The Decide from Hell: Episodes 7-8
by DaebakGrits
We’ve received not one — however two! — killers on the prowl this week, and whereas one is the mysterious serial killer from our detective’s previous, the opposite is a person with sufficient cash and affect to consider he’s above the regulation. Nicely, not if our demon choose has something to say about it…
EPISODES 7-8
Elevate your hand if, after final week’s cliffhanger, you absolutely anticipated Bit-na’s neighbor to get murdered within the identify of plot development? (*raises hand*) Surprisingly, the only mom lives to see one other episode because of the harrowing (extra like bumbling coincidental) efforts of Man-do and the landlady, who simply so occurred to listen to Single Mom’s cries for assist whereas on their means dwelling from Bible examine. I don’t know who this determine in black is, however one factor’s for certain, he appears type of amateurish. I imply, what seasoned killer drags a girl kicking and screaming to a effectively lit alleyway, after which, when he’s caught mid-act, sticks round lengthy sufficient for 2 idiots to whip out a cellular phone and shine a lightweight in his eyes?
Regardless of these rookie errors, the writers and Detective So-young need us to consider that this man in black is the elusive “J” serial killer that murdered Da-on’s household as a result of his knife — which seems suspiciously demonic in origins, BTW — matches the weapon used to kill Da-on’s mother and father and brother. When So-young makes the connection, she and her colleagues deliberately depart Da-on out of the loop, however the different detectives aren’t so nice at subtlety, and they need to be grateful that Da-on is distracted by one other serial killer: Bit-na.
After Bit-na intervenes and rescues So-young’s daughter from a bullying incident, Da-on is again to seeing Bit-na in a barely extra optimistic gentle. You already know, traditional case of the hero seeing a sliver of goodness in a textbook evil being and getting it in his head that he can save her from her innate nature. It’s with these ideas in thoughts that Da-on seeks counsel with Basement Halmoni, remembering her earlier prediction that both he or Bit-na would die if they continue to be collectively. For some purpose, Da-on instinctively is aware of that Basement Halmoni’s earlier assertion was greater than the senile ramblings of an older lady who merely disapproves of the cocksure choose dwelling on the second ground.
To be honest, it’s been fairly apparent from the get-go that there’s one thing mad-sus about Basement Halmoni, however Da-on doesn’t have the identical omniscient data as us, the viewers with an internet certification in Ok-drama tropes and foreshadowing. So it’s a little bit of a logic-facepalm that he freely drops the demon bomb round her. Yeah, that’s proper. He spills every thing — Bit-na’s demon identification, the truth that she killed him after which introduced him again to life, you already know, stuff you don’t usually convey up round your neighborhood grandma — underneath the blind religion that she’s going to consider him. And he or she does.
Utterly unfazed, Basement Halmoni explains that she knew Da-on’s mother and father and that a very long time in the past somebody requested her to guard him “it doesn’t matter what.” In an effort to fulfill that promise, she tells Da-on to maneuver out and get distant from Bit-na if he desires to dwell and keep away from her pessimistic premonition. Having stated her peace, Basement Halmoni dismisses him, and as soon as he’s gone, she turns to take a look at her reflection within the mirror and we see her true kind, which is — dare I say it? — angelic wanting.
Though Basement Halmoni couldn’t have been any clearer, Da-on chooses to disregard her recommendation and opts to plow forward along with his investigation. However first, a mountain climbing journey with all of the constructing tenants — together with Bit-na, who, regardless of what she could have informed him the evening earlier than, completely desires to be round him. It’s this very hot-and-cold side of her persona that, Da-on admits, retains him confused. Simply when he thinks Bit-na’s newest demon antics are the ultimate straw for him, she does one thing good (like aiding So-young’s daughter) that makes him take care of her and need to divulge heart’s contents to her.
