(All locations, characters, companies,)
(and incidents in this drama are fictitious.)
My husband is going to kick me out of our home.
I'm ruined.
Myung Ju!
Myung...
(Episode 6)
"Myung Ju?"
Not "Ms. Cha",
but Myung Ju?
"Myung Ju?"
Is he her teacher?
He didn't seem like the teacher type.
He seemed very similar to my late grandfather-in-law.
You know, an ordinary elderly man from the neighborhood.
I doubt that.
I heard Ms. Cha lives in Bangbae-dong.
You're right. Who on earth is he?
I don't know who he is,
but I've never seen Ms. Cha so surprised...
since she first saw Mr. Lee.
- Right. - She was that surprised?
Sun Woong, why don't you go and ask him quietly?
What?
Right. While you're investigating him,
you can ask him very casually.
- Me? - He was allocated to your office.
Over here! Hurry.
Honey.
Why are you so late?
I'm sorry. Here.
Give that to me.
Go to that office now.
- What? - Myung Ju...
is in that office!
Go on over there. Hurry.
Go on!
Go inside!
(Prosecutor's Office, Cha Myung Ju, Kim Jung Woo, Lee Jung Hwan)
Okay. You may leave.
(Prosecutor Cha Myung Ju)
Next person, please.
Thank you. Hello.
- Welcome. - It's nice to meet you.
Hello, sir.
Hello.
Here you go.
(Suspect Investigation Report, Name: Cha Joo Hwan)
Gosh, it must be so difficult for you...
working until the morning.
It's okay.
Well, I know very well...
how hard it is for prosecutors.
My daughter is also a prosecutor.
She's in the office down the hall. Her name is Cha Myung Ju.
Pardon?
Right.
I see.
I saw you...
on TV last time.
You really seemed like a prosecutor.
How have you been?
You seem to have lost too much weight.
Are you eating well?
Yes.
You're not sick, are you?
No.
You always told me your life turned out that way because of me,
so I thought you'd leave Dad as long as I was gone.
If there's nothing more to say,
I better go back in.
I don't know if it's because my daughter is a prosecutor,
but I feel much more comfortable...
talking to you like this.
For my daughter Myung Ju's sake at least,
can you please go easy on me, sir?
I see that you don't have any other records of gambling.
Of course not.
Not only gambling,
but I'm a person...
that would never have to come to a place like this.
My friend just said he wanted to get some fresh air,
so I trusted him and followed him.
I was shocked as well.
Goodness, how unfortunate of me.
You wrote "unemployed" for your profession, right?
- Yes. - The letters are hard to read.
My gosh, what a terrible day I'm having.
We're finished here.
Okay, that will be all.
- You can leave. - Okay.
Sir, anyhow, I hope for your kind understanding.
Oh, all right. Goodbye.
- Goodbye. - Thank you.
Come here.
Say hello.
- Thank you. - Oh, sure.
This is Myung Ju's mom.
Oh, I see.
- Let's go. - Okay.
Have a good day.
Let's go.
This is unbelievable.
But do you think he's really Ms. Cha's father?
I saw him bump into Ms. Cha in the hallway,
and it really felt true.
Oh, my gosh. How did it feel exactly?
Well, what should I say...
From their eyes, I felt the love and hatred...
only family members can share.
"The love and hatred only family members can share."
What are you doing?
What?
It's nothing.
Sir, anyhow, I hope for your kind understanding.
Hey, I heard Ms. Cha's dad is some shabbily dressed old man.
I heard he seemed to have quite a story to tell.
How was he during the interview? Did you hear anything?
But is he really Ms. Cha's dad?
Did Ms. Cha say anything?
What's everyone in your office saying now?
What was he like?
- Ms. Cha's father... - Yes, what was he like?
His surname is Cha.
That girl annoys me.
Same here.
What was that about?
"I'm your father."
My gosh, that was as shocking as "Star Wars".
Right? It's quite the news, I have to say.
Mr. Lee.
Have you looked more into it?
Into what, sir?
You said her family lives in Bangbae-dong. What's going on?
Oh, that. Were they just renting?
Did her family go bankrupt or something?
Well, maybe.
Who said she's the district director's daughter?
You didn't look into it?
It looks like you don't know anything.
Well, that's all personal information.
And it doesn't look like I'll hear anything nice even if I ask.
