Recap: Pinocchio Episode 10

Cha Ok’s mistake comes back to haunt her wearing the face of her own daughter.

Episode 10 “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”

In Ha now knows for certain that Dal Po is Ha Myung and she collapses under the weight of the truth in front of Dal Po. She cries for an hour, repeating only two words over and over again- “I’m sorry.” All Dal Po can do is bend down with her, take her hand gently and repeat with her, “It’s okay, I’m okay.”

In Ha asks to hear Dal Po’s story, the truth about his family. And so he tells her the tragic story of his life.

At the end of his tale, In Ha is sure that Dal Po doesn’t want to see her anymore and she completely understands why. Dal Po agrees, he really doesn’t want to see her…crying anymore. He’s cold and she’s been crying for two hours. He hates seeing her cry.

Dal Po adds to assure her: “When I was Ki Ha Myung, I hated you and your mother. And I planned to leave as soon as father was mentally better. But it’s not like that anymore. I am Choi Dal Po and I don’t plan to give up that name.”

In Ha is finally reassured and she smiles. She wants to know why Dal Po is not letting his brother know who he really is and why he keeps saying his brother is dangerous, but she hesitates, knowing that Dal Po might not want to talk about it. Still, Dal Po wants to give her an answer so he asks if she can keep a secret. In Ha refuses Dal Po’s answer, knowing she can’t keep a secret since she is a Pinocchio.

In Ha and Dal Po finally head down from the roof. Dal Po wants In Ha to come home for dinner, but she is worried she might spill the beans looking the way she does so she refuses. Dal Po tells her he has a solution so that no one asks her anything and he tells her to come inside five minutes later. When she does, her grandpa and dad don’t say anything, and the family can quietly and happily eat dinner together without trouble.

Dal Po notices the new flat screen TV in the house, and grandpa, the great orator of brochures, dictates to him the specs of the new equipment. Hearing the specs, the hairs on Dal Po’s neck stand up and he rushes to his precious piggies. They’ve been gutted again!

Outside their apartment after dinner and heading back to work, In Ha asks Dal Po what he told dad and grandpa to keep them quiet. He tells her essentially that he told them she was on her period and was really sensitive. In Ha is embarrassed and angry at first but when he points out there is no other easier and more simple solution than this, she has to agree. Satisfied, they walk away holding hands and Dal Pyung, outside to throw out garbage, sees Dal Po place In Ha’s hand in his coat pocket. He notices the happy smile on In Ha’s face.

Back at YGN, Dal Po runs into Gyo Dong who wants to know if Dal Po returned the tie clip recorder yet. He sees it on Dal Po’s ties so he offers to return it but Dal Po nervously back aways and blocks Gyo Dong from doing so. His interest piqued, Gyo Dong manages to take off the tie clip and walk away with it, with Dal Po chasing after him.

Back as MSC, Beom Jo and In Ha wait for the elevator. Beom Jo compliment’s Cha Ok, but In Ha is skeptical and unmoved. The elevator door opens and there is her mom and Joo Ho.

Beom Jo gets on but In Ha doesn’t, saying directly to her mom that she doesn’t want to. Beom Jo is forced to get off the wait for the next elevator with In Ha. He stares at In Ha curiously.

Another person stares at In Ha from down the hall and behind the corner- it’s Jae Myung.

Inside the elevator, Cha Ok suspects something and asks Joo Ho what he said to In Ha in the video editing room before In Ha ran out without her shoes. He confesses that he told In Ha Cha Ok’s history with Jae Myung because he was worried, but Cha Ok responds angrily, telling Joo Ho to shut up and mind his own business. Cha Ok looks visibily upset that her daughter found out about her history with Jae Myung.

Gyo Dong hears the recording on the tie clip- it’s Jae Myung saying he would choose revenge over an apology from the world. This definitely sounds suspicious and Gyo Dong points out that if the police hear this, they will definitely start investigating Jae Myung. When Dal Po tries to explain, Gyo Dong concludes that Dal Po has made his decision- to sweep his suspicion under the rug.

