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Episode 7
Production JTBC
Executive producer Cho Joon-hyung
DRAMA HOUSE Production
Production Chief Park Joon-suh, Bae Ik-hyun
Adapted from Bae Young-ik's novel, "The Epidemic"
Script Park Hye-ryun
This is so annoying! Can’t we just go in there?
We’re only going to be distracting.
Let’s just watch from here.
Have they extracted the neutralizing antibody or not?
Shouldn’t they be making reports to you at least?
They don’t have time for that.
They’re not even drinking water to save time for the bathroom.
They’re going through virus neutralization, so we’ll know soon enough.
What’s this?
Looks like they are already starting to make copies of composite signals.
Does that mean they already finished tracing genetic code?
I need to make a call. You go ahead.
Dr. Choi. What is going on here?
Are we one step behind?
We’re way ahead in terms of sample size.
How is it that Gyu-jin is ahead of us?
We were too busy minding Gyu-jin and too focused on enlarging the sample size.
If we can have that much more accurate data,
We may have more accurate data
but if we’re behind in analyzing it,
that means we lost the game of speed in arriving at the same conclusion.
Antibody research is a game of speed.
Gyu-jin has beat us again.
- Dr. Yoon - Ah, Mr. Kim.
I thought you might need a hand
Don’t worry about me being your friend.
Treat me like one of them and tell me whatever you need.
He’s one of us.
If we don’t protect him, who will?
Even if others outside engage us in a legal battle shouldn't we be the ones
supporting and covering for Mr. Kang?
Why are you so eager to punish him?
As the head of an organization
I cannot let pass a person who clearly committed a crime.
What’s business is business.
Mr. Kang did not do this out of selfishness for himself.
All he wanted to do was save the lives
of people, dying right before his eyes as quickly as possible
I cannot understand how that can be a reason for disciplinary action.
Emotionally, all of us can understand the way Mr. Kang felt.
Everyone here cares about Mr. Kang as much as you do.
However, we cannot continue to have
a responsible position in the hands of someone who has committed a crime
They have chosen to make this decision because they know well how one exception can
ruin the order in our organization
So let us not discuss this problem any further.
Director!
Epidemiology team 1 will be taken over by Mr. Park, so please make a notification.
No one is more able in crisis management
than Mr. Kang.
If Dr. Yoon manages to produce a cure, it would be for the best.
But even if he fails,
Uh Ki-young, the carrier of the disease is captured.
As long as we quarantine the infected properly
the disease will stop spreading.
M virus will enter into a lull state. Therefore,
what we need now is not crisis management abilities.
What we need is a character who respects
the need to maintain order within the organization.
I think Mr. Park is fully qualified to this end.
I know since I have seen him since he was an intern.
He will do well.
Hello. This is Lee Hun-woo.
Oh, Mr. Kang. What's the occasion
for this call?
I had a question to ask.
Provided that a cure is made from the marrow of Uh Ki-young,
How likely is the cure to be effective
if the patient has already broken out with the disease?
Well, it’s hard to say for certain.
Dr. Yoon is using two tactics right now.
One is
to artificially synthesize antibodies to be injected
and having that fight the virus.
And the other is injecting the genetic vaccine
to help the patient’s body produce its own antibody.
In the end the most effective cure would be
antibodies formed by the patient himself.
We need to help form it.
If the patient is too weak, however, no matter how much we help them,
it would be difficult
if the patient has broken out already given the speed of the M virus
in its development.
Yes, I understand.
Sir!
We have the test results.
It’s negative.
Geeze.
What kind of reaction is this?
Do you have any idea how worried I was until the results came out?
Given what happened to Na-hyun, if you tested positive too,
our epidemiology team may have completely disintegrated too.
Dae-ik, are the results back for Mr. Kang yet?
Na-hyun wants to know your results.
I hope the cure comes out fast.
If her disease really starts to develop…
Mr. Kang’s results came back negative. Hang in there, Na-hyun!
Mr. Kang is all right.
Isn’t that great?
It really is so great.
Yes, Ms. Park?
I am so relieved by the test results.
