The Good Bad Mother (2023) Summary – Kdrama

The Good Bad Mother Spoiler: A tragic accident leaves an ambitious prosecutor with the mind of a child — forcing him and his mother to embark on a journey to heal their relationship.

Ep 1 Whose Fault Is It?

The story takes place in 1986 in a rural village in South Korea, where Jin Young-soon (played by Ra Mi-ran) works as a feed salesman. She falls in love with Choi Hae-sik (played by Cho Jin-woong), the owner of a pig farm, and they get married, living happily at the farm.

However, their happiness is short-lived when Young-soon becomes pregnant, and the government announces plans to improve the area for the upcoming 1988 Olympics. Unfortunately, Hae-sik’s pig farm is on the marathon route, which prompts a construction company to negotiate for land expropriation.

Hae-sik refuses to sell his land, as it is a precious family heirloom. But the construction company responsible for the project sends people to set fire to the farm. The incident leaves the farm devastated and many pigs dead. Hae-sik is determined to fight back and takes the matter to court to prosecute the construction company.

Hae-sik fights back and takes the matter to court, seeking justice against the construction company for their actions. However, despite his efforts, the court acquits the defendant in the arson case due to insufficient evidence.

However, Hae-sik refuses to give up and continues to search for evidence on his own. Eventually, he discovers multiple cases of arson in areas where land expropriation was requested but the owners refused to sell. Hae-sik presents this evidence to the prosecutor, urging them to request a new trial. He also threatens to contact reporters to expose the truth.

Unbeknownst to Hae-sik, the prosecutor is in cahoots with the construction company. As soon as Hae-sik leaves the room, the prosecutor calls Song Woo-byung (played by Choi Moo-sung), the president of the construction company, and informs him that Hae-sik has uncovered crucial evidence that could harm them.

On his way home, Hae-sik is tragically murdered by Woo-byung and his accomplices, who stage the scene to look like a suicide.

Upon learning of her husband’s death, Young-soon immediately becomes suspicious and refuses to believe that he took his own life. Despite arranging his funeral, she goes to the prosecutor to seek justice and shares her doubts about her husband’s death. However, the prosecutor dismisses her concerns, claiming that Hae-sik had visited him earlier and expressed a desire to die while intoxicated. The prosecutor lies with such ease and conviction that Young-soon doesn’t even suspect that he has just received a large sum of money from the construction company president, who was the real murderer of her husband. Young-soon remains unaware of the truth.

New Life

Despite the injustices she has faced, the loss of her husband, her pig farm, and everything else, Young-soon decides to carry on for three reasons: her unborn child, a pregnant mother pig, and the money left in her husband’s account.

Determined to start anew, Young-soon purchases an abandoned farm in Oju-ri Village and builds a new pig farm. At first, the villagers are unhappy with her arrival because of the smell and dirt associated with pig farming. However, they eventually come around after seeing that Young-soon is pregnant.

The story progresses until the day of Young-soon’s delivery, when an extraordinary coincidence occurs: two children are born in the village at the same time. One is a boy named Choi Kang-ho (played by Lee Do-hyun), Young-soon’s son, and the other is a girl named Lee Mi-joo (played by Ahn Eun-jin).

Kang-ho Boy

The scene cuts to Kang-ho, a boy who is currently in fourth grade, and doesn’t appear to be a normal kid. At home, he lives with his strict mother who imposes on him an endless cycle of studying, taking tests, and doing everything he can to become a successful prosecutor. At school, Kang-ho is bullied by his classmates for the stench of pig poop that clings to him. But he never fights back or speaks a word in his defense.

One day, Kang-ho complains to his mother about the bullying he endures. He tells her that his classmates make fun of him for smelling like pig poop. But his mother’s response is far from comforting. She tells him, “Let them say whatever they want. You just focus on studying hard and becoming a successful prosecutor. On that day, nobody will dare to bully you again.” Then, she takes him out to eat, reminding him not to eat too much, as it might make him sleepy and unable to study.

Despite Kang-ho’s efforts to do everything his mother tells him, he can’t help but feel that she is a “bad mother” deep down inside.

