Remember: Son’s War Ep 14 Recap (and a question of loyalty)

In Ah hugs Jinwoo and weeps while he just stands there looking confused, unsure of whether to hug her back. (What I thought was awareness of the situation returning, yesterday, was just his awkwardness). He stays at his former house, still wondering what’s going on, while In Ah returns to the office and asks Lawyer Yeon for the truth.

Lawyer Yeon sighs and says he does. Jinwoo didn’t want anyone to know though. In Ah asks for his doctor’s name, she can’t just sit and watch. There has to be something they can do. Jinwoo wakes up the next morning in his old bedroom and freezes as the last night’s events come back. The last thing he remembers is Gyuman handing him the case report.

The man in question is at a meeting with Hong Moosuk and his father with the former having managed to turn the public’s attention from Il Ho’s group’s recent fallout. His father still isn’t pleased with Gyuman and silences him with a stare when Gyuman starts comparing Dongho and Moosuk. Dongho on the other hand, isn’t having a good day either. Jinwoo shows up at his office and decks him swiftly.

This is so painful to see. Dongho quietly says that it was just an accident. He lost his father too because of it. Jinwoo says that he and Dongho were truly never supposed to meet> he shouldn’t have pleaded him to take his father’s case, then he wouldn’t hate himself so much right now. Dongho calls out to him as he turns to leave, revealing that the accident was Nam Il Ho’s fault.

Whoa. In Ah and Lawyer Yeon visit Jinwoo’s doctor and are shocked to hear that his hyperthymesia means that Alzheimer’s will progress faster. He has a year at most, six months at the least. In Ah’s asks if there’s a cure but all they can do is delay his memory’s deterioration. A shaken In Ah leaves with Lawyer Yeon behind her. Dongho sits in his office, just as shaken, remembering Jinwoo crying at the funeral that this wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t succumbed to Gyuman. Sangho, his minion, arrives them to inform him that it was Gyuman who tipped JInwoo off. Cut to a very pissed off Dongho striding into Gyuman’s office.

Gyuman says that Dongho’s been doing his ownbit of spying with his father. Dongho warns him to stop, or else he won’t stop with just a warning. He actually (casually) smashes Gyuman’s lamp while doing this, which gives Gyuman pause. He tells Dongho that one fish splashing muddy water everywhere won’t do a thing. His father and he are far more powerful. Dongho tells him to watch and see just how far this fish can splash. Burn. In Ah goes home for dinner and asks her dad for advice. She doesn’t mention Jinwoo by name calling him ‘a friend’, saying that he’s very ill and she doesn’t know what to do. She cries asking why so many bad things keep happening to him. Her father’s awesome and tells her to just be by his side.

In Ah mulls that over, going back to the office, only for Lawyer Yeon to say the same thing. She asks In Ah to pretend that nothing happened. She wants Jinwoo to do everything he wants to, in what time he might have left. Jinwoo comes in before In Ah gives her answer. He pauses awkwardly in front of her, bringing up last night’s dinner. In Ah lies on the spot. Jinwoo plays along, despite remembering nothing and his face falls once he enters his hidden room.

He sadly thinks back to telling her that he wanted to remember every moment with her. Lawyer Yeon comes in and he tells her of the gap in his memory. She learns he met with Gyuman and worries about how fast his disease is advancing. Jinwoo says he can’t rest until Gyuman’s behind bars, regardless of how ill he is. That moment might be coming sooner than expected because Seokgyu’s been conducting his own investigation. He goes over the casefiles notes a wine-opener that was found next to Jungah’s, that didn’t have Jaehyuk’s finger prints. (Jaehyuk’s fingers prints, however, were supposedly on the corkscrew in her hand) Moosuk meets with Seok Joo Il in prison, serving as his legal counsel. He clearly has no interest in getting Joo Il out. The latter naively argues that they’re on the same side.

Ouch. Joo Il’s eyes redden and he just turns away. Meanwhile, Gyuman’s having lunch with Seokgyu again (with Pathetique playing in the background). Gyuman’s wary, asfter having heard that Seokgyu’s snooping about in the Jungah’s case. They make small talk until wine is brought in and Seokgyu casually asks if it’s possible to kill someone with a wine-opener. Gyuman and Soobum freeze until the former smiles and says he wouldn’t know, you know, seeing as he’s never killed anyone. He asks Seokgyu something in turn: a friend has killed someone, what would he do? As a judge, Seokgyu says he’d want justice to be done. As a friend? The same. He considers it part of the bro code. Gyuman only flashes a creepy smile.