Yes.
What disciplinary action have they decided on?
You will be relieved of your position
The epidemiology team will be under the responsibility of Mr. Park Do-gyeong.
Yes. Sorry for causing concern.
How about Dr. Yoon?
Artificial antibodies and vaccines take time to develop.
How is Na-hyun?
It must be very different from average patients who don’t know what happens.
She knows too well what’s coming.
- Have you notified her family? - I will do that now.
- Should I do it? - No, I should.
Since when was she infected?
It’s been a week.
So that’s why she called, told me she’ll buy me a scarf.
How is my daughter now?
I heard that you get spots all over and start bleeding.
The disease is still in its latent period.
And what took you so long to contact me? It’s been a week.
I had no idea my daughter is dying. I ate well, I slept well.
I am such an awful mother.
She only started a little while ago. Why did you have to bring her here
and put her in danger?
If she dies...
Do you have any idea how I brought her up?
She is such a precious child.
Sir.
What brings you here?
Put this on. Don’t you want to go out for some fresh air?
I’m fine.
Na-hyun, we don’t have time for this.
Stop it, Dae-ik. I’m not going.
Take Mr. Kang and leave.
We’ll only take a walk.
You’re breaking the law.
It's not something that you can decide.
- You're part of the CDC. - Don’t worry about that.
Even if we get caught,
I’m the one that gets called crazy.
I’ve been relieved of my position.
I’m not the team leader any more.
Gosh I’m tired.
I’ll sleep for just two hours.
Don’t you want to go out to see the sea?
Make sure you’re well covered.
You don’t want to catch a cold.
- I don’t want coffee. - It’s okay.
I struggled with Uh Ki-young but I'm fine.
Stay far away from me.
Farther.
Can you hear me?
What?
I can’t hear you.
- You’re funny. You know that? - That’s a bonus.
I have lots of assets. I’ve just been too busy to show them.
You don’t believe me?
I have a great sense of fashion and a great body.
I cover myself up with protective clothes, but
I have a great body, Biceps and triceps and everything.
There’s much to look at.
People are just too busy looking at my face.
You have beautiful eyelashes, too.
- That is such a telling statement. - Telling?
Ugly people have little to be complimented on.
That’s why people compliment them on eyelashes or hands.
- That’s not true. - Am I handsome, then?
Why do you laugh?
What else are you good at?
Lots of things. Standing upside down, splits.
Would you like to see?
- Here? - Yes.
I’ll pass. It would ruin the view.
Something to go with the view, huh.
Something come to your mind?
What is it?
I could sing.
There are so many mes inside
and no place for you
I have so many empty wishes
you can never feel at home
There’s nothing I can do
Darkness takes your place for rest
There’s a thorny forest of sadness
I cannot overcome inside
When wind blows, the dry branches
cry against one another
Young birds seeking a place of rest
fly away from the painful thorns
- Would you like me to take your place? - Nah.
Ah, Mr. Kim.
- Dr. Choi. - Ah, Dr. Choi
Sit, sit. We have no time to lose.
The color of the culture medium is nice.
You’re going to need another one.
There is a hair in here.
That’s got to be contaminated.
It’s been long since you’ve been in the lab, huh?
Ah, is this the artificial antibody copying program?
Yes.
I wasn’t too sure when I heard of it in the paper.
But you managed to bring it to life.
You are great, Dr. Yoon.
All that's needed is a clinical trial.
Do you have a subject?
Yes, I have someone in mind.
I guess I must be distracting you.
- See you later, Dr. Yoon - OK.
- Dr. Choi, why… - Are you upset?
Dr. Yoon will
receive fame that we could never dream of.
Will he?
He managed to make the copy of the antibody in a week. It used to take months.
- He's incredible. - Doctor...
Throwing away your conscience as a scientist once was enough.
We need to start competing with actual skills instead of cheating.
I think the game is already over.
Do you think this will have a happy ending for Dr. Yoon?
Are you trying to say no?
We haven’t even reached the climax yet. It’s far from over.
Do you know the most important characteristic of the Escaper?
