Previously on The Good Bad Mother: Young-soon lost her husband unfairly and was determined to make her son a prosecutor. Kang-ho became a corrupt prosecutor and worked as a service dog for Woo-byeok, the man who killed his father.
The Good Bad Mother episode 2 recap: Kang-ho navigates his career with ruthless ambition — later approaching Young-soon with a cruel motive.
Nowadays, Kang-ho still works for Woo-byeok, using his position as a prosecutor to help him with legal matters. Despite his initial shock, Kang-ho eventually agrees to call Woo-byeok “Father” and even considers being legally adopted by him. However, Kang-ho remains unaware of the fact that this man, whom he now calls “Father,” is the same person who murdered his real father.
At the village of Jou-ri, Young-soon prepares a large birthday feast for Kang-ho with utmost dedication. She even drives all the way to his luxury condo in Seoul to surprise him. However, upon arrival, Kang-ho instructs the security guard to inform his mother that he is not present. Disheartened, Young-soon leaves the food with the guard and returns home.
She is a mother who wakes up early to cook, and drives for hours to ensure her son’s happiness. She wants her child to enjoy delicious meals, but finds herself snacking on choco pies while driving back home.
The Quest for Power
Kang-ho is determined to climb the ladder of success and escape his humble beginnings. He sees Ha-yeong, daughter of the popular presidential candidate, Congressman Oh Tae-soo, as a way to achieve this goal. Despite her involvement in the murder of Kang-ho’s father, they start a serious relationship.
However, Congressman Oh Tae-soo disapproves of Kang-ho and threatens him to end the relationship. This obstacle prompts Kang-ho to dig up a scandal involving the congressman having an affair with his personal secretary, resulting in her pregnancy and resignation.
Kang-ho gathers DNA evidence and takes it to Woo-byeok, seeking adoption as a legal child to secure his position in Woo-byeok’s organization. The plan is for Kang-ho to marry Oh Tae-soo’s daughter, which would further enhance Woo-byeok’s power and influence.
To prove himself worthy as an intermediary, Kang-ho resorts to a cold-blooded killing of the former secretary and her baby by staging a drowning car accident. This act is even more cruel than the one committed by Woo-byeok against Kang-ho’s father.
Mom’s Rice
We cut to Jou-ri Village, where the villagers are excitedly preparing for Kang-ho’s arrival with Ha-yeong, anticipating an announcement of their marriage. Everyone is busy cooking, dressing up and doing hair, but their excitement turns to disappointment when Kang-ho arrives and asks only for his mother’s signature on a consent form for his adoption by Woo-byeok.
Young-soon is left with a puzzled expression on her face, questioning the importance of money and power at the expense of a mother and child’s relationship. Despite her disappointment, she gives Kang-ho her consent. As he rushes to leave, she tries to offer him some food, but he rejects it with coldness and pain in his eyes, lamenting that he had never really enjoyed eating with her before.
The scene leaves a heavy silence, symbolizing the broken relationship between a mother and her son.
While driving back to Seoul, Kang-ho starts feeling uncomfortable and drowsy. Ha-yeong offers to drive instead. And on the way, she lowers the window to get some fresh air. Suddenly, a gust of wind blows her scarf away, causing it to drop onto the road. Ha-yeong pulls over to the side of the road to retrieve it, and it’s at that moment that something unexpected happens. A truck crashes into the back of Kang-ho’s car, causing it to careen off the cliff!
In shock, Ha-yeong screams at the top of her lungs.
Images via JTBC Korea
Watch The Good Bad Mother episode 2 on Netflix: click here