Someone pointed out that Netflix’s translation was not accurate. The correct one should be
“What I did was wash the dishes” —-> should be past tense.
“Too late” ——> no subject here. It could mean he/she is to late or you are too late.

Another thing I noticed was at the end of Ep 7. When Shi-mok received the call from Pros. Kang to meet him at night, you could hear Shi-mok's roommate washing the dishes outside his door. While I don't think the two are related, I love how the show foreshadowed the culprit's message with that seemly minor detail

The way you described Dong Jae here... makes me wish harder that he will be okay. 😭 The show did a good job of tweaking SDJ's character this season that we're all attached to him now. Heck even HSM's attached to him now, too. Be safe our weasel!!!

I think Dong Jae like Eun Soo is a colleague to Shi Mok, not a friend. Only Yeo Jin imo can be characterised as his friend. Ofcourse one can be as disturbed by a kidnapping of a colleague as by a kidnapping of a friend. Like Sa Hyun said, even though he hadn't seen or contacted Lee Sunbae in 13 years, he was still very shook by his death.

didn't even think of that. i was like why is this bitch dying rn lmao. wow the human mind!

what i like about this season is that his circle has expanded it just seems as if things are falling apart for everyone and that's because of the collapse from s1. i think that's why KWC fucked him up, too. it's clear these particular set of people respect him, admire him, in their own ways want to protect him. two years of isolation and them still dealing with this massive trauma has given them such a hit. i don't know if i hope that he's okay (for the d-r-a-m-a) but i think that this is a perfect timing for us as viewers and emotionally for him to just vanish. this also becomes something he can't make sense of. i havent thought of this too much but maybe i underestimate our confusion as viewers is just as much as theirs (hsm, hyj—reliable outsiders) since they are mostly reliable narrators...we know what they know and it's almost empty.

*I wouldn't know where*

Definitely same on Shimok being aromantic and asexual here

Someone pointed out in social media that Shimok stares at her because she knows they graduated from the same school without ever asking him. As if she did a background check on Shimok. But then again, isn't almost all prosecutor SNU graduates? Seo Dongjae is an outlier for not graduated from there.
I myself don't know what to take from that scene..

The female prosecutor pinged on my radar because out of all the people involved with Dong-jae, she seems extra worried for him, enough even to badger Shi-mok. Not sure how to take that; were they having an affair, was is a subterfuge when she's actually involved with the kidnapping, or is she just an extra sincere person..?

re: "That's definitely non-prosecutorial interest!"

That was kind of my first thought too. But not that Shimok is *romantically* interested. More like that's what the show wants us to think, they're planting that thought in our minds.

Something about her (what she said?) drew his attention. Is he impressed that she caught his reference? Is he suspicious that she keeps trying to relate to him?
I for one did find how the camera just lingered on her in ep.7 a bit shady (reminiscent of Mr. Yoon in s1).

I don't know what to make of that look yet

i want to know. what's in the war and peace statement itself and what is her issue (also our first introduction to her was sdj waving in the hallway.) i have to rewatch.

re: hsm's sexuality ugh this topic is so fascinating for me. half of this is my annoying Female Feminist Mind but he has "urges" as men are supposed to have so to speak (vom) but just like his other emotions they're locked up. in s1 with jeongbun looking at skirts (i get it but ew and it was there purposefully) people are confused at HIM for not engaging in it (do you like sports, do you have a gf) these are all passive things he does but it doesn't mean he doesn't understand sexuality. he's so similar to lcj in so many ways but they show it so differently ("fastidious to the point of people questioning my sexuality") and at the end of the day even with his sexuality repressed or in the back of his mind or simply not important he still has the capacity to a) feel it and b) subjugate women

(encounter with eun soo @ his apartment "you came to a man's house this late" one of my fav scenes)

Everyone except Yeo-jin and Shi-mok.
Or rather I suspect most of them are guilty of something, if not necessarily the kidnapping.

Can I add another one to your long list of suspects? ;)
I wrote about this suspect in Soompi forum. I joined all kinds of forums just to discuss about this drama!
In episode 4, they mentioned an unknown female prosecutor who talked to a radio about being ordered to remove some evidence when she was handling a case of an Assemblyman. She was then demoted from Seoul to Taeyoung where Shi-mok used to work. They only show the back of this prosecutor, no name but giving a fair bit of details about the case. It must be important.
The hand under the hoodie looks quite feminine. And the message sounds like someone who thinks she is wronged by the system or suffered from injustice. I think she fits some criteria to be put on the list.
I also think there are at least two people involved in the kidnapping.

