Mr Salt, Ms Pepper and Attorney Soy Sauce
Jun-Ho arrives at Hanbada and they share a passionate kiss. Young-Woo is excited to see Jun-Ho, but he has a bombshell revelation. He won the lottery first prize! It’s a joyous occasion, and Young-Woo can’t believe it. Jun-Ho is happy to hear this, but he has one question for Young-Woo: What will happen now that he has won the lottery?
Shin Il-Su starts to speak, but Young-Woo interrupts him. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she says. “But I need to deal with this case now.”
The couple explain that they’ve been living in a one-bedroom apartment for the past year and that they can barely afford to eat. They also mention that their only hope is to get a job so they can afford to buy food. We ask the couple if they have any other income, such as social security or welfare, and if they are currently looking for work. They tell us that their only other source of income is from selling flowers at local markets.
Il-Su is desperate to get his hands on the 1.4 billion won in winnings that Myeong-Seok admits will be difficult to prove they actually made this deal. The court may consider the promise invalid, especially given it took place in a shady establishment. ..
Meanwhile, Su-Yeon pulls a late night at the law-firm but she receives a call from Jong-Gwon, her current flame. He’s pretty suave and offers up a special cocktail to help her out and a bouquet of flowers too. Unfortunately, it turns out this is all a big ruse. Later in the episode we learn that Jong-Gwon is actually a swindler and only goes after women with esteemed jobs. Su-Yeon is understandably upset and after buying the most expensive drink in the bar (so he can pay for it of course), she takes off.
The next day, Young-Woo is brought into the gambling den. She’s a little flustered, especially when she learns the nicknames for various patrons. Coffee Shop is the name for the lady selling hot drinks while Ashtray is not for cigarettes but actually someone who runs small errands. He overheard their promise but Ashtray isn’t comfortable with testifying in court. When he offers money, Young-Woo interjects and points out that would be a conflict of interest.
We begin our court case, with Mr Han against Jae-Won and Il-Su. Il-Su’s lawyer claims there’s no written statement, and given there’s nothing legally binding either, then the whole agreement is invalid. Myeong-Seok hits back and attempts to bring Ashtray in to testify… but it turns out he’s fled given he’s an immigrant and could get deported.
Il-Su turns his attention to another witness who could potentially provide incriminating evidence in the gambling deal. While he shuffles off with Jae-Won, Young-Woo is tasked with looking into Juristic Acts Contrary to Social Order, the Performance for Illegal Cause and other acts related to a potentially legally binding contract regarding this gambling deal.
Jun-Ho tells Young-Woo that he’s been thinking about her a lot too, and they decide to talk about it. Jun-Ho admits that he’s been popping into her head, just like whales, and it’s the first time anything like that has happened to her. It’s a really sweet moment, and something that we see across the episode, as Jun-Ho even watches him through her office and the pair touch hands between the glass.
The prosecution brings forth Choi Da-Hye, the coffee house employee who was involved in the deal between Myeong-Seok and Il-Su. Myeong-Seok steps up to question her first, but as she mentions the deal, Mr Han stands up and claims that Il-Su was actually having an affair with her… so they’re in collusion together! Il-Su even gives her the “heart” sign with his fingers, meaning Il-Su is lying. ..
Young-Woo heads home, where she finds her father contemplating what to do about Tae-Su’s scathing retorts during the previous episode. Gwang-Ho asks his daughter about her experiences, including whether to find a doctor that specializes in autism. She admits that it would have been nice to have someone to speak to, pointing out that in the past she’s felt alone with her fears and worries. Gwang-Ho feels bad and encourages Young-Woo to head up and wash up, heartbroken that his daughter was going through this. ..
Il-Su wins a court case and is to receive half of the money as his share. After the court case, Il-Su speaks to Young-Woo in her office about divorce. Young-Woo casually retorts that getting divorced means you don’t necessarily have to split your assets with that individual. This could well mean that Il-Su is going to break up with his wife. However, as he promised her that he would help pay for her medical bills, it puts her in a tricky situation. ..
Shin Il-Su and his wife have a huge argument about Shin Il-Su wanting to leave. He ends up getting divorced from her.
Young-Woo and Jun-Ho help out Il-Su’s wife, and enter into a very similar agreement but this time with her. She wants a proper division of assets – including the lottery winnings – given how awful Il-Su has treated her. Hanbada agree to help but when they show up, there’s a shocking turn of events. ..
Il-Su drives out and away from the scene of the accident, but he’s hit by a truck. The truck slams into him and the car, leaving him dead on impact. His wife inherits his wealth – his remaining 1.1 billion won – which naturally falls to her. There are silver linings here!
Attorney Woo Young-Woo sees all of this first-hand and begins to have a panic attack, breathing rapidly. Jun-Ho holds her tight and manages to calm her down.
Jun-Ho and Gwang-Ho kiss outside Young-Woo’s that night, and Jun-Ho promises to help Gwang-Ho through tough moments. As the pair meet outside Young-Woo’s that night, they kiss and Gwang-Ho happens to see them together, shocked.
In the epilogue, Min-Woo arrives to see Tae Su-Mi and brings up her ties to Young-Woo. With this as leverage, he wants to switch across to Taesan law firm. To show his ruthlessness, Su-Mi agrees to his proposal… but only if he can get Young-Woo to quit working at Hanbada.
The Episode Review
It’s immediately apparent here that Min-Woo will do anything to get ahead, even if it means throwing Young-Woo under the bus. The way he sees it, Hanbada has a structure of favoritism but then I’m not sure what he aims to achieve by trampling Hanbada on his way up the ladder. If you step over people on the way up, be prepared to face them on the way back down, buddy! ..
The case today largely plays second fiddle to the chemistry between Young-Woo and Jun-Ho. They have great moments together and the “hug me tighter” at the end was a heartbreaking moment, especially coming out of the white truck of doom cliché that always seems to pop up in these dramas! ..
There is some character growth in this episode, as the show harkens back to an earlier episode where Young-Woo felt powerless to help a shady client get away scot free. This time, Young-Woo has the confidence to help Il-Su’s wife and does so as the “honorable attorney” she is striving to be. It is a really subtle but lovely bit of growth that elevates this episode. ..
The case this week was more exciting than the last, with both our leads working hard to solve the mystery. I’m looking forward to the next episode, which will see more action.
