Darn pushy waiters!  Between them and those pesky calls from dead people, why do you think I always turn off my phone at dinnertime?

Returning to the scene of the meal from Episode 23, we get a rehash of the waiter bringing the key fob to In-ha’s table, saying the driver needed to return to Boosung.  Feigning ignorance until the waiter mentions the license plate number 3213, In-ha flashes back to jumping into Ji-ho’s car (with that license plate) and rushing to the Incheon apartment complex to confront Woo-jin on that rainy night.  Still looking on devilishly behind a wine rack is Ji-ho (but you’re supposed to not know that yet, so forget I even mentioned it).

Yeong-rang and In-ha both receive a message that contains footage from the night of Woo-jin’s murder.  As they both look on stunned, they receive a text saying 아직 끝나지 않았어 (ajig kkeutnaji anhasseyo)… It Is Not Over Yet.

Yeong-rang drops her phone onto the floor while In-ha confirms it is the crime scene with his flabbergasted mother.  And hiding behind the wine rack is a still-pissed-off Ji-ho.  (Everyone can breathe now.)

At the police station, Da-mi hands over a thumb drive containing the video from the black box of the taxi that Ji-ho hired to get over to Incheon.  Inspector Kang is amazed such evidence is in their possession, because they searched high and low for the taxi driver Ji-ho identified as the one who drove him that night.  Da-mi tells him she’s convinced someone purposely hid the man to keep his from testifying to the police.

Nam-joo says that once Investigator Kang reviews the black box video when Ji-ho arrived at the scene, you can tell that Woo-jin had already collapsed beforehand.  This definitely proves that Ji-ho wasn’t Woo-jin’s murderer, and Nam-joo requests that the police reinvestigate the crime from the beginning.

Secretary Oh paces, as Yeong-rang and In-ha return to Boosung.  He tells them that she has received a call from the police about the black box video being submitted for evidence by Song Nam Joo, and they have requested Yeong-rang and In-ha to cooperate with them towards the reinvestigation of Woo-jin’s death.  In-ha looks like he’s gonna faint.

Attorney Choi tells Yeong-rang that the press has already gotten their mitts on the reinvestigation details and they are foaming at the mouth to see who exactly framed Ji-ho for Woo-jin’s murder.  Yeong-rang tells Attorney Choi to muzzle the reporters, but Attorney Choi reminds her that he was asked to leave Boosung… does she not remember?

Guess you’re gonna need him after all, as Attorney Choi pushes a folder towards her containing the contract for him to assume control of the Dongtan Shopping Mall; all she has to do is sign it.  Yeong-rang says that’s no way for her to regain trust in him – only if Boosung does well will there be something for him to gain.  She’s going to think about his request first before jumping in with both feet.

Attorney Choi doth protesteth, as Yeong-rang snipes back at him saying she’s not dead yet!  She may be forced into a corner right now, but that doesn’t mean he has to be a jerk about things.  Just do his job as instructed… or else.  Yeong-rang throws the folder back at Attorney Choi and leaves him fuming in his seat.

Jung-wook is meeting with EvilStep about the progress on finding his child.  EvilStep reports that Nurse Kang told her she turned the child over to ‘some man,’ so if they find ‘that man,’ they should know more shortly.  Jung-wook says he’s got his own people on the ground searching as well, and apologizes to EvilStep for yelling at her on their last meeting.

EvilStep says it would have been strange if Jung-wook didn’t yell at her over hearing his child has disappeared into thin air.  She wasn’t offended in the least, but Jung-wook… what is your blood type.  He states it is A, and she says that’s good to know.  But she thinks to herself that Yeong-rang’s blood type is O and Ji-ho’s is A, more and more she looks at Jung-wook, he seems to resemble Ji-ho in a few ways.  EvilStep decides to not think about that possibility any longer, but…

Back at Gloria Instruments, Yeong-rang barges her way into Ji-ho’s office and thanks him for the surprise present he sprung on the police.  Ji-ho tells her she must be nervous over that fact since she bothered to come all the way over to his office to say something.  Yeong-rang reminds him that even though the both of them have no blood ties, In-ha is still his dongsaeng.  If In-ha ain’t happy, then no one’s gonna be happy!

Ji-ho finds that funny, since In-ha seemed to revel in Ji-ho’s unhappiness, which made In-ha happier.  Yeong-rang just gives up and says she’s done fighting with Ji-ho, but Ji-ho says the fight has only just begun.  Yeong-rang orders him to stop everything now, because she’s not going to be responsible for what happens next if he doesn’t.

Ji-ho tells her he’s looking forward to the next phase of Yeong-rang’s evil deeds, so she needs to BRING IT now.  And dismissing her soundly since he needs to leave for a meeting, Yeong-rang calls Ji-ho insolent and soon he’ll regret the choice he just made… and don’t resent her for what will come down the street after him.

At the police station, Investigator Kang gets a call from someone claiming to be a witness the night of Woo-jin’s murder.  In the interrogation room, we see it’s Butler Kang from the Yoo Mansion.  He is ordered to tell his side of the story, which he does in great detail.  Too bad it’s adverse to Ji-ho’s side of the story, so he’s been bought off big time!

