Tell Me What You Saw Episode 12 Recap

Tell Me What You Saw Episode 12 “Motion”

Team Lead Hwang Ha Young (Jin Seo Yeon) arrives at her office and sees the box on her desk. She opens the box. Inside is a recorder or mini phone. She presses the play button. A voice intones “name someone you want killed.” Team Lead Hwang reels back in horror.

Flashback…a bloody blindfolded woman falls to the ground. That same voice says “Well done”.

Team Lead Hwang knocks everything off her desk. She screams.

Flashback…5 years ago…Team Lead Hwang is knocked out and blind folded. She’s bloody and lying on the floor. The peppermint candy killer puts a candy in her mouth. He tells her he puts the candy in after the kill. He tells her to “name someone you want killed”. Team Lead Hwang asks to be saved. The peppermint candy killer says that’s the wrong answer. He throws her against a wall. He leaves. There’s another woman in the room with her. The woman says they’ll be killed. Team Lead Hwang counters they’ll live. She finds a knife and undoes her binding.  She crawls to the woman and undoes her binding.  They exit where they are being held captive. It looks like a construction site. The woman sees a light and says they need to get help. Team Lead Hwang tells her they must get to the road. Team Lead Hwang helps the woman to her feet. She encourages the crying woman to go forward. They struggle to get to the light. The peppermint candy killer tackles Team Lead Hwang. She’s weak and can’t defend herself. The woman binds her. Team Lead Hwang asks what she’s doing. The woman cries that he told her he’d let her live and apologizes. The peppermint candy killer asks “why do you have hope in others?” He points out the woman she struggled to save betrayed her. The woman laughs. The peppermint candy killer approaches the woman. He strangles her. Team Lead Hwang watches in horror.

The peppermint candy killer tells Team Lead Hwang to “name someone you want killed”. Team Lead Hwang yells there’s no one. The peppermint candy killer says that’s the wrong answer and continues to strangle the woman. Team Lead Hwang screams at him to stop but he won’t. He puts the cord around Team Lead Hwang’s neck and repeats his request to “name someone you want killed”. Team Lead Hwang names herself. The peppermint candy killer says that’s the wrong answer and continues to strangle the Team Lead Hwang. She thinks of Hyun Jae and says his name. The peppermint candy killer repeats Hyun Jae’s name and asks if Team Lead Hwang wants him dead. The peppermint candy killer says “he’s my goal but that’s not the answer. It would be a waste to just kill him. Try again. Name someone you want killed.” He pulls on the cord around Team Lead Hwang’s neck. She screams she doesn’t know. He tells her to live she must say the name in her mind. Team Lead Hwang begs to live. Team Lead Hwang refuses to stop until she names a name. He demands she say the name she’s thinking. Team Lead Hwang thinks of her best friend Han Yi Soo who is also Hyun Jae’s fiancée. Team Lead Hwang utters Han Yi Soo. The peppermint candy killer praises her choice and releases the cord around her neck. He injects her. As the drug takes affect Team Lead Hwang sees the masked peppermint candy killer who says “I’ll let you live because you got it right. Well done. I commend you.” He turns off the recorder. Team Lead Hwang passes out.

Team Lead Hwang wakes in the back of her car. At home a traumatized Team Lead Hwang watches Hyun Jae being interviewed. He’s asked what kind of question the peppermint candy killer asks his victims. Hyun Jae says “name someone you want killed. That is the last thing you must do before you depart this world”.

Present day…Team Lead Hwang grips her desk. Tears fill her eyes. She leaves. The camera focuses on a picture of Hyun Jae, Yi Soo and Team Lead Hwang.

OMG!!! That was shocking! Team Lead Hwang was forced to say Yi Soo’s name as the person to kill. The peppermint candy killer is beyond cruel. The empathy I feel for Team Lead Hwang. The guilt of her friend’s death, her belief at Hyun Jae’s injuries, how can this woman even function? I wanted Team Lead Hwang’s backstory…it didn’t disappoint.

Team Lead Hwang visits a man in the hospital on a ventilator.

