Lawless Lawyer Recap – Episode 8

Lawless Lawyer Recap – Episode 8

Jae Yi’s mother realises that Jae Yi doesn’t recognise her and starts walking away with Jae Yi calling after her. Sang Pil asks her if it was someone she knew. Jae Yi denies but she holds on to the glasses that her mother dropped. As Sang Pil and Jae Yi walk away, her mother peeps from behind a wall and thinks, “Jae Yi, it’s me, your mom”. As if Jae Yi heard her thoughts she turns around but her mother hides behind the wall.

Dae Woong reads a message on his phone from Hyung man which says “Attorney Ha Jae Yi’s mother is alive – Wu Hyung Man”. He orders one of his men (Man Bae) to locate her.

Jae Yi informs Sang Pil over drinks that her suspension has been lifted. He congratulates her with a smile on his face while pouring her a drink. She tells him that she didn’t tell her father that Judge Cha was the one who got it lifted and that she feels bad that nowadays she has to keep a lot of secrets from him. She then asks Sang Pil as to why he is not drinking. He tells her that he has to stay sober as she is really drunk. She laughs and passes out and is about to hit her head when he holds her head in his palms and comments that she is cuter when she is drunk. He then piggybacks her home.

Jae Yi’s father comes to judge Cha’s mansion (where outsiders usually are not invited) along with Soong Ja. He is very nervous as he meets her over tea. Judge Cha tells him that she wants him to take a photo of herself for her upcoming autobiography. Soong Ja lets him know that Judge Cha was the one who got the suspension lifted. She tells him that she is surprised Jae Yi didn’t tell him that and she goes on to tell him to send her to Seol where she has better job opportunities She also goes on to tell that Jae Yi is very close to Sang Pil and she may not leave. Her father leaves before saying that he is extremely indebted to Judge Cha and that he will see to it that he sends Jae back to Seol. Soong Ja applauds Judge Cha as she had got the ban lifted to manipulate Jae Yi’s father and Jae Yi never does anything against him. Judge Cha says that something stinks and asks Soong Ja to get everything disinfected and to wash the carpet that Jae Yi’s father stepped on. She walks a few steps and says it stinks badly and wants to sleep in a hotel today.

Sang Pil piggybacks Jae Yi to the photo studio and is trying to get her in right when her father walks back home.  Sang Pil notices her father and both of them greet him. He gives them a disapproving look and asks her to come inside. Sang Pil leaves with a serious expression as she goes inside.

Once inside her father asks her why she didn’t tell him about Judge Cha lifting her suspension and asks her to move to Seol. When she tells him that Judge Cha was behind her mother’s disappearance he slaps her saying that this is due to Sang Pil’s influence. He asks her to pack up and move immediately to Seoul.

She arrives at the Law firm with her stuff, where Sang Pil is still going through some files. She asks him if she can stay here for a while. He asks her if she fought with her dad because of him. She says it’s because of her. She says that if she stayed any longer with her dad she would tell him all about Judge Cha, so she left. He hugs her and says well done.

He brews her cup of coffee and Jae Yi asks him about his mother while seated at the balcony. He calls her a nurse-like attorney. He compares her to a nurse who took care of him when he was hospitalised. His mother used to care for her clients like a nurse. Jae says that she wants to be like her and comments that, it must be the same reason as to why Jae Yi’s mother approached Choi Jin-Ae. When she asks him if he dreams to become like his mother he says that he wants to see Judge Cha judged. Only then he will be able to figure himself out as to what kind of lawyer he would be. She tells him that her mother’s birthday is coming up and that she didn’t do anything for her. He tells her that she was very young back then and so was he, to do anything about it. They hold hands and he tells her that he wants to show her something. He says that the chair is actually a massage chair and switches it on. Jae Yi bursts out laughing as the chair starts jiggling and swaying him.

At the gallery, Dae Woong gets the confirmation that the woman had arrived at the Incheon airport a couple of days ago and is currently in Kiseung. Dae Woong tells Man Bae that he has to go away on his own for a few days. He refuses to take his men with him as he has to do this alone.

Ahn Oh Ju comes to prison and meets Son Sung Sik in a private room. Sun Sung Sik asks Oh Ju when he will be freed to which Oh Ju replies that, Sung Sik has to take the fall for this one. When Sung Sik says that he will take them down along with him, Oh Ju threatens him saying that he will go after Sung Sik’s family if he does that. They show him a live footage of his daughter as proof that he has men following her. Oh Ju says he knows a lawyer who worked for 18 years to get revenge for what happened to his mother. He says there’s nothing that a man won’t do for his family.

