Mad Dog Episode 16 Recap (Final)

Mad Dog Episode 16 (Final) “Mr. Kim, In”

Choi Kang Woo (Yoo Ji Tae) sees the legal counsel / assassin at the door of Min Joon’s apartment.

The legal counsel surveys the interior or Min Joon’s apartment.  The legal counsel stares at the picture of Min Joon and his brother.

Kang Woo stops Kim Min Joon (Woo Do Hwan) from going to his apartment. He sends Min Joon, Jang Ha Ri (Ryu Hwa Young) and On Noo Ri (Kim Hye Seong) to eat stating he’ll join them soon.

When the door to Min Joon’s apartment opens, the legal counsel hides. Kang Woo enters and calls to the legal counsel who steps out of his hiding spot. Kang Woo tells the legal counsel, he’s been waiting for this moment.

They fight. Kang Woo gets slashed by the knife and almost strangled but he manages to gain the advantage and demands to know why Min Joon is the target not him. Recall Chairman Cha changed his mind making Min Joon the target not Kang Woo.

Min Joon realizes that something is wrong. He dashes from the eatery and heads to the surveillance footage in the Mad Dog Team office. He sees the legal counsel outside his door. He rushes past Ha Ri and Soon Jung who have followed him. They see the footage and follow Min Joon.

Min Joon opens the apartment door but the security chain stops them from entering.

The legal counsel refuses to tell why Min Joon is the target. Kang Woo hears his team calling to him. He starts to loosen his chokehold. Then the legal counsel vows to kill Kang Woo’s team one by one. Enraged Kang Woo decides murdering to save his team is the right choice.

Min Joon sees the reflection and yells at Kang Woo not to become a murderer. Noo Ri gets a bolt cutter.

The red haze of anger clears and Kang Woo comes back to himself. He releases the scarf around the legal counsel’s neck. Min Joon, Ha Ri, and Noo Ri rush into the room. Kang Woo tells Ha Ri to call for an ambulance.

Excellent opening scene. That fight got sweaty fast, nor was it pretty. It made sense that Kang Woo would be willing to kill to keep his family (the Mad Dog Team) safe. “Don’t sink to your enemy’s level”, in this case don’t murder a murderer, is common decision point. I’m glad Kang Woo walked away but understood why he was driven to protect his Mad Dog Family.

Kang Woo meets with Chairman Cha in a private room at the jail (arranged by Chairman Cha). Kang Woo informs Chairman Cha that his legal counsel is in the hospital. Feigning ignorance, Chairman Cha says his legal counsel slipped on something. Kang Woo leans closer and says the legal counsel left something behind…murderer Ko Jin Chul’s cell phone.

The Mad Dog Team listen to the recorded phone call between Ko Jin Chul and Hyun Gi where Hyun Gi orders him to kill Min Joon. Immediately Min Joon realizes that the legal counsel was going to kill Min Joon then turn himself in citing the recorded phone call to prove Hyun Gi’s ordered him to kill.

Kang Woo tells Chairman Cha that the recorded phone call between Ko Jin Chul and Hyun Gi clarified why Min Joon became the target. Chairman Cha pretends his legal counsel went rouge. He recommends Kang Woo turn in the phone to the police. Kang Woo suggests he turn the phone over to Hyun Gi who will realize that Chairman Cha broke his promise to take the blame in return for keeping Hong Joo unsoiled by this mess. That gets Chairman Cha’s attention. He reminds Kang Woo that they were once like family. Kang Woo scoffs that was an illusion. Kang Woo declares he wins the game. Chairman Cha’s reveals his true self snapping that he should have killed Kang Woo 2 years ago. Kang Woo stares at Chairman Cha and says soon he’ll feel the pain of not being alive but forced to live when everything is taken from him. Kang Woo leaves. Chairman Cha orders his new lawyer to tell his former legal counsel to admit to nothing and to inform Hong Joo that she must cling to Hyun Gi. He is adamant that’s the only way she’ll survive unscathed.