Cue Intro…

Genius profiler Oh Hyun Jae (Jang Hyuk) sits in peppermint candy killer’s chair and stares at a picture of himself, Yi Soo and Team Lead Hwang.

Detective Cha Soo Young (Sooyoung) finds him in the basement of the cabin. Hyun Jae says this is the peppermint candy killer’s lair. Detective Cha asks if he’s contacted Team Lead Hwang. Hyun Jae asks her to commit it to memory. Detective Cha sees the pictures of Hyun Jae, the pictures and details of RIU team #1, the alter WITH THE DOLL THE BOY IN the backseat of the car that hit her mother was holding. Hyun Jae says the doll must belong to the peppermint candy killer and mean something to him. Detective Cha flashes back and sees the doll from her memory. She tells Hyun Jae she knows the doll. She declares the doll was being held by the boy in the backseat of the car that hit her mother. Hyun Jae and Detective Cha lock eyes. Hyun Jae asks about the child. Detective Cha can’t believe the peppermint candy killer was the child in the car. Hyun Jae believes it is likely. He asks her to recall the accident scene.

Flashback…A man in a black cap is driving the car. A 11-13-year-old boy is in the back seat holding the doll. When the accident happens the boy smiles.

Hyun Jae tell her the copycat killer Shin Gyeong Su could be a critical piece of the puzzle. He holds up the tiny Russian doll he found at the copycat killer’s house. Hyun Jae says there is a connection between the copycat killer and the peppermint candy killer. Hyun Jae says they need to learn when the copycat killer met the peppermint candy killer, perhaps when they were young. Hyun Jae is sure with the reveal of Kim Sang Gil (the hit and run driver) and his connection to the peppermint candy killer along with the connection between the copycat killer and the peppermint candy killer…they are getting closer to identifying the peppermint candy killer. Detective Cha asks what they should do about the cabin. Hyun Jae says this place is of no use. He imagines the peppermint candy killer listening to the police radio. He imagines holding a gun to the peppermint candy killer’s head.

Team Lead Hwang leaves the hospital room.

Hyun Jae tells Detective Cha they must determine the peppermint candy killer’s agenda, then they’ll know if they can beat him.

Hyun Jae returns to his lair. There’s a box on a table. He opens the box. It’s an ear piece. He places it in his ear. The peppermint candy killer answers.

Hyun Jae: Speak.
Peppermint candy killer: The GPS tracker you put in Eom Soo Tak’s shoe. It was a brilliant idea. I thought you were looking for him. But you got me. Now it’s my turn.
Hyun Jae: I look forward to it.
Peppermint candy killer: Find me and I’ll tell you who told me to kill Yi Soo. He laughs.

Hyun Jae says the peppermint candy killer is trembling and losing his composure.

Detective Cha returns to the office to find Detective Yang Man Soo, Detective Lee Ji Min, and Detective Jang Tae Sung investigating Chim Sa Bong (unregistered car POC and loan shark for the murdered Detective Bang). Team Lead Hwang enters and tells them to begin the briefing. Two murders are connected. Team Lead Hwang tells them to interrogate the suspects separately and get them to confess. Detective Yang wants the first officer on the scene transferred. He explains this is Detective Cha’s former partner Kang Dong Sik. Team Lead Hwang approves it.

Dong Sik arrives with the case files and Detective Cha greets him. He asks if everything is okay. He notices she’s glum. Detective Cha says she’ll explain later.

Hyun Jae arrives at Kim Sang Gil’s house and calls to him. He opens the door. Detective Cha sees an alter on the floor and asks if a female detective stopped by. Kim Sang Gil grimaces and says he doesn’t want to talk. Hyun Jae sees a letter from a hospital. Hyun Jae notes Kim Sang Gil prays. Kim Sang Gil realizes Hyun Jae is a detective. He says it’s all in the past. Hyun Jae counters this isn’t just about the hit and run. Kim Sang Gil’s face says he understands. He asks what Hyun Jae’s knows. Hyun Jae places a picture of the doll on the ground.

Flashback…a young peppermint candy killer holds the doll and laughs.

Kim Sang Gil opens his mouth in shock. Hyun Jae asks if the boy in the back of the car on the day of the hit and run was his son. Kim Sang Gil confirms this. Hyun Jae says Kim Sang Gil prays for his son. Kim Sang Gil cries that he deserted his son.

