ALL CHARACTERS, ORGANIZATIONS, LOCATIONS, INCIDENTS, AND RELIGIONS
IN THIS DRAMA ARE FICTITIOUS
SEPTEMBER 1995 ANPYEONG-GUN, GYEONGGI-DO
EPISODE 1
Detective Kim, wait until we get there.
Don't go in alone.
Get your asses here quickly.
You see that?
Take a good look.
Not everyone is granted the opportunity
to watch themselves die.
Do you know what the average human life span is?
About 70 years?
Do you know what the fairest thing
in this shitty world we live in is?
Whether you're good-looking or ugly,
whether you're rich or poor,
and whether you're a thief or a judge,
death takes everyone within a hundred years.
You want to live, don't you?
But the billions of people who walk this earth are all going to die
in a hundred years' time.
It's just a matter of who gets to live a couple of years longer.
Wouldn't it be better to get things over with quickly?
Don't you feel at ease now?
Take your pick.
What? What is it?
Please don't kill me.
Why are you doing this to me?
Sir, please don't.
Please!
You could pass for an actress.
They're running a little late,
aren't they?
You've got a pretty face for a police officer.
Maybe that's why you were chosen as bait.
Just go to hell,
you psycho killer.
The next bullet goes to your head.
Put it down.
-Officer Han. -Detective Kim!
You'll be safe. Hang in there.
We've been playing a game of hide-and-seek for the past two years.
Now, we finally meet.
Isn't that so, Detective Kim Nak-cheon?
I left countless traces behind, but those stupid cops
were busy following the wrong leads.
But Detective Kim, you certainly are different from them, aren't you?
You're one talkative killer.
Put that ax down, or I'll put a hole in your head.
Don't you think you got too greedy?
I get that you were desperate to catch me,
but I never thought you'd go as far as to use your female colleague as bait.
Put the ax down, asshole!
Relax.
Step back. Now.
No!
You should have kept your eyes on the float after throwing your bait.
You bastard.
Don't you want to know who my next target is?
Actually, there are two.
You son of a bitch.
One of them is a kind and pretty lady who works at a grocery store
to support her family because her husband is earning a pittance.
And the other is a little girl who goes to Saetbyeol Kindergarten.
She's her daughter.
You know what?
There's a fine line between pain and pleasure.
First, I'll kill the kid, so the mother can watch her daughter die,
and then I'll kill her, too.
The pain she'll have to suffer from watching her daughter die
before her eyes would be beyond excruciating.
But the pain is only fleeting because she's going to die soon anyway.
Who do you think will suffer the greatest pain?
It's the man who will lose
both his loving daughter and wife on the same day.
He will be the one to bear the pain.
Yes, that's it. It's really nothing.
The first time is the hardest.
Take a look at yourself.
You and I are no different.
Detective Kim!
Detective Kim, put that down.
State your name.
Is your name Hwang Dae-du?
There's something...
interesting about strangulation.
At first, your body frantically writhes in desperation to live.
Resident registration number, 620813--
But at the final moment of your life, you stop resisting.
If you think it's due to enervation,
you're wrong.
You experience the overwhelming pleasure that you've never felt before.
If I had stopped strangling my victims at that precise moment,
they would have tried to kill me for stopping.
As for you people, you only give suffering to others.
You apprehend people,
lock them up, and even kill them.
It might have been a brief moment,
but I granted them a taste of incredible exhilaration.
Tell me, who is the bigger sinner?
Hwang Dae-du, keep your mouth shut.
Let's get this over with quickly. You're tantalizing me.
HWANG DAE-DU DIED DECEMBER 30, 1997
20 YEARS LATER
-What are you doing? -What the...
-Assholes! -Stop him.
-What? Are you chickening out? -What's his problem?
Come and fight me!
It's been a while, Detective Kim Nak-cheon.
I'm a bit nervous.
-He's young but great at reading fortunes. -Is he that good?
-Of course. -I heard he's amazing.
Not only is he handsome but also he is great at fortune-telling!
Excuse me, is he really that good?
Apparently, he's... Oh, I'm sorry.
They say he knows everything before you even sit down.
That is incredible.
Do you think he'll be able to stop my husband from cheating on me?
Don't worry. That's his expertise.