Hong Joo tells the new lawyer that she’ll do as her father directed. She stares the shredded but put together renewal contract with JH airlines.

Hong Joo visits Hyun Gi in his office. He asks who ordered the former legal counsel to try and kill. Hong Joo admits it was her father but she knew about it. Hyun Gi is impressed with her candor. Hong Joo says she wants Kang Woo dead. She shows Hyun Gi the reconstructed renewal contract. She surprises him that this isn’t the original contract. She says someone has the original. Hyun Gi realizes Kang Woo has the original contract.

Manager Park meets Kang Woo and informs him that Hong Joo doesn’t know that the contract was switched. Manager Park states the reinvestigation results will be public soon. The fake data will be accepted by Chief Prosecutor. Kang Woo asks Manager Park if he’s willing to take a risk to help. Manager Park confirms he is.

Unfortunately, Hong Joo does know about the contract switch. Fingers cross that Manager Park doesn’t get hurt helping. I like this character and this is the final episode. Good must triumph without causalities.

The Mad Dog Team (minus Kang Woo) stares at the original contract. Min Joon wonders where Kang Woo is. When Soon Jung says that Kang Woo wants to run solo, Min Joon decides to call. Kang Woo confirms this is a solo mission and Min Joon will not be involved. Min Joon makes sure that Kang Woo is okay after the encounter with the legal counsel. Kang Woo tells Min Joon that they need to draw attention away from him. Kang Woo tells Min Joon to do what the person says that will arrive at the Mad Dog Team office soon.

Manager Park arrives at the Mad Dog Team office. He explains the plan is to attack the reinvestigation committee with a bunch of tiny items. The Mad Dog Team likes the plan. Min Joon declares it is like underdog David versus the giant Goliath. He corrects Manager Park’s claim that it was his idea, and declares this was Kang Woo’s idea.

Kang Woo meets with a prosecutor on the reinvestigation team. Kang Woo says the prosecutor must be disappointed that JH won’t pay for their crimes again with the fake evidence. Kang Woo offers to bring a witness that can testify that Hyun Gi knew the plane was faulty.

Kang Woo is making the assumption the prosecutor will keep their conversation private.

Hyun Gi realizes the original reports clearly showed JH airlines was in debt and had a faulty aircraft. Now he’s concerned about the investigators that wrote the reports.

Hyun Gi questions Hong Joo about the others behind the report. She realizes that Kang Woo must be after those men. Hyun Gi smiles knowing that Hong Joo just tipped her hand to her loyalty to him. Hyun Gi admits that all he wants to make a good life for both of them. Hyun Gi suggests they use Kang Woo to find the men for them. Hyun Gi says this time he and Hong Joo will have to work together.

Good scene. Hyun Gi cares for Hong Joo. He wants her to care for him. Is it possible for Hong Joo to care about anyone but her father and herself?

Hong Joo asks Manager Park about the contracts. He pretends that he knows nothing.

Manager Park texts Kang Woo that Hong Joo suspects.

Hong Joo reports the conversation to Hyun Gi. She worries it might not be enough. Hyun Gi assures her that if it isn’t’, he has a secret plan. He tells her he’s busy and hangs up.

Hyun Gi is revealed to be in Chief Prosecutor’s office. The Prosecutor that Kang Woo approached is there too and details his conversation with Kang Woo. Hyun Gi is interested the Kang Woo claims he’ll be able to produce a witness to testify that JH airlines knew about the faulty aircraft. The Chief Prosecutor suggests they arrest Kang Woo. Hyun Gi scoffs there isn’t enough to charge him with. Hyun Gi tells them that he’s ready to give Kang Woo a show.

As expected, the prosecutor that Kang Woo spoke with did not keep their conversation private. I’m betting Kang Woo was counting on that.

