Remember : Son’s War Ep 19 Recap (and no more guilt)

In Ah introduces herself as the prosecutor in charge of Gyuman’s case. Moosuk demands answers from Tak Youngjin who smirks and says that they were the ones who wanted him to switch prosecutors. Nam Il Ho’s surprisingly slow as he continues to ask Youngjin just what the meaning of this is. In Ah answers.

(He couldn’t look happier at the prospect). Meanwhile, Gyuman’s still in the middle of his temper tantrum and asks Jinwoo if he really thinks that anything’s going to change. Jinwoo tells him that truth is above the law. Public sentiment towards him should show that soon enough. Gyuman taunts him using his disease but Jinwoo says that he won’t ever forget what was done to his father.

(Oh Gyuman how far you’ve sunk. You’re just funny now) We cut back to Moosuk and Il Ho who seem to have been debriefed of the situation. Il Ho grudgingly even compliments Youngjin who gracefully accepts it.

Pfft. It’s off to court now. In Ah sardonically notes that they’re all over now. Dongho has a drink with Youngjin both back to being buddies, though Dongho is put out at not having been informed of Youngjin’s double-agent role. They bond over both having wanted to throw up while in Nam Il Ho’s presence (I kid you not). Meanwhile, In Ah, Jinwoo and a delicious-looking pair of milkshakes are on a date.

Jinwoo asks her how to feels to be a prosecutor again. In Ah flashes back to her meeting with the Prosecutor General (who appears to be a good, uncorrupted fellow) and how glad he was to have her back, and smiles. she’s still a bit worried about what might happen if she has to face another case that goes against her morals but Jinwoo reminds her that it was Gyuman who was at fault her, not the prosecution service. In Ah giggles when relating how shocked Hong Moosuk looked upon seeing her and gets whipped cream on her upper lip. Cue romantic music as Jinwoo leans in to wipe it off.

Jinwoo beams, saying that he looks forward to how passionate and nosy she’s going to be, hunting after the truth.

(Is it just me or is Park Minyoung glowing in this scene. So beautiful!) Back the Gyuman mansion, Moosuk’s begun to panic. The video’s spread far and wide and people want answers. In Ho thinks it as easy as switching In Ah out and getting another judge but Moosuk knows better, now that the case has exploded in the media. He asks Il Ho to play the grieving, horrified father to at least gain sympathy from the public. The next day, people practically flee from Gyuman as he saunters into Il Ho group’s building. Two workers discuss what a repulsive human being he is and how he should at least have the conscience to step down, but they’ve the unfortunate luck of being overheard by Gyuman who loses his temper completely, says that it’s no big deal to kill one more person, drags one of them away and kicks the shit out of him, too catch up in expelling his rage to see he’s being watched.

The Byundoori lawyers, and Prosecutor In Ah are ecstatic at having caught Gyuman and Il Ho in their trap. All they need are witness to fully tie them up. Lawyer Yeon suggests Kwak while Jinwoo wants Soobum as well. In Ah meets with Seokgyu to ask him to request Soobum to testify. Seokgyu’s aware that it won’t be easy but gives him a call anywhere. Soobum, however, is still locked up in where Gyuman tossed him and weakly pleads for help. That isn’t arriving from Gyuman anytime soon. He watches the video of him beating up the employee and takes his anger out on Moosuk who barely managed to stop the victim from suing. Moosuk points to his lack of control being the cause of all of this and tells him to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Gyuman’s eerie smile comes back (I wonder if he even understands how precarious a position he’s in). A press conference is held that afternoon with Nam Il Ho plays the part of the somber father, standing by his son despite hating what he’s done. He asks the public to hate him instead, while promising to relieve Gyuman of all duties immediately. That does not go well with Gyuman who’s watching the press con live.

Dongho watches as well at the back of the room and claps overexaggeratedly after Il Ho concludes his speech, even spitting in his direction. He strolls towards them afterwards, complimenting their quick damage control. Il Ho asks if he really thinks Gyuman and him will go down that easily. Dongho agrees that a father and a son are a single entity (and it’s a nice reminder of how Il Ho ruined both their parents’ lives). He promises that Jinwoo and him will be sure to put both of them behind bars.

Moosuk tries to jump in, arguing that Dongho’s the same as ever with his rosy illusions.
(YOU CUTIE) He turns to Il Ho and warns him not to trust Moosuk, for who, really, is trustworthy? He flips a salute and smiles ever so cutely before leaving. Even Il Ho has a faint smile as he leaves. In Ah returns home, having begun to move back in. Her mother is frosty though and refuses to listen to In Ah talking about her new job, selfishly muttering that In Ah does what she wants anyway, and dates whom she wants. In Ah only get more upset when trying to talk to her and her father leads her away, knowing that it’s no use to talk to her right now. Gyuman and Moosuk discuss what’ll happen if Gyuman’s convicted. First off, he’d be in jail for 20 years (ONLY?) and Moosuk plans on getting him out once people forget. Gyuman shuffles in at that point, hoping to be reappointed back to his old positions but gets roared at by his father who tells him to work on his mental state instead of barging in while they try to save him from jail time. Moosuk visits Kwak who’s still as biblical as ever. Moosuk offers him a deal, testify falsely at the trial and say that Gyuman’s confessional video was false. For some reason Kwak looks tempted (wtf is with this fluctuating character?). Meanwhile, Seokgyu barges into Gyuman’s office, knowing he’s the reason why he can’t contact Soobum.

