Lawless Lawyer- Recap – Episode 5

Lawless Lawyer -Recap – Episode 5

We start with the recap of the previous episode where Sang Pil and Judge Cha have a serious exchange and she comes face to face with a disturbed Jae Jae Yi. Judge Cha walks away without saying a word to her.

As Yeon Hee heads out to interrogate the broker(trafficker), her mother Soon Ja rushes in complaining about the ruined event and asks Yeon Hee to console Judge Cha.

Oh Ju visits Judge Cha and tells her that the broker will not say anything that would cause them problems just like the other hitmen in the past who killed themselves willingly. Judge Cha says that was because he got lucky. They discuss Sang Pil. He mocks the fact that he is trying to get revenge for what happened 18 years ago to which Judge cha tells him she understands Sang Pil’s sentiments towards parents and tells him not to belittle it. Seeing that she is clearly displeased he asks to take her to a place that he is meaning to show her for some time now and today would be a perfect time to go.

Back at the Lawless Law firm, everyone is all praises for Sang Pil except Jae Yi. He catches her disapproving look and follows her when she walks away. They walk to the harbour and once seated, Jae Yi asks him that she was she was under the impression that he wanted revenge on Oh Ju but she doesn’t understand why he is targeting judge Cha. He sits down next to her and tells her that Judge Cha has inherited all the power and money from her Judge father’s 37-year reign on the justice system. She counters by asking him why Judge Cha would require Oh Ju if she already has money and power. Sang Pil explains that she is greedy for more power and to get Oh Ju to do her bloody work for her.  Jae says she is not convinced to which he says; not believing doesn’t change the truth.

Oh Ju takes Judge Cha to an old restaurant where her father and he had their regular rendezvous. He tells her that he was her father’s loyal servant and never failed to accept the jobs that her father gave him. Judge Cha starts pouring him a drink when he tells her that money and law makes anything possible. He says that he has money and she has the law and stops mid-sentence as she continues pouring the drink till it overflows on to the table and he looks at her. She venomously tells that he won’t be able to use her father’s connections to get through to her and splashes the drink on his face. Though he is running for mayor he should know his place and not think that he owns Kiseung. He gets on to his knees and asks for her forgiveness to which she says that the only person she can forgive is herself.

Sang Pil is again looking at the images projected on the wall when Kwang Soo walks in. He asks him how Sang Pil is going to handle Jae Yi who is so loyal to Judge Cha, ignorant to the fact of what she had done to her mother. Kwang Soo also tells him that he feels like telling her the truth to which Sang Pil says that she needs to see the proof first, to believe the fact. When Kwang Soo says that it would be very difficult, Sang Pil says that Jae has to choose between him and Judge Cha. Kwang Soo says he thought that Jae Yi was just a part of his revenge plan but now she seems like the last piece of the puzzle that will complete Sang Pils revenge plan.

At the studio, Je Yi looks at a picture and we cut back to a flashback where a crying young Jae Yi searches for her mom with her mothers missing person flyer clutched in her hand. That’s when judge Cha comes and asks her why she is here. Jae Yi replies saying that she wants her mother who used to frequently take pictures here. Judge Cha promises that she will find Jae Yi’s mother for her.

We cut back to the present and Jae Yi’s father comes with groceries. He sits her down and tells her to quit working for Sang Pil as he ruined Judge Cha’s important day. He says if Judge Cha hadn’t found her that day he would have lost both his wife and daughter and wouldn’t have to see this day. She gives him a sad smile but doesn’t reply.

Jae Yi goes to meet judge Cha at the courthouse and they talk while taking a walk.  Jae Yi asks Judge Cha if the conversation she had with Sang Pil was true. Judge Cha says that she sees punishing people using the law as a penalty and not a privilege. People don’t accept their crimes and blame the judge for the punishment they receive. She says that Sang Pil is fuelled by a sentence that she doesn’t remember giving and hates her as an enemy. Sang Pil calls Jae Yi but Jae Yi cuts his call. Judge Cha asks her how much about Bong Sang Pil does she know.

Meanwhile, Sang Pil is on his way to his car when he sees a newspaper article carrying news of the statue unveiling. It does not cover any incidents that took place during the event. The radio broadcast says that the event was ‘solemn than any before’. Sang Pil gives a sarcastic smile and repeats to himself the words ‘solemn than any before’.