Mr. Lee is being considerate of Ms. Cha for a change.
Right?
Usually, he gets the most kick out of things like this.
Hey, what do you guys take me for?
Let's not gossip about someone's family.
Mr. Lee.
When did we gossip?
We're just concerned. That's all.
- Right? - Yes. Of course, sir.
And as the prosecutors of this case,
- we need to check. - That's right.
And frankly, I'm a little curious.
Just a little.
Just eat your food.
Yes, sir.
Pardon me?
Article Nine of the Prosecutors' Code of Ethics...
states that all prosecutors must avoid taking on any case,
where the accused, the accuser, or any persons...
related to the case are their family members or relatives.
Sir.
Ms. Cha is the lead prosecutor of the case,
but her father is one of the accused in the illegal gambling case,
so we must make our decision before it is too late.
Well, her father wasn't one of the people...
who set up the gambling den.
He was just one of the attendees and a first-time offender,
so we were going to release him anyway.
Oh, did so many of the accused get released...
because of Ms. Cha's father?
No, that is not the case at all.
Do you actually expect us to believe that?
What did you say?
Sir, if you reassign this illegal gambling case...
to Criminal Department 1,
we will do our very best...
to make sure it's taken care of.
Well, everyone in Criminal Department 2...
worked hard together to solve this case.
Please trust us and leave it to us.
Ms. Cha.
I thought Mr. Cho and Mr. Nam should also hear this,
so I interrupted your meeting knowing it's rude.
Mr. Cho and Mr. Kim.
As of now,
I will take my hands off the mountain gambling den case.
Ms. Cha.
Well...
It's not like you taking hands off the case will help us solve it.
From what I know,
you've contributed a lot since the planning stage.
Everyone in Department 2 worked hard on it.
I don't want to cause any harm to the entire department.
Understood.
Then Ms. Cha will now be removed from the case,
and I'd like Department 2 to wrap up everything thoroughly.
Yes, sir.
But I'd like to assign...
the Muryang-dong case to Ms. Cha.
Sir, that's one of our cases.
I had assigned it to Department 1 because Department 2...
was busy with the illegal gambling case.
But now that 1 prosecutor in Department 2 has some time,
it wouldn't be necessary.
Still, this is...
Ms. Cha will do her best...
and make sure it's taken care of.
I'll do my best, sir.
(Criminal Department 2, Criminal Department 1)
Ms. Cha already organized everything.
She doesn't seem to be in a good mood now, right?
Obviously. Why even ask?
But I heard she's taking on the Muryang-dong case,
which is great.
You can sit there.
Isn't that the case where an elderly woman who tolerated...
her husband's abuse for 40 years beat him up to death?
"The Birthday Tragedy". It was on the news.
(Jang Yeong Sook, Murder)
Here. It's been a long time since we last saw...
a case like this in Jinyeong.
The police charged her with murder.
What does her attorney say?
Diminished responsibility and self-defense.
On what grounds?
People around her have stated that he physically abused her...
for many years.
And they both fought with weapons on the day of the incident.
And she got arrested at the scene. Anything else?
She tried to take her own life right before she was arrested.
You'll see it in the pictures. She tried to hang herself.
I'm doing it as fast as I can.
Gosh, I have so much to do.
Around 10pm on September 19,
you and the victim, Kim Tae Su, got into a fight at home, right?
It was your birthday, so even your son and his wife were there.
What did you two fight about on such a happy day?
Is it true that the victim...
physically abused you on a regular basis?
Let me rephrase that.
Did the victim, Kim Tae Su,
hit you often?
He hit you again...
on the day of the incident, didn't he?
So you picked up the wooden stick to protect yourself,
and then that happened?
- What is this? - Honey, please.
- Gosh. - What is this?
- Myung Ju. Cha Myung Ju! - Hold on. She's asleep.
- Wait, honey. Gosh. - What a brat!
- Honey. - Hey, your dad is home.
- Come out. - I told you that she's asleep.
Hey, come here. How dare you!
- You taught her wrong. - No, honey...
- Darn it! - Honey, please...
- Get up. Get up already. - I'm sorry, honey.
- Go in and get some sleep. - Come here!
You never...
called the police on him, right?
You've probably never reached out to a counseling center...
or even people around you for help.
For 40 long years,
you just...
put up...
with living that way.