I speak from my friend's experience.
His face is gorgeous. He's totally my type.
It's too bad he's not an idol star.
-He's so handsome. -If he debuted,
-I would've joined his fan club. -I know! Me, too.
It would be perfect if he sings as a side job.
Just the thought of it makes me happy.
You dream of acting, don't you?
Oh, my gosh. How did you know?
Don't ask me how I know these things.
I can't tell you my business secrets.
I'm sorry.
Do you think it's possible for me to become an actress?
You have the looks to become one.
But you lack one thing.
And what is that?
You don't have dohwasal in your fortune.
Dohwasal?
It means you don't have the charm to attract others.
You need more than a pretty face or a hot body to attract people.
If you can't mesmerize the audience, you're no better than a mannequin.
Then, what should I do?
You must fill what you lack.
Give me your hand.
The fortunes of shamans and actors tend to be similar.
If you keep someone who can fill those lacking qualities close by,
you can naturally share that person's fortune.
-Go out with me for just one year. -I'm sorry?
It'll be more effective than a talisman that costs you millions of won.
Honestly, I'm not someone to have relationships
with humans of the mundane world,
but your earnestness moved me.
Look how much I made.
I just love the smell of money.
What's a thug doing here?
Is that a statue of a mountain god?
My goodness.
How may I help you?
Try and guess what your fate will be
five minutes from now.
-What? -Take a guess.
I'm so sorry.
I'll never do such a thing again, so please have mercy on me.
I beg of you.
Did you think I'd say that?
I never demanded money or valuables.
They're the ones who keep coming to me. I'm no criminal.
Then what do you call picking up girls who come to have their fortunes read?
You're a total Casanova.
Detective, you need to elaborate on the so-called laws you claim I offended.
What a nutcase.
It's the criminals like you who rant the most about the law and regulations.
Listen, you're playing a dangerous game
between law and ethics.
Are you really a cop?
What?
Jeez.
Oh, man...
Don't you call yourself a shaman?
KANG PIL-SEONG
Didn't your little spirits tell you if I'm a con artist or a cop?
Stop beating around the bush
and just tell me the facts about what criminal offenses I committed.
It's kind of ironic to be hearing a shaman talk about facts.
Okay, look.
It's not like I'm saying I'll be arresting you or anything.
I came here just to give you a warning.
That you shouldn't toy with women.
We're living in a Confucian country, after all.
Is this the police? A man who looks like a thug approached me
showing his police ID card, and he's threatening me--
My goodness.
Come on.
Master Bae, why don't we...
Let's be cool and talk it out. You startled me with that sudden call.
Don't you ever use me to sort out your personal matters again.
For goodness's sake, I'm a detective in the Violent Crimes Unit.
Why should I humiliate myself by hunting your ex down?
I won't be able to subdue my anger until I see him get screwed over.
I'm not your private investigator.
Well, then why did you vandalize the bar?
It cost me three million won to fix the damages.
That was only because I had to catch that gangster.
I had my duties as a cop.
It looked more like you were getting socked by the gangster.
Jeez...
You should know
that you're obligated to pay me exactly three million won.
Fine. So let's call it even since I did that favor for you.
I'll count that as a million.
Come on.
If you don't pay me back the money, I'll file a claim for the damages.
Do you really have to take things that far?
How could you...
Yes, Chief. I'll be there soon.
I said I'm going. You little...
I'm on my way!
I'll look forward to your help in the future.
Visit again next time!
Let's get several of these.
This will be popular.
It's 4.5 kilograms.
It's 30,000 won per kilogram,
so three times four plus half a kilo...
Your total is 135,000 won.
This, too.
I already swiped the card.
I'll pay in cash.
You should pay at least 5,000 won.
It's one of the finest we have.
Pardon?
I was just saying... 2,000 won will be enough.
Isn't that way too overpriced?
Before it was summoned from the squalid warehouse,
it was nothing but a cheap item of clothing on a clearance sale.
But after it met Hong Seo-jeong,
it transformed into a luxury clothing at my store.
The price also includes
the labor cost for an expert who has the ability
to find a true gem from a pile of ragged clothes.
The cost also includes the critical role I played in recruiting you as a partner,
after recognizing your talents.