Flashback…20 years ago…the young peppermint candy killer (Yo Han) holds the dolls. His hands are bloody. His mother finds him. She asks how his hands got bloody. She asks how he got the doll. He motions to the lifeless body of a girl. The woman stares in horror. The peppermint candy killer smiles. His mother makes her way to the child and screams. The young peppermint candy killer says this doll is mine. The peppermint candy killer laughs. His mother stares at him in horror.

Flashback…20 years ago…The peppermint candy killer’s father returns home. He sees his son sitting in the living room quietly staring at something. He turns and sees his wife hanging from the ceiling.

Flashback…20 years ago… The peppermint candy killer’s father races in a car planning to kill himself and his son. But he hits Detective Cha’s mother.

Flashback…20 years ago… The peppermint candy killer’s father sits with his son in the forest. He gives his son a piece of peppermint candy, tells him to suck on it with his eyes closed. His son does as he asks. His father tries to strangle his son but he can’t. Instead he tells his son he couldn’t live with him. He abandoned his child.

Hyun Jae asks what the name of his son is. Kim Sang Gil says Kim Yo Han. Hyun Jae repeats the name, Kim Yo Han.

Team Lead Hwang asks to speak with Detective Lee in private. She asks why he gave her the list. She tells she knows he’s working for Senior Chief Choi on the side. Detective Lee says he wants to be a real detective. He shares he was once in a youth detention center and Senior Chief Choi helped him. Detective Lee says he was so thankful he because Senior Chief Choi’s loyal servant. Detective Lee says he’s only being used and doesn’t want to do it anymore. Team Lead Hwang tells him to do what is right for him. She asks about the missing item. Detective Lee says it was a cuff. Team Lead Hwang says that’s how they’ll catch the peppermint candy killer but she won’t make this public. She tells Detective Lee a detective isn’t made by another person.

Nice!

Chief Park worries to Senior Chief Choi who replies sacrifices have to be made for the organization. Chief Park isn’t thrilled. Senior Chief Choi reminds him they once had no power in the organization and he won’t go back. Senior Chief Choi vows to catch the peppermint candy killer. Chief Park asks if he has a plan. Senior Chief Choi says he knows something that even Hyun Jae doesn’t know and that how he’ll catch the peppermint candy killer.

Detective Yang and Dong Sik interrogate Chim Sa Bong. Detective Yang brings for her ledgers. He asks why she killed Detective Bang. She denies it. He asks why the other man was killed. She denies it.  Detective Yang notes that the son that inherited, Jong Soo, is working for her. He shows her pictures of the rope that matches the rope in her business. She laughs. She calls herself old and fragile so Jong Soo must be the culprit. Dong Sik counters that townspeople she warns people they’ll disappear if they can’t pay back their loans. Chim Sa Bong scoffs she’s only joking. Detective Yang says Jong Soo has confessed. He urges her to be honest to avoid jail. She asks what Jong Soo said.

Meanwhile Detective Jang and Detective Lee tell Jong Soo that Chim Sa Bong confessed everything. Detective Jang urges him to be honest to get a reduced sentence. Jong Soo says he didn’t kill.

Chim Sa Bong says she had no reason to kill either man.

Detective Yang tells Team Lead Hwang that Chim Sa Bong is tight lipped. Team Lead Hwang is distracted then agrees. Team Lead Hwang says that Dong Sik will stay until the case is closed. Detective Yang asks what is bothering Team Lead Hwang. She claims she’s okay. He knows otherwise. He warns her not to go missing like she did 5 years ago. He says his cell phone is always on.

Sweet!

Detective Cha learns both the copycat killer grew up in an orphanage, maybe both men met there.

The comatose man in the hospital wakes. Team Lead Hwang gets the call. She warns the doctor to keep the patient’s condition and identity a secret as he’s an important witness. She is the only police officer they should communicate with. The patient should be guarded. The doctor agrees.

Flashback…Hyun Jae tells Team Lead Hwang the copycat killer is being controlled by the peppermint candy killer.

