Suspicious Partner Episode 9 “Yes, but I’d like to talk in person” Recap
When No Ji Wook (Ji Chang Wook) tries to sneak out to work, Eun Bong Hee (Nam Ji Hyun) startles him as she’s getting ready to leave for work too. She notices she missed a call from the forensics guy. She wonders if the results of the DNA analysis from the murderer’s visit to her office is available. Bong Hee calls him and agrees to meet him at the station. The forensics guy / murderer is holding a knife near a freshly stabbed body. Yikes!
Ji Wook is surprised to step outside of his home and find Cha Yoo Jung (Nara) waiting for him. Ji Wook is stunned. Bong Hee sees them standing there. Immediately she realizes these two have a past history. She edges past the pair who can’t take their eyes off each other.
Yoo Jung doesn’t get the reaction she hoped for. Ji Wook isn’t interested in remembering their past. He’s straightforward, he’s over her. Yoo Jung pouts over his blunt words. Bong Hee watches and wonders what she should do to help Ji Wook out of a sticky situation.
Bong Hee sidles up to Ji Wook and introduces herself as Ji Wook’s current girlfriend. Yoo Jung recognizes Bong Hee and vice versa. Bong Hee cuddles Ji Wook’s arm and coos that they had a wild night. Ji Wook doesn’t play along but he doesn’t push her away either. Instead he stares into Yoo Jung’s upset eyes.
Realizing that Ji Wook is irked, Bong Hee explains she’s doing what he once did for her. Ji Wook recalls pretending to like Bong Hee in front of her ex-boyfriend. Ji Wook warns her not to get any ideas and extend this charade. She smiles and jokes she might call him her baby’s father. Ji Wook shudders.
The murderer looks at the body and leaves. Someone watches him from a window.
This murderer was covered with a mask all other occasions so he wouldn’t be recognized. Now he’s strolling unconcerned naked face in broad daylight? Why is he killing?
Yoo Jung thinks of happy times with Ji Wook.
Ji Wook thinks of happy times with Yoo Jung. He is lost in thought and forgets to drop Bong Hee off so she ends up at Ji Wook’s destination. As she starts to walk away Lawyer Ji Eun Hyuk (Choi Tae Joon) pulls up happy to see her. She snaps at him but he takes it like a champion claiming to have ample practice at being the receiver of tirades.
Inside Lawyer Byeon Young Hee (Lee Deok Hwa) tells Ji Wook that even though he’s the head lawyer he’s getting cut out of company decisions. Ji Wook is distracted and not listening which irks Lawyer Byeon. When Lawyer Ji arrives Lawyer Byeon barks at him for being late. Turns out its Lawyer Byeon’s birthday. Lawyer Ji gives Lawyer Byeon wine. Ji Wook gives Lawyer Byeon his resignation letter.
Lawyer Byeon thanks them for coming and leaves first. Lawyer Ji asks why Ji Wook resigned. Ji Wook states he doesn’t need to explain his actions to Lawyer Ji. He strides away. Lawyer Ji is surprised when Yoo Jung calls him and he ignores the call saying “she’s back”.
Did Yoo Jung have the affair with Lawyer Ji?
Yoo Jung asks Na Ji Hae (Kim Ye Won) about Bong Hee. Ji Hae gives her an earful about Bong Hee’s time as a murder suspect. Yoo Jung can’t believe she liked Bong Hee. Ji Hae tells her she has no taste in friends. Yoo Jung mutters she can’t believe Bong Hee is dating him. Ji Hae wonders what man would be stupid enough to date Bong Hee.
Bong Hee spies a depressed Ji Wook when he comes home. As he listens to sad music she watches him until he spots her. He makes them a snack. As they eat he warns her not to inquire about his past relationship. Instead, Bong Hee bluntly asks why he broke up with his former girlfriend. Ji Wook decides to be candid and explains he when to his girlfriend’s home and found her with another man. Bong Hee gets indignant on Ji Wook’s behalf. He has to smile at her sweet support.
A woman comes to the dead man’s house. She knows the access code. She goes and screams. The police send the forensics guy (murderer) to the crime scene to collect physical evidence.
That’s a sweet deal the murderer has. He’s the one to eliminate any evidence he might have left behind.
Bong Hee meets with the forensics guy, seeing the news report, and asks if he was at the scene of the crime. He confirms it. Bong Hee says she doesn’t understand murder. He says there are reasons why people murder. Bong Hee disputes that. She asks why the murderer frame her. He doesn’t know. Bong Hee looks sheepish at having posed the question. He asks what she’ll do next now that the sweep of her office yielded no DNA results. Bong Hee vows to catch him. He’s surprised. Bong Hee says if she lived in fear, then the murderer wins. He gives her the shoes from the crime scene. He offers to drop her home. She hesitates, but can’t find a polite reason to decline.