At the Oh Ju camp, everyone cheers as his campaign commercial comes on TV. Kwan Dong and Oh Ju are discussing strategy when Sang Pil intrudes with a smile on his face. On sighting Kwang Dong he asks if Oh Ju hired a man like him for the campaign.Oh Ju comments that if they keep meeting like this they might end up becoming friends. He also asks him why he ruined the event to which Sang Pil after handing the hit mans phone to Oh Ju responds by saying that he expected the broker’s news to be on the media. Sang Pil asks Oh Ju if he is not curious to see the contents of the phone. Oh Ju asks Kwan Dong to treat it appropriately as it belonged to a dead man. Kwang Dong throws the phone out of the window.

Jae Yi walks on the seaside with a Myungshin Lawfirm’s business card in her hand. She thinks back to Judge Cha telling her that Sang Pil has a criminal record and tells her to quit working for him and join her junior’s firm. She also tells Jae Yi that she doesn’t like her working for a man who is hostile toward her. We cut back when Sang Pil drives up to her and honks to get her attention. He asks where she had been to which she replies saying that she is not his assistant. He figures out that she has been talking to someone to develop this attitude towards him. She doesn’t reply so he continues to update her on the trial in which only 2 hearings remain. He says that they cant sit back and watch while the prosecution works on the broker’s issue. Jae Yi asks him if he expects the broker to take Ahn Oh Ju’s name at the trial; when he nods, she walks away.

At the prison, they meet up with Hyung Man, who asks how they are going to manage to which Jae Yi shows him the broker’s(trafficker) pictures. He tells them that he was a repeat offender for drug use but always got away. Sang Pil asks for his weak spots and Hyung man says there weren’t any. Sang Pil disagrees by saying everyone has something to protect, in their hearts.

 

At the 4th hearing of Mayor Lee Young Soo’s murder case with Jae Yi still giving Sang Pil the cold shoulder. Sang Pil lets Hyung man know that the broker is here as the witness for the prosecution’s side while smiling at Yeon Hee.

Oh Ju and his secretary discuss the proceedings while they run into Soong Ja who asks him to stay away from her daughter.

The trial begins with Sang Pil questioning the broker(trafficker)if he knew the hitman or if he hired him to which he denies. Then he changes his question asking if he introduced the two parties. The prosecution objects and Judge Cha sustains it. Geum Gang and his men escort the broker’s mother into the courtroom at this point. Sang Pil continues to question the broker asking him how he managed to keep his record clean after so many repeat offences. Judge Cha interrupts by telling him not to answer the question and she tells Sang Pil one last time to get back to his seat. Sang Pil continues to questioning him despite repeated attempts made by the judges to return to his seat. The broker tells his mother in sign language that he is helping someone. Sang Pil asks him that next time when he will find himself in the suspect’s seat and how is he going to explain that to his mother. After that, to everyone’s shock, the broker owns up to accepting a fee from Ahn Oh Ju’s secretary to hire the hitman and apologises profusely. Sang Pil returns to his seat and Judge Cha says she will deliver the final decree at the next hearing.

Jae Yi comments that even a guy like the broker wants to be a good son to his mother to which Sang Pil responds by saying ‘we all have someone whom we want to protect’. We cut to flashback scene where Sang Pil didn’t want to chase after the broker in the presence of his mother. In the present Sang Pil tells Jae Yi that he couldn’t protect his mother.

On learning that his secretary’s name was mentioned in the trial, Oh Ju asks him to go into hiding. Kwan Dong asks him if he wants Sang Pil killed to which Oh Ju denies by saying that him being elected as mayor was what is more important now.

Jae Yi flips past an article on Lawyers acquitting rich clients when she thinks back of the time when Sang Pil stopped Hyung Man from explaining further about Judge Cha and her, in turn telling Jae Yi about Sang Pil’s criminal record.