You could have avoided it.
If you don't do anything, nothing will change.
If you don't say anything,
no one will help you.
Here is the result...
of not doing or saying anything...
and just putting up with everything.
Ms. Cha.
Why didn't you run away or something?
Ms. Cha.
- Mom. - Yes?
Should we run away...
from Dad?
Okay.
Mom.
Go inside. It's cold.
It's all just an excuse.
Why don't we take a little break?
The victim, Kim Tae Su, couldn't walk, could he?
Since he had a car accident two years ago,
he has been sitting or lying down most of the time.
When he couldn't even walk,
what were you afraid of? What held you back?
- Ms. Cha, Let's take a break. - You had many chances to run away.
Did you think things would become fine on their own?
Look what happened in the end.
After killing your husband,
you're pleading insanity and self-defense now,
but what's the point?
Ms. Cha.
If you had the courage to pick up that stick,
why didn't you call the police instead?
Well...
Excuse me.
Do you have a minute?
I have a lot to do.
Can we do it later?
The thing is, your father...
What about him?
You interrogated him yourself.
Is there still something you need to know?
Actually...
This is driving me crazy!
I can't take it anymore!
You... Hey!
Because you look down on me,
even Myung Ju looks down on me too!
You little...
- Hey, bring Myung Ju here! - Please forgive me.
Bring Myung Ju to me!
Are you done yet? I'm late.
I'm almost done.
I packed your favorite, sausages.
Gosh, I have so much to do.
I'm doing it as fast as I can.
Here you go.
- See you. - Good luck with your exam.
Watch out for cars.
When will the Muryang-dong Case suspect be summoned?
Well, in two days.
- Cancel it. - Pardon?
We already have enough evidence to indict her.
Just cancel it.
All right.
Hello, this is Cha Myung Ju.
Okay.
The victim, Kim Tae Su, couldn't walk, could he?
Since he had a car accident two years ago,
he has been sitting or lying down most of the time.
When he couldn't even walk,
what were you afraid of? What held you back?
Ms. Cha, Let's take a break.
You had many chances to run away.
Did you think things would become fine on their own?
Look what happened in the end.
After killing your husband,
you're pleading insanity and self-defense now,
but what's the point?
Ms. Cha.
If you had...
A prosecutor lashing out at a suspect so emotionally...
was unacceptable even in the '80s.
Here is what the guard at the detention center said.
"Since the interrogation by the prosecution,"
"the suspect has been experiencing great emotional shock..."
"and refuses to eat or drink."
"As a result, her health deteriorated rapidly,"
"and she had to be transferred to the hospital."
Chief, before it's too late,
please hold a disciplinary meeting for Ms. Cha...
and reallocate this case to Criminal Department 1.
Criminal Department 1 will...
handle the case...
smoothly and impeccably.
What?
I'm sorry.
I will accept whatever punishment you give me.
(Conference Room)
Ms. Cha.
I hope you don't feel too hurt.
I did consider officially raising an issue...
regarding your father,
but I decided not to.
Hey, Brown Noser!
What did you just call me?
What?
You didn't know your nickname at the training institute...
was Brown Noser?
- What? - You were...
buttering up the professors all the time.
That's why.
Are you proud of...
getting in the way of a younger prosecutor, you punk?
- "You punk"? - Yes, you punk.
You little...
Say that again, you punk!
- Well... - It's okay.
Let go. Right now.
I won't. I can't.
You little...
- Calm down. - Stop it.
- Please calm down. - Mr. Nam!
Let go, you jerk!
- Please stop. - Mr. Cho!
- Let go! - Hey!
- What are you doing? - Stop!
- Calm down! - Mr. Cho!
Mr. Cho!
Stop, you jerk!
- Calm down. - Stop now.
- Mr. Nam! - Please stop.
- Mr. Cho! - You should calm down.
- Hey! - No!
- Mr. Nam, are you okay? - Are you all right?
- Darn it. - Slowly.
Watch your step.
- I'm going to kill him! - Grab him!
He can't even fight. He dares to go up against me?
By the way, who will take the Muryang-dong Case?
- Mr. Lee. - Yes?
You take it.
But how could I take Ms. Cha's case...
out of all people?
That's why you should do it.
You and Ms. Cha will never make up anyway, right?
What? But, sir...