The maid at Lee Yeon-beom's residence? Just because she's scary...

Sungjae Sungjae Sungjae!! Top of my list for now. Somehow he's involved. For sure.

dongjae was also a cheater lol i mean he fucked up so badly and given what happened in season oneeeee but im like why would they wait that long after kim ga young

True, SDJ is one thing that connects everything in the plot lol. I am sad it is SDJ but the writer chose the best person to be sacrificed.

Agree on CB and WTH. The same thought has crossed my mind since the early episodes, when they picked up the phone to call each other fairly easily and often. In this business, you will always make friends / frenemies on the other side, some you will trust more than others.

Although if CB recognizes a kindred spirit, she wouldn't rag Yeo-jin about her meeting Shimok. She got too personal there, I thought.

It has become clear what the writer said about creating Shimok-Yeojin being one axis and Chobit-Taeha being another axis. One is built on trust and honesty, another is carrying mistrust and suspicion despite their connection or possibly friendship in the past.

At the moment I can't see Yeo-jin shouldering anyone's guilt. Even if it were Shi-mok, I think she'd prefer everything to be open and above-board. But in view of Choi Bit's ominous remark about YJ never having been dragged into things, it's not impossible that some unimaginable crisis, something with astronomically high stakes, might force YJ to do something against her conscience, close her heart and transform into another CB. In fact the more passionate and open-hearted she is now, the more likely she is to run headlong into difficult situations that might change her irrevocably. Perhaps CB was like YJ in her younger days too.

Shi-mok is another matter entirely. I simply cannot see him letting anyone shoulder his guilt, ever. In fact, he seems literally physically incapable of compromising: to me, the recurrence of his headaches is less about Dong-jae than it is about the stress of constantly being reminded to "do as he's told", "stop bothering others", etc, especially in relation to the dirt-digging part of the council work, which must be anathema to him. In short, I think it'd be mainly down to SM that his professional relationship with YJ is more likely to end than to go the way of the CB-WTH relationship.

Am loving the reveal of Choi Bit - Woo Tae-ha connection and the complications it bring! Already get that they are kinda casually connected, but who would have thought they go so deep together? This also totally changes the dynamic of the Police-Prosecutor Council. Isn't it funny that these two became the lead for the 2 sides of the council? If we can say there's no coincidence, then they must somehow have some plans on which way the council will go.

I can easily picture Choi Bit was like Yeo Jin when she was young - a top smart cop. She and YTH were likely the great cop-prosecutor combo solving cases after cases, until certain incidents that turned them into the calculative selves today. In the case of Choi who’s now following the dogma a small sacrifice is the justified price for the greater good. Whereas WTH, he’s still a very closed book but yet sometime very transparent in his temper outburst. This pair is a fascinating contrast to SM-YJ.

That's a great analysis of Bit-Taeha vs. Yeojin-Shimok relationship. There's definitely a parallel there

I wonder if the similarities will be clear to Shimok & Yeojin once they find out that their bosses have a connection, and whether that will make them reflect on their own relationship.

But I agree with @knewbie 's above comment that Shimok isn't one to let anyone shoulder his guilt. He'd view that as being a burden. Which is why he didn't even call Yeojin when he had his attack even though she offered to be his support in exactly that situation.
That's not to mean Yeojin wouldn't take on his emotions anyways, because she is the kind of person who empathizes with people deeply (e.g. Mr Yoon) and she's aware of Shimok's emotions anyways.
I think if she were to shoulder any emotions for him, it would be on her terms and not Shimok's.