Dal Po tries to block Gyo Dong from leaving the room with the tie clip.”There is nothing wrong with just letting this pass, is there?” he argues to Gyo Dong. People like Jae Myung right now and are moved by his story. “There isn’t anything wrong with just leaving it like that, right?”

But what about the recording, Gyo Dong asks. Dal Po argues that it is mere doubt and can disappear if left alone. Making his own decision, Gyo Dong hands the tie clip back to Dal Po. It’s not because he thinks what Dal Po said was right, but because he is waiting. Truth doesn’t disappear just because you cover it up. Truth will come out in whatever shape or form and that is what a reporter does- watch that truth whether its shape is pretty or ugly.

Dal Pyung sits at home thinking about Dal Po and his refusal to tell him about his real family. It is this lack of honesty that worries Dal Pyung the most about Dal Po and his relationship with In Ha. Grandpa asks Dal Pyung why he looks so thoughtful so Dal Pyung asks, “What do you do when a family member is keeping a secret and refuses to tell you? Do you keep digging or do you let it go?” Grandpa is startled- how did Dal Pyung know that he was hiding money? Grandpa forks out the money in his pocket that he stole from Dal Pyung.

At the Han River police station, Yoo Rae and Dal Po listen in through the door of the detectives’ office and hears Chan Soo report on the link between Jae Myung and Moon Deok Soo. Chan Soo suspects that Ki Jae Myung could have done something to Moon Deok Soo. Fortunately(?), Chan Soo’s superior won’t let him continue with the investigation, especially since Jae Myung was just awarded a Courageous Citizen Prize from the police department. With the evidence he has now, Chan Soo is just grasping at straws. Only if there is more evidence can Chan Soo continue.

Yoo Rae and Dal Po discuss the case and Yoo Rae reveals that she knows Gyo Dong gave Dal Po Ki Jae Myung’s phone number. What connection does Dal Po have with Ki Jae Myung, asks Yoo Rae. Dal Po lies that it is nothing and Yoo Rae knows he is lying. She offers to eat lunch with him or let him take a picture with her if he tells her the truth, but since Dal Po is really not interested in Yoo Rae, those offers mean nothing to him.

Due to In Ha and Beom Jo getting that exclusive story about Jae Myung, they have been allowed to work at the TV station, instead of going around on their mawari, but Beom Jo is not enjoying it. All he gets are phone calls from crazy people with supposed “tips” or phone calls asking for an apology for a wrongly reported story.

This is what he reports to Cha Ok, who in my eyes has obviously come over because she wanted to see In Ha. Of course she plays it cool and is about to walk off after judging that those phone calls are nothing when In Ha speaks up. Does she always disregard those requests for apologies like that? Once In Ha’s lid has been opened, it can’t be closed again. She continues to say to her mom, “You ignored Ki Jae Myung’s complaint like this 13 years ago too.”

Cha Ok claims that an apology was given to Ki Jae Myung and she repeats what she stated recently  on the news about MSC apologizing as a responsible party in the media. Doesn’t In Ha remember this? Yes, she does, In Ha replies, but it lacked any sincerity. She understands why Jae Myung would harbor hatred towards Cha Ok.

This pricks at Cha Ok and she gets defensive. What did she do that was so wrong? It’s not like she had a personal grudge against Ki Ho Sang. She didn’t question and badger his family because she alone was curious! She acted in place of all the people in the country who wanted to know. “Why should I apologize for that?” Cha Ok demands to know.

Cha Ok 1, In Ha zero. Cha Ok won this battle and In Ha is completely frustrated since she can’t win against her mom in a debate. Her mom is just too good!

Cha Ok goes back to her desk and sinks into her chair, more unsettled than we have ever seen her. Her gaze falters and we see some of the cellphones that Beom Jo has given her on her desk with In Ha’s text messages sent over the past 13 years.

