The Game Towards Zero Episode 9
Coroner Goo Do Kyung (Im Joo Hwan) enters Tae Pyung’s house. He asks Teacher Baek where the circuit breaker is. Instead of heading there, Do Kyung heads to Tae Pyung’s bedroom. He enters and looks around.
Do Kyung is a tit for tat kind of guy, break into my house, I’ll break into yours.
Kim Tae Pyung (Ok Taec Yeon) hugs Detective Seo Joon Young (Lee Yun Hee) in sheer relief that she’s okay. Joon Young tells Tae Pyung that Teacher Baek told her she’d die because of Tae Pyung. Joon Young admits she’s scared but in fairness she’s the one that drug Tae Pyung into this mess when he didn’t want to get involved. Tae Pyung doesn’t want to play a blame game. They agree to focus on this moment. Tae Pyung says he likes her…a lot. Joon Young smiles and tells him to tell her that, in this spot, after they catch Do Kyung.
Teacher Baek finds Do Kyung in Tae Pyung’s bedroom. He says this isn’t where the circuit breaker is. Do Kyung apologizes.
Joon Young remarks the island is only accessible at low tide. He doesn’t tell her this is where he dies. They hold hands as they walk back. Tae Pyung knows he’ll return here when he misses her.
Teacher Baek is on the floor. Do Kyung crushes his shades. He asks how he knew he wasn’t a repairman. Do Kyung demands to know if Teacher Baek can see death too. Teacher Baek confirms this. Teacher Baek says he tried to avoid him. But their encounter couldn’t be avoided. Do Kyung shouts that he’s tired of those that can see his death and it makes him want to kill. Teacher Baek says Do Kyung’s ending can change, if he’s willing.
Do Kyung strides away from the house. Captain Lee watches and follows.
Lawyer Lee Yeon Hwa calls Tae Pyung and he confirms he found Joon Young. Lawyer Lee confirms she just got him and says she has something to tell him. She’s stunned when she finds Teacher Baek in the bathtub, his wrists slit. Tae Pyung hears her scream.
Tae Pyung and Joon Young arrive at the house just as the medics wheel out the dead Teacher Baek. Tae Pyung can’t believe it.
Cue Intro…
Tae Pyung rushes to the bathroom. The forensics team tells him to stand back. Officer Bong tells Joon Young Teacher Baek was dead when they arrived.
Flashback…Tae Pyung finds Teacher Baek in the bathtub with his wrists slit. Later Teacher Baek tells Tae Pyung that he saved his life.
Tae Pyung declares there’s no way that Teacher Baek committed suicide.
Do Kyung arrives home. His sweatshirt is bloody. He sews up the knife slash in his side.
Captain Lee sees the blood on the railing up to Do Kyung’s home.
Tae Pyung remembers Teacher Baek telling him that he wanted his funeral at the house. Teacher Baek told him his death wouldn’t be grand. Joon Young hands Tae Pyung Teacher Baek’s will. She says that Teacher Baek met with Lawyer Lee about his inheritance. Joon Young points out there were no traces of foul play. Tae Pyung is sure that Teacher Baek did not commit suicide. He asks Lawyer Lee for a photograph of Teacher Baek.
Do Kyung swallows medicine. He looks at himself in the mirror.
Captain Lee calls young reporter Yi Ji. She confirms there was a death at the address he gave but it was suicide. Captain Lee says it wasn’t suicide. He asks if the police came to the scene. She confirms this. He tells her to find out the connection between Do Kyung and Jo Pil Doo’s son. He wants Reporter Han to know what she’s doing. He tells her to relay this is a U boat situation and states Reporter Han will know what that means. Captain Lee stares at Do Kyung’s house.
Yi Ji asks Reporter Han what u boat means. Reporter Han says it means this is an exclusive. He’ll look into Jo Pil Doo’s son and she’ll look into Do Kyung.
Tae Pyung can’t find a photo of Teacher Baek. Lawyer Lee tells him that Teacher Baek destroyed all the photos so Tae Pyung couldn’t see his death. Lawyer Lee apologizes. Tae Pyung can’t believe the security cameras picked up nothing.
Joon Young learns if Teacher Baek didn’t kill himself, he was drugged or hit with a blunt object before his wrist was slit. Officer Bong reports Coroner Goo is the coroner of record. Joon Young is appalled. Do Kyung arrives to perform the autopsy. His assistant says he doesn’t look good. He says he may be coming down with a cold. She reports that one of the autopsies is an older man in his 60’s. She notices a stain in his shirt. He claims he spilled coffee.
Do Kyung goes into the bathroom and tend his wound and pops some pills.
