In episode 11 we find out more important details, and watch the characters make some tough choices. Hye-won quits the force, so she can help Jung-woo more freely, and confronts her dad about his crimes. There’s also a lot of plotting and betrayal in the works. Jae-woong’s handler Jang Yong-sik meets up with Son Min-ho and tells him Jae-woong is the murderer. He offers to report Jae-woong’s every move if his safety is guaranteed. And Son Min-ho turns around and refers Oh Jung-hwan to Jae-woong’s “psychiatric” services.
Since we’re getting closer to the end of the drama and getting a ton of new info, I’m going to tweak the format of my reviews a little bit. Before my personal “yeses” and “noes”, I’m going to list what we learned each episode. So that the list doesn’t get too long or convoluted, I’m only going to include big reveals or things that affect the main plot.
Now let’s get started.
What we learned this episode:
- Jae-woong’s malice isn’t fully tethered to White Night. He wants to get back at Jung-woo and Jamie for abandoning him the night they escaped.
- Jo Hyun-hee, the lead doctor from the past and Jung-woo’s self-appointed mother is alive!!! And she hasn’t aged a bit.
- Over 500 kids were brought to White Night, but by the night of the mass suicide there were only 36 left. (If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time we’ve gotten a full head count with concrete numbers).
- It looks like the other 460+ kids are stuffed in barrels that get put into storage/shipping containers.
Yes to the plotting and betrayals
It’s going to be what helps bring the bad guys down. At this point, we know Jang Yong-sik is the older boy who was groveling at Jung-woo’s (or maybe if there’s another twist, Jamie’s) feet in the epic opening sequence of the drama. Yong-sik is also with Jae-woong when he poisons those poor villagers. So they’ve been together for 28 years. That’s a long time to be by someone’s side, so it’s quite the betrayal that he tells Son Min-ho Jae-woong is the murderer. But I doubt it’s going to matter. Jae-woong always seems to be one step ahead of everyone.
As for Son Min-ho referring Oh Jung-hwan to Jae-woong (via Yong-sik), it’s clearly a calculated move to get him out of the way. Too bad Oh Jung-hwan’s son may have to pay with his life. Although he did kill Baek Hyun-soo and doesn’t seem particularly remorseful about it.
Yes to Jamie’s flashback
Because it shows us she and Jung-woo didn’t coldly abandon Jae-woong like he thinks. They went back to White Night to save the remaining kids. But if that’s the case, the misunderstanding could’ve been avoided with a little communication. I suspect little Jung-woo and Jamie tried, but since Jae-woong was young and traumatized, them leaving him on that beach still felt like a betrayal anyway. This is why I’m anxious to learn more about Jae-woong’s alter ego— starting with his name, because he refers to Jae-woong as a separate person.
Yes to Hye-won confronting her dad about his heinous crimes
The man raised her, so I understand why she’d want to give Dr. Gong one last chance to explain himself or show a little remorse. But he’s a vile man, and doesn’t even look at the children he experiments on as people. They’re merely lab rats. I really want to see him get what’s coming to him by the end of the drama.
As for Seol-hyun’s acting in this scene, it’s not bad, but I can’t really say I felt (or saw) the anguish one would expect from a character in this situation. Maybe it’s the writing or the short length of the scene? Or maybe she’s still growing as an actress? I’m not sure if it’s one or a combination of all three, but I didn’t feel the depth of emotion I expected to feel.
No to the drama trying to convince me Kim Min-jae had no inkling White Night is still experimenting on kids
I’m sorry, I find it hard to believe he’d have absolutely no suspicions about this. I know he claims to be a dog who just does what its told, but he still has super human senses (including hearing) and superior reasoning and observational skills. It’s more likely Kim Min-jae suspected something, but felt too guilty to entertain the thought. Him not suspecting the organization that experimented on him is still experimenting on kids is simply a way for the drama to have him side with Jung-woo. Which is fine, but I would’ve also been fine with him staying a selfish character. Even people who know what it’s like to be oppressed can become the oppressor.
Overall, I enjoyed this episode. I like that we finally got scenes with some of our main characters together, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’ll happen with Oh Kyung-min. I have no idea what Jung-woo’s going to do about the forewarned murder since he didn’t write the notice this time. But I have faith in him.
Yeah, there were quite a few betrayals. Besides the ones you already mentioned, the autopsy doc also “betrayed” the trust of Jung Woo and Hye Won, even though Jung Woo appeared not to expect her loyalty and there was no harm done.
Thanks for pointing out the number of kids used for the experiment on the island. I assume the numbers on their clothes and files continues to the present day, the number has reached 2000. The writer try to make it clear how evil these people are and the fact that Hye-won’s dad has been doing it from the beginning make it no uncertainty who he truly is. I think Seol-hyun did very well in that scene. It’s a complicated scene with a big emotion swing. I think the flashback at the end showing her memory as a happy family as a nice touch, too).
I like the writer use Jamie’s memory to slowly unfold what happened that night 28 years ago. I want to know if Jae-woong’s blame on the two abandoning him justified? Or is it his distorted feelings and memory of the event?
There are a lot of screen time between Jamie and reporter Lee. I really like the dynamics between the two. There is no better way to know someone than going to a road trip together. 🙂
If there is one “NO” for me in this episode, it’s Jung-woo’s superpower display when he pushed the truck backward. There was no space in between the truck and his car for him to come out. He would have to push the truck from inside his car, came out through the window and continue pushing. A minor thing. 🙂
“If there is one “NO” for me in this episode, it’s Jung-woo’s superpower display when he pushed the truck backward. There was no space in between the truck and his car for him to come out. He would have to push the truck from inside his car, came out through the window and continue pushing. A minor thing.”
I haven’t watched Ep11, will going later but that was exactly my thought at the end of Ep10 😉
It is a left hand drive car so the truck was pressing on the passenger door not the door on his side
In the following ep we see Jung woo talking with Jamie and he says that Jamie should return to the US, but she refused his offer, then she told Jung woo that he promised that Jung woo would protect her, idk how if they childhood relationship went deeper knowing that there is no romantic sign if Jamie also has special feelings with Jung-woo but instead I want the three main lead to have a deep connection with each other as a team since it is not a romantic drama.
Author
I completely agree. I would’ve loved to see Jung-woo, Jamie, and Hye-won form a deep team connection while working the case, but I guess the drama had to prioritize the storytelling/delivering information over the character relationships. I wish something had been tweaked so we get the best of both worlds, but it’s easier said than done.
Author
Also, please remember to add the word “SPOILER” when talking about episode 12 or any episodes after in case people haven’t watched them yet. Thank you so much for your comment <3
I agree completely. I prefer not to see the spoilers even if it’s coming from a preview for the next next episode.
Also, since two episodes are broadcasted in the same week, the stories of the two is more connected than those between episodes in subsequent week or previous. It can be challenging to comment on just the one.
Can’t wait to read the review on ep.11. Thanks for your postings.