Later, Beom Jo’s mom brings Beom Jo the rest of the cellphones containing In Ha’s messages. She asks if these messages are actually helping In Ha and Song Cha Ok make up. Beom Jo thinks there is still a long way to go. His mom is curious why Beom Jo worries so much about In Ha and her mom. He explains it is because he stole her messages for 13 years and he thinks In Ha and Cha Ok wouldn’t be on such bad terms if he hadn’t done that. He is indebted in In Ha. He wants to make it up to her.

Beom Jo’s mom is satisfied with his answer. She was worried that he liked In Ha and that was why he was so concerned. She doesn’t want Beom Jo to like In Ha since In Ha likes someone else and Beom Jo will feel pain. Beom Jo sadly confesses that he IS feeling pain these days. At first, he was curious about her, and then he figured he could properly pursue her after paying back his debt, but now he can’t even compete for her affection. His competition is too strong. Beom Jo’s mom of course thinks Beom Jo is better, especially since Choi Dal Po looks like half-cooked anchovy (LOLOLOLOLOL), but Beom Jo points out that Dal Po is the one that makes In Ha laugh or cry.

Dal Pyung is sweeping outside his store when he recognizes Beom Jo’s mother coming toward him. She has come to see him about her son and his daughter. She informs him that Beom Jo likes In Ha and Dal Pyung replies that he didn’t know. This angers Beom Jo’s mom, who thinks In Ha and her dad planned all this to lure Beom Jo and get some money out of him. She throws hot tea in his face and money, like all typical makjang chaebol moms.

Except Beom Jo’s mom isn’t and Dal Pyung was only imagining this. Wow, Dal Pyung’s brain certainly comes out with some of the most colorful scenarios. In reality, Beom Jo’s mom has come because she wants Dal Pyung to look upon Beom Jo favorably and support him in his affection for In Ha.

At home, Dal Pyung can’t keep the smile off his face as he thinks about Beom Jo, the son of a department store CEO, becoming his son-in-law. That smile immediately fades, however, when he remembers how In Ha looked at Dal Po that night when he saw them hold hands. He immediately calls In Ha.

As soon as she picks up, he asks if she likes Dal Po. Since she can’t lie, she tells him the truth. She likes Dal Po and she likes Dal Po as a man, not just a friend or as family. Hearing her answer, Dal Pyung immediately hangs up and texts Dal Po, who is currently sitting next to In Ha, that he wants to see him tomorrow.

In Ha wants to speak to her father herself and explain, but Dal Po, bringing her close, tells her not to worry. He will meet him and explain everything. In Ha and Dal Po give each other their little smiles of reassurances.

The next day, Dal Po and Dal Pyung sit at cafe together and Dal Pyung is shoving shaved iced into his mouth at a rapid rate. Dal Po wonders if Dal Pyung is hot. Yes, he is. His insides are burning up. Dal Pyung wants to know who Dal Po’s family is. If he is able to tell him the truth, he will reconsider Dal Po as a partner for In Ha. “It isn’t permission, just a promise that I will consider it!” emphasizes Dal Pyung.

Dal Po tells Dal Pyung that his family was an ordinary family. His father was a civil servant and his mom was a house-wife. He has no  siblings. His parents died in an accident and none of the relatives wanted him. That is why he hid the story about his family for so long; he didn’t want Dal Pyung contacting his relatives and sending him to them.

Dal Pyung believes Dal Po’s story and is satisfied. While this isn’t permission for Dal Po and In Ha to date- he’ s only going to give it some consideration- Dal Po should know what he is giving up by doing this! Dal Pyung gulps down the shaved iced dessert while he  thinks about the possibility of becoming the father in law of a chaebol slip through his fingers.

Dal Po thanks Dal Pyung gently, happy with this progress. But his happiness is interrupted by MSC news that reports that Jae Myung’s story has been picked up by the US news network CNN. Uh oh, the scale has become even larger.