Son Sung Sik tells Prosecutor Cheon Seung Beom that he accepts the charges. Prosecutor Cheon asks him if he has decided to take the fall to which he replies that he will pay the price for the crime he committed. He tells the prosecutor that he can’t catch Oh Ju. Yeon Hee watches the proceedings Investigator Gang Jang Soo walks in and informs Prosecutor Cheon Seung Beom that the chief prosecutor wants the case closed and asks to meet him. Prosecutor Cheon rushes furiously over to the chief prosecutor who is indifferent to him and tells him that Cheon can’t prove anything with the evidence that he possesses now.

The law firm is out for a team lunch and they toast to Jae Yi. Geum Ja catches Sang Pil feeding Jae Yi from his chopstick and gives him a stare. Sang Pil appoints Geum Ja as the new paralegal as Jae Yi will be joining him as an attorney. Geum Ja s very happy about it and tries to feed Sang Pil with her chopstick but Jae Yi snatches it from her and feeds it to him. He also informs them that Jae will be staying at the office as she has issues with her family. Geum Ja is extremely displeased at this and asks Jae Yi to stay at her place. Jae Yi and Sang Pil smile and say that it is a good idea. Geum Gang asks her to stop trying to break them up. Just then Sang Pil gets a call from Prosecutor Cheon Seung Beom who asks him to come to his office to talk but Sang Pil asks the prosecutor to come and meet him as he has something to say to him.

At the prosecutor’s office, Prosecutor Cheon comments that Sang Pil is rude when Gang Jang Soo figures out that Sang Pil was the one who recommended him for the current position as an investigator.

Prosecutor Cheon goes to Sang Pil’s firm and Jae Yi is also present. He tells them that Oh has cleanly cut off the tail regarding the fraudulent bankruptcy case. Sang Pil doesn’t seem to be pleased about this but tells Prosecutor Cheon that he will bring him another case.

Jae Yi’s mother (Noh Hyun Joo) watches prosecutor Cheon leave and she starts walking but is stopped by Dae Woong. She is shocked to see him call her by her name and they go to the riverside and she asks him for his identity. He tells her that he is Choi Jin Ae’s elder brother and Hyung man had told him that she is still alive. He asks her if she is aware of what will happen if the other side comes to know that she still lives. She cries while saying that she can’t live alone anymore and doesn’t have a reply when he asks her about her plans.

At the Judge’s mansion, Judge Cha is getting a massage from the blind masseuse as Soong Ja asks her about Oh Ju group’s future. Cha tells her that all of Oh Ju’s shares will be transferred to her father’s foundation and he should be given some credit for that move. Soong Ja warns her that he may not have taken that in a good way as he is very monetary. Oh Ju walks in and lets them know that he took care of Son Sung Sik who will take the secret to his grave.

As they walk out Soong Ja goads Oh Ju on donating the shares to Judge Cha’s father’s foundation. Oh Ju responds by saying Jae Yi must be more talented than Yeon Hee as Judge Cha got her suspension lifted. Soon Ja is shocked and asks him how he knew about the order that Judge Cha gave in secrecy. Oh Ju pauses for a minute and says that he is intuitive and leaves.

Soong Ja puts two and two together and confronts the blind masseuse in her room. She holds the masseuse’s hand over the candle and threatens to burn her if she doesn’t tell her who send her. The masseuse tells her that it was Oh Ju who had ordered her to spy on them.

Back at the riverside Noh Hyun Joo says that all she wants is to live with her husband and Jae Yi. Dae Woong reads her for awhile and then tells her that he will help her. He says that Sang Pil and Jae Yi are close now and he won’t let this slide. She says that she will do anything he asks. He says he will look for a way and says that they should work together.

At the law firm Jae Yi and Sang Pil watch the news clip on Son Sung Sik confessing his crimes and Oh Ju donating his shares to the foundation. They walk up to the projector playing the images on the wall and Jae Yi comments that Judge cha now controls oh Ju group and Sang Pil observes that Oh didn’t intend to give it to Judge Cha. Jae Yi tells that she knew Judge Cha’s was a power minger but her appetite for money is also grand and that they (Sang Pil and his team )themselves will get buried if they go after each one individually. Sang Pil agrees and says they need a big net to catch them all at a time. He moves away and attends a call from Oh Ju who tell him that his move was unsuccessful as Son Sung Sik owned up to the crime. Sang Pil says that he is one step closer to getting to Oh Ju. Oh Ju says since Sang Pil cut off his hand, he will have to cut something of Sang Pil’s. Oh Ju hangs up after saying that he will be targeting someone close to Sang Pil. Jae Yi notices his worried expression and asks who it was and he says it was a spam call. He tells her to leave early today as she will be staying in Geum Ja’s place and he has certain things to finish off. As he leaves Jae Yi doesn’t seem convinced.

