The Game Towards Zero Episode 6
Detective Seo Joon Young (Lee Yun Hee) and the team arrive at Coroner Goo’s home to collect evidence. She notices the odd photo on his wall.
Kim Tae Pyung (Ok Taec Yeon) tells Lawyer Lee Yeon Hwa to find out about Coroner Goo. They only have a short window to find evidence until he’s let go. Tae Pyung asks Teacher Baek why he didn’t tell him about Joon Young. Teacher Baek says they have an ill-fated relationship. He can’t see her death, because he causes it. Teacher Baek recommends that Joon Young stop all interactions. Tae Pyung asks if Teacher Baek was unable to see the death of the woman he loved. Teacher Baek confirms that it was wonderful and made him love her more.
Teacher Baek…A young Teacher Baek and his lady love gaze into the camera.
Tae Pyung knows he likes hanging with Joon Young and that her death will gut him just like Teacher Baek’s lady love gutted him. He asks knowing that death can be change by murder was why Teacher Baek tried to commit suicide. Teacher Baek confirms that. But a young Tae Pyung saved his life. Teacher Baek says fate doesn’t change easily. He reiterates he must disengage from Joon Young. Tae Pyung won’t stop. He might be able to stop her death, and he won’t give up hope. Joon Young knows how Officers Joon and Bong die.
Death flash… Team Leader Han and Officers Joon and Bong are mortally wounded in what appears due to an explosion.
Joon Young must find out if there is a connection between the explosion, their deaths and Joon Young’s death. Teacher Baek points out that Joon Young’s death must be stopped. Teacher Baek points out that the killer won’t stop. Tae Pyung believes he can change the killer’s mind. He doesn’t want to be a murderer.
Cue Intro…
Coroner Goo Do Kyung (Im Joo Hwan) sits in the interrogation room. Chief Nam watches from behind the 2-way mirror.
The police sort through what they took from Coroner Goo’s home. Coroner Goo’s laptop and phone had no evidence. Officer Bong reports the CCTV showed Mi Jin’s murderer masked so they can’t identify who the man was. Unfortunately, the clothes the murderer wore and switched out of might have been burned. Officer Joon notes that Jo Pil Doo’s son was at Hope Orphanage, just like Joon Young was. She says there’s something she must do and leaves.
Chief Nam introduces himself to Coroner Goo. He asks about his time at Hope Orphanage. Chief Nam asks if he knew Jo Pil Doo’s son. Coroner Goo says everyone new about that boy but they weren’t friends. Officer Ji meets Joon Young as requested. Joon Young hopes to find a picture of Jo Pil Doo’d son. They look through old photos. They find some. One of them is Jo Pil Doo’s son watching her. Joon Young realizes the boy from the orphanage was Jo Pil Doo’s son.
Chief Nam wonders if Coroner Goo is Jo Pil Doo’s son. Coroner Goo looks at the two-way mirror. Chief Nam puzzles why the fingerprints of the two men don’t match.
Lawyer Lee asks why Tae Pyung wanted to know about Jo Pil Doo’s son, not Coroner Goo. Tae Pyung states it is the same man.
Flashback…Teacher Baek knows Tae Pyung and Jo Pil Doo’s son wouldn’t have met if he hadn’t taken him to Hope Orphanage. Both men agree while that is unfortunate, they don’t regret their relationship. Teacher Baek says after Tae Pyung meet Jo Pil Doo’s son, he was ill for 10 days. When he woke, he shared that Jo Pil Doo’s son would die via suicide. Teacher Baek sponsored Jo Pil Doo’s son in the hopes of changing his fate via suicide. But they lost touch.
Joon Young asks Chief Nam why he didn’t tell her that the boy at the orphanage was Jo Pil Doo’s son. He admits knowing that wasn’t helpful. Joon Young insists he should have told her. Team Leader Han and OJ arrive.