Kang-ho & Mi-joo

The story continues until Kang-ho attends high school. On his birthday, Mi-joo brings a box of Kimbap to celebrate his special day. And she takes this opportunity to confess her feelings to Kang-ho and asks him to be her boyfriend.

However, Kang-ho only eats a little bit of the Kimbap. And when Mi-joo asks why he didn’t eat more. He explains that he can’t eat too much because it will make him sleepy, and he won’t be able to study for the exam to become a prosecutor.

Fast forward to the day of the 2007 college entrance exam (CSAT), everything is going smoothly until Mi-joo gets into a motorcycle accident. Despite having the important exam only once a year, Kang-ho chooses to skip it and go see Mi-joo at the hospital.

Ticket Out

The incident deeply upsets Yeon-soon, who questions why Kang-ho would sacrifice his entire future for just one woman. But Kang-ho’s response catches his mother off guard. He asks, “Do I even have a life? You made all the decisions for my life and forced them upon me. Is it my fault that Dad died like that?”

Young-soon slaps Kang-ho hard across the face before asking the question that has been haunting her all these years. “Then whose fault is it?” she demands. “Why did your father have to die like that?” She then tells Kang-ho that the only way for him to escape his miserable life and his “bad mother” is to become a prosecutor – that’s his ticket out.

Years later, Kang-ho achieves his goal of becoming a prosecutor. But shockingly finds himself working on a case involving Woo-byeok’s construction company – the very company responsible for his father’s death. It appears as if he is serving as a mere pawn in Woo-byeok’s game.

Ep 2 Cold Blood

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.

Ep 3 Seven Year Old Man

Young-soon rushes to the hospital to see her son’s condition nervously. She sees Kang-ho lying in a coma and cries out with sorrow until the officers have to take her out to calm down.

The doctor informs Young-soon that Kang-ho has a cerebral edema, including a broken cervical spine resulting in damage to the spinal cord. Which means even if he gains consciousness, he won’t be able to return to his normal life for some time. Although some may see this as bad news, Young-soon sees it as good news that her son is not dead.

Perfect Accident

Meanwhile, a shocking truth is revealed. MP Oh Tae-soo and ha-yeong were behind the accident. ha-yeong secretly put sleeping pills in Kang-ho’s drinking water, causing him to become drowsy. She then took over driving, and at a location without CCTV cameras, she pretended to drop her scarf. As she got out of the car to retrieve it, the truck driver intentionally rammed into their car, causing Kang-ho to lose consciousness and the car to go off the road.

ha-yeong, despite being an accomplice in her father’s plan to orchestrate Kang-ho’s murder, still feels guilty for the man she loves. The story of that day continues to haunt her.

Months pass, and Kang-ho wakes up with a different condition. The doctor informs Young-soon that most of Kang-ho’s memories are gone, which has made him regress to a seven-year-old mentally.

Young-soon brings her son back home to take care of him. She renovates and modernizes their pigsty house to make it clean and odor-free. However, Kang-ho refuses to eat, which worries his mother. But when he finally speaks, he tells her, “You get sleepy when you’re full. And if you get sleepy, you won’t be able to study.”

These words trigger a flashback in Young-soon’s mind. She realizes that she had been putting too much pressure on her son all this time, even though she thought it was for his own good. She decides to correct her mistakes by doing good deeds to erase the “bad mother” image from Kang-ho’s head. After some convincing, Kang-ho agrees to eat.

Although he remains bedridden and unable to do anything on his own, one day, Young-soon has a strange idea. She wants Kang-ho to try eating by himself. After several days of practice, Kang-ho is suddenly able to scoop up a spoonful of rice like a miracle. It seems that hunger has the power to move a paralyzed body!

Ep 4 The Lost Ball

Kang-ho, who has the memories of a seven-year-old, is able to use his upper body normally again, even though his lower body is still paralyzed. He can now get around in a wheelchair, and he enjoys going out to play with Seo-jin and Ye-jin, Mi-joo’s twin siblings who are also around seven years old.