Ji Wook surprises her by showing up. He chides her to meeting without him. Aren’t they working this together? As Ji Wook converses with the forensics guy (murderer) Bong Hee watches him pleased that he’s keeping his promise to work with her find the murderer and clear her name.
Bong Hee asks if Ji Wook is helping her because he likes her. Ji Wook retorts he’s doing it for the love of mankind.
The next day Bong Hee meets plenty of rude people that make up mankind including Ji Hae. Bong Hee warns them not to bash Ji Wook.
Ji Wook hear taunts from the lawyers he and Lawyer Ji drank with the other evening. As Ji Wook strides away ignoring their taunts, Lawyer Ji interrupts and says their jobs aren’t 100% secure.
So he offered to resign but didn’t?
Bong Hee watches Ji Wook cook knowing that he’s hated a work because he helped her. She wonders if he resigned or was fired.
Is Ji Wook giving a two-week notice?
Lawyer Byeon complains to Ji Wook’s mother about his resignation. She’s unconcerned and Lawyer Byeon can’t change her mind. She’s thrilled when she sees Bong Hee’s mother (her former favorite masseuse) has applied for a job at her eatery. She anticipates the revenge she can meter out.
Bong Hee’s mother is thrilled to get the job not knowing that Ji Wook’s mother, who keeps out of sight, is the boss.
Bong Hee doesn’t get money from the sale of her office furniture. Bong Hee doesn’t get any money back from her security deposit on the office. She takes her office sign down upset that the dream has died.
Bong Hee stocks up on snacks and literally runs her cart into Ji Wook’s cart at the grocery store. She offers to buy his groceries. Ji Wook read her note that her funds are limited.
My Thoughts
The murderer muddies the waters of this show. I have no idea why the forensics guy / murderer is doing what he’s doing. The writer needs to provide some insight ASAP.
The transition between 1st half and the 2nd half of of the divided 60 minute episode are clunky. I don’t understand why 1 episode is split into two when they are aired back to back.
Eun Bong Hee (Nam Ji Hyun) closes her office. It’s the end of the dream and she’s bummed. When Bong Hee met with the forensics guy / murderer she learned there was no DNA evidence left behind. She correctly felt a creepy vibe from the forensics guy / murderer but couldn’t find a nice way to decline his offer of a ride. Thank goodness, Ji Wook, her knight arrived and eliminated the awkward situation. This episode missed the sparkle of Bong Hee. A subdued Bong Hee translates into a more subdued episode.
No Ji Wook (Ji Chang Wook) was firm that he was not interested in reengaging with his former girlfriend, Yoo Jung. Ji Wook smiles and feels joy when he’s around Bong Hee. I’d like more of that. It was confusing when Ji Wook submitted his resignation but continued to work at the law firm. I’ll assume he’s on his last two weeks. This episode missed the smile of Ji Wook. A subdued and grumpy Ji Wook translates into a more subdued episode. I’d like him to come to my house and cook for me.
The third song of the OST is a good one. Check out Ra.D’s “The Same Way”.
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
amusings 
Cute episode.
” I don’t understand why 1 episode is split into two when they are aired back to back.” kjt
I thought I mentioned this before but maybe not:
So, Dramabeans says the half hour episodes have to do with advertising.
After reading that, my own speculation is this:
Holly Moon provided a link to a way to watch Korean tv shows as they broadcast (no subs of course) in real time in S. Korea.
So I wanted to watch a reality show that Jang Hyuk was going to be on. I did watch it but, as I started early to be sure I had my time difference correct, I noticed before and after every show, commercials ran for 15-20 minutes! I know if tv ads were done that way here, I’d disappear and go do other more constructing stuff like washing the dishes. So maybe they lose their audience from one show to the next. So perhaps splitting up 1 hour shows into 2 half hours, guarantees more viewers are staying tuned-in so possibly more viewers actually watch the commercials instead of leaving the room so as not to miss the beginning of the second half of the program. All speculation on my part though.
I have been wondering for the longest how S. Koreans know when to tune-in to a show because the episodes start and end times are not set. Like if you look and one episode of a series you’re watching days 59 minutes and another says 63 munuted and still another 67 minutes – all of the same show. I think it has something to do with those crazy long commercials.
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I thought I mentioned this before but maybe not:So, Dramabeans says the half hour episodes have to do with advertising.
You might have told me, but is obviously bore repeating. Thank you.
I don’t like commercials, hence I’m willing to pay for no commercials on DramaFever and Viki. If I knew there was a long commercial block, my kitchen would sparkle!
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Bong Hee judiciously ⚖ made herself scarce when Yoo Jung showed up at Ji Wook’s 🚪. 🖍 me surprised Yoo Jung didn’t break her neck jumping to conclusions about Bong Hee and Ji Wook; did she totally miss Bong Hee coming out of Ji Wook’s 🏠 first thing in the morning⁉ I was glad Bong Hee to rescue her “honey”. 🍯
While watching this episode I wondered the same thing as KJT “Did Yoo Jung have the affair with Lawyer Ji?” This would totally explain the animosity between the two lawyers.