Joon Young starts the interrogation. Coroner Goo asks why he had to wait so long. Joon Young starts recording stating she’s interviewing Goo Do Kyung who is accused of killing Lee Mi Jin. Do Kyung says he first knew about Mi Jin when she asked for his help. He says he was at the hospital for professional reasons. Joon Young tells him she’ll prove he was the murderer. She knows Do Kyung was at Hope Orphanage the same time Jo Pil Doo’s son was. She asks about their relationship. Do Kyung chuckles that everyone is interested in that. Joon Young says she was at the orphanage too. Do Kyung says he wasn’t close with Jo Pil Doo’s son. Joon Young shows the photo of her and Jo Pil Doo’s son at the orphanage. She asks if he sympathized with Jo Pil Doo’s son. She says a harassing reporter took this photo. Joon Young says she’s the girl in the photo. The harassing reporter was Mi Jin’s father. Do Kyung appears to be surprised. Joon Young asks if he knew the Jo Pil Doo’s son committed suicide. Do Kyung claims not to have known. He asks for a break. Joon Young grants this. OJ and Team Leader Han follow him.
Chief Nam turns off the recording and looks at the photo of a young Joon Young and Jo Pil Doo’s son at the orphanage. He takes Do Kyung’s water cup in an evidence bag. He meets Joon Young in the hallway and tells her to continue the good work. He leaves.
Do Kyung notices his water cup is different. He denies visiting Jo Pil Doo’s son. Do Kyung asks why she keeps asking about Jo Pil Doo’s son. Forensics texts that the DNA under Mi Jin’s fingernails belong to Jo Pil Doo. Joon Young leaves the interrogation room. Do Kyung smiles.
Joon Young and Forensics don’t understand why Jo Pil Doo’s DNA was under Mi Jin’s fingernails. The DNA was found at the Mi Jin’s coffin. OJ reports that the prosecutor won’t pursue the case.
Team Leader Han uncuffs Do Kyung and releases him.
As Do Kyung exits the police station, Tae Pyung is waiting for him. He calls him by his birth name. Do Kyung asks if Tae Pyung needed to see his death again.
Joon Young doesn’t know what to make of this turn of events. She brings Jo Pil Doo’s confession to Chief Nam. She asks if he’s responsible for this. She knows he coerced Jo Pil Doo 20 years ago. Chief Nam agrees he coerced because Jo Pil Doo was the culprit. Chief Nam points out Jo Pil Doo killed her father. Joon Young asks if Jo Pil Doo was the serial killer. Chief Nam says Jo Pil Doo’s fingerprints were found on the IDs the bodies where buried at the construction site where Jo Pil Doo worked. She demands to know how Jo Pil Doo’s DNA was found under Mi Jin’s nails.
Let me say a smug Do Kyung is terribly irritating to watch. I have to take a break and come back.
Tae Pyung asks Do Kyung if he’s doing this to get revenge for his father. Do Kyung says Tae Pyung shouldn’t try and understand him. Tae Pyung confirms his vision hasn’t changed from 20 years ago. Do Kyung will commit suicide. Tae Pyung offers to help him change that short of murder. Do Kyung asks if Tae Pyung would help him win Joon Young. Tae Pyung warns Do Kyung to leave Joon Young alone or he’ll murder him. Do Kyung chuckles, he’ll either die by suicide or by Tae Pyung’s hand.
Does Do Kyung want Tae Pyung to try and kill him to change his fate?
Tae Pyung calls Joon Young and tells her to stop working hard and go home and get some rest. She says she will. He watches from the doorway of the police station. He worries he won’t be able to protect her.
The next morning Joon Young sees Tae Pyung asleep in his car. She raps on the window. He gives a lame excuse about taking a nap. He offers to drive her home. They eat ramen at her house. He admits he stayed at the police to watch over her. Tae Pyung asks he she wants to know how she dies. Joon Young says she doesn’t care. She knows her job is dangerous. She tells him not to tell her how she dies. Tae Pyung admits he can’t see her death. She’s the first person this has happened with. He says it makes him nervous.
Mi Jin’s mother numbly listens to the news reports about her daughter’s murder while she arranges flowers for her daughter’s funeral.
Mi Jin’s mother imagines her daughter healthy and happy in the house. She cries.
Mi Jin’s mother watches the crew set up for her daughter’s memorial. She listens to more news reports.