Sang Pil calls up Dae Woon and finds out that he is already in Kiseung. They meet at a dock for drinks and Sang Pil tells him that Ahn Oh Ju has declared war on him. He asks his uncle to protect Jae Yi as he doesn’t want Jae Yi to find out about it. His uncle observes that Sang Pil cares for her enough to protect her and he asks Sang Pil if he wants to live a normal life with her while Dae Woong takes care if Judge Cha and Ahn Oh Ju. When Sang Pil denies the offer, Dae Woong agrees to protect Jae Yi from harm.

Kwan Dong watches both of them from afar and reports it to Oh Ju.

Jae Yi is at Geum Ja’s fancily decorated colourful house. She thanks Geum Ja for offering her accommodation and smiles as she says that hereafter they will be like sisters. Geum Ja says its embarrassing but agrees. Jae Yi receives a message from her father asking if she reached Seol safely and an apology for slapping her.

Oh Ju is at the construction site when Kwan Dong comes and tells him about Dae Woong.Oh Ju tells him that he had predicted that Sang Pil will go to his uncle (only person trustworthy) to protect his woman. He also says he has two trump cards and he will have to use them wisely.

Dae Woong is on Jae Yi’s tail as she and Geum Ja leave for work and on the way, he is stopped by Kwan Dong and his men. He tells Dae Woong that Oh Ju wants to see him.

At the judge’s mansion, Soong Ja is conducting an interview for a new masseuse and Noh Hyun Joo is among the candidates. When asked if she knows what this job requires, she tells that she has to keep her eyes and mouth shut regarding any people that come here. Soong Ja selects her after getting to know that she was in Thailand for several years and doesn’t know anyone from Kiseung.

At the prosecutor’s office, Prosecutor Cheon thinks back on his conversation with Sang Pil the day before at the law firm. We cut to their conversation at the law firm. Cheon says that he doesn’t trust Sang Pil to which Jae Yi tells him that Sang Pil is an attorney now and asks him not to be prejudiced. Sang Pil goes on to tell that Prosecutor Kang Yeon Hee, Attorney Go In Du, Editor-in-chief Han Tae Kyeong and Nam Soon Ja are all in it together. Jae adds in that Judge Cha is at the top controlling them. Cheon gives a big laugh and comments that Kiseung is an interesting neighbourhood. His thoughts are cut in by Yeon Hee who comes in and tells her that she was assigned to work with him and to guide him on the ways of Kiseung. He responds saying that she is a spy and not a guide but asks her to join anyways.

At the Judge’s mansion, Hyun Joo is introduced to Judge Cha, who finds her familiar. After looking at her she doesn’t comment much but Soong Ja decides to call Hyun Joo as ‘Mama’. As she massages Judge Cha’s feet, Judge cha tells Soong Ja that she didn’t like it when Jae Yi openly challenged her.

Jae Yi watches the calendar reminder on her phone that says it’s her mom’s birthday today. Sang Pil comes and keeps a shopping bag on her desk and asks her to change into them and come with him. Geum Ja says that she will join them if it is for a meeting but he tells her that she has to file some documents at the court. He walks out with Jae Yi as they all look on.

As Sang Pil is selecting flowers at the florist we see Jae Yi is changed into a blue dress and high heels. She asks why do they need flowers but he doesn’t answer but picks up a bouquet. He asks her if she has a harmonica at home.

We cut to the scene where they are walking up a steep fleet of stairs and Jae Yi is exhausted. He still doesn’t say where they are going. Seeing that she is visibly tired he asks her if she wants him to carry her and she gets frustrated and throws her slipper at him. He asks her not to be so grouchy as he helps her put on the slipper. She asks him if he is going to confess his feelings for her to which he just smiles.

Finally, they come to the top with a view of the city. She tells him that he is slacking off in the name of a meeting. There is a swing bench inside a heart enclosure. He places the bouquet on the bench and takes out a cake from his bag and says that this is for her mother’s birthday. He is doing this as she wanted to celebrate it. She sits on the bench as he tells her that he didn’t know her mother’s age so he bought the entire set of numbered candles. She says her mom would have been 45. As he lights the candles she tells her mother that this was planned by Sang Pil and she will do something from now on. She is teary-eyed when he starts singing “Happy Birthday” and she also joins in. She starts crying and thanks him for the gesture. He asks her to blow out the candles and tells her that her mother would like to see her smile. Jae Yi smiles and takes a bit of cake and smears it on his nose but then wipes it off and places a soft kiss on his forehead and then they kiss. It is evening as Jae Yi plays the harmonica as Sang Pil is holding her from behind as they watch the city.

Dae Woong is brought in to see Oh Ju who threatens him to take Sang Pil and move to Seol. Dae Woong says that he has prepared for 18 years and Sang Pil won’t leave that easily. Oh Ju says that a contract would settle things to which Dae Woong says that only Oh Ju’s dead body will settle things. Oh Ju realises that Dae Woong won’t give in and Kwan Dong injects him with a tranquiliser and also kills Dae Woong’s bodyguard. Once Dae Woong passes out Oh Ju asks Kwang Dong to take care of the rest.