The three of them have fun playing with a flashing ball. However, Kang-ho’s mature body causes him to play so hard that the ball bounces far away. Little Ye-jin yells at Kang-ho in a big way, because the ball is the one she claims her mother had bought for her from America.

Meanwhile, Mi-joo wears a worried expression on her face. She was scammed by a friend, a senior partner at a nail salon, and lost all her hard-earned money. The money she had saved for the future of Seo-jin and Ye-jin is now gone, and she finds herself struggling as a single mother. This situation reminds her of the past when she and Kang-ho lived together in Seoul while he was preparing for the bar examination.

In a flashback, after Mi-joo got into a motorcycle accident, Kang-ho lost a full year of his exams. In the meantime, Kang-ho arrived in Seoul to prepare for his exams, and Mi-joo took care of everything so that he could study for the exam to the fullest. Mi-joo worked at a nail salon to earn money, cooked food, and did all of the household chores. Finally, Kang-ho successfully passed the bar exam, and Mi-joo happily kissed him, proud that the man she loved had achieved his dream.

Returning to the present, Woo-byeok confronts Congressman Oh Tae-soo in a secret location, “Who would have thought that an honorable MP would kill his own future son-in-law?”

Congressman Oh Tae-soo smirks and calmly pours himself a glass of brandy. He reveals that he had to kill Kang-ho because he seemed suspicious and because Woo-byeok had previously killed Kang-ho’s father. However, Woo-byeok remains unfazed, as he has always known Kang-ho’s true identity. He only intends to exploit Kang-ho’s abilities to the fullest and then dispose of him later.

Meanwhile, Young-soon visits Kang-ho’s apartment in Seoul to pack up his belongings, including storing some items at the prosecutor’s office. It is during this process that she realizes the truth: her son is not a prosecutor working for justice but a corrupt prosecutor who only seeks personal gain.

Heartbroken, Young-soon returns home and looks at Kang-ho, who sits innocently in his wheelchair. She breaks down in tears, releasing a torrent of complaints and curses. However, deep down, she realizes that she is blaming herself. She realizes that her strict parenting, aimed at ensuring Kang-ho’s financial and social success to protect him from bullying, had inadvertently shaped him into a bully himself. Overwhelmed with guilt, Young-soon embraces her son tightly.

Later that afternoon, Kang-ho asks his mother to help him find the lost ball. Using his hands to propel the wheelchair, he searches tirelessly for the ball to return it to Seo-jin and Ye-jin. However, no matter how hard he looks, he cannot locate it. It isn’t until nightfall that Kang-ho finally discovers the ball stuck in a tree. Overjoyed, he quickly rides his wheelchair to Seo-jin and Ye-jin’s house, calling their names. And at that moment, the sound of the door unlocking becomes louder and louder.

Standing behind the gate is Mi-joo!

Ep 5 The Pain

Mi-joo is taken aback when she sees Kang-ho sitting in a wheelchair. She stands frozen for a few moments before abruptly closing the door and sinking to the ground in shock.

In a flashback, the story takes us back to a time when Kang-ho and Mi-joo shared a loving relationship. Mi-joo took care of everything, working hard to earn money, doing household chores, and cooking, all to give Kang-ho the time he needed to study for the bar exam. But after he successfully became a prosecutor, as he had planned, he broke up with Mi-joo, claiming that there were things he needed to do that didn’t include her in his plans.

That same night, Kang-ho returns home with a deep ache in his heart. He can’t understand why seeing Mi-joo’s face brings such intense pain, as there are no memories left to explain it—only a profound sense of loss.

Meanwhile, MP Oh Tae-soo, a presidential candidate, senses that Kang-ho could become a future problem if his memories were to return. Concerned about this potential threat, Oh Tae-soo orders an outsider to deal with Kang-ho.

On that fateful night, a mysterious figure dressed in black, wearing a helmet to conceal their identity, breaks into Kang-ho’s house while he is alone. Just as the assailant is about to attack Kang-ho, Woo-byeok’s subordinates suddenly appear, coming to Kang-ho’s rescue!