Do Kyung arrives to perform Teacher Baek’s autopsy. Team Leader Han is there with Teacher Baek’s basic information. Do Kyung says it looks like suicide. Tae Pyung brings him Mr. Kim, a close friend of Teacher Baek who is a coroner. Do Kyung claims to be honored to do the autopsy with Mr. Kim. Tae Pyung tells Do Kyung not to dishonor his friend.
Chief Nam tells Joon Young that two nights ago, Do Kyung found in the hidden surveillance cameras. Chief Nam is sure Joon Young didn’t plant the cameras, but Tae Pyung did. Chief Nam knew Do Kyung would retaliate. He says Tae Pyung will become and official member of the team.
After tenderly putting the sheet over Teacher Baek’s face, Do Kyung says that Tae Pyung is smarter than he thought. He says if the autopsy determines Teacher Baek committed suicide, Tae Pyung should be embarrassed. Tae Pyung says that Teacher Baek was Do Kyung’s sponsor at the orphanage. Do Kyung is stunned. Tae Pyung walks away. Do Kyung pulls away the sheet.
Flashback…Do Kyung puts Teacher Baek in the bathtub. Teacher Baek says he tried to find away to avoid being killed by Do Kyung, he didn’t know why he had to be murdered. Do Kyung holds Teacher Baek’s wrist, slashes it, and declares Teacher Baek is dying because of Tae Pyung. Do Kyung rinses the knife in the tub of water. Teacher Baek grabs the knife and stabs Do Kyung who falls to the floor. Teacher Baek says Do Kyung will never be able to cover his death up. Do Kyung drowns Teacher Baek. He looks at Teacher Baek’s lifeless face.
Tears fill Do Kyung’s eyes.
I cannot feel anything but disdain for the present day Do Kyung. I’m glad Teacher Baek stabbed him. I’m betting he’ll get away with this just like he’s gotten away with everything else. I’m getting tired of this.
Tae Pyung holds Teacher Baek’s message to him.
Do Kyung sits alone and remembers Tae Pyung telling him that Teacher Baek took care of him when he was alone. Do Kyung opens the letters from his sponsor. He remembers Tae Pyung stating that Teacher Baek was his sponsor.
Do Kyung reads a letter from Teacher Baek. It is supportive and kind. We see Do Kyung cleaning up the murder scene. We see Do Kyung cry as he reads the letter from Teacher Baek.
NOT moved by Do Kyung’s tears.
Joon Young visits Tae Pyung. She’s sorry there weren’t any pictures of Teacher Baek. She’s sorry he wasn’t with Teacher Baek when he died. Tae Pyung says that Teacher Baek knew how he’d died. Tae Pyung wishes Teacher Baek had told him so he could have changed his fate.
Dr. Kim, Coroner Goo and the team arrive to conduct the autopsy. Joon Young, Team Leader Han, and Tae Pyung observe.
After the autopsy, Dr. Kim tells Tae Pyung and the police that there isn’t enough evidence to confirm Teacher Baek was murdered. Do Kyung informs them he’ll have the toxicity report in a couple of days.
Do Kyung got away with this just like he’s gotten away with everything else.
Tae Pyung stares into space as Joon Young and Team Leader Han watch. Lawyer Lee arrives.
Tae Pyung looks at the letter from Teacher Baek. This time he opens it.
Teacher Baek’s letter…This was my choice, so don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. You did nothing wrong. I hope you can protect the one you love.
Tae Pyung cries and asks why Teacher Baek did this. He clutches the letter and sobs.
Joon Young listens to him cry while standing in the hallway.
Teacher Baek’s funeral is at the house just like he asked.
Flashback…Teacher Baek tells Tae Pyung how he wants to be honored. They tease each other.
Tae Pyung puts money in Teacher Baek’s wallet and places in his jacket pocket. Joon Young watches. Lawyer Lee and Joon Young add their roses to Tae Pyung’s.
Lawyer Lee asks Joon Young about the autopsy. She guesses murder wasn’t the verdict. Joon Young believes that Teacher Baek destroying all photos meant he didn’t want Tae Pyung to know the truth.
Tae Pyung, Lawyer Lee, and Joon Young put Teacher Baek’s body to rest at the cemetery. Do Kyung sits alone and listens to the minister.
Captain Lee watches the ceremony. Reporter Han calls Captain Lee and reports that Do Kyung is Jo Pil Doo’s son. He turns and sees Do Kyung. Captain Lee is shocked. Do Kyung says that Captain Lee still watches from afar.
Captain Lee gets in the car with Do Kyung.
Why get in the car with a suspected murderer?
He claims he needs a bathroom break. When he returns to the car, Do Kyung injects him.
