The Pied Piper
The kids are taken aback, but they quickly realize that this guy is not who they thought he was. He’s not even from their school. In fact, he’s a complete stranger! The Commander-in-Chief for the Children’s Liberation Army? This can’t be good.
Bang Gu-Ppong, or Mr. Fart as the kids call him, wants to recruit the kids to join the Children’s Liberation Army. With all of them onboard with Gu-Ppong’s antics, he drives off on an adventure. ..
Jun-Ho briefed Young-Woo on the latest case involving Gu-ppong. The Director of Mujin Academy has spoken up about the abduction of these elementary kids and the defendant also happens to be the youngest son of said director. Gu-ppong ended up playing with the kids up at the mountain for 4 hours before being caught. This is the man Young-Woo needs to defend.
Young-Woo meets Gu-ppong and is taken aback by his cavalier attitude to the charges against him. Before the judge, Young-Woo tries to coach Gu-ppong over how to address the court but he ignores all that and continues to pedal the notion that he’s the Commander-in-chief. ..
The parents of the children who were taken from their homes in the city of Kowloon last week have sent a letter confirming that they will not be punished for their son’s actions. This is a relief to the city’s Mayor, who has been struggling to find a solution to the situation.
Interestingly, we see a little more from the moments involving Gu-ppong out in the wilderness on this trip with the kids. Gu-ppong pedals the message for children playing immediately and being happy, under the guise of defeating academies and schools from taking away their things. ..
As a side note, little Jung Si-Yul is one of the kids here, who has starred in less than NINE different dramas in 2 years. What a champ! Anyway, the point is that Gu-ppong simply decided to have some fun with the kids and show them a good time; there was no malice in his actions. ..
Gu-ppong wants the children to be liberated, but that’s not something that’s easy to testify in court.
The bus driver, Gu-ppong, tells the story of how he was drugged and passed out for 4 hours. He then agrees to all of the charges against Hanbada Law Firm, stacking them up against the firm in their defence. Not only that, but Myeong-Seok and the others have not been able to get a single letter of non-punishment from the parents thus far. So Young-Woo and Jun-Ho are on the case to track down the kids.
The students at Mujin Academy are working hard, but they’re also under a lot of pressure. They have to stay up for school and then help out at the school restaurant after school, but it’s all-night long. And even though the academy is supposed to be a place where students can learn and grow, some of them are just trying to survive.
Young-Woo decides that they should change their tactics in court and go for an angle of abuse. With the Academy abusing these kids, forcing them into working long hours for their studies, she goes for the condition that the kids consented to leaving and Gu-ppong “liberated” them. That’s obviously not enough to fly with the judge or the parents, leaving them with the need to find something substantial to work with.
After the documents are signed, Gu-ppong’s mother begs the parents to let her son go. She claims that her son is mentally ill and doesn’t know what he’s saying, and that he doesn’t want to go to jail. The parents agree, but Young-Woo stays with Gu-ppong to keep an eye on him. She admits that she doesn’t think this is true at all - Bang Gu-ppong trusts adults and they believe in him, not to mention that the kids themselves genuinely want to be liberated.
The Gu-ppong case has reignited a debate about the impact of lockers in classrooms. Yong-Woo mentioned that the kids are kept inside all day long and forced to study. This means that they are not able to have fun or socialize with their classmates.
Mujin Academy is a very strict school that does not allow students out until 10pm and does not give them any breaks or time to eat. This has been reported earlier in the episode. Despite this, the academy is incredibly popular. ..
In a big reveal, Young Woo defends her friend Gu-ppong from being found guilty of political offences despite the man’s mental delusions. The defence argues that Gu-ppong is only guilty because he is seeking reform against the existing draconian social system. Gu-ppong is given a longer sentence than expected, but Young Woo remains committed to her friend and defends him even though it may mean a longer sentence.
Kwon Min-Woo jumps all over this during a recess, trying to convince Myeong-Seok to punish Young-Woo. He’s having none of it, even pointing out that he knows exactly who wrote those messages on the notice board too. This certainly causes Min-Woo to be taken aback, eventually told to settle his disputes with Young-Woo personally.
Jun-Ho is surprised by the sudden change in Young-Woo’s behavior. She has always been a kind and gentle person, but she seems to have developed a strong affection for him. He wonders what could have caused this change.
The next day, as per Gu-ppong’s wishes, he invites all the kids to head off to the court to hear the verdict. Gu-ppong gives a heartwarming message about how life is full of anxiety and playing as a child is a way of embracing that happiness before it’s too late. It’s a touching display, especially as Gu-ppong connects with the kids and they all embrace. Even Gu-ppong’s mother cracks a smile watching this play out.
Jun-Ho tells Young-Woo that he likes her so much and it feels like he’s sick inside. As the pair stare at one another, Young-Woo is shocked and is unsure how to take the news.
Gwang-Ho and Tae Su-Mi are in a relationship, but it’s not going well. A photographer outside their restaurant is taking pictures of them and they’re not happy about it. Gwang-Ho tells her that he’s been through this before and that he knows how to handle things. Tae Su-Mi leaves, but not before giving him a kiss on the cheek.
The Episode Review
Attorney Woo continues to make a name for herself as an extraordinary lawyer. This week, she represented a Korean academy in a kidnapping case. While the case is deplorable, Gu-ppong did ask for permission to leave and march the students back down the mountain afterwards. ..
The show manages to nail the complexities of the law in a way that is both interesting and engaging. These conversations about how the law can be interpreted are open for debate, which makes for an interesting show. ..
Myeong-Seok’s perspective on rewards and punishments is refreshing, especially when he brings up that he knew Min-Woo was the one who spread those rumours in the first place. His put-down completely changes Min-Woo’s perspective.
After all, Min-Woo could have easily lost his job for that outburst. Interestingly though, this could also pave way for a redemptive arc to transpire now. ..
Extraordinary attorney Woo continues to deliver the goods with another really solid episode. Tomorrow’s follow-up is eagerly anticipated! ..