Hyun Jae calls Detective Cha and reports that Kim Yo Han is Kim Sang Gil’s son and the peppermint candy killer. He says Kim Yo Han disappeared 20 years ago. Detective Cha reports the copycat killer grew up in an orphanage and wonders if both boys met there.  She tells Hyun Jae the name of the orphanage.

Team Lead Hwang meets with the copycat killer at the hospital. Senior Chief Choi arrives. He asks to speak with her.

Team Lead Hwang says the copycat killer is being controlled by the peppermint candy killer and they met long ago. Senior Chief Choi asks if the copycat killer is the bait Team Lead Hwang wants to use to catch the peppermint candy killer. Team Lead Hwang confirms this. She asks Senior Chief Choi to turn over the details about the handcuffs connected to the peppermint candy killer. Senior Chief Choi asks how she found out. Team Lead Hwang says there isn’t much time.

Hyun Jae and Detective Cha head to the orphanage. Hyun Jae hypothesizes that both boys are crazy. When they met in the orphanage, they felt a kinship with the other.

Hyun Jae and Detective Cha enter the orphanage’s church. Detective Cha introduces themselves to a Priest Dominic. They learn the oldest priest has Alzheimer’s.

Priest Dominic brings them to the oldest priest. Detective Cha introduces herself.  She asks about Kim Yo Han. The priest says he knew one day he’d have to talk about the odd boy, Kim Yo Han. Hyun Jae asks for details. The priest says he was different from everyone else but yet he was part of a close-knit trio of boys. Detective Cha asks for photos. The priest gives her a picture of the trio. Kim Yo Han is holding the doll. Detective Cha gives the picture to Hyun Jae.

Flashback…The priest demands the trio tell him who pushed another child who is now injured and may die. Shin Gyeong Su claims he did it. Kim Yo Han smiles. The other declares he did it.

The priest says Kim Yo Han was Lucifer, Shin Gyeong Su was Gabriel, and Jeong Hwan was Michael. Hyun Jae says Jeong Hwan protected the other two. The priest says Jeong Hwan had a special bond with Kim Yo Han. The priest confirms Kim Yo Han is holding the doll. The priest says Kim Yo Han was adopted by an elderly couple that lived near Dolak. Bingo! Hyun Jae asks where Jeong Hwan is. The priest says the Priest Dominic is that boy.

Hyun Jae and Detective Cha rush out of the room. They learn where the priest’s room is. Hyun Jae finds a picture being burned in the trash can of the empty room. It has a building. They search the room. Hyun Jae finds a small Russian doll. He tells Detective Cha that both men followed Kim Yo Han’s directions. Detective Cha realizes the picture is of the hospital where the copycat killer Shin Gyeong Su is at. Hyun Jae says Jeong Hwan has been watching Shin Gyeong Su per Kim Yo Han’s direction. She tells Hyun Jae that Shin Gyeong Su is unconscious. Hyun Jae counters that Shin Gyeong Su is conscious now.

The nurses find Shin Gyeong Su is missing. Detective Yang receives a call that Shin Gyeong Su is missing. Team Lead Hwang’s phone is off. Detective Yang declares they must head to the hospital. Detective Yang, Detective Jang and Detective Lee head out.

The head of RIU Team #2 reports to Senior Chief Choi that Shin Gyeong Su is missing. Senior Chief Choi yells to find him first and now.

Detective Cha is notified Shin Gyeong Su has left the hospital. Hyun Jae realizes that someone knew that Shin Gyeong Su was awake and didn’t alert them. He says there is a plot underway.

The police arrive at the hospital.

Team Lead Hwang drives Shin Gyeong Su away from the hospital. He tells her that Kim Yo Han told him to come to a particular place when he woke from his coma.

Flashback…Shin Gyeong Su tells Team Lead Hwang he’ll guide her to where the peppermint candy killer is waiting for him if she gets him out of the hospital. Team Lead Hwang agrees. Shin Gyeong Su asks how she’ll get him out of the hospital.  Team Lead Hwang directs the officers on guard to call headquarter. She takes Shin Gyeong Su away in a wheelchair. Team Lead Hwang warns Shin Gyeong Su to keep his word to meet the peppermint candy killer. Shin Gyeong Su warns Team Lead Hwang to keep her word to set him free.