When Captain Lee wakes, he finds himself in a cage with the real serial killer Kim Hyung Soon, though he doesn’t know this. Captain Lee demands to know if Do Kyung killed his daughter. Do Kyung counters his wife killed his father. Do Kyung says the midnight killer wasn’t his father, but the man tied up next to him. Kim Hyung Soon laughs. Do Kyung says if Kim Hyung Soon manages to untie himself, Captain Lee is dead man.
Tae Pyung tells Lawyer Lee he’ll take care of the wheelchair. He puts it in Teacher Baek’s spot in the chapel. He sees the photo of Teacher Baek’s lady love. He asks Lawyer Lee if he can find her family. Maybe they’d have a photo of Teacher Baek.
Lawyer Lee finds the woman’s family. Teacher Baek arrives at the woman’s family business. He stares at the woman’s sister. Tae Pyung says Teacher Baek felt awful that his sister died. He asks if there is a photo of Teacher Baek. She asks if he can see death too. Tae Pyung confirms it. She tells him to leave. Tae Pyung tells her to be careful when she crosses the street.
At the cross walk, the sister stands there and remembers Tae Pyung’s warning. It saves her life.
Tae Pyung prays at church. He gets a text.
At the police station, the team admits they don’t have evidence but there are suspicious elements. Joon Young believes that Do Kyung had something to do with his death. The police team arrives at Tae Pyung’s house. They search for cameras that Do Kyung might have planted in retaliation for the ones he found that Tae Pyung planted. They don’t find cameras. Joon Young wonders if Tae Pyung presented to be a service technician. She follows the imagined path that Do Kyung would have taken into Tae Pyung’s room. She believes Do Kyung overpowered Teacher Baek. She imagines Do Kyung taking Tae Pyung to the bathroom. She believes the bathroom is where Do Kyung killed Teacher Baek. She wonders why Do Kyung killed him when he was alive. She knows Do Kyung wiped down the scene. She looks under the sink and loosens the drain pipe. There’s no blood. Joon Young realizes there isn’t blood because Do Kyung cleaned out the pipe.
Tae Pyung stares at the picture of Do Kyung and the woman he loved her sister texted him. He sees Do Kyung kill Teacher Baek. He hears Do Kyung say Teacher Baek is dying because of Tae Pyung. He sees Teacher Baek stab Do Kyung. He sees Do Kyung drown Teacher Baek. He sees Do Kyung clean up the crime scene. Tae Pyung sobs. He remembers Do Kyung telling him he couldn’t put a tracker on him and get away with it.
Tae Pyung goes to his house and finds the hidden camera in the light over his bed. He disables it. Do Kyung watches it happen. He finds the camera over Teacher Baek’s picture. He disables it. Do Kyung watches it happen. He finds the camera in the living room. He disables it. Do Kyung watches it happen. He finds the camera in the bathroom. He doesn’t disable it. He lets Do Kyung watch him loosen the drain pipe. He stares in the camera as he pours out the blood in the pipe.
Joon Young’s voiceover…” I thought Do Kyung cleaned the drain pipe but it was Tae Pyung.”
Angry to have his surveillance destroyed and the murder revealed, Do Kyung throws the dog dish of food at the cage.
Tae Pyung stares into the camera at Do Kyung.
Joon Young’s voiceover…” That was when Tae Pyung’s sadness turned into anger.”
My Thoughts
Do Kyung prevails AGAIN. Writer Lee let Do Kyung win AGAIN. I was irked AGAIN. Writer Lee, please give good a glimmer of hope. Evil wins too often. I wished someone had punched Do Kyung in his wounded side just once this episode. Now that I’ve got that out of my system, Teacher Baek’s death had to happen. Do Kyung had to kill him. Do Kyung is all about hurting those that hurt him. Captain Lee hurt his father and Do Kyung in the orphanage. Do Kyung killed what was precious to Captain Lee. Tae Pyung planted cameras in Do Kyung’s house. Do Kyung planted cameras in Tae Pyung’s house and killed what was precious to Tae Pyung. What is the ripple effect of this murder?
Detective Seo Joon Young (Lee Yun Hee) couldn’t find the physical evidence to prove Do Kyung killed Teacher Baek. She believed Do Kyung most likely killed Teacher Baek even though the autopsy didn’t confirm suicide. She had the right idea that Do Kyung planted surveillance cameras in Tae Pyung’s house. But when the team arrived, little did they know that Tae Pyung had already found and removed all the cameras and cleaned the drain pipe. I wish Joon Young and Tae Pyung had more foundation other than Tae Pyung liking her because he can’t see her death and is comfortable with her.