Good luck.
What do you mean, they'll never make up?
Have you heard of a carpenter's ruler?
A carpenter's ruler?
Professor Park Dae Cheon of Seoul National University...
gives that ruler to one of his best pupils.
It's an iron stick, about this long.
But among the people who received it,
there are prosecutor generals and chief prosecutors.
Oh, I see.
But what about it?
It turns out Cha Myung Ju didn't receive it...
but Lee Sun Woong did.
- For real? - It's a real, true story.
What's more surprising is...
- What is that? - This. It's nothing.
What if there was something...
you wanted all your life,
and you saw someone using it as a mere bottle opener?
How would you feel?
It would be like seeing someone...
blow his nose on a grand prize lottery ticket.
That's what I'm saying.
Those two were ill-fated from the start.
(Prosecutor Cha Myung Ju)
My wife and I bought a cake...
and visited my parent's home.
We got married in April.
Both my parents were so excited to spend my mom's birthday...
for the first time with their daughter-in-law.
Then when did you two leave?
We just had dinner and left early.
Since my wife is pregnant, and we couldn't stay for long.
There have been several statements from the neighbors...
that your mother was assaulted often by your father. Is that true?
Yes.
My father is a bit old-fashioned.
Then on the day of the incident,
did your father hit her?
Well, I'm not sure.
What kind of person was your father to you?
Well, how should I put it?
He had a bad temper,
but he was a very kind father to me.
And he was funny.
Thank you.
- Excuse me, Ms. Cha. - Yes?
I...
Excuse me.
Hello? Yes.
I was just about to call you.
I don't think I can make it this weekend.
There's a murder case I need to...
I mean, I have several cases to take care of.
Sorry. I'll call you later. Okay.
- So... - I need to get going.
Thank you.
Hello, ma'am.
It's nice to meet you. I'm Prosecutor Lee Sun Woong.
I'm Investigator Jang Man Ok.
Ma'am, may I speak comfortably?
I heard you live in Muryang-dong. Am I right?
I live right near here. We're practically neighbors.
Well, by any chance, do you know my father?
His surname is Lee, and his given name is Dae Cheol.
Oh, gosh. What should we do? You keep skipping your meals.
Oh, boy.
Your favorite strategy didn't work on her.
I know, this strategy hardly fails.
She must've been hurt deeply.
She's still refusing to eat.
This is really bad.
Who are you?
Don't we already have enough evidence?
Do you really need a statement?
Yes, the fingerprints from the site and DNA from the stick...
all belong to Ms. Jang,
but her motive is still unclear.
I'm sure the motive is domestic violence.
I also agree, but...
after the victim suffered a car accident two years ago,
he could barely stand up,
and he literally lived sitting down.
Well, you could hit someone sitting down, can't you?
We found a cane on the site too.
And that woman's face was really a mess.
Yes, that is true.
Compared to before he hurt his leg,
she was probably beaten much less.
But I don't understand...
why she suddenly murdered him now.
So? What are you going to do?
I'll have to keep trying to make her talk.
Do what's necessary, but go easy on her.
I heard she's still refusing to eat.
Yes.
Hey, Ms. Cha. Do you have a minute?
I'm glad you asked. Can you come in?
What?
Oh, sure.
According to her daughter-in-law,
Ms. Jang was beaten by Mr. Kim on the day of the incident too.
Mr. Kim swore at her and swung his cane,
and Ms. Jang's head was bleeding.
Then did Mr. Kim's violence spark a fight between them...
leading to this?
Their daughter-in-law doesn't know either.
As soon as Mr. Kim started hitting her,
she and her husband left.
Then I better summon their daughter-in-law...
for an investigation.
Yes. But she seems to be reluctant...
to go through an official investigation.
She and her husband have grown apart since the incident,
so she's staying at her parent's home.
That's understandable.
Thank you for your help.
Don't worry about it.
You've been very helpful to this investigation...
I just shared what I found out...
as a prosecutor who used to be on this case.
Well, that's true, but still...
Sure. I know what you mean.
- Okay. - Okay.
That's all I had to say.
Oh, right. I'll get going then.
Oh, right.
- What is it? - Oh, it's...
Here.
What is this?
Your father...
left this on my desk while I was distracted.
I wanted to give this to you sooner, but...
Okay, understood.