Detective Cha and Hyun Jae arrive at the hospital. Hyun Jae tells Detective Cha to go in when he gets a phone call. Jeong Hwan tell Hyun Jae he must be wondering where he is.

Detective Cha see the other detectives. Detective Yang doesn’t understand where Team Lead Hwang is. They split up to determine how Shin Gyeong Su left the hospital.

Hyun Jae asks Jeong Hwan is he’s Kim Yo Han’s loyal servant. Jeong Hwan counters that’s the wrong question. Jeong Hwan says the trio cannot be separated. He tells Hyun Jae there is an important task to finish. He says if he wants to find out who ordered Yi Soo killed to turn around. Hyun Jae turns and sees Jeong Hwan in another parking lot. Jeong Hwan plays a snippet of THE recording.  Kim Yo Han says “name someone you want killed”. Jeong Hwan says if Hyun Jae catches him, he’ll play the rest of the recording. He gets in his car and leaves. Hyun Jae gives chase.

Hyun Jae overtakes Jeong Hwan in a field. He exits the car and points his weapon at Jeong Hwan who gets out of his car.

OMG…you KNOW what they are setting up!

Team Lead Hwang warns Shin Gyeong Su not to trick her. He says they are almost there.

Jeong Hwang tells Hyun Jae not to be impatient. He declares EVERYTHING was Kim Yo Han’s plan. He looks to the heaven and smiles.

Shin Gyeong Su tells Team Lead Hwang “If you’re forced to expose me, you’ll protect me, right?”

Jeong Hwang tells Hyun Jae “If you’re forced to expose me, you’ll protect me, right?”

Shin Gyeong Su tells Team Lead Hwang “even if it means risking your lives”

Jeong Hwang tells Hyun Jae “even if it means risking your lives”

Team Lead Hwang asks Shin Gyeong Su what he’s saying. She looks up and sees a jeep about to hit her. She swerves and hits a barrier. Shin Gyeong Su looks at the almost unconscious Team Lead Hwang. He looks in his hand at the poison.

Flashback…At the hospital, dressed in scrubs Kim Yo Han enters Shin Gyeong Su’s room and puts the poison in Shin Gyeong Su’s hand. They lock eyes.

Shin Gyeong Su swallows the poison. Team Lead Hwang wakes and demands to know what Shin Gyeong Su is doing. Shin Gyeong Su spits blood.

Having already swallowed the poison before exiting the car, Jeong Hwang spits blood. He falls to his knees. He repeats Kim Yo Han’s words “you will save me.” He declares his actions are directed by Kim Yo Han.

Kim Yo Han parks the jeep and walks to Team Lead Hwang’s car.

Shin Gyeong Su tells her this was all Kim Yo Han’s plan. He dies. Team Lead Hwang sees Kim Yo Han approaching her. She gets out of her car and points her weapons then falls to the ground.

Hyun Jae points his gun to Jeong Hwan’s head and demands to know where Kim Yo Han is. Jeong Hwan declares the Kim Yo Han was right, mentioning Yi Soo made Hyun Jae abandon searching for Shin Gyeong Su. He falls down dead.

Team Lead Hwang wakes next to her car. She stands up. She sees Shin Gyeong Su dead in her car. She calls Detective Yang. She tells him Shin Gyeong Su is dead and she’s at the three-way intersection.

Location, location, location!

The police arrive. Detective Yang rushes to Team Lead Hwang who is barely standing. He takes Team Lead Hwang and order the rest of the team to secure the scene. Senior Chief Choi watches from across the street.

Detective Yang finds Team Lead Hwang and asks what happened. She lies that she caught Gyeong Su when he was running away and got into an accident when driving him to the police station. Detective Yang knows she’s lying. He sighs and walks away.

Hyun Jae arrives. He tells Team Lead Hwang he knows she was behind this. Team Lead Hwang admits she almost had him but blew it. Hyun Jae tells her catching him was impossible. Hyun Jae says he’s cut off his tail. Hyun Jae walks away.