He’s presently again to being enamored along with her, so in a second of vulnerability he reveals extra about his household’s deaths and the guilt he harbors for not with the ability to save them. Bit-na doesn’t got down to console him, however provided that she couldn’t stab him and ship him to hell, she spits straight information when she confidently assures him that he didn’t kill his household. These are magic therapeutic phrases for Da-on’s spirit, and — coupled with spirits of the alcoholic selection — Da-on turns into a blubbering love-sick pet. Earlier than he spouts extra nonsense that may embarrass her, Bit-na lugs his drunk ass to his house, the place he asks her to select both the good or naughty lane and keep in it. Bit-na insists she’s dangerous, however Da-on is equally emphatic that he sees the great in her. It’s only a disgrace he’s so assured that she killed these three individuals.
Bit-na, who has been confused this entire time by Da-on’s confidence that she’s behind the forehand branding murders, discovers the supply of his conviction when she opens his closet and finds the crushed Cola Z can he discovered on the scene of her second homicide. As you possibly can think about, Man-do will get fairly the earful for his failure to correctly recycle her can, however Ah-rong thinks he received off evenly. Usually, Bit-na could be lots madder, and why did she ask the lesser demons to go away Da-on alone? Suspicious, Ah-rong tells Man-do to report again to her if he ever sees Bit-na cry.
In the interim, although, Bit-na is again to her baddie methods as a result of a brand new murderer-of-the-week has entered her courtroom. This time our killer is a sadistic CEO (cameo by Oh Eui-shik) who kidnapped, tortured, and murdered the chief of the union employees (cameo by Kang Shin-il) protesting the working situations of his firm. Sadistic CEO had some thugs do the kidnapping and homicide half, however he personally used the union employee as a goal on the driving vary earlier than having his thugs disguise his homicide as a suicide. Regardless of the coverup, it’s apparent to everybody CEO is responsible. There’s even an audio recording on the sufferer’s cellphone proving that Sadistic CEO beat up the union employee. Sadly, Sadistic CEO has everybody — from the police chief to the prosecutor — in his again pocket, and there’s no proof proving the union employee’s demise was something apart from a suicide.
Determined to study the reality, Da-on turns to his resident demon if she has any type of superpower that might show his suspicions. Positive sufficient, Bit-na has one other parlor trick up her sleeve, and when she touches the physique of the union employee, she’s capable of see the moments main as much as his homicide. Nevertheless, she lies to Da-on and tells him that it was a suicide as a result of she doesn’t need Da-on to intrude along with her plans to ship Sadistic CEO straight to h-e-double-hockey-sticks. She actually needn’t fear, although, as a result of even after Da-on finds a witness who vouches that the union employee was not suicidal, stated witness is threatened into giving a false testimony.
And so, Bit-na lets Sadistic CEO off with a slight slap on the wrist and begins plotting an one other elaborate torture and demise state of affairs, however she isn’t the one one who has been invested within the final result of her case. You see, her demonic cleansing crew, who’ve day jobs as — anticipate it — cleaners, knew the union employee and his household and confirmed their respective concern in a ways in which have been decidedly not demon-like. One in every of them personally killed Sadistic CEO’s employed thugs whereas the opposite donated cash to the hospital the place the union employee’s sick daughter was getting most cancers remedies. Mentioned daughter was additionally miraculously cured of her sickness because of the divine intervention of Basement Halmoni, who positively performs for Staff Angel.
In the meantime, Da-on nonetheless isn’t on board with the demonic judicial system, so he tries, as soon as once more, to persuade Bit-na to show over a brand new, much less evil leaf. Bit-na could also be softening, however she’s not on the level of abandoning her egocentric need to finish her quest and return to hell. As a substitute, having discovered that he’s the surviving witness within the serial killer case she’s been researching, she baits him with a counter supply to catch his household’s killer on his behalf. Da-on is shaken however he doesn’t chunk, insisting that he’ll catch the assassin on his personal and see that he’s punished the great ol’ original human means.
I discover his belief within the judicial system, nonetheless, a bit at odds with what we’ve seen on this drama to this point. Lest we neglect, after we first met Da-on, he was on trial in Bit-na’s court docket, and he appeared stunned by her ruling, suggesting that he was not anticipating the regulation to be in his favor. Add that to the quite a few occasions since that Bit-na has used authorized codes to lighten the sentences for the murderers who wind up in her courtroom. Given all that, one has to surprise why he has a lot religion in a fallible system — particularly when confronted with a demonic being whose sole job is to ship dangerous individuals on a KTX prepare straight to hell. Nicely, guess what of us, it’s time for that religion to not solely waver however straight up shatter.