As we watch Dal Po and In Ha share a secret embrace at the police station, Dal Po narrates: “The price for my silence about my brother was sweet. My brother remained a hero and I remained happy. But slowly but surely, without me realizing, that happiness was disappearing.”

Time for some YGN vs MSC. To add insult to injury, YGN’s reserved table for their dinner was given to MSC due to a double-booking mistake. The YGN team has to endure MSC’s loud cheers to their success in rating and compliments to Song Cha Ok. Song Cha Ok, in a display of humor,  gives credit to her good looks for MSC’s high ratings. The YGN team hears this and Hyun Gyu loudly proclaims his objection to this. He believes good looks takes away from the focus of the news as well as viewers’ trust in it. Gyo Dong passionately agrees, pointing out that Lee Young Tak definitely has the right look for trustworthiness. Ouch, this is not a compliment for Lee Young Tak.

The topic of Cha Ok’s seminar also comes up and we learn that Lee Young Tak had always been the one to give the talk in the past years but this year, they didn’t even ask him. YGN’s team, in a flurry of pride and team loyalty, declares that they will not, no, don’t need to attend Cha Ok’s seminar. They have nothing to learn from her!

It’s the day of the seminar. YGN newbies are also going to be at Cha Ok’s seminar, as well as MSC’s, because Gyo Dong told them to go. In Ha points out to Dal Po that this will be the first time he has properly seen her mother after becoming a reporter. As she fixes his hair, she asks if Dal Po is going to ask her mom anything during the Q&A session. He says he doesn’t because he said all he wanted to say on that day of the YGN survival debate to In Ha. He assures that that he doesn’t get angry and annoyed when he sees In Ha’s face, he just finds it funny now. Ha!

Jae Myung leaves his house, ready to go somewhere. He takes his dog to Han and asks him to take care of it from now on. When asked if he is going somewhere, Jae Myung replies, “Somewhere far.”

Joo Ho ends up taking the same elevator as Beom Jo and he remembers the way Beom Jo pulled out Cha Ok out of the elevator before. Looking him up and down, Joo Ho asks what Beom Jo thinks of Cha Ok while he feels Beom Jo’s arms. Beom Jo is frightened by Joo Ho’s actions so Beom Jo explains to him about his bad feeling about Jae Myung. He thinks Jae Myung will show up at the seminar today and he wants Beom Jo’s help in tailing him. Joo Ho can’t drive and needs his car.

A car he has! Beom Jo has at least six of his own cars to choose from for this stalking project.

Beom Jo and Joo Ho wait outside Jae Myung’s house, watching the kids gathered there- Jae Myung’s fanboys and fangirls. While waiting for Jae Myung to appear, Beom Jo points out that he and Joo Ho are basically the ones to have made Jae Myung into a hero, so this is a very dangerous suspicion to have. Plus, they saw with their own eyes the way Jae Myung saved that boy. How could a person like that think of doing harm to Cha Ok?

Joo Ho corrects Beom Jo. All they saw that day was ten minutes of Jae Myung’s life. “It is more dangerous to judge that person on just those ten minutes alone.”

Jae Myung finally comes out and leaves with his truck and they start to tail him except Jae Myung notices them pretty quickly.

At MSC before the seminar, Dal Po spots In Ha down the hall and smiles, making his way towards her. He stops in his tracks, however, when Cha Ok appears right in front of him. Cha Ok recognizes Dal Po as the taxi drive and she approaches him. She can’t believe Dal Po really became a reporter. In Ha spots these two and she comes closer and she is able to overhear Cha Ok describe how Dal Po argued with her about a Pinocchio becoming a reporter- why can’t they be, he had asked her. He had also promise to come back as a wolf and bark at her- is today that day? Dal Po is about to say something in anger when he realizes that In Ha is there, watching him, and he can’t any longer.