Right, you deserve a pat on the back.
I really think you and I mutually gain from each other, you know.
You, as an online retailer, and me as an offline retailer.
What help are you trying to seek from me this time?
You seem like a shaman whenever you read my mind like this.
Hey.
Are you free from this Thursday to Sunday?
I'll be traveling to Hong Kong with my friends from college.
I thought it would be a great chance to check out the fashion trend as well.
If you're available,
I'd appreciate it if you could watch my store.
Hong Kong? With your college friends?
Well, a male college friend is still called
a friend, right?
You have a customer.
I'm off.
Is that a yes?
I'll give it some thought.
Hello, welcome.
You really have a miserable life.
It's your first day at the Violent Crimes Unit, but you're on a stakeout instead of
-having a welcome party. -It's all right, sir.
Out of all the jobs in the world, why did you become a detective?
To protect the citizens and bring justice--
Bullshit. Who would believe any of that bullshit?
This isn't a job interview.
Then why did you become a detective, Detective Choe?
It was in the year 1995
when I was 12.
One day, my father brought home a movie.
It was titled A Better Tomorrow.
Starring Leslie Cheung.
He was standing in the street on a rainy day,
wearing his leather jacket.
He beat the daylights out of his brother, who had turned into a gangster.
The pathos of the lonesome detective led me here.
Duck, Detective Choe!
It's Kim Sang-hun.
-Where? -He's shown himself.
That's Kim Sang-hun.
Kim Sang-hun...
Does he
look like him to you?
I'm sorry, sir. I mistook him for our target.
You're slow-witted, aren't you?
As a detective, being sharp-sighted is of the essence.
-I'll keep that advice in mind. -You think that'll change anything?
I apologize, sir.
Don't speak to me as if you're reading from a book.
Yes, sir.
Yes, Chief.
No sight of him yet?
The suspect will definitely show up today,
so keep an eye out for him.
Yes, sir.
Trust me. My guts tell me today's the day.
-Where's Detective Kang? -Well,
we just talked on the phone.
He said he's on a stakeout at a location the suspect's likely to run off to.
All right. Listen to me carefully.
When the suspect shows up, get him before he enters the house.
It'll get complicated if he goes inside.
Junkies tend to carry weapons, so be careful.
Yes, of course. At your service, Chief.
I heard you and Detective Kang started in the same year.
What?
You haven't met Pil-seong yet, have you?
No, sir.
He's an admirable detective.
It's like he was born to be a detective.
What's with the weather?
-It's freaking cold. -He's a man
who stakes out for over 12 hours
even in temperatures lower than minus 20 degrees Celsius.
That is how strong his work ethic is.
I haven't opened this yet, so I can swap it, right?
-Excuse me? -I'll be buying something to eat, too.
What should I get?
His determination and conviction for catching criminals are so strong
that he doesn't allow any room for complacency.
He's a perfectionist.
You're not allowed to drink alcohol here.
Okay, ma'am.
He's got the body of steel due to the decades he's put in
to master the skill of martial arts.
It startled me. What the hell is this?
He doesn't wince the slightest bit
-My goodness. -when knives are being swung around.
Such courage gives you the chills
even in the middle of a hot summer day.
It goes without saying
that my competence as a detective rivals that of Detective Kang Pil-seong.
Therefore, for you to fit right in the Violent Crimes Unit,
you must get on our good side.
Because we're the ones who have the most power.
-Okay. -You should know how to follow
all kinds of orders and buy us drinks from time to time.
For the record, I totally dig lamb skewers--
What is it?
I'm sorry. I must have been mistaken.
There's something about you that really gets on my nerves.
Why don't we play a word chain game? The loser buys the movie tickets.
Cool.
I'll go first.
Post.
"T"?
This is unbelievable. What are they doing?
-Tomorrow. -"W"?
What a load of bullshit.
Wing.
"G"?
God, have mercy on me.
Gee, gee, gee, gee, baby, baby, baby
Gosh, you're so adorable.
I'm sure he'll come by here.
Hey!
That's him, isn't it?
Yes, it is him.
I knew it. Call me Mr. Intuitive.
Yes, Chief Yu.
Nam-hyeon, he's here.
I think he noticed us, so get here right away.
Yes, sir. Let's go!