Ep 6 Terminal Cancer

Woo-byeok had actually instructed his subordinates to find crucial evidence on Kang-ho. However, by a stroke of coincidence, it happened to be the exact moment when the assassin sent by Oh Tae-soo arrived. Startled upon seeing Woo-byeok’s subordinates, the assassin hastily retreated in panic.

When Young-soon returns home and finds the house in disarray, she scolds Kang-ho severely. Despite Kang-ho’s attempts to explain the incident, his mother remains skeptical and refuses to believe his words.

The following day, Mi-joo’s mother gives her some savings to use for opening a nail salon. Overjoyed, Mi-joo rushes to the city to secure a rental space for her shop. However, finding an affordable standalone location proves challenging. Fortunately, she encounters a kind-hearted grandmother who suggests using a small corner of her fertilizer store as a space to open a nail salon free of charge.

While in town, Mi-joo accidentally drops her purse. Luckily, Kang-ho notices and retrieves it, returning her wallet. As they meet again, Mi-joo can’t hide her awkward expression upon seeing Kang-ho in his current state.

That night, Kang-ho visits Seo-jin and Ye-jin at their home and is invited to join them for a meal. He wonders how Mi-joo knows that he dislikes carrots. Mi-joo evades the question, explaining that they had attended the same school and were friends. Kang-ho smiles innocently and replies, “Oh, that’s why. That’s why I’ve always missed you.”

Those words alone trigger a flood of memories from Kang-ho’s childhood, awakening his seven-year-old self. However, this revelation causes a tumultuous wave of emotions in Mi-joo’s heart. She must make an effort to suppress her feelings and prevent tears from falling.

The next day, Young-soon suddenly faints and collapses. Upon regaining consciousness, she receives devastating news from the doctor—that she has terminal stomach cancer.

Overwhelmed, Young-soon falls to her knees in front of the doctor, unable to fully grasp the reality of the situation. She is consumed by the thought of having a son to take care of, making this news even more difficult to accept.

Ep 7 Epidemic

Young-soon becomes aware that she won’t be able to care for Kang-ho for much longer. She starts teaching him to become self-reliant, including the skills of pig farming and selling pigs to traders.

Unfortunately, the misfortune continues. As per the epidemic prevention law, the authorities order the slaughter of all pigs on Young-soon’s farm due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at nearby goat farms. The law mandates the extermination of all animals within a 3-kilometer radius.

Young-soon’s hopes crumble entirely. She is left with nothing. That night, she slumps against the wall of the pigsty, where not a single pig remains.

The next morning, Young-soon hurriedly goes to a fertilizer shop and purchases weed killers. She then takes Kang-ho to her father’s grave, as if bidding farewell.

Meanwhile, Mi-joo opens her nail salon at the fertilizer shop. She overhears the store owner complaining about Young-soon purchasing weed killer, something she had never done before. Realizing that Young-soon must be in a troubled state of mind, Mi-joo promptly leaves the shop to find Young-soon and Kang-ho.

Mi-joo scolds Young-soon, pretending to have weed killer in her bag, and asks Kang-ho to stay with her for a while to prevent Young-soon from doing anything harmful. Young-soon gazes into Mi-joo’s eyes and reluctantly agrees.

Later, Young-soon uses her savings to cover the monthly expenses at a recovery and rehabilitation center, ensuring that Kang-ho will be taken care of while she is away. Kang-ho tearfully laments being left alone.

When Young-soon returns home, she writes a suicide note and prepares to end her own life by hanging. As her body struggles before death, Kang-ho, using his hands to maneuver his wheelchair, escapes from the sanatorium and reaches home. There, he discovers his mother hanging from a rope tied to a rafter. Kang-ho maneuvers his wheelchair closer and embraces his mother’s legs.

Then, a miraculous event occurs. Kang-ho finds the strength in his legs to lift his mother up, keeping her alive. His legs are suddenly functioning again, defying all odds.

Ep 8 Behind the Picture

Young-soon embraces Kang-ho, tears of joy streaming down her face as she sees her son standing on his own again.

In contrast, Kang-ho is disappointed with his mother’s decision to leave him in such a manner. He wheels himself out of the house to meet Mi-joo, sobbing like a child. Mi-joo rushes to comfort him and, upon hearing the story, reassures him that his mother would never abandon him. She explains that there must be underlying reasons for her actions, drawing from her own experience of being inexplicably dumped.