Sang Pil drops Jae Yi back home. She thanks him and is about to leave when he pulls her into a hug. She says that he has a lot of special events for her. He tells her not to worry as he will protect her no matter what. When she asks,  he says if something happens he’ll come running to her. She says okay and gives him a peck on his cheek before he drives away.

Dae Woong wakes up on the roof of a building surrounded by Kwang Dong and his men and is unable to get up. Kwan Dong tells him that Sang Pil is on his way to be by his uncle’s deathbed.

Sang Pil is at the firm when Jae Yi and Kwang Soo walk in. He receives a call from Kwan Dong telling him that uncle is close to death. Sang Pil hears Dae Woong screaming and asking him not to come as it is a trap. Kwang Soo says they’ll come with him but Sang Pil tells him to stay with Jae Yi and protect her. Jae Yi stops him and asks what the problem is, to which he says its nothing and he will be right back. She persistently asks him and doesn’t let him go. Sang Pil asks Kwang Soo to hold Jae Yi and Kwang Soo grabs her and moves her out of the way. Before leaving Sang Pil tells Kwang Soo to keep her safe till he comes back and walks away leaving a protesting Jae Yi.

Sang Pil’s car speeds down the road as we cut to the flashback where Sang Pil prepares for his exam as his uncle looks on. Sang Pil says that he prefers to be a lawyer who uses his fists as the world doesn’t work as the law says. Dae Woong says that he should use his fists only when he has to protect his loved ones.  He goes on to say that he can’t quit because he has to protect Sang Pil.

We cut back to the present as Sang Pil reaches the building where his uncle is tied to a rope and hanging off the edge of the building. Sang Pil gets to the terrace and fights of the men and catches sight of his uncle. He is about to stab one of the men but stops himself. As he rushes to save Dae Woong Kwan Dong cuts off the rope which is holding him. Sang Pil dives in and catches the rope but he is dragged to the edge of the building. Sang Pil manages to pull the rope up and gets a hold of Dae Woong’s hand. Dae Woong tells him to let go and Sang Pil cries our saying that he cant do that. He cries after seeing that Dae Woong is fatally injured by the stab wound and says that he is already a dead man. Sang Pil tells him that he ran off leaving his mother behind but he won’t do the same thing ever again. He pleads with Dae Woong to hold on as tears well up in his eyes. Dae Woong gives him a determined look and tells Sang Pil to not look for revenge after his (Dae Woong) death. He also asks Sang Pil to promise him that he would be a good lawyer. Dae Woong tells Sang Pil to find happiness and loosens Sang Pil’s grip on his hands and plunges to his death.

We cut to Kwang Soo who explains to Jae Yi at the law firm that even he was kept in the dark this time and he had no idea what was going on.

We cut to the scene where the police arrest a stunned and shocked Sang Pil who doesn’t respond as they read out the Miranda rights for the murder of his uncle.

At the law firm Jae Yi reason that Sang Pil goes alone only when it is dangerous and that they need to locate him. Just then Geum Gang and his men barge in accompanied by his sister who asks her what is going to happen to Sang Pil. Geum Ja switches on the news and they watch on Tv that Sang Pil has been arrested for stabbing his uncle and throwing him off the building. Jae Yi and Kwang Soo are shocked seeing this

.

Judge Cha watches the news on Sang Pil with a serious expression on her face. Oh Ju sits at his office pleased with himself.

Jae walks up the courtroom stairs to defend Sang Pil who comes in wearing prison uniform (escorted by guards) and gives her a knowing smile.

Review

This was a heart-wrenching episode where Sang Pil suffered a huge loss in the form of his uncle’s death. Dae Woong was his only surviving family and mentor whom Sang Pil respected and trusted with his life. Lee Joong Gi’s acting was commendable in the scene where he pleads with his uncle not to let go of his hand. We get a sense of Deja Vu as Sang Pil goes through the sorrow, grief and helplessness, once again just like it happened 18 years ago (his mother’s murder).

I wonder if his Dae Woong knowingly walked into Oh Ju’s trap as he already knew for a fact that Oh Ju has always played dirty. We do know that Dae Woong was planning something with Jae Yi’s mother.

Ahn Oh Ju seems to have won this round but Judge Cha didn’t look happy seeing this move. It may be because she saw this move of arresting Sang Pil as too bold or maybe this is the first time she is seeing Oh Ju acting on his own accord without her permission.

Jae Yi’s actions have shown great character throughout the series. Now as she has to defend Sang Pil, we will see her expertise at court as well when she goes up against the prosecutor and Judge Cha.

I’m eagerly waiting to see how this trial pans out as I know this will be very compelling to watch.

-By Soul Sword