Gyuman lies that he’s in the US because he got tired of cleaning up after him. Seokgyu hopes that’s the truth.

Burn. Gyuman just sips his tea though, looking as half-mad as usual. Seokgyu arrives at In Ah’s new office (well not technically new because she’s back to where she worked before) and informs her of Soobum’s supposed departure but it doesn’t sit well with either of them. They decide to search for him. Jinwoo’s informed as well and Jae Ik tsks at Gyuman causing trouble even during his trial. Dongho’s on the same track, after Sangho worriedly notes that he can’t contact Gyuman. He flashes back to the night Soobum said that Gyuman would kill him if he found out and that’s enough for Dongho to put things together. He knows Jinwoo needs Soobum as a witness.

(Aw yeah) Dongho heads to his hacker friend and asks him to trace Soobum’s cell. The man is question is dozing on the floor, still tied to a chair, when Gyuman empties a waterbottle on his face.

(Ugh I hate you). Soobum pleads for his life and Gyuman repeats that all he has to do is go to Jinwoo and get the knife from him. Soobum remains silent at that and Gyuman marvels at his stubbornness before saying that he’ll just make Jinwoo bring it over, using Soobum as a hostage. Chuckling at his own cleverness he leaves the storage crate (so that’s where Soobum’s been kept) only to run into Dongho. Gyuman taunts him asking if he’s here to see his hyungnim (in other words, die) but Dongho takes it head on asking him to hand over Soobum. Gyuman sics his thugs on him. Dongho puts up a good fight but is outnumbered and brought to his knees. Gyuman’s about to wallop him over the head when Sangho and his boys show up. Cue fight and rollicking music, and Sangho sure beats Gyuman’s guys up well. A catatonic Soobum is rescued. Sangho fusses over him to the point where Dongho wonders if they shouldn’t just move in together. Hilariously, Sangho misses his meaning and assumes that Dongho wants Soobum to stay in their office. A grateful Soobum accepts while a weary Dongho just sinks back into his seat. Moosuk meets with Gyuman, well aware that In Ah will be after Gyuman the moment Soobum testifies as having been present to the night’s events, five years ago. Gyuman surprisingly eats humble pie for a few seconds.

Moosuk says there is a solution he’s thought off just as Yeokyung quietly walks by. Moosuk stresses that his plan has to be undertaken without Il Ho knowing anything.

With a strange glint in his eyes, Gyuman asks what he wants in return.

You greedy fool. Gyuman smiles that creepy smile of his and asks what his plan is. Moosuk’s answer is simple and Yeokyung hears every bit of it.

(A staged death? WHAT?) Jinwoo’s still trying to trace Soobum’s last known location when Dongho shows up.

Jinwoo runs over to Dongho’s lawfirm where Soobum shudders in the dark, still traumatized by his ordeal. Jinwoo thanks him for his aid in securing evidence and asks him to testify but Soobum refuses, knowing better than anyone what it means to enter Gyuman’s blacklist.

(Ooooh! This actually might work out well!) But Jinwoo, not knowing Moosuk’s plan, sighs wearily. Meanwhile Gyuman roars at Moosuk asking him what the hell he means by asking him to die. Moosuk explains that all he has to do is flee to China, take on a new identity and live there for maybe a year. Once public furor has died down, the plan if for Gyuman to return to Korea and live as a completely different person. Gyuman seems to like that idea a great deal.

Jinwoo suits up for his trial and thinks back to all the times he visited his father in prison, promising him to remember everything even if he couldn’t. He remembers his father’s anguish at not getting to see his son grow up and quietly promises that he’s going to do a good job. He meets with In Ah outside the courtroom, Lady Justice appropriately situated between the two.

(Somehow it feels like a father watching his kid grow up)

He asks him to let the world know everything and to let out everything he’s wanted to say. (AWW!!!) Jinwoo enters the courtroom and casts a brief glance at the empty defendant’s chair by him. He then turns to Dongho who gives him such an adorable, encouraging smile that Jinwoo tears up.

Kwak is led out first. He introduces himself as the detective in charge of the case back then. Jinwoo questions if he forced Jaehyuk’s confession and after an stomach-turning pause, Kwak admits that he did. The prosecutor (who isn’t In Ah, she’s presiding over Gyuman’s other trial with Seokgyu) points out that this is perjury. But Kwak rises to the occasion saying that he’s here for only one reason.

Jinwoo asks if there was conclusive evidence of Jaehyuk having committed the murder. Kwak denies it and admits that the bottle-opener used to frame Jaehyuk didn’t even have his fingerprints. The prosecutor tries to block this but Jinwoo submits the original weapon plus the NFS’s report, shutting down the prosecutor’s claims that his evidence is fake. Jinwoo points to the fingerprints on the weapon and names Gyuman as the true culprit. The judge asks how he obtained this evidence and Jinwoo hesitates, having to protect Soobum’s anonymity. The judge demands to know who it is.