From that point onward, Young-soon resolves to confront her problems instead of running away from them. She decides to be a bad mother again, teaching Kang-ho the essential skills for daily life and embarking on the mission to make him walk once more.

Braving the rain, Young-soon pushes Kang-ho in his wheelchair to a puddle and leaves him there without assistance, urging him to use his own legs to save himself from drowning.

Through consistent training and various physical therapy methods, Kang-ho gradually recovers his ability to walk.

When the news spreads throughout the village that Kang-ho can walk again, everyone rejoices. A festive celebration is organized at Kang-ho’s house, brimming with happiness. Amidst the festivities, one person watches Kang-ho play with Seo-jin and Ye-jin, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. That person is Mi-joo. (Are the twins actually Kang-ho’s children?)

With Young-soon managing all the necessary affairs and imparting life skills to Kang-ho, she proceeds to have her own funeral photos taken.

That night, Young-soon teaches Kang-ho the rituals and words associated with funerals. The two of them sit together happily, wearing cucumber masks. In a poignant moment, Kang-ho mentions the family photo of his parents and himself as a baby hanging on the wall. His words trigger something in Young-soon’s mind. She opens the frame and discovers a hidden SD card behind the picture!

Ep 9 SD Card

Young-soon retrieves an SD card and opens it, discovering a file containing Kang-ho’s personal story. From his time at Seoul National University, Kang-ho began to understand why his mother had pushed him to become a prosecutor. It was because society is rife with exploitation, and being a prosecutor with the power of the law was a means of self-protection.

The diary also reveals the tale of his love for Mi-joo, up until his full-time prosecutor days. During that period, Kang-ho used his authority to access his father’s trial report and questioned witnesses in the case. Eventually, he uncovered the truth: Woo-byeok was behind the arson at the pig farm, and his father’s death was a disguised murder. Oh Tae-soo, the prosecutor in charge, had assisted Woo-byeok in evading trial.

Upon learning the truth, Kang-ho devised a plan for revenge. The first step involved Ha-yeong, Oh Tae-soo’s daughter. Reluctantly, he broke up with Mi-joo without providing an explanation.

The story documents Kang-ho’s actions, including the murder of a female secretary involved with Oh Tae-soo, through poisoning and a staged car accident. However, it is revealed that the secretary and her baby were safely sent to the Philippines, making the act less cold-blooded than previously thought. (This means that the cold-blooded murder in part 2 didn’t occur.)

To summarize the diary’s contents, everything Kang-ho did was driven by his desire for revenge on behalf of his father. Breaking up with Mi-joo and displaying animosity toward his mother were all part of his plan.

As Young-soon reads Kang-ho’s notes, everything falls into place. Tearfully, she embraces her son, understanding the pain of a mother realizing her child had been entangled in a revenge scheme, forcing him to act against his true feelings.

Young-soon heads to the storage room and proceeds to burn all of Kang-ho’s documents, including the SD card. Kang-ho, with only a seven-year-old memory, watches as his mother destroys the stack of papers, wearing a perplexed expression on his face.

Ep 10 Trigger Memories

Young-soon is determined to ensure that Kang-ho doesn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. She teaches him the ways of farming and encourages him to find happiness in that life, disregarding his past as a prosecutor. Kang-ho smiles and agrees to his mother’s wishes, promising to become a skilled farmer.

Young-soon then approaches the village headman, hoping to arrange a marriage for Kang-ho. She believes that marrying a woman from the village will solidify his future as a farmer and prevent him from returning to his former profession.

However, when the time comes for the matchmaking, Kang-ho is rejected by a woman because of his childlike behavior. It becomes apparent that no one would agree to marry a 35-year-old man who behaves like a seven-year-old.