-Got it. -You're scoring on your first day.
Wait, where's my shoe?
It's here.
What the...
What's taking them so long?
I'll call you later.
-We can't wait any longer. Let's get him. -Sure.
Sang-hun, it's been a while. You're Kim Sang-hun, right?
Get him!
-Chief! -Get that douchebag!
-You bastard! -Get him!
-Follow me. -Okay.
Come on!
Gosh!
Hey!
You little shit!
Damn it.
You little shit!
Pil-seong, the suspect surfaced, and he's headed your way!
Damn it!
Hey, Sang-hun.
-Why are you in such a hurry? -Damn it.
You're really busy, aren't you?
You idiot.
Hey!
Damn it. You little bastard!
You little shit!
Damn it!
Let go!
Fuck!
You piece of shit.
You bastard!
Miss, hit this little piece of shit!
Please help me!
-Come on, hit him! -Help me!
Hurry, hit this jerk!
Please help me.
-Who's the bad guy? -Hit him!
-You... -Help me, please!
I told you to hit this guy.
Where are they?
Hey, over there!
Get him. Go!
No!
Are you all right, sir?
You idiot!
You hit the wrong guy, you imbecile!
What the hell did you teach him?
-That idiot... -I got him, sir!
-Are you all right? Are you hurt? -I'm fine.
Hurry along.
Come on.
You're both here for assault.
Hurry inside.
Isn't it obvious?
Anyone would say that...
he has the face of a criminal.
Of course. Anyone would agree--
Are you out of your mind?
Hey, just stay down.
This is humiliating.
Pil-seong, starting tomorrow, dress neatly, all right?
Get a haircut and shave...
Hey, I get why she was confused,
but how could you fail to distinguish between a criminal and a fellow detective?
I'm mortified.
Go apologize to him, you little punk.
Sir, I apologize for disrespecting
and disappointing you.
I will do better
and be a detective you can be proud of.
Nam-hyeon,
does he always talk like this?
Mr. Formality,
you and I will talk later on this matter.
I'm curious as to whether I'll be able to see you
physically take down a suspect before I retire.
Will that day come?
Jeez, stop it, will you?
Chief, what about this young lady?
She has to pay for my medical expenses.
It only happened because she was trying to help.
There aren't many citizens who are this brave.
What's so brave about assaulting a police officer?
Why are you staring at me like that? You're getting on my nerves.
Well, I...
I'll pay for your medical expenses.
Oh, please. It's fine.
He's just acting like that because he's embarrassed.
I think we're done here,
so you may head home now.
Hold on a second.
Pil-seong, it seems like she lives
in the same neighborhood as you.
Be a gentleman and respectfully drop her off at home.
All right?
What?
I could've made it home by myself.
But you still got in the car.
And now I feel uncomfortable.
What do you do for a living?
I run an online clothing store.
I still can't adapt to online shopping.
There are so many frauds.
There are, right?
Are you always this prickly and biased?
It comes with the job, all right?
Darn it.
-Pack everything up. -All right.
Just let them be for crying out loud!
-Jeez. -Hurry up.
We can't make a living if you keep doing this.
All right, I get it.
Yes, this too?
Ma'am, officers are busting street vendors,
so come back later.
-Oh, thank you! -No problem. Come back later.
All right. My goodness.
Last year, a man got stabbed on the street.
-Why? -For staring.
I carry a gun, you know.
Don't I scare you?
Of course you do. You hit my head with a mop.
That's not what I mean.
Do I...
really not scare you?
Are we having a staring contest?
That's odd.
This isn't your calling.
What?
Well...
Your spirit is too pure
for a tough job like this.
What's with this neighborhood and its fortune-tellers?
Are you
related to that Master Bae?
Who's that?
He's a pseudo fortune-teller.
Shit, who's talking about me?
Just get back here.
You say you can see spirits and souls,
so how could you mistake me
for the criminal?
Well,
I had my switch turned off at the time.
What the hell is she saying?
Anyway, do I...
really look like a thug?
Are my looks that devastating?
Yes.
Whatever.
Just stop staring at me. You're making me feel uncomfortable.
-Let's go. -It's still a red light.
Do you see a ghost or something?
What a sweet ride. When will I ever get to ride one like that?
