Early Access: Confession E14 (Patreon)

E14. Y'know, considering how Show's been leaning a little heavily into the makjang in the last couple of episodes, I'm actually mildly surprised, that this episode doesn't actually reach makjang territory.

We do have a couple of moments of Heightened Melodrama, but mostly, it feels like once you suspend disbelief around the fact that Do Hyun's getting ready to represent his own father for the retrial, it actually kinda-sorta feels like Show is returning to its more serious roots, a little bit.

Mainly, I enjoy the emotional beats of the episode, along with the feeling that the net is closing in on our baddies, slowly but surely.

It's what we've been waiting for, all series long, and it's pretty satisfying, to now see our baddies start to squirm in their seats, at least a little bit.

Also, I do think that it's testament to Show, that I find myself feeling rather wistful at the thought of saying goodbye to our main characters.

I mean, yes, Show's tonal shifts have been rather surprising, and the turn into makjang-heavy, logic-lite territory can definitely be too much for some viewers. But Show's done such a solid job of endearing our main characters to me, that I feel rather sorry to be saying goodbye, in just 2 more episodes.

That's Quite Something, and it's not just because Junho's playing Do Hyun - although that does contribute a chunk of goodwill, all on its own.

I just really like how focused and passionate and loyal Do Hyun is, as a character, and the way he's getting to work at his actual dream, rather than simply working towards it, is pretty stirring stuff - especially when it's all scored by our very dramatic, very swirly, very stirring OST.

Also, with Dad having avoided Do Hyun so actively for the last decade, it's just really cathartic, to see him being open with Do Hyun now, and trusting Do Hyun, with this retrial.

I also really love how firmly Chun Ho sticks with Do Hyun, through all of this, even putting his job on the line to flex the rules for Do Hyun, and even refusing to leave everything in Do Hyun's hands, when Do Hyun says it's fine for him to do so.

The way Chun Ho is personally invested in this, is so heartening to watch, seriously.

I'll admit that it feels a little clique-y-sneaky, in the watching, for them to stage the press conference, such that Yoo Ri's planted there to specifically make mention of Chief Prosecutor Yang and Ji Chang Ryul, and to have Do Hyun at the ready to make a dramatic entrance to announce that he's going to ask for a retrial for his father's case.

However, it's nowhere near as sneaky as our baddies are being, so I feel like it's fine to roll with it, coz our good guys are basically working with what they have, to beat the baddies at their own game.

That said, I do feel like our good guys are being a little naive, in underestimating the baddies.

For example, it made me a bit anxious, when Do Hyun tells Madam Jin and Yoo Ri to be careful, and Yoo Ri just grins and says that she's not afraid.

Listen. You SHOULD be afraid. These guys killed your father because your father was being inconvenient. They might decide that you're inconvenient too, and want to kill you as well?? 🙈 Gah. This did perplex me a little bit.

I do love Lady Judge for speaking up for the retrial, even though I rolled my eyes at the presiding judge, who deems her speaking up for truth and justice, as being difficult. UGH. 🙄 I want to slap him upside the head, for saying stupid things.

I'm SO glad that he gets outvoted, not just because I do want Dad to have a retrial, but because I want that judge to realize that nobody else agrees with him, that Judge Na was being difficult.

I find it rather illogical that they'd have Cho Ki Tak and Secretary Hwang kept in a way that allows them to interact in the same facility, but I get that this is a drama convenience thing.

Coz, without this, how would Cho Ki Tak have the chance to stab Secretary Hwang in the hand, as payback for stabbing him before, in Nurse Cho's apartment?

Also, this makes me wonder if Secretary Hwang even knows that Jenny Song is dead.

I mean, the whole reason he'd confessed to his involvement in Kim Sun Hee's murder, is because he'd believed that Jenny would take care of his lawyer fees and future living needs, like she'd promised.

I wonder if Secretary Hwang is still under the illusion that Jenny Song's got his back..?

I'm pleasantly surprised that we skip quite quickly through Cho Ki Tak's sentencing, and roll right into Dad's retrial. It feels like things are rolling along quite nicely, in our drama world.

I have to say, I felt nicely engaged during the retrial, mostly for the drama of it all, and also, for the way Do Hyun unveils nuggets of evidence that reveal how slipshod the first investigation was.

I suppose it's really a bit of a stretch that such things were glossed over, in the first trial, but I'm willing to buy the idea that the corruption and cover-up was just that extensive.

I also liked the reveal, that Park Si Kang is the person who'd killed Lt. Colonel Cha, and not Chairman Oh, like he'd indicated in our previous episode.

I thought that was a pretty clever misdirect, actually.

With the way Park Si Kang says it, I'd assumed it to mean that Chairman Oh had been the one to kill Lt. Colonel Cha, but put in context this episode, it was Park Si Kang's way of reminding Chairman Oh that he would take the fall, if suspicion ever came Park Si Kang's way. Clever.

Also, like I mentioned, it's just rather satisfying to see the bad guys start to get antsy, in varying degrees.

Park Si Kang's as unstable as ever (which makes me unsurprised that he's the murderer, on 20/20 hindsight), and Chairman Oh's definitely feeling insecure, in his partnership with Chairman Chu.

Chairman Chu is as casually sly and oily as ever; the way he makes sure that the tax audit on Chairman Oh's company is pushed back, so that it won't interfere with Chairman Oh's performance during the retrial, is terrible.

In doing this, he's basically saying, "Fine, I'll kill you later, AFTER you've successfully gotten through this retrial, where you will absolve me of all blame." UGH.

Ooh, I do love the fact that Jenny had managed to send Do Hyun those emails, right before getting shot, as improbable as that was. I mean, if I were Mark Choi, I wouldn't let her have free use of her phone, when she knows I'm about to shoot her.

I suppose Mark Choi's not a very good assassin..? Like, he gets the killing part done, but isn't very good at thinking about other things..?

While I'm stoked that this leads Dad to tell Do Hyun about Project Black Bear, and that he'd hidden the original report with Mom's ashes, I am extremely nervous about Do Hyun going there on his own, to retrieve the report.

Like, why couldn't he have gone there with Chun Ho as back-up?? Surely he knows how dangerous this is?

And just as we finish the episode, it looks like Do Hyun's about to get attacked by someone with a knife. GAH. Noooo.

My only consolation is that there's no way Do Hyun would die now, because he's got a retrial to fight. But.. how is he going to get out of this admittedly very sticky situation..?

Next episode notes will be out on: Thursday, 21 Apr 2022!