Bait: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

by solstices

Bait’s premiere delivers exactly what it promised in its teasers, which is both a boon and a bane — on one hand, I got what I was expecting, but on the other, there isn’t much in the way of new information. Still, it’s an intriguing start, and it drops a few crumbs that are sure to lead to a larger conspiracy.

Editor’s note: This is an Episode 1 review only. For a place to chat about the entire drama with rampant spoilers as it airs, visit the Drama Hangout!
 
EPISODE 1 FIRST IMPRESSIONS

We open in the year 2010, to a rousing speech by NOH SANG-CHUN (Heo Sung-tae). He’s the chairman of the reputable Bigs Network, and he leverages on the profit he’s generated for his clients to build his credibility. Sang-chun’s charisma wins over the crowd in seconds, and he basks in their exultant chants of his name.

Except that all comes crashing down — Sang-chun has pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes, and his company is nothing more than a Ponzi scheme. The news broadcasts report that Sang-chun has died in a car accident while fleeing the authorities in China, and with that, the case gets dismissed by the police. Sang-chun’s victims are saddled with debt, and left with no hope of recompense.

Fast forward to 2023. Our leading man, detective GU DO-HAN (Jang Geun-seok), is currently facing disciplinary action for fabricating a case report. Through his intricate knowledge of the law, we learn that he used to be a prestigious lawyer, acclaimed for his high win rate. Now, Do-han puts those skills to use in order to defend his teammate and get off with a mere temporary suspension.

That night, a scruffy man limps home, only to find that he isn’t its only occupant. He’s swiftly and brutally taken out by a masked man, who dials emergency services and holds up a piece of paper for the man to read off: “Please save me. Noh Sang-chun is trying to kill me.”

That’s how Do-han gets called back into work from his disciplinary suspension. Upon arriving at the crime scene, he immediately notices the victim’s bloody fingernails — the culprit had tortured him for information. This isn’t a cut-and-dry case; in fact, the culprit intentionally set it up so that a deliveryman would discover the corpse.

As they exit, eagle-eyed Do-han spots a man taking photos of him amongst the crowd. An inspection of his phone reveals photos of the dead body, taken well before the cops arrived, and that’s enough cause for him to be detained.

Back at the station, the suspicious photographer — LEE BYUNG-JOON (Lee Seung-joon) — is interrogated. Acting aggrieved, he claims he went to meet the victim SONG YOUNG-JIN (Park Myung-hoon), where he discovered him dead. It’s a flimsy excuse, but Byung-joon insists that he’s the true victim — Young-jin was in cahoots with Sang-chun all those years ago.

Flashback to 2011. Sang-chun prepares to flee the country, flanked by his secretary (and lover?) JUNG SO-RAM (Oh Yeon-ah). Young-jin’s in the escape car too, until Sang-chun realizes that Young-jin has sold him out. Young-jin’s desperate pleas that it’s all a misunderstanding fall on deaf ears, and after suffering a solid beating at Sang-chun’s hands, he’s thrown off a pier.

Anyway, back to the present — we’re introduced to a new character, self-proclaimed defense attorney CHEON NA-YEON (Lee Elijah). Do-han quickly realizes she’s a fraud, but he permits her visitation with Byung-joon anyway, in an attempt to figure out her intentions.

Do-han doesn’t know it yet, but Na-yeon and Byung-joon are part of the same support group, comprising Sang-chun’s scam victims. Na-yeon’s much too young to be part of them, but a flashback provides a hint as to her identity. Back then, a despairing man at his wit’s end had set himself on fire — and it seems like Na-yeon may be his daughter.

Eventually, it dawns on Do-han that Byung-joon’s camera flash had been on in broad daylight — he’d deliberately let himself get caught by the police. When questioned, Byung-joon merely reveals that the police force’s deputy chief KANG JONG-HOON (Lee Sung-wook) was the head detective of the Noh Sang-chun case.

A flashback shows that Deputy Chief Kang had gotten a call right as he was about to apprehend Sang-chun, causing him to back down and allow Sang-chun to drive off right before his very eyes. In the present, Do-han realizes there may be more sinister intentions lurking behind Deputy Chief Kang’s insistence to quickly close the case.

The episode ends on yet another murder, implying that we have a serial killer on the loose. Though given the sheer scale of Sang-chun’s crime, there’s a possibility that it isn’t a single murderer, but a whole crew of bloodthirsty vigilantes. These murders are certainly bait, so who’s on the other end of the line? And what — or who — do they hope to reel in?

I’m surprised, and a little disappointed, that the premiere didn’t give us more of Sang-chun’s story — what makes him tick? Why did he craft such a devastating scam? Surely there’s more to him than simply being an avaricious businessman with lofty ambitions. As of now, Sang-chun’s character feels a little one-note, but it seems like the drama will continue to dole out glimpses into his side of the story through its flashbacks. (At least, I hope so.)

As such, the present-day story doesn’t stand out quite as much as I thought it would, despite the drama’s unique premise. There isn’t much distinguishing it from other police procedurals, but then again it does seem like this episode was mostly meant to set up the game and its players.

When the cat-and-mouse chase finally begins in earnest, I’m anticipating a lot more crafty plotting, hidden agendas, and elaborate schemes. At this point, it’s difficult to tell how the drama will unfold, so let’s hope that its bait doesn’t hook a mere piece of driftwood, but a prize catch.

 
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