Investigator Kang is honked off to hear why all of a sudden his story is coming out, as Butler Kang says he never imagined it was such a big deal at the time.  But now with the taxi black box appearing, he doesn’t want to be punished any longer for something that wasn’t his fault.  Investigator Kang asks if Butler Kang can back up what he just told him, and the butler says he sure can… since it’s the truth.

Secretary Oh reports back to Yeong-rang that all the mansion staff were summoned to the police station and are just now finishing their testimonies.  Yeong-rang asks if everything went according to plan, and Secretary Oh tells her the parties were ‘persuaded’ to tell the police what they were told to tell… that Ji-ho is and always was the culprit.  (Hunh?)  In-ha should also be in the clear by now.

Dismissing Secretary Oh with a ‘good job,’ Yeong-rang flashes back to her cleaning-up of the crime site to protect her pwecious In-ha.  Obviously feeling like she’s on top of the world, she returns to work.

While in the meantime, In-ha is napping in his office and having nightmares about that night when he charged Woo-jin into the plate glass scaffolding.   He jumps awake to find So-yeol standing over him wondering how he can sleep like that during the day and asking why he’s dripping wet with sweat.

Brushing her aside, In-ha asks if anyone called while he was out (literally).  She responds in the negative, as In-ha decides he suddenly decides to leave the office, leaving So-yeol standing there again wondering what the hell is going on… yet again!

At Ji-ho’s apartment, Investigator Kang is telling him he will need to accompany him back to the police station because there is testimony given that goes contrary to his newly-found evidence.  Ji-ho thinks back to Yeong-rang’s parting words that she will not stand by and let Ji-ho steamroller over her.

Jung-wook is peeved to hear that Ji-ho was summoned back to the police station, as his minion states that a new witness’s testimony is forcing Ji-ho into a corner again.  Jung-wook surmises that Yeong-rang made another move, and now it’s time for him to bring out the big guns.

EvilStep finishes brushing her teeth, and looks suspiciously at Yeong-rang’s toothbrush sitting in its holder.  Flashing back to Ji-ho’s words about being allergic to spinach, EvilStep goes yelling to Maid Sung-hee to find out if Ji-ho’s belongings are still up in his room.  And since they are, EvilStep goes in search of another toothbrush… saying that all she wants is an answer so she can sleep better at night.

Jung-wook explains that the Yeong Rang Army has mounted a counter-offense to their defense, but it’s all perjury on its face.  Nam-joo asks about the evidence that Jung-wook himself has collected, so why doesn’t he present that to the police to finally get Ji-ho off the hook?

Jung-wook says he’s looking into the bribed employees, but cautions against moving hastily because it may blow up in their faces.  Da-mi is more concerned about the state Ji-ho is in due to the reinvestigation.  Jung-wook confirms that’s exactly what Yeong-rang was aiming for – putting Ji-ho back on the hot seat.  All they can do is sit and wait for the outcome.

Investigator Kang is telling Ji-ho that using his taxi black box evidence may be in jeopardy now that Butler Kang has given his (false) testimony.  Ji-ho wonders how much more conclusive evidence he can present other than not arriving at the scene until Woo-jin was already injured.  Investigator Kang says that all the construction workers at Incheon and the domestic staff at the Yoo Mansion are all testifying against Ji-ho, so it’s not looking good for him.

The lack of evidence over a year ago released Ji-ho from jail, but this time the bribes did their job as the case most certainly will be transferred to the prosecutor’s office.  Investigator Kang warns Ji-ho that he had better prepare himself.  Ji-ho starts by swearing under his breath.

EvilStep arrives at her doctor’s office and hands the two toothbrushes over to him, saying she’s there to confirm the blood relationship between these two pieces of plastic.

Meanwhile, Ji-ho arrives at the courthouse and runs into Yeong-rang and In-ha arriving as well.  (In-ha must have received my e-mail saying to back off on the ascots, as he’s now sporting a tasteful scarf instead.)  Yeong-rang says she had no choice but to take things this far since Ji-ho refused to back down.  Ji-ho says he’d much prefer it this way, and analogizes the situation to a game of baduk… it all depends on where you place your stones.

Yeong-rang is impressed at Ji-ho’s confidence level, but Ji-ho retorts that it’s not confidence but the facts that will prevail.  In-ha finally pipes up to say that since Ji-ho is undergoing cross-examination, maybe he shouldn’t waste his energy on something useless – like going forward with his vendetta.

Ji-ho reminds In-ha that he’d better be on his toes.  If In-ha dreams of getting away with the ‘perfect crime,’ then he’d better have a spot-on memory and lie enough to where the judge will not be confused.  In-ha just snorts, but then Da-mi and Nam-joo walk up and In-ha’s brain gets all wistful upon seeing Da-mi’s face.  Glare-offs all around!