Mr. Forensics Murderer, with his sweet 🍭 innocent face, made me nervous when he insisted in taking Bong Hee 🏠. Once again, Ji Wook to the rescue 🎠; for someone who claims to not want to be involved in Bong Hee’s life, he just can’t seem to help inserting himself.
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Mr. Forensics Murderer, with his sweet 🍭 innocent face, made me nervous when he insisted in taking Bong Hee 🏠. Once again, Ji Wook to the rescue 🎠; for someone who claims to not want to be involved in Bong Hee’s life, he just can’t seem to help inserting himself.
The murderer and his motives are a complete mystery. It’s a major plot point but we know nothing. I don’t understand why he is killing.
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The series description I read called the sweet 🍭 faced Mr. Forensics Murderer an “amnesiac murderer”. We have not seen any evidence of memory loss at this point in time, but that may explain why he is coming after Bong Hee after a 2⃣ year hiatus. Our 🍭-faced murderer has been methodical in his M.O., except in the case of Bong Hee’s ex, in which I believe the 🍭-faced murderer was trying to eliminate witnesses. I can’t seem to figure out if he is a serial killer or a contract killer.
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I’d forgotten about the “amnesiac murderer” description. Contract killer is an interesting idea.
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I love how involved he is with solving the murder that Bong Hee was accused of and the way he casually invades HER space, like the phone conversation. He’s not just leaning in, he’s holding her elbow and just… all in her space.
I have NO idea how the ex didn’t notice Bong Hee slipping out of the gate, though. It was so sad to watch Bong Hee get all happy noticing her new prosecutor friend and then realize who she is… I do love MOST of the female relationships in this show, the mom-daughter one of Bong Hee’s family and even how ex didn’t like Bong Hee’s enemy who is trying to suck up to her. (It was pretty clear via the body language.) And even the way our otp’s moms are kinda 😡 toward each other, not because of like, simply their status, but for standing up for their children, even if Ji Wook’s mom does it in really immature way. They do love their big kids and though it’ll be one super awkward first family-to-be-meeting, I think they’ll find common ground eventually.
I ALWAYS cringe at the fake relationship moments when someone’s ‘saving’ someone’s face in front of their ex, and I did cringe a lot with Bong Hee’s actions, but she did try, and like… I can kinda appreciate it. Too bad the party that needs saving NEVER catches up and just basically fails the whole act. Hence, it’s better to just not try, lmao. But I guess we wouldn’t have kdrama without this. (And it is so unbearable hard to watch it from sidelines, especially if it is happening to someone you love as we know Bong Hee does.) (I did facepalm with the whole dizzy thing tho… THERE IS SUCH THINGS AS OVERDOING IT AND THAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, NOT LAST NIGHT, BONG HEE.) He genuinely looks at his ex like, please leave so I can be saved from this charade.
He’s already looking at her with what I named ‘the tired puppy in love eyes’ from the clips I watched before I started to watch, with her now and then, though. And those give me life. Even when he’s bantering with her about her memories. I love how she stated “they’re my memories (so there, dude)”.
I STILL don’t get the censor laws of South Korea – they blur out knives, but goshdarn bloody scenes like in this kdrama or, let’s say Voice, those get shown in full glory.
Also, Ji Wook is such an adorable dork when he is in love… I enjoyed watching scenes from his ex’s memory solely for the ‘when he and Bong Hee are on the same page….” though of course he’s older now and more salty, so to say. But still! The puppy eyes show in some ways he’s same tentative, cute dork.
And in some ways, I really love how he’s both incredibly loyal to the people he cares for, even if they’ve betrayed him, and incredibly caring. He is very sad and melancholic that night, yet he thinks of Bong Hee and makes them a late snack. (Even if he questions why he’s always feeding her, it’s in a really resigned way and he accepts her answer, haha.)
These are things I really love about Ji Wook and they shine through even when he’s being a butt. The moment he takes a shine on you, he will always try to take care of you and long for your approval. Like with Mr. Jang – how sad a puppy he was when Mr. Jang implied he won’t have time to eat with Ji Wook. Essentially, he’s grumpy boy who is really loyal and wants to be accepted. One of my favorite character types, for some reason.
The way he knows her well already, with the asking with eyes thing, reminded their very synced brofist over ‘we finally agreed on something’. They fit together much better than EITHER of them realize.
Notably, I loved how Bong Hee got all rawr when the old classmates said Ji Wook messed up the interview. Her acting over all felt super on point this episode and I was so sad for her when she closed down her office. Her happiness to watch him shop was bittersweet somehow.
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@imberreader
He WAS all up in Bong hee’s space, wasn’t he? lol I saw that but was too busy thinking “JCW is just too cute” to process it in terms of what that means for our OTP. Yay!
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She’s definitely his wall, hehehe. I loved that bit.
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