Jinwoo contemplates his wall where he’s now laid out details regarding Dongho’s father’s case. He recalls meeting with Detective Kwak and promising that Gyuman would be in the cell adjacent to his. Kwak must have introduced him to a friend because Jinwoo meets with him. It’s not clear who Jinwoo’s targeting just yet, but he promises to get Jinwoo into some establishment that will prove helpful to his case. In Ah meets with Tak Youngjin and asks how the process in on Jungah’s father’s supposed suicide. But Moosuk’s made his escape so thoroughly that the investigation has stalled. Youngjin sighs at how Moosuk gets his paycheck on a platter but gets a call from Nam Il Ho himself at that point. He asks Youngjin to meet him for dinner. Meanwhile, Moosuk gives Gyuman a breakdown of Jinwoo’s assets, or lack thereof. Gyuman’s amused and appalled at Jinwoo’s lack of wealth.

Oh dear. Moosuk unfortunately has an answer.

She was heavily involved in Jungah’s case as a law student, became a prosecutor for Jinwoo, gave up her job for him, and became a lawyer for him. Jinwoo’s Achilles heel. Uh oh. That evening, Lawyer Song excitedly rushes in to announce…that he’s heading a case in court tomorrow all on his own! The team celebrates with taek-out. Youngjon, however, is not having as great a meal. Il Ho propositions him directly before he even starts the meal, asking him if he’d like to join his side. Moosuk’s there as well and urges him to agree, saying that lawyers and prosecutors do nothing but play the law in the end. Youngjin’s answer is simple.

❤ Dongho calls him over and watches as he inhales a bowl of noodles.

He sighs that he gave up a fat paycheck and dinner for this bowl of noodles.

HAHA. Dongho says that he’ll soon have enough evidence to get Nam Il Ho.

Jinwoo’s on his way to Lawyer’s Song’s first solo trial in four years when he gets a call. Lawyer Song’s refusing to go into trial. And the reason he won’t do it quite sobering. He’s afraid of ruining a life again. Jinwoo races over and tells him to do everything he couldn’t with Jaehyuk’s trial, today. In Ah and Lawyer Yeon encourage him further and Lawyer Song takes his seat. The trial progresses and he stutters terribly as he begins his closing argument but gains strength as he goes on, until his voice is steady and everyone’s moved. He wins the trial and In Ah and Jinwoo exchange smiles.

But on we go to Jinwoo’s next target, Bae Chuljoo, the man in the video with Gyuman. He was also present at the party 4 years ago. He was charged for drug possession 3 months ago but Dongho got him off. Kwak’s friend owns the bar where Bae Chul Joo throws his drug-filled parties and Jinwoo plans to work with that. Chul Joo meets with Gyuman that morning where the latter fills him in on his plan to get rid of Dongho.

Gyuman muses that he can already hear the cries of the ‘ants’ (aka. us common people).

(Jinwoo, get his ass in prison. NOW) Chul Joo’s all good with this but asks Gyuman when he’s going to show up at one of his parties. Gyuman hilariously growls that he hasn’t been able to take a step outside because of- he stops there but it’s clearly because of Jinwoo, ad he gets even more irritated at how small Jinwoo’s making him look and says he’ll be at the next one. Jinwoo corners Chul Joo as he leaves Gyuman’s office. He’s polite at first, asking him if he remembers him, before sighing that he had to be in that video of all things. Chul Joo freezes when Jinwoo explains what video that is but puffs up with false bravado.

He’s clearly rattled though and threatens Jinwoo with death (I love how Jinwoo doesn’t even flinch. He’s like ‘oh, that again’) before driving off. Gyuman lazily orders Soobum to go take care of some ‘girl problems’ that Chul Joo has (aka. blackmail or beat up the poor girl) and Soobum stutters and refuses, saying he’s Gyuman’s secretary not his friend’s. Gyuman ominously gets to his feet and proceeds to strangely Soobum with this insane smile on his face.

Soobum finally breaks free, yelling that he’s Gyuman’s friend, and that it isn’t that he doesn’t have pride, but that he’s holding it in. He leaves while Gyuman’s smile eerily vanishes. Soobum shares a drink with Sangho, lamenting how long he has to stay under Gyuman’s thumb. Sangho advises him to visit Dongho, so long as it doesn’t involve helping Gyuman Dongho’ll be all over it. At that moment, the man himself is summoned by Nam Il Ho. Dongho excuses his absence from everything thus far, saying it was due to taking care of Il Ho’s various lawsuits. Il Ho says that he understands how uneasy Dongho ois due to Joo Il being in jail but Dongho interjects, stating that he’s certain Il Ho will take his hyung-nim out soon. That’s when Nam Il Ho does an about face and says that depends on his behaviour. He warns Dongho not to tie himself to the past and fail to take care of his present. Later that evening, Dongho meets with President Ha (his witness) who gives him the recording of Nam Il Ho’s deal with him. All he had to do was get rid of Seo Kwang Group’s CEO and go to jail for a few years after which Il Ho would get him out and compensate him richly. He tells Dongho that he’s trusting him with this material. Nam Il Ho’s discussing this at the same time with Hong Moosuk who’s looking for President Ha at the moment. He asks Il Ho what he’s going to do about Dongho, an ominous silence follows.