The courtroom is ordered to stand upon the judge entering.  Ji-ho has apparently been indicted and sits in the defendant’s box with his counsel (변호인자 = defendant’s attorney).  Jung-wook’s minion steps out to alert him that the trial has begun, and that Butler Kang is the prosecution’s first witness.  Jung-wook looks gleeful over that news, as they’ll see how ‘truthful’ he’s going to be after their meeting earlier in the day…

Butler Kang is asked if he saw Ji-ho drive off in his car the night of the accident.  When he answers in the affirmative, the prosecution asks for details which he gives… but you can tell he’s not thrilled about lying in front of Ji-ho.  Yeong-rang sits back and smirks over Team Jerkwads winning Round 1.

Round 2 consists of the driver employed by the house next door to the Yoo Mansion, who testifies that Ji-ho didn’t drive off in his car that night.  The prosecution tries to discredit his testimony, to no avail and the judge sustains the objection.  Ji-ho’s attorney asks if Neighbor Driver saw who actually drove off in Ji-ho’s car that night, and he says he did… as he turns around and points right at In-ha, saying it was the Second Master who drove off in Ji-ho’s car that night.  Round 2 goes to Team Ji-ho.

The courtroom erupts in hushed murmurs, as the prosecution announces Yoo In Ha will be his next witness.  The prosecutor wants In-ha to remember his movements the night of the accident, when In-ha feigns stupidity memory loss since it was well over a year ago.  Prosecutor Boy softballs In-ha by saying his chingu collaborated his whereabouts last year, so he has nothing to worry about.  But does In-ha still use his mother’s car every now and then, or any other family member’s car?

In-ha vehemently denies using anyone else’s car but his own, so that’s enough for Prosecutor Boy and he claims In-ha’s character statements negate what the Neighbor Driver claims, so Neighbor Driver’s testimony should be striken.  In-ha looks over at his mother, as Yeong-rang attempts some telepathy in telling him he needs to keep his wits about him.  Team Jerkwads steal Round 3 out from under Ji-ho’s nose.  (Or should that be In-ha’s nose, since he keeps scratching it for some unknown reason.)

Jung-wook tells Minion that he’s almost at the courthouse and to stand by.  He leans over and takes the hand of the passenger in the seat next to his, telling him to brace himself.  Said passenger is showing off his best Invisible Man costume, being all bandaged up and wearing sunglasses.

It’s Ji-ho’s turn on the witness stand, as Prosecutor Boy asks if it’s true that Ji-ho is dating the sister of the deceased Woo-jin.  Looks extremely pained, Ji-ho says they did date in the past, but that’s all over now.  Prosecutor Boy twists the knife by asking if it’s true that Woo-jin was totally against their relationship, but as Ji-ho tries to explain, he is cut off and asked to only provide a yes or no answer.

When Ji-ho answers with a yes, Prosecutor Boy pulls out the testimony of a neighbor who claimed that Ji-ho and Woo-jin were involved in a fist fight.  Was it his relationship with Da-mi that caused the fight, and looking resigned, Ji-ho also answers yes.

Prosecutor Boy whips out all his cards and yells at him if that was why Ji-ho killed Woo-jin!  Ji-ho denies all that and says he only went to convince Woo-jin of his honorable intentions towards his dongsaeng upon Da-mi’s instructions.  When he arrived at the accident scene, Woo-jin was already unconscious in a puddle.  Ji-ho’s attorney whips out the taxi’s black box video to collaborate Ji-ho’s testimony.  That suddenly gets In-ha’s attention, and Round 4 goes to Team Ji-ho.

Ji-ho’s attorney then calls Yeong-rang to the witness stand.  That seemed unexpected so early in the inquest, so glaring looks are passed around like popcorn through the gallery.  Ji-ho’s attorney wants to know if she met with Woo-jin on the night of his accident, as she says she did receive a call from Woo-jin but didn’t meet with him as she was meeting with Attorney Choi on something more urgent.

Ji-ho’s attorney wants to confirm that Yeong-rang was then at home prior to her meeting with Attorney Choi.  Yeong-rang gets all defensive and reminds him that each and every one of her domestic staff testified to that very thing.  Ji-ho’s attorney says okey dokey, if that’s how you want to play the game… he will call the taxi driver to the stand now.  It is visible how Yeong-rang’s heart just leaped out of her chest.  HA!

EvilStep and So-yeol are having tea and conversing if her father (Professor Ha – remember him?) will be returning in time for their wedding.  But So-yeol is more worried about In-ha’s demeanor of late – he’s not sleeping well and is jumpy all the time; it’s almost like he’s being chased or something.  EvilStep tries to feel out So-yeol by asking what she would do if In-ha is found to have a fatal flaw… for instance, if he committed a major crime that would send him to prison.  Will she break off the engagement?

So-yeol retreats into the Land of Denial, saying there’s no way In-ha would do something like that.  Yeong-rang has already dropped enough bombs in the family to last for awhile.  EvilStep just wants to confirm that if In-ha loses the Family Fortune, that So-yeol will still stand by him.  She’s been through that same situation, and she never ran away… although she figured out how to survive through swindling and trickery.  EvilStep decides to blow that pop stand, leaving So-yeol there more confused than ever (which ain’t saying much).

