Episode 5 is all about Kang Sol B and Vice Dean Kang Joo-man’s motives for murdering Professor Seo. Kang Sol B’s is Seo’s knowledge about the dissertation she plagiarized from him, and Vice Dean Kang’s is as well, because they’re father and daughter! I know— I’m surprised too. And no, having the same last name doesn’t give it away. Korea only has 286 surnames to split among the population.
Consequently, Sol B’s “birth secret” means some interesting things happen this episode. Like the origin of a crucial piece of evidence, and the killer’s confession!
What we learn this episode
- Vice Dean Kang Joo-man is Kang Sol B’s father.
- Yang is aware that his alibi is a lie.
- He’s the one who dropped the sugar packet Yang puts in Seo’s coffee.
- When Seo leaves the office to take a call, Vice Dean Kang sees the packet of meth hidden under books on the table. The drama implies he dumps it in the coffee, and in the present Vice Dean Kang confesses to Yang.
- Sol B later sees the sugar packet, but it’s unconfirmed whether she’s the one who moves it.
- Her grades-obsessed mom left Professor Seo for Vice Dean Kang when they were younger.
- Sol-bi’s mom is the one who told her to copy Seo’s dissertation. She admits this to him, and asks him not to reveal it.
- Since the medical examiner who conducted Seo’s first autopsy is abroad and can’t be found, it will be admissible in court.
Yes to the social commentary…
..on receiving child support in Korea, and scholastic pressures. There are tons of dramas (like Sky Castle) that touch on the latter, but not that many touch on the former. It’s sad that the courts don’t better enforce the payment of child support, but maybe conversations like this will help.
The topic comes up, because Sol A joins the school’s legal clinic, and tries to defend a single mother from libel charges (a type of defamation). She’s being sued by her ex-husband and other deadbeat parents for publishing their private information online. Joon-hwi argues shaming people into giving you money isn’t ethical, but Sol A empathizes with the defendant, because she was raised by a single mom. It’s an interesting case study, and the dialogue is intentional and witty. My favorite kind. I personally don’t think Joon-hwi and Sol A have much romantic chemistry, but they have this cheeky friend energy that I’m enjoying. Which is fine, because Law school isn’t a romance.
The other social issue tackled is the intense pressure students face. Sol B’s mom is a nightmare who threatens her with suicide because her grades drop. She wants Sol B to become a judge to make up for the fact that her husband is the only person in his family who isn’t one. What a horrible, superficial reason. Now I understand why Sol B is so drained. I’m glad she calls her mom’s bluff about committing suicide toward the end of the episode, and rejoins the study group.
Yes to Vice Dean Kang’s Confession!!!
He’s the one who dropped the sugar packet Professor Yang used, and he has a solid motive! Or motive(s) if you want to get technical. Not only is Professor Seo his wife’s ex, Seo was going to blow the whistle on Sol B’s plagiarized dissertation. What other reasons are needed?
And yet…despite Kang confessing to Seo’s murder, I don’t believe it’s him. The drama’s barely at the halfway point, so there’s no way the case is solved. He’s probably just offering himself up to protect his family.
Yes to the sugar packet
It’s the key to the case at this point. Sol B does see it in the room, so that means Yang isn’t lying about pouring it in Seo’s coffee. Now, the question is who moved it? The drama doesn’t show Sol B moving it, so it’s probably not her. I’m betting whoever moved it is the person who tried to frame Yang, and our murderer.
Fortunately, this episode’s better than the last. Sol B’s family dynamics are horrific, but captivating. And add another dimension to Seo’s murder. I still wouldn’t call her an interesting character though. It’s more so her situation.
Do you know whose situation I want to learn about next? Nice Guy Yoo Seung-jae The camera keeps lingering on him, and the fact that he’s making himself scarce is suspicious. I think he’s the one who took Yang’s laptop from his office, but it got mixed up with Sol B’s. Pretty Girl Jeon Ye-seul is also acting strange and avoiding everyone. Is she pregnant? Getting abused by the boyfriend that happens to be Assemblyman Ko’s son? Unfortunately, domestic abuse is the first thing that came to mind when she wore those sunglasses during class. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, so the assemblyman’s son’s ego is probably so fragile, he can’t take the fact that she got into law school and he didn’t.
Someone call Elle Woods! (V – haha!)