcontractors — about 400 people — out of work.

In-sung agonizes over the decision for nearly two days, but he can’t put it off any longer than that, and Sun-joo isn’t responding to him. That’s when an unexpected solution falls into his lap via a phone call from home. His dad has broken their TV, and his mom isn’t sure how to choose a replacement that’s the right size. Eureka! In the meeting, In-sung pitches a new idea: instead of discontinuing the AR glasses entirely, they’ll add features that allow people to visually compare the size of products while shopping online.

He renders the room speechless by eloquently framing it as removing the final barrier to online shopping (not being able to see products in-person before buying them) and by correctly using business jargon that he definitely didn’t know yesterday. Se-yeon figures this means he finally got through to Sun-joo, but no — In-sung stayed up late into the night studying.

That hurdle crossed, the team’s next task is to sneak into Young-geun’s office and find a classified document that the detective gave him from Sam-soo’s car. That means they’ll have to keep Young-geun — and everyone else — occupied elsewhere. Once again, I’m reminded just how lucky Sun-joo is that he wound up in the hands of a former theater kid, because In-sung throws himself into being a disruptive presence: crashing Young-geun’s meeting, demanding to know who killed Sam-soo, and then locking everyone in the room. This turns into a game of keep-away as the once-dignified executives try to wrest the keys from his hands.

Se-yeon and Ma-pi, meanwhile, search Young-geun’s office. They still haven’t found the document by the time In-sung’s hostages escape, so In-sung buys a little more time by setting off the fire alarms with a lighter. And by the look on his face, this is something he’s fantasized about a lot.

Young-geun, incensed, returns to his office to wait for dry clothes. Se-yeon and Ma-pi, document finally secured, hide in the back room. Though Ma-pi slips away through the ceiling air vent, Se-yeon struggles to lift herself up that high. But in the nick of time, Ma-pi returns and helps her up. This is a big turning point for them — he chooses to go back for her and she chooses to trust him — and a step up from when she accused him of texting Wi-je their plans (he was actually texting Min-ah, whose feelings of abandonment are painfully relatable to him).

As for Wi-je, he leads the team to the mental hospital where (we know, but they don’t) Sang-won was murdered. The team watch through the camera of Sun-joo’s phone (which Wi-je is helpful enough to be holding) as Wi-je approaches the bed of another, unconscious patient — Sun-joo.

I have to say, I was the teeniest bit disappointed to see Sun-joo in that hospital bed, because I really liked the weird fantasy angle of a person literally becoming a cell phone and having to find a way to change him back.

But, on the other hand, I was afraid Sun-joo’s “consciousness” inside the cell phone would turn out to be BARO 4.0 using the data he’s poured into it to recreate his voice, decision-making, and so on, just as he said it’s potentially capable of doing. And while that’s still possible (probable, even), I was afraid that would also mean he’s been dead all along. So I’ll happily take this as an alternative if it means he gets to live and go back to Min-ah in the end.

That aside, I love the bond forming among our three teammates. In-sung’s crush on Se-yeon is adorable, as are the little hints that she reciprocates, but it’s even sweeter to watch them open up and rely on each other in their lowest moments. I especially loved seeing Se-yeon offer encouragement when In-sung felt lost, since he’s typically been the more upbeat of the two.

And then there’s Ma-pi, who’s ever-so-slowly warming up to everyone — and they to him. And it’s not just In-sung bringing the best out of him (though he plays a huge part). Rather, it’s a mixture of seeing himself in Min-ah, finding an actual purpose, and seeing that people who keep their promises and genuinely care about others do in fact exist.

 
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