Kim Tae Pyung (Ok Taec Yeon) angered Do Kyung…again. Do Kyung’s cameras were found by Tae Pyung. The best moment of the show was when Tae Pyung let Do Kyung watch while he poured the blood from the drain pipe. Frankly, I highly doubt that Do Kyung cleaned up the bathroom so perfectly with only a trace in the drain pipe. But Writer Lee controls this, and so I do what I do so many times and distance myself when logic flaws glare. Teacher Baek stabbing Do Kyung was a welcome surprise. Will it matter? Tae Pyung’s pain at Teacher Baek’s death was felt real. I applaud Tae Pyung for finding Teacher Baek’s lost lady love’s sister and convincing her to hand over a photo of Teacher Baek when he foretold her death and thereby saved her from death. I’d be grateful enough to send a photo of Teacher Baek too. Will the gloves come off now that Teacher Baek has been murdered by Do Kyung?
Coroner Goo Do Kyung (Im Joo Hwan) captured Captain Lee and put him in the cage with Kim Hyung Soon. It makes no sense that Captain Lee got in the car with Do Kyung. Not when Captain Lee strongly suspected Do Kyung killed his daughter and killed Teacher Baek. Whatever, Writer Lee. But it did create the riveting moment when Do Kyung told Captain Lee that he was sharing a cell with Kim Hyung Soon, the real serial killer. Do Kyung’s imprisonment of the real serial killer Kim Hyung Soon is almost reasonable. Do Kyung’s tears over Teacher Baek’s letter did not move me. Cry me a river Do Kyung, cry me a river. You killed the one man that cared for you and an innocent girl. You’ll get no empathy from me.
The fifth song of the OST is sung by Floody and titled “One Day”
I rate this rate this episode as very good, 8.0 on a 10-point scale.
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
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The fact that a crippled Teacher Baek 🕶♿ was found in the bathtub alone was suspicious. Where was his wheelchair❓⁉️ Didn’t the fact that his sunglasses were crushed or missing raise any questions❓⁉️ The police said they did luminol tests for blood, which should have shown the cleanup of Do Kyung’s🥼💀 blood in the bathroom.
Yep, I’m having a hard time swallowing that Do Kyung🥼💀 was the only choice for coroner for Teacher Baek’s 🕶♿ autopsy … couldn’t they request a different coroner … not just an additional one❓⁉️ Shouldn’t Coroner Goo Do Kyung🥼💀 have been reprimanded to having Jo Pil Doo’s body cremated❓⁉️
After Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 told Do Kyung🥼💀 that Teacher Baek 🕶♿ was his sponsor, did Do Kyung🥼💀 actually feel a twinge of regret❓⁉️ I’m with you KJT, I don’t feel empathy for Do Kyung🥼💀. 🚫😢
If Captain Lee Joon Hee 📰🙎♂️ believes Do Kyung🥼💀 murdered his daughter and Teacher Baek 🕶 why, Why, WHY would he get into a car with him❓⁉️ it’s not surprising Joon Hee 📰🙎♂️ ended up in the cage with the serial murderer.
I laughed out loud when the police officer suggested they pry open Teacher Baek’s 🕶♿ eyelids so Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 could see his death, but Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 prevailed in getting a picture of Teacher Baek 🕶♿. Color 🖍 me 🎊 surprised 🎉 the police didnt find surveillance cameras in Tae Pyung’s 🔮🙌 house … until we saw Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 remove them himself. Why did Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 destroy the blood evidence from the sink pipe❓⁉️ .. it might have had Do Kyung’s 🥼💀blood. Did Teacher Baek 🕶♿ stab Do Kyung🥼💀 as evidence of his murder❓⁉️
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The police said they did luminol tests for blood, which should have shown the cleanup of Do Kyung’s🥼💀 blood in the bathroom
Unfortunately, Writer Lee lets DK get away with murder (literally) again and again. The police team seem hapless at times.
I’m with you KJT, I don’t feel empathy for Do Kyung🥼💀. 🚫😢
Im Joo Hwan does his best but he’s branded DK as the evolved-to-evil man so well, human emotions of regret don’t ring true.
WHY would he get into a car with him❓⁉️ i
Another turn off your brain moment from Writer Lee.
Color 🖍 me 🎊 surprised 🎉 the police didnt find surveillance cameras in Tae Pyung’s 🔮🙌 house … until we saw Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 remove them himself. Why did Tae Pyung 🔮🙌 destroy the blood evidence from the sink pipe❓⁉️
TP removing the cameras BEFORE the police, and the deliberate mis-order of those scenes was a clever moment from Writer Lee. TP is sporting a steeling look of determination now.
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But will it make a difference if the writer keeps letting Do Kyung🥼💀 literally getting away with murder.
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That is the most frustrating aspect of this series.
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