After an intense martial arts training session, Sang Pil is visited by Yeon Hee who tells him that she has finally got her attention. He says that that was not his intent. On finding out that Oh Ju’s secretary is absconding he tells Yeon Hee that someone from her side has tipped him off. She asks him what he is trying to achieve through this trial. He doesn’t reply and she tells the person who uncovers truth will win, whether they win the case or lose. He says that he promises two things. One that he will get Hyung Man acquitted and second, he will let her protect justice though she loses the trial.

Meanwhile, Jae Yi visits Hyung man at the prison and asks him about Judge cha. He tells her that Oh Ju used to receive orders from an unknown person who controlled him and Judge Cha is the only person who fits the profile. At the bookstore, a man tells her that many years ago the law firm was used by a lady lawyer with a small son, but she committed suicide. She comes back to the law firm and asks Kwang Soo why Sang Pil moved here while he was doing well in Seol to which Kwang Soo avoids replying. She learns from Geum Gang that Sang Pil wanted this office space and he employed them but Kwang Soo stops him from explaining more. She then goes through articles on Choi Jin Ae’s (Sang Pil’s mother) suicide and finds an article on the golden city and the suicide is dated on 17th April 2000, which happens to be the same day her mother went missing. She walks out of the office when Kwang Soo browses her search history before calling Sang Pil.

Sang Pil doesn’t attend Kwang Soo’s call as he is at the studio with Jae Yi’s father. He tells Sang Pil that he is disappointed with his behaviour and wants Jae Yi to quit working for him as he is very grateful and loyal to Judge Cha. Sang Pil leaves as her father gets back to his work.

Jae Yi goes to visit officer Gong Jang So (officer in charge if her mothers missing person case), who is trying to convince another officer that the current case might not be a suicide and they had to investigate further. The other officer says before leaving that the higher-ups want the case closed. She gets Choi Jin Ae’s case file from him. He tells her that she was a great lawyer and he feels there is something more to the case since the original case file had disappeared but he still held the copy with him. He tells her that it wouldn’t have been a suicide as she wouldn’t have died leaving behind her son.

Oh Ju visits Hyung man in jail with his attorney and shows him a footage of a murder that shows the murder weapon and the murderer. Hyung man gets agitated when Oh Ju tells that Hyung mans way out is now in his hands and let’s survive together. On their way out Oh Ju tells the attorney to do a better job this time.

Hyung man calls his wife and tells that he will be a free man after the trial. She tells him that Oh Ju has been regularly visiting her and had paid all her pending bills. She tries to tell something else on the phone but she passes out leaving Hyung man screaming desperately on his end. Sang Pil meanwhile comes to see Hyung man but he refuses to see him.

Jae Yi meets with Dae Woong (Sang Pil’s uncle) at his gallery. She tells him that she knows he heads the biggest gang in North Seol and asks him if he was the reason Sang Pil has come to Kiseung. He tells her that Choi Jin Ae was his sister, which Jae Yi and that his nephew came to Kiseung on his own accord at great risk. He asks if it isn’t too much of a coincidence that she met him (Sang Pil ) as soon as she came to Kiseung.

After she leaves, Dae Woon calls Sang Pil ( who is watching the projected images on his wall) and tells him that Jae Yi had come by, just as Sang Pil has predicted. Dae Woon warns him not to trust anyone there to which Sang Pil says that he has watched her for a long time and he trusts her. Dae Woon tells them both to be safe before he hangs up. Sang Pil thinks back to the night both their mothers gave up their lives saving him. He remembers meeting his uncle who asks him why he called the police when he asked him not to. He tells Sang Pil that they have to lay low for a while. Later at the seaside, he tells not to think about getting revenge and that men should cry when no one is looking. He also tells him that law and people will betray him and revenge will only bring more revenge. We cut back to the present where Sang Pil is reflecting on his uncle’s words when he sees Oh Ju in the CCTV camera at his front door.