Back to the courthouse, where Taxi Driver is now on the witness stand.  He corroborates the evidence of him picking up Yeong-rang on the night of the accident, and even has a picture of Yeong-rang sent to him by the requestee to confirm she’s the right fare.  Handing over his phone, it is submitted into evidence.  Round 5 in Ji-ho’s favor!

Yeong-rang is brought up to the witness stand to explain how she just committed perjury regarding her prior testimony.  After squirming for a bit, she explains that even though Woo-jin said he needed to discuss an important business issue with her, as soon as she arrived… Ji-ho arrived right behind her!

Ji-ho stands up and calls her out on her lie.  Yeong-rang says that Ji-ho told her he was going to take care of everything and for her to return home.  She was uneasy about leaving, so she returned to the construction site to see Woo-jin and Ji-ho fighting and then Ji-ho pushing Woo-jin into the scaffolding.  In-ha looks like he’s ready to throw up any second now.

Yeong-rang digs deeper and claims that Ji-ho was the one who wiped off the fingerprints from the accident scene.  She was just too scared to do anything and wouldn’t DARE file a report against her son!  Ji-ho is ready to rip her head off right then and there… and Round 6 goes to Team Jerkwads.

But Ji-ho’s attorney isn’t convinced that Ji-ho would have stuck around after removing all the evidence, although Prosecutor Boy claims that Ji-ho could have run out of time in trying to hide the evidence before getting caught by the security guard.  Ji-ho’s attorney wants to know if Yeong-rang decided to lie to the court because Ji-ho isn’t her blood child?

Prosecutor Boy objects to the personal attacks on the witness, and the judge agrees by ordering Ji-ho’s counsel to cease and desist.  The smirk spreading across Yeong-rang’s face confirms Round 7: Team Jerkwads.

Ji-ho’s attorney says he will call his last defense witness for the day… in fact, he’s just arrived at the court.  The back door to the courtroom opens, and a bandaged man is wheeled up to the witness stand.  The judge orders the witness to remove his hat and face mask to show his face to the Court, which he does and then turns around for everyone to see…

HONG WOO JIN.

Stunned gasps all around the courtroom.  Nam-joo and Da-mi both stand up in disbelief, and In-ha stammers that it can’t be him…  Hong Woo Jin, back from the dead?  Ji-ho sits back and savors the scene.  Round 8 in favor of Team Ji-ho… check, and MATE.

Flashing back to a few weeks prior, Jung-wook rushes into a hospital room as Woo-jin apparently has just woken up from a year-long coma and wants to know what the hell is going on.  Jung-wook explains to him about his really bad head injury, but Woo-jin is more interested about what sort of look will be on Yeong-rang’s face when she sees that he is NOT DEAD.  (And I want an answer why he looks like Seo In-guk’s twin brother!)

Jumping back to the present, Woo-jin totally discredits Yeong-rang’s prior testimony and says that the person who pushed him into the scaffolding was not Ji-ho, but her other son… Yoo In Ha.  It is a travesty that Ji-ho is even a defendant at this trial, since it was not him who caused his near-death experience.  If blame is to be placed, it should be upon Chae Yeong Rang and Yoo In Ha.

Yeong-rang jumps up and calls out Woo-jin for lying through his teeth – how can a dead person come back to life and call her a murderer?  Yeong-rang insists on a mistrial (the hell?), and Nam-joo is fainting in her seat.  The courtroom erupts, the judge bangs his little gavel, Yeong-rang is still protesting… when In-ha jumps up and orders her to STOP IT.  There’s no use going on with the lies since Woo-jin is alive, so just stop everything now.

The judge attempts to bring order back to the courtroom, as Da-mi looks over at Ji-ho who looks back at Da-mi.  Prosecutor Boy states the trial will proceed with new defendants – Ji-ho is dismissed for lack of evidence, and Yeong-rang and In-ha will stand as defendants instead.

Leaving the courtroom, Nam-joo stumbles as Ji-ho catches her.  She says she’ll just too shocked to stand, but as they walk away, Yeong-rang calls out Ji-ho on his duplicity and trickery.  Ji-ho actually thanks her for making the truth come to light, as Yeong-rang wants to know if Ji-ho went through with the trial knowing that Woo-jin was alive after all?  Does Ji-ho not have the last bit of affection for his family?

Ji-ho scoffs at that statement, saying Yeong-rang deserved the knives sticking out of her back since she placed them there herself.  Yeong-rang delivers her last ultimatum – if he touches a finger on In-ha, she will make damn sure the heavens open up and swallow him whole.

In-ha slowly turns around and tells Yeong-rang to stop it.  He walks off with the police guys right behind, as Yeong-rang gives up and follows him out the door.  Ji-ho watches them walk away, as Woo-jin is wheeled out to greet Nam-joo and Da-mi.