Without the identity of the informant, the evidence can’t be accepted and Jinwoo looks a wounded puppy at this new blockade but the courtroom doors open.

It’s SOOBUM! 

The prosecutor refuses to accept a sudden witness but Jinwoo reveals that it’s the very person who gave him the bottle-opener. The judge asks Soobum to confirm this – which he quietly does – and accepts him as a witness. Soobum relates the whole story as we know it to the judge, Jung Ah being invited to sing, Gyuman murdering he rand leaving him to take care of it, and him hiding the weapon for fear of inviting Gyuman’s wrath. Soobum confirms that the weapon used to frame Jaehyuk was a fake and says he was afraid that he’d be framed for Jung Ah’s death if he ever tried to leave. Gyuman hears of the tide changing for his trial with Soobum’s testimony and scowls at Soobum’s betrayal. He’s more focused on his escape plan though, and tells Moosuk to ensure that things go without a hitch. There’s something about the way Moosuk stares at him though that indicates that there maybe something more here. It’s time for Jinwoo’s final statement as defense though, and he turns to the audience to address them first.
Jinwoo: I am the defense lawyer for this retrial and I am also the son of the defendant, Mr. Seo Jae Hyuk. He was just an ordinary father but he was framed for something that he didn’t do and he couldn’t even reveal his innocence. And so he passed away not long ago. For this retrial to happen, and in order for me to wash away the crimes that the defendant didn’t even commit, I had to endure every moment of it. During that time, Il Ho Group that throughly stomped all over the defendant; Mr. Seo Jae Hyuk’ s life and Nam Gyu Man’s evil deed, which made me realize to the bones that the truth just doesn’t speak for itself. In the past five years I…all the memories that my father has lost, made me work really hard and brought me all the way over here so I won’t forget anything. I was the only way for my dad who was virtuous and ordinary to be washed away for the crimes that he didn’t even commit. That was what I believed.
He turns to the judge in tears.

His father may not longer be there but the truth of his innocence would remain eternal.

The judge makes his decision.

As a representative of the judicial branch he express his sincere sorrow for Jaehyuk having passed. All three judges bow to a sobbing Jinwoo before leaving.

A while later, Jinwoo and Dongho still remain at the court, absorbing what happened.

Dongho muses that you truly don’t know how your relationships with people are going to end up. That gets a laugh out of Jinwoo who says he still doesn’t know what to make of his ties to Dongho. Dongho admits ot feeling relieved now that the truth’s out. Jinwoo asks him to live his own life now but Dongho shakes his head.

Jinwoo smiles at that, packs his bagand leaves the court to visit his family home. He reads through the letter his father wrote him from prison and cries, saying that it really took too long. A bittersweet smile lifts the edges of his mouth as he holds the picture of his father and him together and tells Jaehyuk that he’s now innocent. Meanwhile, Yeokyung creeps into her brother’s room and discovers his newly-made Chinese passport. Gyuman comes in at that point and sees what she’s up to. He treats the matter of his upcoming arrest like a headache, saying that prison is just waaaay too stifling and he has no intention of going there. Yeokyung just remains mute. The next day, In Ah storms Gyuman’s office with a group of officer only to discover that he’s fled. She informs Jinwoo of his escape and hurriedly tracks Gyuman’s location. Seeing that he’s heading to a port, a blockade is set up with Gyuman’s face plastered over every wanted list in the country. Officers arrive with a warrant to search his home where they find Yeokyung waiting patiently for them. (There’s a series of very messy cuts here so I’ll string this together as coherently as possible) She asks to see In Ah – who arrives in a hurry – and reveals that her brother’s on his way to flee to China. In Ah asks her why she’s doing this and she haltingly says that it’s an apology for the havoc her family has wrecked. In Ah thanks her and passes on the info to Dongho and Jinwoo. Meanwhile, Il Ho’s informed of Gyuman’s departure by none other than Moosuk who, as it turns out, double-crossed Gyuman to high heaven. Il Ho’s furious that Gyuman’s jumped ship and left him to deal with this mess while Moosuk feigns shock and exasperation at Gyuman’s impatience and stupidity. But Gyuman’s not as stupid as they think, spotting the police blockade and sending a vehicle to break through it ahead of him. He cackles watching the police chase down the wrong car.

Meanwhile Dongho, Sangho and a group of officers chase the car Gyuman’s supposedly in all the way to the port only to discover a lackey inside. Having switched cars, Gyuman heads for a helicopter at his company’s landing pad, preparing to escape in glory. But a snazzy green car pulls up at that point and Jinwoo steps out (but how did he know? I bet you we’ll spend tomorrow’s episode on this). That change in Gyuman’s expression is pretty comical. (You again? Why can’t you just let me be?)

Gyuman doesn’t care, with his ticket out of Korea right in front of them, and prepares to broad only for the helicopter to suddenly ascend without him.

As he rants at the sky, In Ah and a group of policemen pull up. Gyuman finds himself surrounded.
See you tomorrow for the finale! 😀