All right.
I should get back to my office.
I really wanted to give it to you that day...
Okay. Please leave.
Please make sure he gets it.
What's wrong?
It's nothing.
Is Jang Yeong Sook skipping meals again today?
Yes.
That's not good.
Even on your birthday,
your husband hit you in front of your son...
and daughter-in-law, didn't he?
Gosh, ma'am.
That must've been so upsetting. On your birthday, of all days.
Wait, we should eat something soon.
I'm hungry. Let's take a quick break and have some food.
All right. Ma'am, you should eat with us.
Here, take a look.
We can get pretty much anything delivered.
All right. What would you like?
- Which one? - This ox knee soup place is good.
You'll find huge cuts of meat in the soup,
and the broth is thick and rich.
Also, their radish kimchi is very good.
That's right. Their radish kimchi is to die for.
We ordered some porridge for you.
You should eat before it gets cold.
Please eat.
Do you happen to have any digestive medicine?
I feel like the food is just sitting here.
Old lady, you'll die if you keep starving yourself like that.
When was the first time you saw your father hit your mother?
Not sure. I don't really remember.
Try to remember, please.
I think it was when I was in kindergarten.
That means you watched him...
being physically abusive toward your mother for about 30 years.
I wouldn't say I "watched"...
Then did you ever step in...
to stop your father...
or call the police?
Well, I just thought...
I should stay out of it because I was only a child.
Then what about after you became an adult?
Did you take any action?
I admit that my father had aggressive tendencies,
but I couldn't call the police on my own father.
So you did nothing and let this happen...
to your mother?
On the day of the incident,
did you really see nothing?
You witnessed your father hit your mother, didn't you?
Why are you lying to us?
I wasn't trying to lie.
It's just something that always happened.
Your mother got beaten up until she was bleeding from her head,
but you just quietly got up and left.
You were probably ashamed of it.
Isn't that why you lied to us?
Why are you doing this to me though?
I didn't even do anything.
Right.
You...
did nothing.
Hello?
Is this Myung Ju?
Yes.
- Myung Ju. - Dad...
left money on the lead prosecutor's desk.
These days, things like this can get him in deep trouble.
Give me your account number... No, give me your address.
I'll return this to you as is.
We haven't moved.
We haven't changed our phone number either.
Okay, then I'll send it via registered mail or something.
I thought...
everything would be okay if I turned a blind eye to it.
Then I got used to it.
My mom getting hit and my dad hitting her.
I knew...
that it was wrong to just put up with it.
But because I did nothing, my mom...
Did you eat?
You need to eat something.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry...
Mom, I'm sorry.
Mom...
Mom, it's all my fault.
I'm sorry.
(Jinyeong Diner, Porridge, Chicken Soup)
Ma'am, there's something we forgot to tell you last time.
It's very important.
Don't be surprised.
We can even order fried chicken.
(Duchon Ox Knee Soup)
I want this one.
Okay.
- You want ox knee soup? All right. - Okay.
I'm so relieved.
I know.
It was my first birthday...
since my son got married.
Imagine how happy I would have been.
It even made me forget all the difficult times.
- Happy birthday to you - Happy birthday to you
- Happy birthday, dear Mother - Happy birthday, dear Mother
- Happy birthday to you - Happy birthday to you
- Blow out the candles. - Make a wish first.
See you.
- It's cold. Go inside. - Go inside.
- See you. - Bye.
But the problem was...
that it was impossible to predict my husband's moods.
- Why would you laugh? - Oh, my.
As soon as my son and his wife left, his mood changed completely.
- What are you so happy about? - Please stop.
I just thought, "There he goes again."
But...
Why...
Those eyes made me realize something.
- Let's go. - Honey.
I realized how I'd been living all those years.
(Happy birthday, Mother.)
I had...
completely forgotten,
but my daughter-in-law's eyes reminded me.
How stupid I had been,
being treated as less than human.
My daughter-in-law's eyes...
reminded me...
of when I was 18 and had just gotten married.
The day when I got slapped for the first time...
because the soup got cold.
At that time, I was so scared...
and shocked that I couldn't say anything.
The next day, he punched me.
The day after that, he threw an ashtray at me.
It hurt so much.
I got a cut and started bleeding from it. It was horrifying.
But...
as time went by,
I started believing that this was the life I deserved...
and I had no other option.