The prosecutor meets with Kang Woo and claims that he’s going out on a limb for Kang Woo. He tells Kang Woo to bring the witness. Kang Woo agrees. The prosecutor leaves. Kang Woo says the prosecutor took the bait.

Manager Park “runs” the operation. He learns the Mad Dog Team calls him spaniel because he’s followed them for 2 years and is small and yappy. Ha Ri soothes Manager Park by calling him cute.

Per the plan Min Joon meets with an accountant that investigated before the crash and quit the big company 2 months after the crash. Min Joon has the accountant review his assets. She agrees to do his taxes. He suggests they grab a bite to eat while they talk the details.

 Ha Ri doesn’t like Min Joon switching the meeting location. She follows him into the restaurant. When the account excuses herself for a bathroom break, Min Joon saunters over Ha Ri’s table and takes a seat. She tries to shoo him away. But Min Joon declares he only wants to look at her face. Ha Ri can’t look back while Min Joon stares at her. Manager Park, Soon Jung, and Noo Ri enjoy the show.

That qualifies as romance for this series.

Min Joon returns to the table before the accountant come back. After supper, Min Joon asks if she knows who he is. When he reveals his identify, she’s shocked. When he suggests she knew there was an issue with the aircraft, she’s rattled. When he begs that she help clear his brother’s name by testifying the original report was the real one, she cries.

That was effective emotional tugging by Min Joon.

Kang Woo meets with the mechanic that inspected the doom aircraft.

Hyun Gi is monitoring the Mad Dog Team and tells Hong Joo who they’ve been visiting. He declares he’ll snatch up the account and mechanic. He calls the Chief Prosecutor to conclude the reinvestigation.

The Mad Dog Team learn that the reinvestigation committee will hold a press conference to announce their findings. Min Joon shares that the account will attend the press conference. Kang Woo announces the mechanic will attend the press conference. The Mad Dog Team readies themselves to attend.

 Hyun Gi and Hong Joo arrive at the press conference. Hyun Gi begins by apologizing to the victims. He and Hong Joo bow. The account and mechanic as well as the Mad Dog Team (minus Kang Woo) are in the audience. Hyun Gi introduces Min Joon. Hyun Gi announces the engine was faulty making it impossible for the pilot to land the plane safety. Hyun Gi announces that a report from the transportation department state the engine could catch fire. The report is displayed on screen. Hyun Gi announces the mechanic in the audience can testify to the faulty engine. The Mad Dog Team watches Hyun Gi steal their witness. Hyun Gi manages to get the mechanic to apologize for keeping quiet for 2 years. Hyun Gi states transportation management swept the report under the rug.  Hyun Gi announces that a report from the transportation department state that JH airlines was in debt. The report is displayed on screen. Hyun Gi announces the accountant in the audience can testify to JH’s debt.  She apologizes for keeping quiet for 2 years. The Mad Dog Team (and Kang Woo from the office) watches Hyun Gi steal their witness. Hong Joo doesn’t understand why the Mad Dog Team isn’t visibly upset. Min Joon rises to ask Hyun Gi a question.

At the office an alarm goes off. He watches the special prosecutor’s team approaching as expected. When they can’t enter through the locked door, they call Kang Woo and demand he open the door. Kang Woo counters they should be arresting Hyun Gi not him. He declares he won’t let them destroy evidence. Kang Woo murmurs to Min Joon to take it away.

Min Joon asks who is the murderer that allowed the passengers to board the faulty aircraft. Hyun Gi replies that comes next. Hyun Gi describes how Chairman Cha issued the insurance and his father the CEO of JH airlines purchased it both of them aware of the investigation reports. Hyun Gi declares his father purchased the faulty aircraft. He has his assistant show the insurance renewal. The reporters murmur. Hong Joo looks at the screen and realizes it is the insurance renewal with Hyun Gi and Hong Joo’s signatures!