Dal Po backs down, holding his fist tightly, and calmly tells Cha Ok that he came today to learn, not bark. He even bows to her, saying, “Please teach me a lot.” In Ha watches this in sadness and Cha Ok looks smug, satisfied to see that Dal Po still has no bark.

Everyone is seated in the auditorium now and Yoo Rae also comes in, wearing her YGN jacket. She ready to proudly take on Song Cha Ok during the Q&A session, representing YGN. She apologizes to In Ha since Cha Ok is her mom after all, but In Ha tells her its okay with her, do whatever she wants. Nope, In Ha doesn’t hiccup.

In their car, Joo Ho tells Beom Jo that he didn’t like the way Jae Myung looked at In Ha. He is worried about her too. Now Beom Jo is also really worried after hearing this.

YGN’s Jo Won Goo sneaks in the auditorium with his face half-covered and what does he find? All the other YGN people there- Hyun Gyu, Gyo Dong, and even Young Tak. They are all sitting in the back in the dark with their scarves, masks, and turtlenecks covering half their face.

Cha Ok enters the room and the seminar starts. The title of the seminar is “Fact and Impact” and Cha Ok is going to talk honestly about how MSC was able to top ratings.

Cha Ok illustrates the difference between plainly reporting facts and adding a little impact to them. A reporter asked her what type of men she likes. Cha Ok answered that she likes tall men. The news article can come out with the plain and basic statement, “Journalist Song Cha Ok likes tall men.” Or the fact can come out with more impact with the statement, “Journalist Song Cha Ok doesn’t like short men.” The latter statement will draw more people’s eyes since the public is like that- they are more interested in insults than in compliments. Cha Ok argues that the second statement is not untrue. The fact that Song Cha Ok likes tall man means she dislikes short men more than tall men. “To catch the eye of the public, you have to add impact to fact.”

Song Cha Ok gives another example where you can either report the greater percentage of something going right or the leftover percentage of something going wrong. With this examples, she uses an awfully times screenshot of Lee Young Tak’s face which pisses Yoo Rae off even more.

Beom Jo and Joo Ho are following Jae Myung’s truck, which is going on the freeway and seems to be heading south out of Seoul. They don’t see that the driver of the truck is no longer Jae Myung but Han.

Where is Jae Myung? He is in the auditorium with Cha Ok, listening to her seminar fromm the back.

Cha Ok: “These days when we make news, there is no chance of winning with just the ingredient of truth alone. You need seasoning. But you cannot destroy the ingredient, otherwise that won’t be news. If you add the seasoning of impact to the ingredient of truth, you will have news that will connect with more viewers.”

It’s now Q&A time and you know that promise Yoo Rae made to bring Cha Ok down a notch with her questions? Yeah…it doesn’t work and it embarrasses everyone at YGN.

Someone, I think it’s Yoo Rae, starts recording the Q&A session.

Cha Ok asks for more questions but no one is raising their hand. Cha Ok meets Dal Po’s eye and she says, “Indeed, when you don’t know what a journalist is, it is easy to criticize, but once you do, it’s hard to thoughtlessly argue and bark…right?” Dal Po’s face twitches in suppressed anger.

In Ha looks back at Dal Po and she can see him struggling. She suddenly gets up and declares that she has a question. She asks sharply if Cha Ok had ever ignored fact after being blinded by the pursuit of impact.” Song Cha Ok takes a while before she answers, “No.”

In Ha is about to just accept this answer and sit down when she starts to hiccup. Her body is telling her she can’t accept this answer from her mom. In Ha gets up again and continues to attack Cha Ok. According to her knowledge, she knows there was a time when Cha Ok ignored fact. It was 13 years ago, the Ki Ho Sang incident. Cha Ok ignored the possibility that Ki Ho Sang could be dead and was the first to report the story that he abandoned his colleagues and ran. She also edited Ki Ho Sang’s family’s interview in a way that would make everyone angry at them. Because of this anger, the wife couldn’t even go to the market, and on the day the family promised to go view fireworks together, the wife had to chosen to end her own life. It was an incident that showed how dangerous news with impact only and no fact can be.