Kisses

Meanwhile, Kang-ho comes to Mi-joo’s aid when she is harassed by a customer. In the process, Kang-ho’s head hits the ground, triggering memories of a motorcycle accident that Mi-joo had in the past. i-https://www.recaphub.com/2023/04/30/the-good-bad-mother-episode-1-recap-957/#:~:text=Fast forward to the day of the 2007 college entrance exam (CSAT)%2C everything is going smoothly until Mi-joo gets into a motorcycle accident. Despite having the important exam only once a year. Kang-ho chooses to skip it and go see Mi-joo at the hospital.

Suddenly, Kang-ho leans in to kiss Mi-joo, and she reciprocates by touching his body. They share a passionate kiss in the middle of the road, in full view of onlookers.

The kiss signifies an intimate moment between Kang-ho and Mi-joo. Mi-joo’s feelings for Kang-ho resurface, and Kang-ho now desires to become a prosecutor again.

That night, Kang-ho confesses to his mother that he wants to return to his previous profession. However, his mother vehemently opposes the idea, and Kang-ho reveals his true feelings. He had endured everything all this time simply to make his mother happy. Now he questions why she won’t allow him to pursue his own desires and why he always has to be the one sacrificing his own wishes.

Concerned about the situation, Young-soon pleads with Mi-joo to stop getting involved with Kang-ho. This plea triggers memories for Mi-joo, and she decides to reveal the truth to her mother. She discloses that Kang-ho is the biological father of Seo-jin and Ye-jin.

The following day, Mi-joo brings the children to Kang-ho’s house, leaving everyone wondering if she intends to reveal the truth.

Ep 11 Devastating News

Mi-joo brings Seo-jin and Ye-jin to Kang-ho’s house with the intention of revealing the truth about him being their father. However, upon arrival, she discovers Young-soon lying unconscious on the ground. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Mi-joo abandons her plan and rushes Young-soon to the hospital.

At the hospital, the doctor delivers devastating news to Kang-ho. His mother’s cancer has already spread throughout her body. Overwhelmed with grief upon hearing this heartbreaking update, Mi-joo stands by Kang-ho’s side, providing comfort and support.

In another unexpected turn of events, Sam-sik accidentally stumbles upon a DNA test and an SD card hidden inside a branded bag that Kang-ho had bought for his mother prior to the accident. The SD card contains an audio recording in which Kang-ho, Woo-byeok, and Oh Tae-soo conspire to kill and cover up the secretary and the baby resulting from Oh Tae-soo’s affair.

Kang-ho listens to the audio file but is unable to recall the events of that day. On the other hand, Sam-sik becomes tempted by the prospect of a significant sum of money and decides to keep the DNA test results and SD card for himself, witnessing large amounts of cash being stacked before him. The voice on the recording happens to be that of a presidential candidate.

Blood and Blackmail

Sam-sik meets Ha-yeong and confronts her with the DNA test results and audio files. He uses this incriminating evidence to blackmail her, demanding a sum of 202 million won (about 153,000 USD). Reluctantly, Ha-yeong agrees to comply with Sam-sik’s demands and agrees to meet him again the following day.

As Sam-sik walks out onto the street, he is suddenly grabbed by a group of strong men and forcefully dragged into a black van. They take him to an abandoned warehouse, where they intimidate him into silence regarding the identity of his employer. Just as a man brandishes a dagger threateningly at Sam-sik’s throat, an unexpected turn of events unfolds once again. Two of Woo-byeok’s subordinates, who had previously assisted Kang-ho, come to Sam-sik’s rescue.

However, these events lead to Ha-yeong opposing her father’s actions. In response, Oh Tae-soo resorts to threatening his own daughter to ensure her silence, revealing that she is also responsible for attempting to kill Kang-ho.

On Ha-yeong’s wedding day, she manages to escape the event. Infuriated by her actions, Oh Tae-soo orders his subordinate to detain her in the hospital until the end of the election. It is during this period that Oh Tae-soo resolves to deal with Kang-ho decisively.

That night, as Kang-ho and Young-soon blissfully embrace each other in their bedroom, a fire suddenly breaks out at the pig farm. Both of them rush to the farm, but upon entering, they find themselves locked inside. Kang-ho retrieves a steel object to break the glass and create an exit. He forcefully pushes his mother out to safety, but just as he is about to climb out himself, an explosion occurs within the farm, causing him to be thrown and fall onto an iron grid. The surroundings are engulfed in a blazing inferno.