Hyun Gi stares at his assistant. If looks could kill. Hyun Gi declares that isn’t the original document. Min Joon nods to the assistant to show the next document. It is the bill of sale. The reporters murmur more. Hyun Gi sees it is bill of sale with his signature! Once again, Hyun Gi declares that isn’t the original document. Hyun Gi claims that when the document was signed he was out of town on a business trip. Min Joon says he can refute that. A former JH flight attendant stands and introduces herself. Kang Woo smiles. Flashback to Kang Woo meeting with the flight attendance. At the press conference the flight attendant details that Hyun Gi got upset because of a spilled beverage. Hyun Gi claims not to remember.  The flight attendant declares that Hyun Gi signed a contract on the plane that day. She points to the screen and states Hyun Gi signed that contract. Hyun Gi and Min Joo stare at each other.

Check!

Kang Woo is stoked. He utters that Hyun Gi has been exposed as the faulty plane’s purchaser. He orders the voice recording played. He gets ready to send the voice recording. The special prosecutor team bursts into the office. They declare he’s under arrest. Kang Woo holds out his arms for the handcuffs.

Min Joon asks Hyun Gi who renewed the insurance contract. Before Hyun Gi can lie, the voice recording of many moments of Hyun Gi and Hong Joo admitting to covering up their activities is played. Hyun Gi looks at Hong Joo and apologizes.

Nice moment. Hyun Gi cares for the prickly pear Hong Joo. He did from the start of this series through the end. Much of what he did was to save her. It is one of the reasons why I like Hyun Gi. It shows his soft side. Hong Joo could care less. They both deserve that. Hyun Gi’s love is unrequited and Hong Joo can’t love anyone but herself and her father.

Soon Jung and Min Joon sigh that Kang Woo will now take the blame for illegal wiretapping by releasing the video.

Manager Park watches a new report that Hong Joo and Hyun Gi have both been sentenced to 5 year and 7 years respectively in prison. The Chief Prosecutor was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Kang Woo was sentenced to 1 year in prison for the illegal wiretapping.

Checkmate!

Min Joon visits Kang Woo in prison. Min Joon declares they’ll need to drink soju when he’s released. Kang Woo smiles as Min Joon leaves.

10 months later…Kang Woo exits prison to find Professor Byeon waiting for him. He hands Kang Woo an earpiece stating everyone is going nuts. He urges Kang Woo into the car.

Soon Jung, Noo Ri, Ha Ri all tell Kang Woo they are working a fraud case and need his help. Kang Woo chuckles.

  At the meeting place, Ha Ri arrives and sits next to Min Joon wearing a short skirt. He’s appalled. Noo Ri declares she looks great. Nurse Oh turns and states Ha Ri must be cold. Kang Woo laughs when Professor Byeon informs him that Nurse Oh works him with him on her days off. Soon Jung declares they are like a couple. Nurse Oh disputes Soon Jung’s claim they are a couple. Min Joon drops his pen and drapes his coat over Ha Ri’s legs. He states her spectacular legs belong to him. She smiles. Noo Ri loves Min Joon’s smooth moves.

Min Joon steps outside. He asks Kang Woo when he will arrive. Kang Woo smiles and says he’ll be there shortly. Min Joon tells him to hurry. Min Joon calls him hyung. Aw! Sweet! Everyone one the Mad Dog Team smiles. Kang Woo smiles. Min Joon turns knowing Kang Woo will be reunited with them and the Mad Dog Team will be a full strength again.

My Thoughts

The final moves in this chess game caught the bad guys. Writer Kim Soo Jin focused on nailing Hyun Gi and it was satisfying. The final round of Mad Dog Team versus Team Evil went to Team Mad Dog. My hats off to Writer Kim for delivering an intricately plotted series. This wasn’t boring. There were so many move, counter-moves, my head spun. Bravo Writer Kim.

The Mad Dog Team – Ha Ri, Kang Woo, Moo Shin, Noo Ri, and Min Joon watched the payoff unfold. Kang Woo anticipated every move Team Evil would make. Kang Woo is the chess master. Hyun Gi and Hong Joo were publicly tried and convicted for purchasing the plane and signing the insurance renewal by the documentation, witnesses, and voice recordings. Revenge was sweet.