Mi Jin’s father is shocked to learn Jo Pil Doo’s DNA was found under his daughter’s fingernails. Mi Jin’s mother takes his cell phone and hears the reporter repeat he’s positive Jo Pil Doo is the murderer because Jo Pil Doo’s DNA was found under Mi Jin’s fingernails. The reporter says Jo Pil Doo is getting outpatient care at a hospital. Mi Jin’s mother yells at her husband that he’d answered his phone calls that night their daughter might be alive. She leaves in anger.
Chief Nam goes to the prison and learns Jo Pil Doo is undergoing outpatient care in a hospital. Chief Nam asks to visit Jo Pil Doo’s cell. He steals a toothbrush and puts it in a baggy.
Lawyer Lee tells Tae Pyung the police must not know that Do Kyung is Jo Pil Doo’s son. Tae Pyung wonders if they should tell the police. Lawyer Lee suggest investigating the case 15 years ago and determining if Do Kyung or Jo Pil Doo’s son died. Tae Pyung asks her to find someone that knew both boys.
Tae Pyung brings food for the team and asks where Joon Young is.
Chief Nam gives the toothbrush to lab and requests a paternity test. He’s surprised when Joon Young meets him outside the lab.
On the rooftop, Joon Young tells Chief Nam she realized when he didn’t record his interrogation of Do Kyung something was off. She knows he switched the water cup Do Kyung drank from. She asks what he’s hiding. She asks if Jo Pil Doo is Do Kyung’s father. Chief Nam is forced to admit that Do Kyung is Jo Pil Doo’s son. Chief Nam says 3 years ago he got a call…
Flashback…Do Kyung calls Chief Nam and says he knows the real culprit that killed the women. Chief Nam says there are fines for pranks like this. Do Kyung claims the real culprit is still killing. He says the real culprit isn’t Jo Pil Doo but Kim Hyung Soon. Do Kyung says the culprit runs an animal shelter in a small town. There’s a red box in the storage cabinet that has the hair of the women he’s killed. Chief Nam asks why Jo Pil Doo isn’t the murderer. Do Kyung asks if Chief Nam is more afraid of everyone knowing he arrested the wrong man. Chief Nam hangs up.
Flashback…Chief Nam goes to the animal shelter. He looks for the red box in the storage cabinet. But Kim Hyung Soon had left.
The house belonged to someone else. He believed Jo Pil Doo was the culprit. But then he wasn’t when the DNA samples didn’t match.
Flashback…Chief Nam takes a hair sample from the scene and writes Jo Pil Doo’s name on it.
Joon Young realizes Chief Nam fabricated DNA evidence against Jo Pil Doo. Chief Nam admits his rage over her father’s death, led him to do it.
Team Leader Han tells Tae Pyung that Joon Young isn’t answer her phone. Lawyer Lee calls Tae Pyung. She reports she’s still looking for someone that knew both boys. She says Joon Young was also at the orphanage 20 years ago. Lawyer Lee says Reporter Lee wrote articles about the children of the murderer and murder victim being together at the orphanage. Lawyer Lee believes Do Kyung’s anger at his treatment by Reporter Lee might have been a factor in killing Mi Jin. Lawyer Lee says Joon Young’s father died chasing a culprit that wasn’t a killer. She asks if he’ll tell Joon Young. Tae Pyung says he should.
Flashback…Jo Pil Doo yells about the murders and the guards drag him away. Tae Pyung tells Joon Young that Jo Pil Doo isn’t the serial killer.
Flashback…a young Do Kyung sees a young Joon Young asks his father why he killed her father. At the orphanage, a young Joon Young says neither of them have a father.
Do Kyung touches the picture of Christ’s body on the wall.
Joon Young watches Jo Pil Doo at the hospital. He’s obviously gravely ill. Tae Pyung calls. She tells him she’s at the hospital. Tae Pyung says he’ll be there shortly. At the hospital, he stares at a doctor. He stops him and asks if he knows if Jo Pil Doo is there. The doctor claims he doesn’t know. Joon Young sees him staring after the doctor. Tae Pyung says that’s the doctor at Jo Pil Doo’s deathbed. Tae Pyung says he thinks Jo Pil Doo dies on an operating table. Tae Pyung asks if Jo Pil Doo is in the hospital. Her answer is interrupted by a scream.