Kang-ho lies motionless in that state, with memories of the moment he was hit by a truck resurfacing. It remains uncertain whether these memories are triggered by the current events or if they have returned independently.

Ep 12 Welcome Back

Young-soon frantically searches for help to rescue Kang-ho from the blazing pig farm, but no one dares to step forward. Mi-joo, displaying courage, takes immediate action. Seeing this, Sam-sik is inspired to become a hero. He drenches himself with water and bravely breaks through the door to assist Kang-ho, but…

Unexpectedly, it is Kang-ho who emerges, carrying Sam-sik’s body. Thankfully, everyone is safe, although the pigs on the farm have perished in the fire.

The police arrive to investigate the cause of the fire. Sam-sik provides a lead, claiming to have seen a suspected arsonist. Young-soon, who is also under scrutiny, admits that she accidentally started the fire.

Yong-soon fears the repetition of history, recalling the tragic fate that befell her husband in the past. The closer they get to the truth, the greater the danger becomes.

Observing something amiss, Mi-joo confronts Sam-sik to extract the truth. Eventually, she discovers that ‘Oh Tae-soo’ is the mastermind behind it all.

Mi-joo informs Young-soon about Oh Tae-soo, urging her to report it to the police. However, Young-soon refuses, citing her husband’s previous futile pursuit of justice against the pig farm arson. She expresses her desire to prevent a similar tragedy from happening to Kang-ho.

After a brief conversation, Mi-joo reveals the truth to Young-soon: Seo-jin and Ye-jin are Kang-ho’s children. Meanwhile, lying on a sickbed, Kang-ho overhears everything.

Subsequently, Kang-ho is arrested by the police as a murder suspect in the case involving Oh Tae-soo’s secretary. However, during the investigation, Kang-ho suddenly feigns insanity, causing chaos. The officers reluctantly agree to release him due to his apparent aphasia.

Memories Come Back

The floodgates of memories open within Kang-ho that night at home. Young-soon senses the change and joyously exclaims, “My son has returned! I’ve been waiting for you for so long… I apologize for ever doubting you.” The two embrace tightly, tears of happiness streaming down their faces.

Kang-ho’s memories have fully resurfaced.

He confides in his mother, declaring his determination to carry out his plan. For now, he insists that no one must know about his regained memory.

Kang-ho pays a visit to Mi-joo, revealing that his memories have returned. However, he implores her to keep it a secret until he fulfills his mission.

In an astonishing turn of events, Mi-joo stumbles upon a video clip recorded by Ye-jin on her phone. The footage captures Ha-yeong discreetly tampering with a water bottle. Suspecting it to contain a sleeping pill intended for Kang-ho, Mi-joo seeks assistance from Sam-sik.

Though they are unable to meet Ha-yeong, they receive information that she has been confined to a hospital by Oh Tae-soo.

Meanwhile, as Kang-ho’s memories resurface, he ventures out to gather evidence to convict Oh Tae-soo of murder. His search leads him to a raw fish shop owner, a crucial witness in his pursuit of justice.

Ep 13 An Important Witness

Kang-ho embarks on a search for the owner of the fishing boat, who was previously the proprietor of a raw fish shop. His quest leads him to uncover a startling truth from the past.

In that fateful moment, Kang-ho had agreed with Oh Tae-soo to eliminate both the secretary and the baby. However, Kang-ho had devised a different plan. He arranged for the secretary to escape with the baby to the Philippines aboard a fishing boat he had hired. Unbeknownst to him, Oh Tae-soo dispatched his subordinates to tail them.

As they found themselves in the middle of the vast sea, facing a dire situation, the secretary made a heartbreaking decision. Clutching the baby tightly, she leapt into the unforgiving waters.

“The decision was hers,” the former raw fish shop owner recounts the events of that fateful day, leaving Kang-ho speechless.

Meanwhile, disguised as a doctor, Mi-joo pays a visit to Ha-yeong, who is confined to a locked sickroom under the watch of Oh Tae-soo’s dim-witted subordinates. Surprisingly, they allow Mi-joo easy access.