Cha Ok once again goes on the defensive, saying this wasn’t her individual wrong. “You can argue that the testimony of the Pinocchio who saw the wrong person was the problem. All I did was believe that testimony.”

In Ha remembers that this is what she said at the YGN survival debate.  She had said she believes the main cause of Ki Ho Sang’s tragic story was the testimony of the Pinocchio and the fact that  everyone believed him.

In Ha turns around to look at Dal Po. She smiles bitterly as she says, “Someone once said this. People believe that Pinocchio and journalists only tell the truth. So the Pinocchio and journalist should have known that people will believe them without doubt and therefore know that their words are scarier than other people’s. The fact that you didn’t know is your mistake. That your thoughtlessness destroyed a family. That is why you bear responsibility for this tragic story.”

In Ha throws her final blow at her mom. “Seeing that you still advocate impact even after experiencing that kind of incident 13 years ago, it seems you are still the same unqualified journalist as 13 years ago.”

This time, Cha Ok has no smart comeback. She’s visibly shaken and her gaze falters. Dal Po, on the other hand, watches In Ha with concern.

The seminar is over and Dal Po and In Ha sit outside in the hallway, crouched by the wall. In Ha figures she is going to get fired before her rookie period is over. She wonders if YGN will take her in if she gets fired and Dal Po coldly tells her no.

Dal Po asks why In Ha did that when even he was holding it back. That’s why, In Ha explains, and if she just passes on this, she would have started to hiccup.

Dal Po asks if she is okay and if she is not worried about her mother. Rather than tell the truth or get caught telling a lie, In Ha tries to walk away without answering. But Dal Po entraps her between his arms and against the wall and she honestly tells him that she is not. She dislikes her mom so much she doesn’t want to believe Cha OK is her mom, but because she is, In Ha is worried about her. But if she says this truthfully, Dal Po will be worried about her and not say what he wants to to her mother. In Ha tells him not to worry about her and just say what he wants to her mother.

Il Joo is worried so while bringing Cha Ok some coffee to her waiting room, he asks if she is okay. Cha Ok, her eyes glaring and her throat voice low and tight, replies, “Are you asking that question to me?” Il Joo, getting the hint, slowly leaves her coffee on the table and backs away out of the room.

Alone, Cha Ok finally loses her composure, throwing her lecture notes violently to the ground. We see that she has been carrying around the phones that Beom Jo gave her containing In Ha’s messages.

Outside the building, the YGN men slowly walk away. They make the connection that what In Ha said to Cha Ok was what Dal Po said to In Ha at the debate. Lee Young Tak wonders why In Ha would do so, and Gyo Dong explains: “The person who should have heard it, heard it. Those words found its way back to its owner after going around and around.”

The blue track has finally stopped at a rest stop and this is when Beom Jo and Joo Ho finds out that Jae Myung has pulled a switcheroo. Beom Jo quickly calls Dal Po and warns him about Jae Myung being there at MSC.

Dal Po understands what this might mean so he starts searching for In Ha and Cha Ok. He spots In Ha in one elevator and Jae Myung in another, following her. He starts to run up the stairs to catch up to them and he calls In Ha to warn her.

But before he can say anything, Jae Myung grabs In Ha and she drops her phone. He drags her down the hallway and pushing her against the wall, he demands to know how In Ha knew about the fireworks and his mother being unable to shop for food. This is something only his family would know!

Although she is scared, she won’t tell Jae Myung the secret Dal Po wanted her to keep. Thankfully, Dal Po shows up and knocks Jae Myung down.  Before he can run away with In Ha, however, Jae Myung is back up and the two struggle.

