Early Access: Confession E3 (Patreon)

E3. Ooh. The plot thickens - and I am still a very happy camper. If people are right, that this show gets better and better, starting from around episode 5 or 6, then perhaps I'm going to really, really like this one? Since, I basically have enjoyed this one, from episode 1? I hope so!

For a start, I wanted to say again, just how much I'm enjoying Junho in this, as Do Hyun.

As a character, there is a lot that I like about Do Hyun. He's very competent; he's not easily intimidated; he's not easily distracted; he's not easily swayed; he's not easily ruffled. He's just very focused and determined, and I really like how he casts a wide net, and keeps an open mind when it comes to figuring out the truth. He's also resourceful and creative, which I love.

At the same time, there's this layer of heartbreak and poignance that mostly remains an undercurrent. His dad is on death row, and he doesn't understand why. Plus, there's this whole thing, with his heart condition.

On top of everything else, he's not a heartless robot of a lawyer. He does have a conscience, and he does actually listen to his heart, like when he visits Yang Ae Ran's family at the end of this episode, to express his apologies, even though he technically doesn't have to, because he was simply doing his job.

Altogether, this makes Do Hyun a very decent character; someone whom I find easy to root for.

The way Junho plays him, there's a consistent sense of tension about him, like there's a strength and power that's coiled within him, which he's holding under control. It kinda-sorta reminds me of the coiled sense of power that Jang Hyuk has in Money Flower, but there's a distinctly different flavor about Do Hyun, compared to Kang Pil Joo.

Where Pil Joo had been like a mature, lithe panther, just waiting for the right moment to pounce on his prey, Do Hyun strikes me as a young guard dog, who's doing his best to focus on protecting the ones he's chosen to protect, always thinking quickly to discern real threat from false alarm. Of course, my impression of Do Hyun may well evolve, as we learn more about him, and what makes him tick.

I love how steady and unruffled Do Hyun is, even in the face of strong protests, after he brings up the Yang Ae Ran murder in court, during the Kim Sun Hee hearing. I feel like it would be easy to lose his cool, particularly since the prosecution is behaving in quite the provocative manner. Yet, Do Hyun remains unwavering, like a rock, and I love that about him.

He drives the court proceedings forward without missing a beat, even though the reactions that keep sweeping across the room, are big gasps of shock. In this way, he strikes me as a chess master; a young baduk genius who has full control of the board, despite being up against much more seasoned players.

I am also loving Yoo Jae Myung as Chun Ho. In particular, I love the way he plays the moment when the prosecution accuses him of not having a good enough memory to serve as a reliable witness. The way he pulls out his notebook and starts reading out his detailed observations of Hang Jong Goo's movements, from the day of his release from prison, is pretty darn great.

Sure, I know that a chunk of the courtroom proceedings are played more for drama than for accuracy, but I found myself thoroughly engaged, and quite thrilled by the unfolding events, particularly in this case.

I am really enjoying how Do Hyun is now working with Chun Ho and the other detectives. It just feels refreshing to see them be on the same side, working towards the same goal now, where before, they'd been on opposite sides, and Do Hyun had received so much hate and vitriol from the detectives, just for doing his job.

I'd like to see more of this, but I wonder if I will get that, because by the end of the episode, Do Hyun looks set to be Han Jong Goo's lawyer again. Which, I can understand why, given the new information that Do Hyun gets around Han Jong Goo being present at his father's trial, but.. that's just going to put him opposite the detectives again, isn't it? 😭

On a different note, I find that Yoo Ri is growing on me, as a character. At first, I'd found her really quite annoying, with the way she was pushing her way into Do Hyun's space, against his wishes, in the middle of the night, no less. But she's proven herself to be helpful to Do Hyun, last episode and this, which helps.

What makes the most difference, for me, though, is the way she seeks out Do Hyun on the roof, this episode, and asks if he's ok, because whichever way the trial ends, there's something for him to be unhappy about. This is the first time we've seen her show overt concern for his wellbeing, and I like that quite well.

Unless things change again, I hereby pronounce that I no longer find Yoo Ri annoying. Although, she definitely has issues with alcohol. 😅

As for Madame Jin, we still have no clue about who she is, and why she's so keen on working for Do Hyun. All we know is that she's got a good grasp of the law, and is a terrible cook. Ha.

Show really knows how to amp up the dramatic tension, I'll give it that.

During that entire sequence, where the sentencing trial is taking place, and the detectives are searching Han Jong Goo's family home for evidence that he'd killed his mother, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

I thought the way Show interspliced scenes of the trial, with scenes of the search at Han Jong Goo's home, was very nicely done. I was as disappointed as Do Hyun, to hear the news that the bones that they'd found, had been dog bones, instead of Han Jong Goo's mother's remains.

How very clever of Do Hyun, though, to bait Han Jong Goo with the supposed information, that his family home was going to be demolished very soon. That effectively sends Han Jong Goo back to the crime scene, to attempt to remove the body - which is when the cops arrive to arrest him in the act. HUZZAH.

That was so great.

That shot of Chun Ho and Do Hyun standing side by side, watching it all go down, was so satisfying to see. I know I've said this before, but I just LOVE the idea of them working together.

Like I said earlier, though, the plot thickens. This episode, a whole new set of information is unveiled, and it seems like there's a lot here, that's related to Do Hyun's father's case, that hadn't been clear at first.

The more I think about it, the more it seems like Han Jong Goo and Kim Sun Hee had somehow been involved in Do Hyun's father's case. Perhaps Han Jong Goo had been the one to pull that trigger, and perhaps Kim Sun Hee knew more about it than was convenient for the big guns. Perhaps that's why the big guns decided the best way to get rid of both of them, was to kill off Kim Sun Hee, and frame Han Jong Goo for it.

Also, based on the fact that Dad had asked Do Hyun about his heart surgery before being taken away, I'm guessing that Dad had agreed to be the fall guy, in exchange for Do Hyun's surgery fees?

If that's the case, the heartbreaking thing here, is, because it's a crime that gets Dad on death row, Dad is literally choosing to die, so that his son might live. Gah. That's so poignant and so heartbreaking. 💔😭

It also seems like the whole reason Do Hyun chose to become a lawyer, is so that he'd be in a position to clear Dad's name. That would explain his deep sense of focus, that runs through his entire career. Why would he allow petty insults to derail him, from saving his father's life, right?

I also wanted to say, that moment, when Do Hyun pushes aside the cabinets to reveal the hidden wall of information on his father's case, is very well-played. That quiet long moment of hesitation, before Do Hyun pulls apart the cabinets, tells us that this hurts him. That as much as he desires to clear his father's name, this entire process is also bringing him pain, which is why he hesitates, to open it up.

And what a very interesting nugget of information, that Chun Ho himself had been the arresting officer, for Dad's case. Ohhh. No wonder Do Hyun had asked Chun Ho whether he believes that every person whom he's arrested, is guilty.

Also, how very intriguing, that Han Jong Goo lets on that he actually is fully aware of who Do Hyun's father is. I can't wait to find out what this means.

Next episode notes will be out on: Friday, 25 Feb 2022!