Bloodthirst...
You live five minutes away from my house.
Goodbye, then.
Do you...
experience sleep paralysis often?
What?
Do you often have hallucinations
or jump easily at things?
Is she for real?
Forget it, then.
Here.
What's this?
It's my business card.
If you have severe symptoms like that,
please contact me.
If I do, will you pay for my treatment?
I'm not sure if it can be treated, but...
Anyway,
-I'll get going. -Goodbye.
HONG SEO-JEONG
There are so many nutjobs in this world.
This is so annoying.
Do you experience sleep paralysis often?
Do you often have hallucinations
or jump easily at things?
Damn it.
Gosh.
What the hell?
What was that?
Damn it.
This is all because of that nutjob!
Gosh.
Shit!
Damn it.
It's in a state of chaos.
Damn it.
It suddenly...
Why is there nothing to watch?
Easy and simple, right?
Let's see what they mean, then.
The landlord says this.
"Thank you for coming."
Let's change the numbers, then.
F-prime of zero is what?
One times one divided by one squared.
What does that make? That means
the answer is one.
That'll be it for today.
Good luck on your mock exam tomorrow.
What do you start with? The easy questions.
-Don't waste time on the difficult ones. -Okay.
You all did great. Good luck tomorrow.
Right.
Please don't kill me.
I'll do whatever you want.
Just please don't kill me.
I'll do whatever you want. Please don't kill me.
Please...
Please don't kill me!
No, wait. Please don't. Help!
You're here.
This is totally crazy.
What kind of psycho would do...
Has she been identified?
You know the cram schools behind the tax office?
She taught math at one of those.
My daughter was in her class up until last month.
Damn it.
My gosh.
So, did anything get caught on the cameras?
The surveillance camera at the park's entrance caught that car entering,
but no other cars entered or left.
Then there are two possibilities.
The culprit either rode with her in the car
or waited here,
knowing that she'd come here.
Then there's a fair chance
that they knew each other and planned to meet here.
If they met at night in such a secluded area,
I want to cautiously express my idea that this could have had
something to do with a love affair.
Why don't you just cautiously stay out of this?
No matter how the killer got here,
he or she leaving should've been caught on the cameras.
But no one showed up around the estimated time of the murder.
-And there aren't any other exits? -Not as far as we know.
Where did the killer go, then? Did they cross the river or what?
Scalpel.
Suction.
Doctor.
How did the surgery go, Doctor?
It went well. You don't have to worry.
-My gosh. -Thank you, Doctor.
-Thank you. -Thank you.
-Hello. -How may I help you?
You can head to the doctor's office.
-Thank you. -No problem.
DO NOT ENTER INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS
It's driving me crazy! Where did the killer go?
Can the chief be right?
Did they really swim across the river?
Hold on.
Did you not hear something just now?
Shit!
What are you, five?
Even five-year-olds wouldn't get startled by that.
Don't do that.
There's a path over there, too.
Hey,
I'll go this way.
What?
Hey, wait for me!
Did you see him fall down?
Seriously. Stop talking about that.
I'll tie up your hair nicely.
I know it's unpleasant,
but we can't find any leads unless we conduct the autopsy.
We hope you understand.
She never once...
said any mean things to others.
She was so kind.
How could someone be sick enough to...
I'm sorry.
My gosh.
What a pretty doll! What's her name?
Cutie.
You're way cuter though. What's your name?
Eun-yu. It's Kim Eun-yu. I'm five.
What a pretty name you have. I see you know how to play by yourself.
You can't tell my dad this,
but my mom promised to buy me another doll tomorrow
for brushing my teeth on my own like a big girl.
Really? But why can't your dad know?
He says that I already have many dolls at home.
What a Scrooge.
What's a Scrooge?
You don't need to know.
Why isn't my dad coming out?
He's just talking to the detective.
He'll be out soon.
My mom will raise her voice at him again.
"Where were you with Eun-yu again?"
Daddy!
Mom's waiting for us. Let's go home.
Sure, let's go.
My dad can't know what I told you, okay?
Would you like a glass of wine?
I want to,
but I have a seminar to get ready for.
Sorry.