Chairman Cha, his daughter Hong Joo, and Hyun Gi lost the final round. Hong Joo clung to Hyun Gi as her father instructed. I’m a sucker for Hyun Gi’s need to save Hong Joo because he cares for this prickly pear of a woman. But Hyun Gi couldn’t refute the absolute proof that the Mad Dog Team revealed at the press conference. It was fitting that Hyun Gi’s last scene was apologizing to Hong Joo. Her disdain makes his feelings unreturned, but that is perfect too. Team Evil was cunning, flawed and loved to hate each other. I can’t recall feeling so positive about an Evil team yet it didn’t diminish my satisfaction as each of them had justice served.

Choi Kang Woo (Yoo Ji Tae) controlled the chess board in this final episode. Without informing the Mad Dog Team of his intent, he released the damming audio of Hyun Gi and Hong Joo discussing their illegal activities. That was the stake through their evil hearts. Kang Woo considered it well worth the 10 months he spent in jail. I agree. Kang Woo was the heart of this show. His passion drove them to uncover the truth. He was the General that led the Mad Dog Team into battle against Team Evil. Ji Tae delivered heart and soul to the cunning Kang Woo.

Kim Min Joon (Woo Do Hwan) finally gave a solid press conference performance. Min Joon was rock solid when it counted. He orchestrated the final moves and rolled with the surprise audio that nailed Hyun Gi and Hong Joo. Min Joon ended the series much richer than he began, and I’m not referring to money. He was emotionally distant and cunning in the beginning. At the end of the series, he’d found his family, the Mad Dog Team. I’m over the lack of romance between Min Joon and Ha Ri. Their glances and smiles sufficed in the end. It allowed Kang Woo’s journey back to living to be the star. Part of that journey was Min Joo and Kang Woo becoming trusted allies. Their relationship was crucial and satisfying in this series.

Jang Ha Ri (Ryu Hwa Young) made her feelings for Min Joon plan. She let him know (and everyone that watched them interact) that she cared for him. I especially liked when Min Joon unnerved Ha Ri by staring at her in the restaurant. Ha Ri was a cool customer and watching her get flustered by Min Joon was fun.

Park Soon Jung (Jo Jae Yun) had Nurse Oh by his side at the end of the series. Soon Jung and Nurse Oh are darling. Soon Jung consistently showed Nurse Oh she was his lady. She consistently rebuffed him yet stayed near him proving she agreed. Soon Jung was a pleasure to watch during this series.

On Noo Ri (Kim Hye Seong) had a low key final episode as justice centered on Hyun Gi and Hong Joo and his father’s justice was a side note. Noo Ri evolved to become a beacon of honor and warmth in this team. I loved his willingness to stand up to his father and stand by the Mad Dog Team.

Was I granted my wish list for the final episode?

* The Mad Dog Team triumphs over Team Evil. Granted. I wanted Hyun Gi, Hong Joo, Chairman Cha, the Chief Prosecutor the legal counsel/assassin to be exposed and NOT wiggle out of justice. That happened. It was a tall order for a single episode but it didn’t feel rushed and satisfied.

* The Mad Dog Team puts the crash in their rear-view mirror and finds happiness in an epilogue. Granted. Kang Woo’s release from jail was the perfect moment to close this series. The Mad Dog Team was together with the welcome additions of Professor Byeon and Nurse Oh. I enjoyed seeing Manager Park in this final episode. He wasn’t in the final scene but he was part of the Mad Dog Team. The friendship, family, and pursuit of justice among the Mad Dog Team was the component this series hinged on. The heart among the Mad Dog Team was the icing on the cake.

Ranking the episodes (on a scale from 1-10) had me rank this episode as terrific. My episode ranking chart is below.

About KJT (aka kjtamuser)

Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.

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