There's something about Choi Bit that keeps me from dismissing her as just some evil character. This episode most especially makes me keep doubting my suspicions of her. I somehow get a feeling that whatever mess she's in is because of pragmatic choices she had to make to maintain her position. And the fact that Yeo Jin gravitates to her all the more makes me want to give her character a chance.

i love wth and cb and frankly want them to have a past (s*xual :P) but yes i agree. from the beginning you could tell they knew each other in a deep way so i really am expecting something. but they did every single thing with each other in the know which is something i am going to have to look back on.

i think they are both what they are NOT to be (hsm and hyj) but embody the values enough to respect them. also they're fucked up but in their own supremely stupid cop way they believe it's right too.

the guilt line saddened me but it was perfect especially when we find out she has a child and i wonder if she is a single mother. she's always had a lot to burden, yeo jin's selflessness she realizes as a woman doesn't help. but it seems like she takes on the responsibilities to get things done but still succumbs to the weight of being a ~~~**woman~*~* i also like her rship w. director shin, instead of something hostile it mirrors hyj and her yongsan chief in a way

I have been thinking from the start that CB and WTH have a kindly outlook towards their respective hoobaes. Yes,they shady as hell but they seem to recognise and even admire certain qualities in SM and YJ. There is a definitive tone of masked indulgence esp Choi with YJ in multiple scenes so that episode when she admitted to manoevouring YJ to the political games they have been playing was simultaneously a nod that she valued YJ's obvious skills/potential and an indication that she didn't really get what makes YJ tick.
I hav been super suspicious of WTH bringing SM onboard while CB's preference for YJ seemed based on the talent/attitude she had been seeing since YJ moved to a team under her. I initially thought WTH dragged SM to his team coz he wanted to use his image as a morally upright prosecutor to color public perception. He even admitted those very reasons while talking to SH last episode. But I am still not 💯 sold that was his only reason. It could b that he really did misjudge SM's crusade as ambition for public office but something about the way he's being played makes me hope for more around the decision to bring SM into his circle.
It's safe to say both bosses know their underlings are special but they are ascribing their own ambitions and world view to them and fail to see what makes these two truly special. Or it could also be that they see their younger selves in these two and are subconsciously respectful of the integrity these two have, but are trying to justify their own choices by trying to push the hoobaes to make similar compromising decisions.

We need Hwang Shimok's chart. My head hurts lol

Correction: "interwoven interviews with the ex-chief and his nephew, Soo-hang" I meant Joong-gi and Soo-hang, the two police from when Ki-hyun was murdered, not the ex-chief. Oh dear...

7. LYJ asked the former judge to represent the director Kim.I think also by doing that to find out more about Choi-bit.
8. She started to suspect Director Park after he walked in and told Shi-mok that he called Dong-jae on the same night. Neither she or Shi-mok believes his reason for making that phone call. Another thing I find it strange, how could he hear Shi-mok's question to LYJ? Even if he eavesdropped from the door, it's impossible to hear their conversation. Did he bug her? SM asked him "how did you know what I asked" and LYJ expression changed immediately. That's why she exclude him from following her to meet Judge Oh.

I agree with you that the wife suspected Dong-jae to have an affair. But I personally think he doesn't have time for that seeing how many case he's involved in. Dong-jae does mellow a bit and I want to think he stopped accepting bribes at some point before season 2 starts. Trying to be promoted quickly is not a crime tho, and in that aspect he hasn't changed.

given the culture of working men in sk and his bar affinities he def has had one. he's an annoying man-child who is gross. so he def has hurt her lmao (remember the Phone)

i wish i had more to say about the rest but alas i cannot answer that :'( the kwang-soo case is fuckin me up WHO IS SHE

loved the convo w/ sa hyun and shi mok but it just solidified what an important part he (lcj) played. and it's great writing that he will live on and continue to influence

5. "Why conclude that if they and Hanjo keep quiet, Dong jae won't be found?" I think that's just one possible scenario, based on the assumption that DJ had been kidnapped by Hanjo because of what he knew about the incident involving Woo Tae-ha, Choi Bit and Hanjo. Since WTH and CB wouldn't talk about the incident, Hanjo's motive for rubbing DJ out would never see light of day, and DJ's disappearance would remain unsolved.

But that's only if Hanjo really did do it, and I don't think they did. I don't think DJ even knows that much about the incident. My own theory is that DJ has been kidnapped for other reasons (either by the Segok crew or - more makjangly - by his wife's lover or his lover's boyfriend or something), but WTH, CB and Yeon-jae collectively having kittens about DJ's kidnapping is going to look very suspicious to Shi-mok and Yeo-jin.