- It’s a mutation. - Mutation?
I told you about the nervous disturbances, right?
Yes.
That means that a mutation may already exist.
- What does that mean? - Escaper, by nature…
- Ah, do you refer to it as M Virus here? - Yes.
The original M virus was by nature irrelevant to the nervous system.
It only attacks the respiratory system.
But it mutated into a virus that causes nervous disturbances
which make it much more powerful.
That is the distinctive trait of the Escaper,
as well as the most fearful one.
Then what about Dr. Yoon’s artificial antibody and vaccine?
It would kill the weakest virus variations.
Then?
So Dr. Yoon’s methodology that is based on the neutralizing antibody formed
before mutation is now useless.
- Then what do you intend to do? - I’ve been away a long time.
I want to make my announcement with more people present.
They're all in the situation room. Shall we?
There is no need to hurry.
Let’s take our time.
Dr. Yoon deserves some time to bask in the glory.
Sit.
Yes, Dr. Yoon.
What’s going on?
Copying the artificial antibody has been successful.
Does that mean Na-hyun will be able to live?
I will need to do clinical trials to know for sure.
On that matter, could I test it on her?
The first subject has a relatively high risk of side effects.
So it’s okay if you say no.
If she is the subject of the test, how long will it take to know of side effects?
She is still in the latent period, so we should wait until the test results...
Give me the phone.
One moment, Dr. Yoon.
Doctor, this is Na-hyun.
I would like to do it.
- Na-hyun! Think about it first. - I think I am a better subject
than those whose disease has already developed since mine is still latent.
Yes, I’ll see you at the hospital.
I’m okay now that I saw you. I’m going in now.
- Already? - They’re all waiting for me. I’ll be fine.
- You should have worn the scarf. - You are such an awful daughter.
Rule for the newbie.
Never cry on the scene.
Mr. Kang will scold me if I cry.
I’m fine, mom.
Guess what my mom ate.
Surprise her so that her tears will go away.
If you feel dizzy or nauseous, don't hold it and tell me.
You probably already know, but you’ll start getting a fever.
I know.
- I hope you can hang in there. - Yes.
And, thank you.
No, I thank you.
The fact that we can at least try something will be a great relief
to myself as well as everyone else who has the disease.
Why isn’t the temperature dropping?
There’s a fight going on inside her body.
But before she was moaning and making faces at least.
Na-hyun is fighting a war right now
With no one to help her, by herself, alone.
Ms. Lee, don’t forget. You’re not alone.
Center for Disease Control Headquarters Advisor, Dr. Kwak In-soo
Na-hyun
Na-hyun. Can you hear me?
Na-hyun?
Sir.
Yes.
You know that it'll take time to know if the artificial antibodies
inside you are winning against the virus, right?
Yes.
However, we can check if the antibodies correspond with the original neutralizing antibodies.
Or if it resulted in a mutation inside your body.
We are processing the program right now.
This graph on the top is the gene sequence of the antibodies inside your body.
The one on the bottom is the original neutralizing antibodies
we got from Mr. Uh.
If the two are a 100% match, it’s a success.
If this succeeds,
we will be witnessing a moment that will go down in history.
That would be great.
Why did you not release it to the press?
It could be the first time in the world.
Being the first in the world means that no scientist in the world has succeeded.
It could hardly be that easy.
Due to the fact that the extraction of Mr. Uh's marrow was made public,
some think the cure can be made just like that.
I take it that you think it's unlikely to succeed?
We're past the 80% point.
I'm a bit nervous.
Hope it turns out well.
Maybe you should have gone public with this?
Does this always take this long?
I don’t know. It’s the first time for everything.
I heard that this is about checking if the artificial antibody
that Na-hyun was injected with is identical...
- ...to what was his name? - Uh Ki-young.
Yes, the same as what was extracted from Uh Ki-young.
Yes.
So what is taking so long?
It’s not just about comparing the shape…
Each and every one of the DNA sequence needs to be looked at.
Well, at least we can know if they are similar, right?
I feel like my heart is going to burst.