Yeokyung’s discussing a case with a subordinate when he gets a call from Jinwoo who tips him off that there’ll be a drug party tonight. The subordinate immediately informs Yeokyung. Meanwhie, the door to Gyuman’s office opens. Soobum (!) sneaks in and retrieves something from the hidden base of a statute.

WHOA! He gets a call from Gyuman right then though, and hurriedly places the wine-opener back. Gyuman smiles as he enters and is in one hell of a good mood.

He blames Jinwoo for his bad mood and tells Soobum to hold on just a bit longer.

He gives them a wad of 1,000,000 won bills for his mother and some more for himself. Soobum hesitates but takes the money.

(What a hell of a betrayal it would be if he left Gyuman anyway?) Dongho visits Joo Il and tells him that when he comes out, it’ll be either Dongho or Il Ho who greets him. Joo Il’s alarmed that Dongho’s going all in but there’s no deterring him.

He bows before Joo Il. Every happy moment the two spent together rushes through his mind and he calls after Dongho repeatedly, but he doesn’t stop.

The Lawyers Four prep for tonight’s drug party, their best chance to catch Nam Gyuman. Lawyer Song volunteers to video Gyuman from a distance as his face is known the least. He’ll be posing as a drug dealer. In Ah and Jinwoo will man the gates, while Lawyer Yeon’s in charge of making contact with the police, especially is something happens. And that may be the case, because Yeokyung’s furious as Youngjin taking her off the case (he assigned it to the narcotics department) and calls over a whole police squad.

Joo Il’s called out for a midnight visitation by Moosuk. He informs him that he can get out soon, on one condition: get rid of Dongho. Joo Il’s incredulous that he would be asked to do this but the alternative is for him rot in jail forever. Dongho wearily enters his office and readies all the paperwork he has: the Seo Kwang Group case, and Jaehyuk’s case. He dresses in black and leaves with Sangho, preparing to see blood. Gyuman arrives at the drug party where the plan’s in full swing. Jinwoo goes to the underground parking lot (are you sure it’s wise for him to be there on his own?) while Lawyer Song successfully infiltrates the party and videos Gyuman getting high with Chul Joo. The latter tells him of meeting Jinwoo and him saying something about Gyuman killing someone. He brings up Jaehyuk’s case and says that’s surely all over with by now. Gyuman blows up.

He goes crazier and crazier, likely due being high, and repeatedly insults Chul Joo (who is apparently illegitimate). They start to fight, with Gyuman yelling insults all the while.

The prosecution rushes in at that point though, led by Yeokyung, and everyone flees the party. Chul Joo tries to grab Gyuman’s ankle to ensure he gets caught but he just shakes him off. Lawyer Song bravely follows Gyuman as he flees, and who should Gyuman run into but his sister, who is horrified to see him here. Gyuman begs for help…

and Lawyer Song videos the whole thing. Yeoykung just stands here mutely though and Gyuman races off (with Jae Ik following) searching for a way out. Heaven knows how but Gyuman manages to hide and puts in a call for someone to get him his car. Jae Ik loses his trail. Meanwhile Dongho strides into Il Ho’s office and hands in his resignation. Nam Il Ho asks for a reason and Dongho doesn’t hesitate to bring up Seo Kwang ground and his father’s death. Il Ho is shameless enough to say that Dongho’s father’s death was ‘a pity’ but he should just think of his present now. Too bad, Dongho can’t think that way.
Dongho: To the enemy that kill my father, I will no longer bow my head. 

From his position in the underground parking lot, Jinwoo spies someone fleeing to Gyuman’s car and calls Lawyer Yeon instantly.

Gyuman’s car tries to race outward but is blocked on all sides but Lawyer Yeon and a police car. Jinwoo flings open the driver’s door only to find…

SHIT. Meanwhile, a drugged out Gyuman jumps into another car he had waiting, and escapes with a smirk on his face.

Thoughts:

I debated on the tag line for this episode. Lawyer Song’s great moment was definitely in the running but I realized that everything in today’s episode centered on loyalty.

Dongho’s loyalty to Joo Il ended today, due to the revenge he’s undertaken out of loyalty to his father and Jinwoo.

In Ah’s now at risk because of her loyalty to Jinwoo.

Yeokyung’s torn between her loyalty to her family and brother and her duties as a prosecutor.

Tak Youngjin walked away from a fat monthly paycheck out of loyalty to In Ah and Dongho and his moral principles

Soobum’s loyalty to Gyuman was solely tried in this episode, and it remains to be seen if he swapped places with Gyuman and ‘allowed’ himself to be caught for Gyuman’s sake or for turning in evidence against Gyuman.

And the Lawyers Four, as I call them, got this far due to their loyalty to Jinwoo, and his father and I’m sure they’ll make it to the end. 6 more episodes left! Please let Jinwoo’s memory not vanish completely!