Flashback…the peppermint candy killer looks at Team Lead Hwang on the ground. He drives away.

Team Lead Hwang struggles with the consequences of her actions.

Hyun Jae drives away.

Senior Chief Choi sees him go.

Shin Gyeong Su’s body is taken out of her car.

Flashback…Senior Chief Choi tells Team Lead Hwang that handcuffs were given to him by Hyun Jae five years ago.

Flashback…5 years ago at the accident…the peppermint candy killer is handcuffed to a post. He unlocks himself.

Flashback…Senior Chief Choi tells Team Lead Hwang that the peppermint candy killer had the key for the handcuffs distributed that year.

Flashback…5 years ago at the accident…The peppermint candy killer rises and walks back to the intersection shedding his black jacket and hat. The man is a police officer! Slowly he lifts he head to reveal…it’s Dong Sik!!!!!!!!! He heads into the fray and blocks the scene from the public and smiles.

OMG!!!!!!

My Thoughts

Utterly superb episode. Writers Ko Young Jae and Han Ki Hyun revealed so much! My head is spinning. Team Lead Hwang’s backstory interaction with the peppermint candy killer, the peppermint candy killer trio, the identity of the peppermint candy killer when he was a young boy and the current day incarnation of the peppermint candy killer…Detective Cha’s former partner Dong Sik. Producer Director Kim Sang Hoon once again deftly keep everything moving, the tension building and delivered the best episode to date for this series. Did Writers Ko and Han reveal too much? How can they keep this up?

Genius profiler Oh Hyun Jae (Jang Hyuk) will do anything to learn who ordered Yi Soo killed. Hyun Jae can’t help himself, Jeong Hwan offered the truth and Hyun Jae had to follow. If Jeong Hwan had the tape recorder with the conversation AND he died, where did the recorder go? Did it have the full conversation? Would Hyun Jae recognize Team Lead Hwang’s voice?

Detective Cha Soo Young (Sooyoung) doesn’t know it but her former partner is the peppermint candy killer. I’m still in shock. I remember when Dong Sik brought Detective Cha sunglasses and encouraged her when she joined RIU. So, it’s not like he can’t act normal. Detective Cha has a good heart and hasn’t sensed the duality in Dong Sik. Hyun Jae partnered with Detective Cha and excluded Team Lead Hwang.

Team Leader Hwang Ha Young (Jin Seo Yeon) was the lynchpin for this episode. I’ve wanted her back story. Writers Ko and Han gave us a shocking piece of it. In the flashback Team Lead Hwang was the bloody woman and the other captive was the woman Team Lead Hwang flashed back to in a previous episode. How horrific of the peppermint candy killer to demand that Team Lead Hwang identify a person to kill. Team Lead Hwang resisted as much as she could, but finally named Hyun Jae. Too easy chided the peppermint candy killer and he strangled her more. Forced to say what her heart didn’t want to admit, her jealousy of Yi Soo for snagging Hyun Jae, Team Lead Hwang uttered her best friend’s name. The peppermint candy killer approved. Hyun Jae his ultimate goal and hurting him by killing Yi Soo was delicious. The guilt that Team Lead Hwang must live with. The fear of discovery that Team Lead Hwang must live with. The burning desire to catch (and no doubt kill) the peppermint candy killer is absolutely clear.

Officer Kang Dong Sik (Eum Moon Suk) is the peppermint candy killer. He’s one of the more interesting serial killers. He enjoys this. There is NO humanity. And yet, he is “concerned” about Detective Cha and has a good relationship with her. I’ve enjoyed their past interactions and was blindsided by this. Frankly I thought Detective Lee would be reveal, and was shocked to see Dong Sik. His father abandoned him and he ended up in an orphanage, one of the breeding grounds for serial killers in kdramas. His father tried to kill him and put the peppermint candy in his mouth before trying to strangle him. He couldn’t do it and abandoned his son to grow into the peppermint candy killer. What he did to Team Lead Hwang 5 years ago was difficult to watch. I’m stilling wrapping my head around the fact that personable Dong Sik is the peppermint candy killer.

I rate this episode as excellent, 10 on a 10-point scale.

About KJT (aka kjtamuser)

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

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