If that’s being compared, can't we at least know how same,
or what percent is the same?
The thing with genetic sequence is if it is not exactly the same, it’s meaningless.
If you could wait just a bit longer…
It's holding too long.
Well, if it ends this way,
maybe we were too optimistic at the fact that we managed to copy the artificial antibody?
The truth is, copying the antibody is easier given the development of computer technology.
But once it becomes associated with the human body…
The thing about the human body is that it’s not that simple.
In fact, 98% is pretty impressive.
If we can find out where the 2% error came from…
Huh?
Thank God, really.
Thank you.
Both of you, thank you
We thank you for hanging in there.
When is Dr. Yoon coming?
He'll come after he observes the patients in quarantine in Busan.
Send personnel to take his place and make him come as quickly as possible.
Yes.
Take your seats.
I’ve come to visit because I was curious
about how things were going with the cure and wanted to applaud your efforts
of sleepless nights
You are working for a good cause, so take pride.
I hear the patients are all showing positive results?
Yes, most have stopped bleeding.
The red and white blood counts are nearing normal levels, too.
The immune system disturbance is normalizing.
Well, then the symptoms
will improve as the immune system improves.
I guess there will be no more problems.
Our advisors have promised to send medical teams from various hospitals.
You’ll be able to take shifts starting tomorrow.
- Hang in there. - Yes.
Will I live if I take this?
It will help your body fight off the virus.
You have your own part in this.
I thought I would become like those
dead people in that ship, the Hae Sim Ho.
When will we know if they are completely cured?
That will be different for each case.
Just as it takes a short time for some and longer for others with common cold.
Some people will come down with fever.
The M virus symptoms may worsen for some time.
We need to continue watching.
Yes. Thank you.
Phew, you weren’t picking up your phone.
The reporters were coming, and I was worried.
I was looking around Quarantine. What’s with the reporters?
The Minister sent us special instructions that we must calm public.
This was written up by the PR department.
Just add a section on the cure and read from it.
- Me? - There is no one
better-suited than you to talk about the cure.
We must watch the progress for some more time.
Can you imagine what those reporters will write if you tell them that?
But no one has been entirely cured.
You've always believed that Dr. Yoon's cure would work.
I think Dr. Yoon should be the one giving the press conference.
- In order to tell the full truth. - I am not talking about telling the truth.
I'm telling you to say what is necessary.
What is more dangerous than the virus is public panic.
But, if by the slightest chance...
- ...things go wrong… - Regardless,
someone has to do this.
That is what responsibility is about.
Hello.
I am Park Joo-hee, the member of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
I am sorry to have worried our citizens due to the inability
to explain the development process of the cure
The thing about curing a virus
is that it is difficult to make a call on success or failure the way it is for surgeries.
We were not able to rashly tell you.
I hope you will be understanding.
I would like to tell you about what you must be most interested in.
The M virus is under control.
Dr. Yoon Gyu-jin
has succeeded for the first time in the world
in copying artificial antibodies and injected the patients
resulting in results beyond expectation.
- Where is Dr. Yoon? - Let us conduct an interview.
Is Dr. Yoon not coming today?
Do you feel pains in the lungs?
If you would like to throw up or spit…
Go ahead.
What, do I look better in person than on screen?
The neutralizing antibody inside your body…
The neutralizing antibody is
when a virus enters our bodies
there are antibodies that fight against the virus.
They neutralize the virus. Ah, and neutralizing means…
But, I’m sure there are things you would like to know more than that.
Ask me whatever you would like to.
The antibodies…
Copying…
Copying… Ah, you’re asking if I made copies?
Yes, we made copies of the neutralizing antibodies in your body.
And people are getting better.
I heard that you came down with viral pneumonia…
- Am I correct? - Yes.
And you were cured?
Afterwards, have you felt stuffy or painful in the chest?
Symptoms like when you came down with pneumonia, have you had those?
I feel stuffy and it hurts like something is stabbing me.
It could be because of the stress,
but the disease may be coming back,
so let’s do a checkup.
I am so relieved.
What determines life and death are such small things.
I took a picture with Dr. Yoon.