A very tearful reunion between the three is interrupted by Da-mi giving him grief for being alive all this time and not contacting them.  Doesn’t he know how much pain they were in when he “died”?  Everyone’s saying they’re sorry to each other, which gives Ji-ho a chance to make his escape… but Da-mi notices his leaving.

Ji-ho leaves the courthouse and sees EvilStep waiting for him.  She says she’s not blaming him for the situation, but wants to give him a hug for what he’s going through.  Granted, she cannot because she needs to comfort her own child first.  Ji-ho apologizes for disappointing EvilStep, but she says it’s okay since she suddenly realizes she must be a real mother to Yeong-rang now since her heart hurts so much.

Reaching up to pat his shoulder, EvilStep demands that Ji-ho eat well and continue on with his life.  She turns to leave Ji-ho standing in the middle of the street all sad and stuff.

Jung-wook apologizes to Nam-joo and Da-mi for not being able to tell them about Woo-jin, as Nam-joo still doesn’t believe what’s happening.  But that doesn’t keep her from ripping into Jung-wook about having a funeral for an alive person; does he even know what it’s like to lose a child?  Jung-wook says he cannot answer that (yet), but he wanted to ensure their family would not go through another heartbreak:  Woo-jin’s doctors said he had a less-than-5% chance of surviving his head injuries.

Woo-jin tells them that this was the best way to handle things, because if Yeong-rang had found out he was still alive, she would have made every attempt to finish him off regardless.  Da-mi wants confirmation from Jung-wook that he spirited away Woo-jin before Yeong-rang ordered his respirator removed, to which he affirms he needed to set a trap in order for Yeong-rang to give up her attacks on Ji-ho.   Apparently that didn’t work and they needed to bring Woo-jin back to tell the truth.

Jung-wook apologizes for committing such a great crime towards their family, but Woo-jin says the ends justify the means – he’s back now and that’s all that matters.  Even though she feels like she’s dreaming, she’s gonna keep a tail on him from now on.

And Nam-joo does exactly that, watching him as he sleeps.  Da-mi checks on the happy scene before returning to discuss next steps with Jung-wook.  She also profusely thanks him for all his help in reuniting their family, as she considers Jung-wook part of their family as well.  Jung-wook takes her hand and says she should be thanking Ji-ho instead, since he was the one that took the lead in bringing the truth to light.

In one interrogation room, Yeong-rang is pleading with the prosecutor that In-ha could have never done what he is alleged to have done.  Why won’t they believe her?  While in another interrogation room, In-ha just hangs his head in defeat, saying it is really over now.  Yeong-rang thinks to herself that is sure isn’t over yet – In-ha should not give up!

EvilStep enters Yeong-rang’s room and cries over a picture of her, saying she should have been a better mother to her so Yeong-rang had a tiny bit of support in her life.  But why is she crying?  So embarrassing…

Ji-ho is at Jung-wook’s bar, pounding down the shots.  He admonishes Ji-ho to drink slowly, but Ji-ho is worried about the next phase of the trial.  Their next witness is the guy who removed Woo-jin’s respirator at the hospital, and he can be tied back to Yeong-rang’s instructions to do so.  She’ll go up the river for her crimes, and Boosung will naturally collapse.  Check… and MATE.

Jung-wook agrees with that assessment, since Boosung is so far in debt that nothing can be done.  Ji-ho wants to know when if Woo-jin’s case is settled, will his hatred for Yeong-rang cease at that point?  Jung-wook tells him they’ll just have to wait and see.  But for now, they just need to concentrate on tomorrow’s hearing.

Nam-joo has put out a feast to welcome back Woo-jin to solid food again.  He’s more than complimentary since he’s been on a feeding tube for a year.  Da-mi gets all jealous and insist on cooking for her oppa next so she can gets praises too.

Back at Gloria (and OST Part.1 playing underneath), Ji-ho buys Da-mi coffee and asks how Woo-jin is holding up.  They need to make sure he doesn’t over-exert himself and get regular hospital checkups going forward.  Ji-ho is pleased everything turned out well and everyone is happy, no?  Da-mi says it’s hard putting her thoughts into words, so she’ll just keep thanking Ji-ho for all his help.

But Da-mi is more sorry in her selflessness trying to drag the truth to the surface that Ji-ho had to go through so much, leaving him sad and lonely and without a family now.  (Like he had one in the first place?)  She reaches for his hand, but he pulls it away, saying that if she’s happy, he’s happy.

Ji-ho walks away, thanking a visibly wounded Da-mi himself and saying that if he takes her hand now, he may never want to let it go…

Yeong-rang is still trying to convince the prosecution that she did everything herself the night of the accident and that In-ha had nothing to do with it!  (Technically, she’s right, but…)  Prosecutor Boy wants to know how she was able to move Woo-jin into the water puddle outside the building – yannow, since she’s a woman and all that.  He’s having a hard time believing her stories!

Yeong-rang lashes back, saying her In-ha is completely innocent.  She did everything by her lonesome.  Release him NOW!!!

In-ha has basically gone catatonic and is saying nothing, even at the prodding by Prosecutor Boy.  He’d better hurry up and tell the truth, since his silence ain’t helping his case any and he’s testing the Court’s patience big time!

