Episode 3 is riveting! We catch a glimpse of how Jung-woo’s team was formed and answers I didn’t think we’d be given until episode 14! I’m also happy to report that one of my theories has already been confirmed. It’s hard not to gush, because there’s a lot I like about Awaken, so let’s get to those “yeses”.
Yes ma’am to the straightforwardness
Jamie’s suspicious of Jung-woo, because at the end of episode 2 she realizes he knew Choi Yong-suk had just received treatment for his insomnia, and the only person who’d know that would be…the killer. He also knew something was off with the Kim Young-joon case.
In most crime shows, Jamie’s character would spend the next hour giving Jung-woo suspicious looks. But to my surprise and delight she uses her words! She communicates! Jamie comes right out and asks him if there’s anything he’d like to share with the rest of the team. Jung-woo gives her nothing of course, but at least she gives him the chance to clear up any misunderstandings. The rest is up to him.
I cackled throughout the next instance of Jamie’s straightforwardness. She rightfully deduces Hye-won is crushing on Jung-woo and says it to her face! I’m obsessed with her if you can’t already tell. She’s straightforward, but has a sense of humor. And her OCD flares up when she’s stressed. Her and Jung-woo are both such interesting characters, I’m in drama heaven. Now all I need them to do is trust each other.
Yes to that (potential) superhuman twist
If the dude from the convenience store is having flashbacks to the incident at the beginning of episode 1 and punching dents into metal doors, he’s got to be one of the kids. I hope he escapes his current captor the next time he’s allowed to go to the convenience store. Maybe he’ll call Jamie now that he has her business card…
Yes to learning details about White Night Village so quickly
Wow. I really didn’t expect them to go into what happened at the beginning of episode 1 until much later in the drama. There’s obviously more to uncover, but so far we know the burning compound was dubbed White Night Village, and it was the country’s first attempt at communal housing for orphans. Helmed by teacher-turned-businessman Son Min-ho, the project was funded by so-called miracle drugs that made him a ton of money. The night the compound burned down, everyone died except for seven children. It was rumored to be a mass suicide and the police never found the money the medicine brought in, but Son Min-ho couldn’t be arrested due to lack of evidence.
Now that we know what lead up to that eerie opening, I’m even more excited to see what happens next.
No to crime shows that try to make you suspect the main character
Come on, it’s never them. Well, not never, but rarely. So why bother trying to make the main character look suspicious? We all know Jung-woo isn’t the murderer. The day a crime show actually follows through on that will be a game changer. TV shows like You and Dexter have put people in the mind of a killer, but I’m referring to thinking you’re rooting for a good person only to find out they’re not in the end.
The episode ends on a cliffhanger of Jung-woo telling Jamie he’s one of the kids from the village. I knew it! I called it in last episode’s review. I bet Jamie and the dude from the convenience store are from there too, and they all escaped. The thing that concerns me now is manager Lee Taek-jo (the high-ranking policewoman at the precinct) is taking bribes from Son Min-ho’s people. That means she’s definitely going to be making things hard for our heroes.
I think someone should mention Hye Won. The episode started with the flashback how she got hand picked by Jung Woo to form his team. Apparently she applied to become officer before but was rejected and ended up wasting her time writing traffic tickets. She confessed in the monolog she likes Jung Woob from the beginning. Her behavior is very obvious and I would be surprised if the other two teammates not detecting something already.
Usually when something that obvious is shown so early in a drama, it usually would lead to some more development, as would echo in this case, ep 4, 5.
I like this show but there is so much to take in. I have to concentrate and drop everything else or I would miss some important pieces here and there.
Author
This is another good “yes” moment. I want to say more about Hye-won, but I don’t know if you’ve watched episode 6 yet.
No, I haven’t. I will catch up with the latest episode before the weekend and probably rewatch some. Some of the hints are easily missed.
Author
Okay, I won’t spoil it for you then.
Yeah, there are a ton of details and hints. I can’t include them all or the review will be 20 pages, but I try to make my “yeses” the big reveals/plot points in the episode. I can’t wait until you get to episode 6 so we can discuss it.
“I’m referring to thinking you’re rooting for a good person only to find out they’re not in the end.”
Wait till they make the cinematic representation of Alex Michaelides’s The Silent Patient.
Author
I googled it, and you’re making me want to read the book.
I thought I was rooting for a good person when I was watching the movie “Memento” LOL. I love books, movies, and TV shows like that. I’m waiting for Korea to do it and fully commit.