I hear he may become a Nobel laureate. Is that true?
It could happen.
He is so dreamy.
He’s good looking, kind, smart.
I told you to go and get some rest.
Why are you back already?
My daughter has just come back from the grave. I’m not that thick.
You’re all skin and bones.
I’ll give you red ginseng as soon as we get home.
- Mom - Yes?
If you're deeply grateful to someone, do you keep thinking of him?
- Of course. Why? - Nothing.
What do you mean nothing?
Think carefully before you act.
What?
I'm grateful that he risked his life to save you too.
But, draw the line at gratitude.
Why? Don’t you like him?
I don’t dislike him.
But I don’t think he’s a match for you.
- Why? - He’s old, and a bit gloomy.
Gloomy? How?
I saw him just for a while. And he is rather intimidating.
- So let’s just leave it at that. - He does make people nervous.
Exactly. I’m at this age and I felt nervous.
So when I’m with him, I’m never bored.
What?
He doesn’t let me think of anything else.
Yes?
You’ve come.
- Do you feel alright? - Yes, sir.
You don’t have to call me sir now.
What do you mean by that?
Oh, have you been promoted?
Well, you did jump off a bridge and risk your life.
You should be promoted twelve times over.
We just refer to each other as Mr. and Ms..
It’s just how we say things.
Oh.
If you’ve been here long enough, you get to become team leaders.
Na-hyun and I are all the same. We just do our jobs.
Is there anything you need? Let me know.
Not at all. Everyone is so nice.
- Well then. - Are you leaving?
Then should I conduct an investigation here?
Excuse me.
- Oh, sir. - Yes?
I know that I may be acting rashly since she’s only just survived the occasion.
But I couldn’t resist.
Mom, what do you want to ask?
I’ll answer your questions.
Sir, you should leave.
It’s okay. Ask away.
What year were you born?
I was born in the Year of the Horse.
- Mom, what are you doing? He’s busy. - Na-hyun, what's the matter?
I don't mind answering your mother's questions.
- The Year of the Horse. - Then, forty-eight?
- That can’t be right. - Thirty-six.
- Ah, and birthday? - Mom, this is way over the line.
It's really all right, Na-hyun.
April 30th.
- The Gregorian Calendar? - Yes.
Would it be too much to ask what hour?
I heard that I was born at 8:30 a.m.
Hour of Jin.
- How about your parents? - Mom, he’s busy!
My father passed away three years ago.
My mother is still alive and well.
How about your siblings?
My daughter is not good with housework.
- She’d hardly make a good eldest daughter-in-law. - It’s not like that.
She won’t be the eldest.
I’m not the eldest.
Good day, ma'am.
He doesn’t seem to be a bad person.
Mom, how could you ask things like that to him?
What do you think he will think of me?
What do you mean?
If he can't understand my concern, he's not worth your time.
- Sir. - I told you not to call me that.
It’s become a habit.
What are you doing here, anyway?
Nothing really.
Why?
Well, the word nothing doesn’t really suit you.
Doesn’t suit me?
You never really do things unnecessarily.
- Me? - You don’t know?
You never really do anything unless you have a goal and certainty.
I don’t do anything without certainty?
- I’m a person too, I can get emotional. - Even when you get emotional,
it feels like you already made all the calculations.
Well, it’s true that your rationality is extremely developed.
- Yet I acted without thinking. - Huh?
Are you staying?
Yes, go on in.
We don’t have time. Na-hyun is dying.
He touched a carrier of the disease,
and stabbed away in search of marrow when he didn’t even know where marrow is.
The heart can tell you and you know what to do.
Who am I supposed to tell that I agreed to the marrow extraction?
Who saw this other than you and me?
But let’s try to keep this quiet.
Don’t even come near the CDC again...
- ...and apologize to Dr. Yoon. - You don’t even want to know why?
This isn't like her at all.
It feels like I’ve missed something.
It is impossible to eliminate the M virus with Dr. Yoon’s methods.
If he’s infected.
You can watch this episode at www.jtbc.co.kr
She asked for help.