Jo Pil Doo is stabbed by Mi Jin’s mother. Blood gushes from his wound as Mi Jin’s mother stares at the man she believed killed her daughter.
Captain Lee arrives at the hospital in time to see his wife placed in the police van. He rushes after the van. His own reporters watch.
The public learns that Jo Pil Doo was murdered in the hospital.
Do Kyung learns his father was killed at the hospital. He stares at the picture of Christ’s body he has on his wall.
My Thoughts
Do Kyung bothers me. Writer Lee has given Do Kyung a tragic backstory but the adult Do Kyung’s actions and attitude eliminate my empathy. The person I felt sorry for is Mi Jin’s mother. She just murdered the man she believed murdered her daughter. But she killed the wrong man. What’s next? Will the real serial killer be the next focus? Will it be bringing DK to justice for killing Mi Jin?
Detective Seo Joon Young (Lee Yun Hee) learns Jo Pil Doo wasn’t the serial killer. Chief Nam had to admit he fabricated DNA evidence against Jo Pil Doo 20 years ago. Joon Young grappled with the realization that her father’s killer was NOT the serial killer when he ran from being arrested by her father and Chief Nam. Joon Young learned that Chief Nam had feet of clay.
Kim Tae Pyung (Ok Taec Yeon) learned that Do Kyung is Jo Pil Doo’s son. Tae Pyung didn’t tell Joon Young. He did tell her he can’t see her death. Tae Pyung’s confrontation with Do Kyung was a lesson in manipulation by Do Kyung. Tae Pyung offers to help Do Kyung change his fate. But when Do Kyung suggested winning Joon Young’s affections was his price, Tae Pyung threatened Do Kyung’s life. I wonder, is Do Kyung trying to change his fate?
Coroner Goo Do Kyung (Im Joo Hwan) was released from police custody. There was insufficient evidence to hold him. Do Kyung’s smugness is like nails on a chalkboard. That aside, now what? Do Kyung’s father has been murdered. What’s the significance of the body of Christ picture on his wall? Does it symbolize his father being stabbed in the side? An innocent sacrificed? Is Do Kyung done killing?
The second song of the OST is by Hickee and called “My Heart is Yours”:
I rate this episode as very good, 8 on a 10-point scale.
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
amusings 
If Jo Hyeon Woo 🥼💀 supposedly committed suicide; in another episode it was said there was a suicide note … did Do Kyung 🥼💀 take advantage of someone’s suicide or did Do Kyung 🥼💀 committed his first murder when he was a child❓⁉️ Will the DNA 🧬 test that Chief Nam 🧪🔁🧪 ordered, confirm that Do Kyung 🥼💀 is Jo Pil Doo’s son❓⁉️
Did Do Kyung 🥼💀 anticipate Mi Jin would scratch him, so he carried around Jo Pil Doo’s DNA 🧬 to plant under Mi Jin’s fingernails❓⁉️ Does the DNA 🧬 belong to Jo Pil Doo or the actual culprit of the serial murders❓⁉️
Why would Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 go to Do Kyung’s apartment … Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 knows what the Coroner 🥼💀 is capable of doing … “Does Do Kyung want Tae Pyung to try and kill him to change his fate?” -KJT. Is Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 trying to protect Joon Young 👮♀️ at the peril of his own life❓⁉️
In Chief Nam’s 🧪🔁🧪 desire to catch the culprit, he falsified evidence🧬 … will that ruin the chances of catching the real culprit❓⁉️ Shame on Chief Nam 🧪🔁🧪❗ Chief Nam is now a target 🎯.
I also wonder about the significance of the body of Christ painting. Time ⏳ will hopefully tell.
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did Do Kyung 🥼💀 take advantage of someone’s suicide or did Do Kyung 🥼💀 committed his first murder when he was a child❓⁉️
I been wondering the same thing.
Is Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 trying to protect Joon Young 👮♀️ at the peril of his own life❓⁉️
He is taking risk freely for her.
I also wonder about the significance of the body of Christ painting.
It does make you wonder.
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