Yeong-rang is taken away in one direction, as In-ha leaves in the other.  She screams after him to not be swayed by the investigators – he knows that his mother did everything the night of the accident, right?  Don’t say anything, since Mommie will take care of it all!

It’s all In-ha can do but to slowly walk away from her, as Yeong-rang begs for the police to let her see In-ha before he’s taken to jail.  She must say something to her son!  They refuse and as Yeong-rang is carted off to her own cell, yells after In-ha to stay strong since THIS IS NOT THE END!  In-ha just moseys off in a stupor.

EvilStep slumps in her chair at the doctor’s office over hearing the DNA report on the toothbrushes.  The doctor is 99.9% convinced that Yeong-rang and Ji-ho are definitely parent and child.  EvilStep cannot fathom that those two would actually be mother and son, stuttering the whole time trying to speak Ji-ho’s name.

She returns home with the report and stumbles to the couch, trying to comprehend why Yeong-rang’s life has been so cursed.  All that work trying to find her child… and he was right underneath their noses the entire time!!!  Calling out Yoo Man Se for being such a bastard, she has no idea what to do next.  OTTOKE?!?!?

Ji-ho tells Woo-jin that even though he looks good these days, is it okay for him to be out and about like this?  Woo-jin says he needed some air and to discuss the second hearing with Ji-ho.  Ji-ho says they have the important testimony from the guy who removed the respirator and now they will be able to prove Yeong-rang’s complicity in the crime.  Woo-jin says he’s relieved that everything will come to an end after tomorrow’s hearing… but why did Ji-ho go to such lengths to help out his family?

Woo-jin heard about the whole framing Ji-ho for his accident, but that Ji-ho looks hesitant about proceeding.  Would it possibly be because of Da-mi?  Ji-ho says that he can’t deny that fact, but if Woo-jin thinks he did it to get back together with her, then he’s sadly mistaken.  Woo-jin says he feels like the bad guy in all this, but if he was in Ji-ho’s shoes, he’d do the same thing and walk away.

Leaving Ji-ho to his work, Woo-jin tells Ji-ho that if they had not met the way they did, both of them could have been really good friends.  They shake hands on that thought.

EvilStep has Secretary Oh on the hot seat now, grilling him about his role in spiriting away a baby over 27 years ago.  Secretary Oh asks what about it, as EvilStep wants to know what name was written on the baby’s blanket.  He confirms that Kim Jung-wook’s name was inscribed therein.  EvilStep wants to know what happened to the baby after that, as Secretary Oh tells her that Dead Burnt-Up Dad said it was his child but he couldn’t properly raise him and for Secretary Oh to find an appropriate foster family to house the child.  Secretary Oh was the one who found the halmeoni in Jebu-do and arranged for the monthly stipend… and he also confirms that child is Ji-ho.

EvilStep asks why Chairman Yoo did such a dirty thing by dumping him on an island being brought up like a beggar boy?  Secretary Oh has no clue why all that transpired, as EvilStep calls Dead Burnt-Up Dad as bastard-to-end-all-bastards.  EvilStep dismisses him and wonders why Chairman Yoo would stab her in the back like that?  He knew she had a child and STILL married her?

Jung-wook gets a call from EvilStep, asking him to meet her RIGHT. NOW.  And they do, as EvilStep grills him trying to find out if he’s going to toss aside Yeong-rang because she’s been implicated in the accident.  Shouldn’t he be doing something to help?

He claims he’s monitoring the situation but there isn’t much he can do without causing great pain to him and Yeong-rang… all he can do is sit and watch.  EvilStep tells Jung-wook he has to stop Ji-ho in any way possible, since there’s no way that Yeong-rang and Ji-ho can become enemies.  Jung-wook doesn’t understand why she’s getting so upset, so she pulls out the big guns and tells Jung-wook that Ji-ho is actually Yeong-rang’s son… the child born between he and her is Ji Ho!

Jung-wook’s face drops and asks EvilStep for an explanation, which she gives to him in spades – Ji-ho is HIS son and not Dead Burnt-Up Dad’s son after all, and she has the paperwork to prove it!!!  Jung-wook looks like he’s about to faint searching for an answer to this nightmare!

EvilStep tells him that’s not really important right now; if they don’t stop Ji-ho in his bloodlust to take down his REAL MOTHER, then things are gonna get more uglier than they are now!  Is that what Jung-wook wants… for them to be eternal enemies?  Jung-wook still doesn’t believe what he’s heard.

Back in his office, Jung-wook keeps pounding down the scotches still in disbelief.  He flashes back to the time at the warehouse where he issued a beat-down to Ji-ho’s back after kidnapping him from the airport, asking if he has the balls to take down the person who he once considered his own mother?  Ji-ho tells him he can do that and so much more, but Jung-wook decides another gallon of liquor is called to go down his throat.