Well, the fact that Yeojin had to give him social cues to say hi and ask bout Jang Gun’s kids means our dear Simok probably didn’t think about calling Yeojin 😂😂😂

That crossed my mind too.
But I'm not surprised Shimok didn't call her. He probably didn't see the need to, since he regained control of himself.
He might mention it in passing, but I highly doubt that. He probably doesn't want to alarm her (although I doubt she's react alarmingly), and to him it probably feel like he'd be burdening her.
He's probably make that phone call on his deathbed, as I see it 😂

I thought it was.

It was her at the restaurant. I don’t think she is hitting on Shimok, more like trying to impress him to me. There is a theory that Dong-jae might have had an affair with her. But we don’t know for sure...

hes the worst kind of person like he has a sense of justice but just loves money too much. reminds me of some1...

I know right..I was impressed with his wily ways when he was gently goading CP Kang to come out and support YJ in the second episode. But the way he went about gaining CB was pfftt.. I was kind glad he didn't clock CB though. That kind co-incidence would be easy to swallow in a show of lesser caliber. Now if he had tailed her and uncovered the CB-WTH connect, that'd have been interesting.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

i cant wait til we get to like ep 12 and to do a collective rewatch lmao i dont want it to end but we need to Know

Now when I saw SM having his first panic attack of the season, I thought it was brought on coz SH kept going on an on about LCJ's death and that might have triggered the unfortunate incident again in SM's psyche. I also did think how he had his last big attack after EunSoo's death in S2 and wondered if he also suddenly imagined SDJ to eventually come to a similar horrifying end. But reading the comments over here, it also makes sense it was also triggered by his subsumed worry over SDJ.

That's a great point about the similarities between the tone of this piece and Just Dance. The claustrophobia of the environment those kids were stuck in was such a stressful thing to watch at times. I think Just Dance was the last thing that made me truly cry at the ordinary tragedy of it all. When they announced this director I was concerned because the two shoes are just so different, but when seen through this lens they're surprisingly similar.

reading comments i think my aversion to law enforcement makes me not feel particularly bad. though i think they're empty and in a pressure cooker, i keep thinking that they did this to themselves. i am sure other people have these thoughts but i can't get to the emotional side of it so much because of how futile this all is. how misguided hsm and hyj are even if they're Good or represent the People.

the reason why lcj's death hit so hard is because, to him, his eradication was necessary. he felt like part of the rotten roots. for hyj and hsm i want them to get peace and solve things but i do not think they will ever find true satisfaction—actually i believe they can't doing what they do. it makes me sad for them and what they go through, sad that others try to tell them what to be, but i don't feel as if they need to be released. a happy ending would mean walking away. private work, human rights lawyer, something not here but they can't see any other option. and if you can't, then you won't be able to breathe correctly. the show keeps reiterating that the work both do is hard. it isn't for us to feel pity exactly but just adds and to show that it never ends, it won't end, it can't end.

this makes me wonder if su hang's contrition is real. anyway i think the relief they get is when they realize, ESPECIALLY han yeo jin, that if they are there they just have to do everything they can to fight but they can't keep getting so down when the very thing that ruins peoples lives under the guise of protection does what it's supposed to do.

i get that they may think it's the only way (and there's an issue there) but then they just have to release themselves from this idea of a society of true benevolence. the rights/the wrongs as they are told. they will continue to do something about it until they are thrown out and that's all they can do.

also i want to know about the subs actually i am curious; are the people not allowed in the spa because they are physically impaired as in they aren't in control of their faculties? it's ableist regardless but they really confused me.

by society i mean the System (lol) not like the world

I.... I can't.

Also, damn. Thank you for the making me snort my drink up my nose. LOL

I wouldn't mind! I kinda like them together. But if the purpose of CB/WTH is to mirror YJ/SM and - more importantly - to make a point about the system and its problems, then it might be more interesting for their strong connection to be based on factors other than romance.

I am also thinking that it is the university student since the motive could be to drag both police and judiciary.
But, I thought he was sleeping when his friends went out to the beach?

Segeuk Case was in September 2017 and Prosecutor Park was in April 2018. I think LYJ was in power since the end of Season 1, so probably before these two happened. She definitely know about Prosecutor Park working for Hanjo as an advisor (lawyer) after he retired as a Chief Prosecutor. Choi Bit was a Chief Police at the station where the prosecutor had that accident. She moved to Intelligent Agent after that. We don’t know exactly what was the connection between this prosecutor and WTH but they knew each other.