And that was that.
But when I saw my daughter-in-law's eyes,
I realized...
how I'd been living.
Where are you going? Come back here!
And the next thing I knew...
Are you crazy?
- Die! - Die!
Die!
Still,
you didn't mean to kill him from the beginning, did you?
He started hitting you first,
so all you wanted to do was try to stop him with that stick.
That's what happened, right?
You didn't really mean to kill him.
That's wrong.
I meant to kill him from the beginning.
Ms. Jang, think carefully.
You lived with him for decades.
You couldn't have wanted to kill him from the beginning.
I did.
Well, okay.
But when you were hitting him,
you didn't even realize where you were hitting him...
and just ended up hitting him in the head, right?
Right?
Hold on, ma'am.
Before you answer my question,
why don't you think about it for a second?
It must have been an urgent situation.
You couldn't have known where you were hitting him.
All you did was swing that stick around, wasn't it?
- Right? - You're wrong.
I only went for his head.
Well... Still...
Think about it again.
When you were hitting him,
you must have been overwhelmed with your feelings.
Like this.
- See? Like this. - Like this.
You were completely beside yourself...
and hit him in the arm and everywhere, right?
No.
I only went for his head.
Otherwise, he wouldn't die.
So I only went for his head.
I see.
"Injury resulting in death".
"A two-year prison sentence and three-year probation"?
Are you kidding me?
Her neighbors turned in a petition, and her son...
testified for her too.
This may become a problem during the inspection.
I have no choice.
Myung Ju.
Why didn't you call before you came?
Here. Drink this.
These days,
this can become a problem.
We must have caused you trouble.
This is his first offense, so it'll be fine.
I didn't do anything special.
It's the same for everyone else.
Your father...
isn't like that these days.
I'm glad.
By the way, did you have dinner?
I can prepare it right away.
It won't take long.
You should've called me.
Then I would've prepared something.
Next time I come,
I'll call you beforehand.
How could you...
do that?
I didn't even know if you were dead or alive.
You never even called.
How could you do this to me? How?
How could you...
How did you endure it alone at that young age?
Did you eat well?
Did you have a place to sleep?
I worked as a live-in tutor.
I ate well and slept in a warm house,
so you don't have to worry.
You should've called me at least.
I really wanted to pay for...
my smart daughter's tuition.
How could I ask for that?
I'm a daughter who abandoned you...
in order to live alone.
Some moments change our lives completely.
Nevertheless, we need to endure today again.
In order not to regret...
this moment or the upcoming future.
- It's time for the hidden card. - Hidden card.
Can you answer that?
It's all right.
Hand out the cards.
- Here you go. - Okay.
Wait.
Bring me good luck.
- Here, 10 cents. - 10 cents...
plus 40 cents more.
What are you doing?
I'll take that...
and bet two dollars more.
- Isn't that too much? - Gosh.
- Hey, let's get rid of this. - Wait.
- Stop. Hold on. - What?
Hold on. Don't move. I said, don't move.
- This is... - No, don't touch anything.
- Fine. - Okay.
Just don't move.
Act naturally.
- Go see who it is. - Hold your cards.
- Me? - Just act casually.
The total is 2.5 dollars.
- Whatever. - Who is it?
I'm so tired.
- Who... - Go see who it is.
Go out and check.
Who is it?
Dad.
Jae Hoon?
How did...
(Wife)
(Happy Birthday, Mother)
(Diary of a Prosecutor)
Jae Hoon is here.
Why did he come here alone?
- School violence. - What?
- How could this happen? - Gosh.
You know I love you, right?
Yeon Ji, did anyone ever take money from you...
in front of the convenience store after school?
- Did she say anything? - Not yet.
Kids don't even know what they're doing.
"I'm a minor. Who cares?"
She sat there with a face like that.
Why did Jae Hoon visit?
He just came to see his dad.
He's all grown up.
You need to teach them a strong lesson when they're young.
They're just young kids. I don't think they meant any harm.
Do you think those kids live in a fantasy world?
It's actually closer to the "Lord of the Flies".
You'll press criminal charges on those kids?
The only way for victims...
to overcome their pasts and move forward...
is through proper punishment towards the offenders.
Ms. Oh, are you familiar with school violence committees?
School violence committees? Why are you keeping this a secret?