Ji-ho decides answering EvilStep’s call isn’t on his agenda right now, as he wonders if he’s doing the right thing continuing with his Holy Evil Revenge against his so-called family.  If there was only a sign from his Dead Burnt-Up Dad, then maybe Ji-ho might feel more at ease about taking them down.

Tomorrow dawns, and Ji-ho pauses before heading into the courthouse.  Jung-wook paces until Minion comes in to say the witness is all prepared and they should head to the courthouse themselves.  It’s showtime!

EvilStep meets Ji-ho outside of the courtroom and admonishes him for not picking up his phone – she desparately needs to speak with him before the hearing!  Ji-ho dismisses her since he knows she’s trying to talk him out of going forward; after today, everything will be put in its place.  EvilStep begs and pleads, to no avail.

Ji-ho turns and heads into the courtroom, as EvilStep remembers Jung-wook’s words from the night before:  Don’t worry, he’ll take care of everything so be mute to Yeong-rang and Ji-ho.

Yeong-rang has a pair of big swinging ones, as she rises from the defendant’s seat and complains over Song Family’s immoral treatment – lying about their son’s death and then incessant harassment of her and her son.  She continues to lie about Dead Deaf Dad not being a thief and arsonist.

The judge orders In-ha to make his opening statement, and he rises to his feet looking rode hard and put up wet.  In-ha barely stammers out that he has nothing to say, which sets Yeong-rang off trying to shake some sense into him to corroborate her statement.  Ji-ho just sits and sighs.

The prosecutor arrives and tells the judge that Woo-jin survived the surgery after his injuries and was on his way to a full recovery.  But suddenly he “died” in the ICU a few days after, and that’s the mystery the Court is trying to solve.  Yeong-rang jumps up and says Woo-jin did not “die” since he’s alive and well now – there’s no way the Court can pin a murder rap on her In-ha!

Prosecutor Boy reminds Yeong-rang of the law, since removing Woo-jin’s respirator mask is most definitely a crime… and he plans on proving that by bringing in the man who upon her request, did that very thing of removing the respirator mask.  He’ll be here soon, so sit down and shut up!

Yeong-rang is stunned, but apparently this is the first time In-ha has heard of this development.  He stars crying upon realizing that his own MOTHER was capable of doing something like THAT?!?

Prosecutor Boy goes on to say that they are in possession of the CCTV footage that shows the next witness entering the ICU and Woo-jin’s room, so stay tuned!  Yeong-rang collapses in her chair, Nam-joo and Da-mi hold hands in anticipation, In-ha looks like he’s gonna throw up, and Ji-ho sits there smirking.

With EvilStep’s words about making Ji-ho stop his vengeance ringing in his ears, Jung-wook runs outside and orders his thugs to put the respirator witness guy into their van, and they all take off for the courthouse.

Yeong-rang is still defiant, calling Prosecutor Boy’s allegations pure nonsense – she never ordered Woo-jin’s respirator to be removed!  Prosecutor Boy orders the witness to enter NOW.  As everyone turns to the back of the courtroom, the door opens and we see Jung-wook standing there, much to everyone’s major surprise… especially Yeong-rang, who stands there processing his presence.

With lots of glares throughout the room, we bring the curtain down on Episode 24!

Air Date:  4 November 2012

Ratings:   AGB Nielsen Nationwide 13.0% (7th) / Seoul 13.2% (7th); TNmS Nationwide 12.6% (9th) / Seoul 14.1% (8th)

Flowers and Brickbats

Wow.  Nothing like blasting through TWO of your major plot points in one episode!  Although the clues were all there in the first place, I didn’t think the Writer-nim would be like that.  Maybe the big Woo-jin Is Not Dead (insert your own ‘He’s just pining for the fjords’ joke) would be revealed in this episode, and then the whopping Ji-ho Birth Secret a couple episodes later (but no later than Episode 26).  Alas, it was not meant to be.  The dual-reveal does push along the plot, which was kinda spinning its wheels in the last few eps.  I’m going to wait until Episode 25 before analyzing the whole Man-se Bait-and-Switch Plot, though.  (I can hear you all breathing a sigh of relief — ha!)

One little item that I’ve always been annoyed at is how the subbers and reviewers refer to Ji-ho and In-ha as foster brothers.  Wrong wrong wrong!  They are STEP-brothers — same mother; different father (instead of the same father and different mother we were all pushed to believe in the first place).  “Foster” would infer that Ji-ho was adopted into the family.  Not that I’m denigrating the term… let’s just be correct in our descriptions, okay?

Anyway, upon a fourth viewing I can see why I was quite bored up until the courtroom scenes.  No other difference in character development occurred other than new ways for Yeong-rang to circumvent Ji-ho’s quest for bringing her to justice; dammit, it’s getting old now!  Nam-joo eventually dialed-down her usual histrionics, Da-mi gave us her usual Dead Fish impersonation, Woo-jin just woke up so I’m gonna cut him some slack, and In-ha basically phoned it in during the entire 70 minutes (but he had a good reason; see below).  The only bright moments were EvilStep bringing us her A Game for the third episode in a row, finally showing some sort of maternal instinct towards Yeong-rang just in time since she’s gonna need all the help she can get going forward.  Also major kudos to Ji-ho STILL showing a modicum of hesitancy and doubt whether he’s doing the right thing or not; I’m sure going all nuclear on the family that raised you from a Jebu Island puppy and then tried to frame you for murder (amongst other sundry evilness) would make Ji-ho think twice.  Revenge only for revenge’s sake?  I guess we’ll see in the next six episodes!