SERIAL KILLER HWANG DAE-DU
SERIAL KILLER HWANG DAE-DU'S TRIAL BEGINS
HWANG DAE-DU HAS NO MENTAL DISORDER
CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS, MURDERED THREE PEOPLE IN ONE NIGHT
HWANG DAE-DU IS SENTENCED TO DEATH
HWANG RECEIVED MAXIMUM PENALTY
It's been a while, Detective Kim Nak-cheon.
Who are you?
Seriously?
I'm Hwang Dae-du.
Hwang Dae-du doesn't hide himself from his prey.
He enjoys
watching the fear on his victims' faces.
You already failed as a copycat.
Is that so?
Study up on him more. Then I'll play along.
You may be a mess, but you've still got it.
Well, whatever.
I'll send you to Hwang Dae-du's side,
so enjoy the reunion.
I'll see you soon.
Hello?
What? This costs 200 thousand won?
My gosh. You startled me.
What are you doing here?
What would I do at a clothing shop? I'm looking for clothes.
For whom?
My girlfriend.
She only wears designer clothes.
I'm not sure if she'll wear stuff like this.
What is it this time?
You don't have a girlfriend.
You're unbelievable. Just what do you take me for?
Are you saying I'm a pervert?
Why would I walk in here if I don't have a girlfriend?
You came here because you wanted to have a drink with me.
My hunches tend to be right.
I can figure out if a guy is the culprit or not
just by looking at his eyes.
I get this gut feeling. I can see through everyone.
You could say that I'm almost psychic.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
You know,
there are two things in life I really do not believe in.
Shamans and ghosts.
That's odd.
I'm sure you must've seen them.
There you go again.
You're still young. Don't you have better things to do?
Did Hometown Legends leave an impression on you
when you were young?
Look.
Ghosts really do exist.
Well, have you seen ghosts, then?
See? You've never seen them either.
I can see ghosts even now.
My goodness. Where are they then? Tell me.
There.
There's a ghost on your right side.
You're ridiculous.
There's one more on your left side. Wait.
-What? This one is carrying something. -My gosh.
-My gosh! -You scared me!
Damn it.
The squid is hot. Slice it before you eat it.
Okay.
Come on. You scared the crap out of me.
I'm warning you. Stop trying to pull a prank on me.
Do you know what kind of people I hate the most?
It's those who take advantage of the desperation of others.
There are so many people who get deceived
by shamans and lose millions on fake exorcisms.
People like that come to the precinct every day. You know that?
But even if shamans deceive them, it does not constitute fraud.
Those shamans are conning them within legal boundaries.
Why? Are you interested in that industry?
Should I introduce you to someone?
I know an experienced coach.
I mentioned him before, Master Bae.
I got it. Let's stop here.
What was the point of your prank? I saw right through it.
If you think you're that good,
why don't you read my fortune?
The repertoire shamans use is all very predictable.
They say something like this. "You must be going through a rough time."
Everyone goes through rough times. Who doesn't?
They go on and on about how you have a problem or something.
They visit the fortune-tellers because they have a problem.
Do people go to fortune-tellers to brag about how happy they are?
Look here.
You probably think that you have a special talent in fortune-telling
after reading some weird books on it,
but don't get stupid ideas. Live an honest life.
Don't turn into one of those frauds.
Considering how she left you,
it's only natural that you still carry that heavy burden in your mind.
What?
You're feeling a mix of resentment, rage, and yearning.
You want to heal your wound, but you don't know how.
You try to act tough to pretend that it no longer affects you.
A seven-year-old boy
was the first to find his mother after she killed herself.
The pain must have been more than you could handle.
Your heart has been bruised,
and you've become emotionally numb.
Who are you?
How did you know that?
She's safe and doing well.
Good work.
You may go rest.
Something ominous is happening.
According to the autopsy...
-A metal object was the cause of death. -A random killing?
The pattern is that of a typical serial killer.
Why am I seeing ghosts?
Your third eye has opened.
What? Are you saying I'll see ghosts for the rest of my life?
Have you heard of a detective named Kim Nak-cheon?
He's the one who caught Hwang Dae-du.
He was a serial killer who murdered 30 people in 5 years.
Why would you bring me to a murder scene?
Please come look at this!
That lunatic!
Subtitle translation by Hye-lim Park