Jae Myung has Dal Po against the wall, grabbing his collar. Dal Po, red-eyed and terrified, begs, “Hyung, hyung, please…” Jae Myung yells that he didn’t want to hear that word from Dal Po ever again.

But what else can Dal Po call Jae Myung? He finally reveals, “Hyung, it’s me. I’m Ha Myung. I’m your younger brother, Ki Ha Myung.”

End of Episode 10

Comments:

In that long hour of grief on top of the roof, In Ha cries not only for herself, but for Dal Po. She cries the tears that Dal Po held back for 13 years- the tears that he couldn’t cry for his family, the tears of anger he couldn’t show when In Ha would talk about her mother with pride- the tears he couldn’t shed openly as Ki Ha Myung. In Ha cries his pain and sorrow for him as she repeats over and over again “I’m sorry,” apologizing for her mom and apologizing for being her mother’s daughter. And all Dal Po can repeat is “It’s okay, I’m okay” while watching In Ha cry in Ki Ha Myung’s stead. All he can do is repeat “It’s okay,” wanting the person he loves to stop being in pain because of him. But In Ha continues to cry and during that hour, the sun sets on on Dal Po and In Ha, closing one chapter of their lives in soft and gently hues of pink and orange innocence. It is isn’t the end for them, however, as a new chapter begins for them- a chapter filled with fierce and growing love, a love both burdened and empowered by the earnest desire to protect each other.

It is a chapter in which Dal Po wants to live as Choi Dal Po, not as Ki Ha Myung who was angry at Cha Ok and In Ha.  Ki Ha Myung could never be with In Ha, but as Choi Dal Po, he can, knowing grandpa is okay and that Dal Pyung is slowly opening up to the possibility. But the past has yet to finish settling its score and it comes rushing back, pushing Dal Po where he doesn’t want to go, nor ready to go.

As Choi Dal Po, he can live as a stranger to his brother and keep his suspicions hidden, but revealing himself as Ki Ha Myung not only means that he will have to face the possibility that his brother is a murderer but it also means that his brother will have to face what he has done. Because would Jae Myung have killed those men if he knew his brother was alive? I don’t think so. But now that he knows his brother is alive, that he has family and something to live for, Jae Myung will have to face his crime and what he has done to destroy his own soul and any chance of happiness with his brother.

What is the price that Jae Myung will pay for his crime? What is the price Cha Ok is paying right now for hers? Sure, it wasn’t a crime. It was a mistake that we could chalk up to youthful eagerness and ambition. But as In Ha points out, here is Cha Ok 13 years later still singing the same tune.

Cha Ok rarely loses her cool or composure, always having the last word and final laugh. But when it comes to the the Ki Ho Sang incident and her daughter, Cha Ok shows her cracks, the insecurity seeping through them. She became defensive often in this episode when confronted with the Ki Ho Sang tragedy. Her argues that she only did her job as a journalist, seeking and speaking on behalf of the public. She was also only one part of the media that drove the Ki family to the edge, only one person out the many who believed the the testimony of a Pinocchio.

I can imagine this is what Cha Ok kept repeating to herself every night- that she was not acting on a personal vendetta and she merely acted in place of all the people in the country who wanted to know. “Why should I apologize for that?”

“What should I apologize for that?” repeats Cha Ok every night so she can sleep. But she’s wrong. Even if it wasn’t a personal vendetta, it was personal ambition to get the best story that she can. She ignored any doubt she had about Ki Ho Sang’s flight, the slightest possibility that he could be alive, and reported the story in the most sensational way she could. She ignored doubt, and as Dal Po once taught us, doubt is a signal that truth sends when we have missed the truth. But she ignored the doubt and the real truth hid from her. But truth cannot be hidden for long, and this once entrapped truth will come bursting out with violent consequences. For Cha Ok, it is watching her mistake confront her through the words of her own daughter, the daughter she was finally connecting with again.

What will Dal Po’s violent consequence be for trying to keep the truth about his brother hidden? What will it cost him?