And is it required for each episode to contain a I CALL NO WAY MOMENT?  This time around, it was the rather lukewarm reception poor Woo-jin received when it was revealed in Court that he was the Masked Mystery Man.  No hysterics from his sister or even his mother (which we’ve already witnessed from Nam-joo on several other occasions)?  Hell, if that was MY son that came back from the dead, I would have been screaming bloody murder.  And if that was a guy who I thought I’d killed suddenly appeared in front of me, I would have fainted dead away onto that courtroom floor.  (By the way, no proper courtroom in Korea is that financially-strapped that it would offer the gallery plastic folding seats like we saw.  Just sayin’.)

BTW, I also stated a few episodes back that if the Masked Mystery Man turned out to be Hong Woo-jin, I was going to fly to Korea and slap the crap out of the PD and Writer.  I arrive in Seoul on 24 June.  Stay tuned…

The Korean Legal System

How many times have you seen THIS building in your dramas?

Strap yourselves in for the boring part: The differences between the Korean Legal System and the English Common Law System (which the US Legal System is based upon, with a few exceptions).  We had a spirited chat discussing how so different two globally-developed countries could be so far apart in their processes but so close in everything else.  Prior to the Japanese Occupation of Korea, matters of law were decided by the feudal society of Kings and/or Queens in regency during those eras.  Once Japanese rule ended in 1948, the Court Organization Act was passed into law on 26 September 1949, thereby officially creating a three-tiered, independent judicial system in the Republic of Korea.  It wasn’t until after the Korean War ended in 1953 that the base elements of a legal system were finally introduced in South Korea, with input from legal scholars from both the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan (still considered an ally during and after the War).

The two lesser levels of courts are (1) the Municipal Courts (which hear misdemeanors and disputes involving less than 20 million won in damages; a close comparison would be the Small Claims court procedure here in the US); and (2) the District Courts (which hears all civil and criminal matters, compared to our Circuit Courts in the States).  There is no jury system in the Korean judicial system, although in 2008 a limited jury procedure was adopted for criminal cases and environmental cases.  Regardless, all questions of law and fact are decided by judges (what we here in the U.S. call a ‘bench trial’).

The highest court level is the High Court (a cross between our Appellate Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court), which has jurisdiction over litigation decided by a three-judge panel in a District Court or Family Court, decisions of the Administrative Court, and civil cases heard before a single judge in a District Court and where the amount in controversy exceeds 50,000,000 won.  There are six of these High Courts located in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju.  (Jeju-do also has a High Court impaneled on a special-needs basis, where judges from Gwangju usually appear.)

Korean Prosecutors in Korea are likened to the English Justices of Peace or the French Procureur de la Republique, and the defense attorneys being pretty much a figurehead, as their presence is only there to protect the rights of their client during interrogations by the police and/or prosecutors.  I found it quite strange that Attorney Choi was not present when Yeong-rang and In-ha were being questioned by Prosecutor Boy; Choi may be a total waste of space, but is still employed as the General Counsel and his fiduciary duty to the Company should override any issues he has with Boosung.  Maybe we’ll get an answer to that tidbit before the drama wraps, but I ain’t holding my breath…

What you saw during this ‘trial’ was pretty common for a criminal case being heard in Korea.  The difference between there and trials I witness in Real Life is these proceedings are held in the ‘Inquisitorial Style’ (instead of the common ‘English Adversarial Style’).  Trials here in the States adhere to the ‘asked and answered’ protocol, where testimony is given and the counsel adverse to the witness has the opportunity to cross-examine said witness, and then the witness either provides rebuttal testimony or is asked to stand down (end questioning).

Unfortunately, trials in South Korea can also get quite violent, with one side trying to scream down or physically beat their opinions into the other side.  I’m glad the PD-nim didn’t show that ugly side of jurisprudence, and limited the script to some mild loud-voice yelling and a lot of nose-flaring and glaring.

Hope that explained things a little better.  Don’t worry; there won’t be a quiz on this later.

Music Nerd Ramblings:  Nopes.  Nothing to discuss.  Nyet.  Iie.  Non.  Aniyo.  None whatsoever.  (Big Heavy Sigh.)  It may be a slight consolation that there was not a lot of In-ha appearing in this episode, because on the days Episode 24’s script was being put through its paces, My Precious was in the recording studios laying down the vocals for what ended up being OST Part.6.  (There was another song recorded at the same time, but the production decided “To Fulfill” was the better piece and they shelved the second one.  The quest to find it begins!)

I only have three short weeks of free time before my trip to finish this damn series, so I’d better get moving.  On to Episode 25!