You see, Da-on could have let Bit-na depart, however his parting hug when he thanked her for explaining it wasn’t his fault that his household died was additionally a method to cover a tracker on her. So, after Bit-na does her factor [insert gruesome amusement park themed torture and murder montage here] she drags Sadistic CEO’s physique off a ferris wheel and finds a disgusted Da-on filming her along with his cellphone. He received his proof, and to make sure she complies along with his arrest, he tosses sulfur powder on her to render her powerless (a neat little trick he discovered from Man-do). However earlier than he can drag her off to the police station, he will get a name that So-young, who disappeared whereas attempting to seek out J, has been discovered.
Since Da-on took the time to handcuff a powerless Bit-na to the ferris wheel earlier than dashing off, I’d hoped that So-young had been discovered alive, however sadly she joined a protracted line of Uncle Bens in dying in order that our hero can rise — or, on this case, fall. We flash again to when So-young discovered Da-on on the scene of his household’s homicide, and from there we watch her transition into changing into his adoptive mom. Though the timing of the flashback was too late for me to really feel unhappy that her character has been abruptly ejected from our plot, it did serve effectively (sufficient) to point out us how essential she was to Da-on and, due to this fact, clarify his sudden about-face.
Though he’d simply, hours earlier, insisted that he would apprehend his household’s killer and have him judged in a court docket of regulation, So-young’s homicide modifications Da-on’s thoughts. When he returns to the amusement park shortly after Bit-na regains her powers, he’s an emotional, rage-filled mess. He destroys the cellphone containing the recording of Bit-na killing Sadistic CEO, and as he fingers over what’s left of the one proof of her demonic killings, he asks her to assist him seek out J in order that he can get his revenge.
Bit-na reminds him that he’ll go to hell if he kills somebody, however he’s fantastic with that. “After I kill that bastard,” he says, “you possibly can kill me and ship me to hell.” Bit-na is happy and accepts his two-for-one supply, however then Da-on begins to cry. The evolving feelings that Bit-na has no management over flare up, and her coronary heart begins thumping painfully in her chest — bam! Tears. Our demon baddie has fallen for our detective, and there’s no turning again.
We finish this week’s episodes with two diametrically opposed characters — good vs. evil — shifting and assembly someplace in the midst of the morality scale. Bit-na has been rising progressively and displaying delicate indicators that she’s growing sympathy and love for people the longer she’s round them and — extra particularly — Da-on. I’m somewhat stunned to see her cry so quickly, nevertheless it is sensible that she would instinctively shed tears when confronted with Da-on’s ache and uncooked emotion.
Contrastingly, I’m not so thrilled about Da-on’s reversal. Up till the purpose, the writers have made him such a die-hard lawfully good character — regardless of literal demons — that it looks like a significant cop-out for the writers to tug the death-of-a-loved-one trope card and abruptly reverse Uno his morals. Don’t get me incorrect, I’d a lot relatively see him workforce up with Bit-na and seek out dangerous guys than have him stupidly attempt to arrest a demon, however I want his character growth had advanced at the same tempo to Bit-na’s.
As we head into subsequent week’s episodes, I’m not precisely certain what course this story will take, however I do hope the writers begin circling again to a few of the earlier plot threads which might be nonetheless dangling. Like, what occurred to human Bit-na who, so far as I do know, remains to be caught in hell because of a clerical error? And what about the entire Devil and his lacking Kylum aspect quest that was launched final week? Or Bit-na’s shady ex-fiancé and father-in-law and the redevelopment plotline, who’ve made recurring appearances that simply reaffirm what we already know (that they’re wealthy assholes)? C’mon, writers, in the reduction of on the weekly gore porn and begin filling within the holes in your story and character growth, please and thanks!
RELATED POSTS