Mi-joo endeavors to expose the cruelty of Ha-yeong’s father, Oh Tae-soo, and shed light on his misdeeds. Her words strike a chord with Ha-yeong, prompting her to challenge her father’s principles.

Crafting a ruse about Ha-yeong needing immediate medical attention, Mi-joo manages to successfully orchestrate Ha-yeong’s escape with the help of Sam-sik. They whisk Ha-yeong away in the car driven by Kang-ho, taking her to a safe haven—an undisclosed hotel secretly operating as a casino for a foolish mafia group. Kang-ho assumes the role of a prosecutor from Seoul and requests a temporary stay at the establishment, a request that is granted by the mafia boss, albeit with some reservations.

That night, before Kang-ho departs, he tenderly kisses Mi-joo on the forehead, prompting her to playfully protest, suggesting the kiss should have been on the lips instead. The two share a heartfelt and passionate kiss.

At the aquarium, MP Oh Tae-soo puts on a facade, reading storybooks to children with a smile. The parents of the children applaud him and express their support for his presidential aspirations. Suddenly, Kang-ho appears, extending his hand for a handshake with Oh Tae-soo. Their hands touch, their eyes locked in a tense gaze.

Ep 14 Checkmate (Finale)

Kang-ho confronts Oh Tae-soo with an offer he can’t refuse. He seeks Oh Tae-soo’s cooperation as a witness against Woo-byeok to ensure his punishment for the murder of Kang-ho’s father 35 years ago and the attempted murder of Kang-ho and his mother.

In exchange for Oh Tae-soo’s agreement, Kang-ho promises to shoulder all of Oh Tae-soo’s guilt, assuring him, “If the Congressman refuses to testify in court, your daughter Ha-yeong will testify in his place.”

A close subordinate betrays Woo-byeok, pushing him into a fit of rage as he tries to kill the traitor. At that moment, Kang-ho appears, handcuffed, accusing Woo-byeok of assault and attempted murder. It is all part of Kang-ho’s meticulously crafted plan.

Justice

Kang-ho orchestrates a grand spectacle for the press, making headlines with Woo-byeok’s arrest.

The court proceedings commence, and solid evidence mounts against Woo-byeok, leaving him at a disadvantage in escaping the case. A loyal subordinate comes forward to testify against him, providing incriminating information. Additionally, MP Oh Tae-soo takes the stand to testify against Woo-byeok. However, an unexpected twist unfolds.

It is revealed that when the secretary jumped into the sea, she had secretly hidden her child on the boat. Using a pillow wrapped in diapers as a decoy, she deceived everyone. Now, the boy is brought into the courtroom as a witness.

Oh Tae-soo is taken aback by the sudden emergence of this significant evidence.

Ultimately, both Woo-byeok and Oh Tae-soo are found guilty, and Ha-yeong is also sentenced to prison. Justice prevails as the truth is finally revealed.

Conclusion

In Jou-ri Village, a bittersweet birthday party is held for Young-soon, likely her last. Despite the sadness, the occasion is filled with happiness.

After the party, Young-soon presents Mi-joo with the ring given to her by her late husband. That night marks Young-soon’s final moments on this earth.

During Young-soon’s funeral, everyone tries to maintain a cheerful atmosphere as per her wishes. Kang-ho sings in front of his mother’s figure, but tears stream uncontrollably down his face.

Sam-sik visits Ha-yeong in prison, seemingly having found someone he truly cares for.

Two of Woo-byeok’s loyal subordinates choose to become farmers in Jou-ri Village, finding joy and contentment in their new lives.

The headman’s wife unveils her true identity as the daughter of a yakuza and prepares to return to Japan. However, she experiences morning sickness and decides to remain in the village, embracing her new life. She approaches the village headman and shares a passionate kiss with him.

As for Kang-ho, he resigns from his position as a prosecutor and embraces a life as a farmer, honoring his mother’s wishes. He and Mi-joo eventually marry and live happily ever after in the village of Jou-ri.

The End

Images via JTBC Korea
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