Oh Ju walks in and Sang Pil who is seated at his desk asks him why he is here. He casually comments about Sang Pil’s mother’s office to which Sang Pil commends Oh Ju’s memory. Oh Ju asks him if he didn’t get sick after swallowing the memory card and he still remembers Sang Pil hiding in that cabinet. He continues to relay that day’s happenings until Sang Pil gets up. Oh Ju tells Sang Pil that he killed his mother and at that Sang Pil grabs him by his neck. He tells Oh Ju that he could just kill him right there, to which Oh Ju says that Sang Pil wouldn’t do that because he wanted to use the law. Oh Ju tells him that both Sang Pil and he have the law with them and says that Judge Cha is on his side. Sang Pil loosens his hold and is seated again when Oh Ju tells him sarcastically that he will never forget Sang Pils’s kindness for saving his life. Before leaving he tells Sang Pil to check on Hyung man, who would’ve had a change of heart by now. After he leaves, Sang Pil pulls out a sharp miniature skyscraper that was hidden under a pile of papers on his desk, and places it back where it belonged and deeply contemplates.

Oh Ju goes to Cha Mook Suks house and Soon Ja stops him saying she won’t allow him inside without her permission. She goes on to say that he and she are of different rank and she deserves respect. He responds by saying that both of them are servants who serve the same family. Once he becomes mayor and makes more money he says that he will be all the more if the same rank. The blind masseuse who Judge Cha takes services from crosses them and Oh Ju is immediately suspicious of her and grabs her spectacles away. He doesn’t reply when Song Ja asks him if he doesn’t trust her but walks in to see Judge Cha.

Judge Cha is getting her massage done when he walks in. She asks him why he didn’t take of the matter before it came to the trial. He says that her real power lies in covering up his sin to which she laughs saying people are no stupid. He says people are the same everyone accepts money. Judge Cha says people are not same and doesn’t like it when people are treated equally as humans.

Sang Pil is at the beach, with the waves sweeping his feet.

Jae Yi comes into the firm and thinks back on the instances where he spoke about her punching the judge, saving her at the subway, commenting on her mother’s picture, trying to explain about Judge Cha and his mothers last words to him ‘don’t come back to Kiseung’ but he has to something  to do here. She looks up at the staircase. Meanwhile, Sang Pil returns from the beach to the firm and goes upstairs to find Jae Yi waiting for him. He tries to casually talk to her about working late but she remains serious and gives him the file containing his mother’s case. She moves behind him and says that her mother went missing the same day his mother committed suicide. She asks him to explain while she turns on the projector which spills the images on  him and the wall.

The montage shows the images on the wall with red writings and articles on Cha Moon Suk, interview with chairman Ahn Oh Ju, The Seven, Human Rights Lawyer Commits Suicide and Noh Hyun Joo. She asks him to explain why the collection contains images of Jae Yi and her mother and the real reason behind him coming to Kiseung. He walks over to her and tells that Ahn Oh Ju murdered his mother in front of his eyes in this very office and the person who ordered the hit was Judge Cha Moon Suk. Seeing a shocked look on her he goes on to tell her that whatever happened to him and her mom were aftermaths of her orders. The episode ends with Jae Yi crying after hearing this revelation.

Review

There were two scenes that were the highlights for me in this episode. One was the trial scene where Sang Pil proved the secretary hired the hitman and the second scene was where Oh Ju comes to Sang Pil’s firm to threaten him. Both these scenes brought out the intensity of the story and were extremely thrilling to watch. It is good to know that Sang Pil is not overconfident and  is prepared for everything, as we are shown that he had hidden the sharp object in his desk (probably for self-defence) while talking with Oh Ju.

At the beginning of the episode, I was lead to believe that sang Pil is hiding the truth from Jae Yi, but it turned out that he was waiting for her to find it out by herself. I think it’s high time that Jae Yi understands the fact that Sang Pil is on her side and starts helping him now that she has enough information to remove the blind trust that she has on Judge Cha.

Dae Woong comes across as a warm person who has brought up Sang Pil virtuously and there seems to be more to his story. Judge Cha’s smooth way of lying (talking about Sang Pil to Jae Yi) makes me wonder if after lying for so long she herself believes in them. The melancholic background music that plays during the scenes is a beautiful piece that makes us relate to Sang Pil’s tragic past.

This series is getting more gripping with every episode. Now that Hyung man changed attorneys again I’m curious what plan Sang Pil has up his sleeve this time around.The next episode seems very promising and I hope we get to know the conspiracy behind the Golden City and ‘The Seven’.

My favourite quotes from Episode 5

“We all have someone we want to protect”- Bong Sang Pil

“Revenge will only bring more revenge”- Choi Dae Woong

 

-Soul Sword