Episode 4 opens right where the previous chapter left off. Ho-myeong is still fighting off In-goo’s men and somehow manages to come out on top. While the others are down, In-goo tries to escape by crawling away, but Ho-myeong catches him before he can get far. He knocks him unconscious, but the trouble isn’t over yet. More men close in around him.
Thinking quickly, Ho-myeong cuts the power to the building and uses the darkness to get away. Later, back at his pod, he quietly stitches up his own wounds. It’s a rough reminder of the double life he’s been living.
By the time Ho-myeong gets home, it’s already 10 p.m. Oran is waiting, and she’s furious. She asks why he’s so late, and he claims he had a motorcycle accident. The excuse doesn’t help. Oran reminds him that he was supposed to pick up Ji-woo from school. He completely forgot, forcing their son to walk home by himself. Frustrated by his constant secrecy, Oran walks away, leaving Ho-myeong to sit with the consequences.
The story then jumps back seven years. Ho-myeong is speaking with Mr. Jo about his plans to marry Oran after learning she is pregnant. Mr. Jo clearly doesn’t support the decision, but Ho-myeong has already made up his mind.
Back in the present, Ho-myeong reflects on that promise he once made to balance work and family. Looking at where things stand now, it’s obvious he feels like he’s failed.
Meanwhile, In-goo and several of his men recover in the hospital. Chairman Do arrives and asks everyone except In-goo to leave the room. He expresses concern over the recent problems surrounding In-goo and strongly hints that he may have to report the situation to Chief Han.
The warning doesn’t sit well with In-goo. He threatens Chairman Do before the latter leaves. Furious, In-goo orders his men to find the masked attacker responsible for the assault. However, they mistakenly believe Je-sun is the culprit.
Elsewhere, Young-ae continues investigating both the Hwasan sect and the murder of Kwon Soon-bok. Her search leads her to a connection with Yeongseon Island.
Ho-myeong later discusses In-goo’s beef jerky operation with Mr. Jo. Mr. Jo advises him to stay out of sight until they can speak with Young-ae. Afterward, Mr. Jo decides to follow her movements himself.
Chairman Do receives updates on In-goo’s situation. The first is that In-goo’s men are desperately searching for the masked attacker. The second catches his attention even more. In-goo’s beef jerky business is actually being used as a front for smuggling drugs from China.
The profits are enormous. Chairman Do quickly starts considering a plan to remove In-goo and take control of the operation himself, linking it to the casino business.
The hunt for Je-sun intensifies when In-goo’s men search his home and discover where he works.
At the same time, Ho-myeong walks home with Ji-woo and apologizes for forgetting him the previous day. He explains that he was called away for work and asks his son not to tell Oran the truth. Ji-woo handles the situation with surprising maturity, suggesting that his father buy Oran a gift and take her on a date.
While this family conversation unfolds, Gong-bok watches Je-sun from a distance. Soon enough, In-goo’s men arrive at Je-sun’s workplace. They question Miss Lee about his whereabouts. She lies and tells them he’s upstairs before rushing off to warn him.
Je-sun immediately runs to Nam-il, but the goons learn about his temporary residence as well. The uncle and nephew jump onto a scooter and make a desperate escape, even scratching a boss’s car along the way. Gong-bok gives chase.
Another subplot brings some lighter moments. Beom-ryung notices his crush being embarrassed by a rude driver during a rainstorm. He offers her an umbrella but misses his bus in the process. She ends up giving him a ride instead.
The two discover they both like Chow Yun Fat films. Trying to impress her, Beom-ryung nervously suggests she try the “Go Alone” challenge. Before dropping him off, she surprises him by inviting him to the movies.
Back on the criminal side of the story, In-goo takes out his anger on his own men after the failed raid at Je-sun’s workplace. Je-sun is also worried because he has now missed the drug deal.
One of In-goo’s trusted men grows tired of being treated badly. Chairman Do notices this weakness and approaches him with an offer. Using flattery and a promise of money, he encourages the man to betray In-goo.
Chief Han also gets more screen time this week. He meets political rival Candidate Kim at a restaurant. Their conversation remains polite on the surface, but the tension underneath is impossible to miss.
Han offers financial support for Kim’s orphanage if Kim agrees to stop campaigning. Kim refuses. He admits politics is frightening but says the thought of someone like Han becoming mayor is even worse. After leaving, Han comments that he may need to spend some time volunteering at the orphanage.
Young-ae travels to Yeongseon Island while Mr. Hwan discusses helping the prosecutor with Beom-ryung. He also asks Beom-ryung to start recruiting people to rebuild their old gang.
At Oran’s restaurant, Ho-myeong secures tickets for the Masked Racer Art Show for himself, Oran, and Ji-woo. Oran isn’t interested at first, but her father pushes her to give Ho-myeong a chance. Reluctantly, she agrees.
Mr. Jo arrives on Yeongseon Island and spots Young-ae heading toward Heaven Hotel, a property connected to Chairman Do. He repeatedly calls to warn her, but she ignores him and walks inside.
Meanwhile, Je-sun and Nam-il hide out in a sauna. Miss Lee brings them their belongings and breaks the bad news that Je-sun has lost his job. She does, however, offer to help him find another position that includes food and lodging.
At Heaven Capital, Young-ae encounters In-goo. Pretending to recognize him, she questions him about a spy case from ten years ago. In-goo pretends not to know what she’s talking about. Before leaving, Young-ae mentions she plans to meet Han and hands him her business card.
Not long after, In-goo’s right-hand man informs Chairman Do about Young-ae’s visit. Chairman Do asks whether In-goo intends to respond. The man remarks that harming a prosecutor would destroy In-goo. Chairman Do appears to file that idea away for later.
Soon after, In-goo meets Chairman Do directly. Chairman Do brings up Young-ae’s investigation, triggering another angry outburst. The chairman stays calm and apologetic, eventually persuading In-goo to deal with the issue himself. He gives him one day to fix the problem.
At a convenience store, Beom-ryung worries that he may miss his movie date.
Back at Oran’s restaurant, the family prepares for the art show. Everyone is stunned when Oran appears dressed up for the occasion.
Unfortunately, Beom-ryung never makes it to his date. Instead, he watches sadly from a nearby café. He then contacts Young-ae and offers to help with her investigation. They agree to meet at Hillside Cafe.
Mr. Jo heads to Heaven Capital and pretends to be a desperate man seeking a loan. Asking for only 50,000 won, he gains access long enough to leave behind a pen equipped with a recording device. Through it, he overhears In-goo discussing his options.
The conversation leads to a chilling conclusion. In-goo decides that the only way to protect himself is to eliminate the prosecutor.
Young-ae ignores Mr. Jo’s warnings and heads to Hillside Cafe to meet Beom-ryung. Unbeknownst to her, she is being followed. In-goo’s men move shortly afterward.
Mr. Jo tries to catch up, but chaos outside the hotel slows him down. As he attempts to flag down a taxi, a car strikes him.
At the same time, Ho-myeong is enjoying a rare happy moment with Oran and Ji-woo at the Masked Racer Art Event. Watching him take photos of Ji-woo actually made me smile because those moments have been so rare lately.
Then everything changes.
Mr. Jo manages to contact Ho-myeong and urges him to save Young-ae. Ji-woo overhears the call and tells his father it’s okay to leave. Oran, however, is deeply upset that work is once again pulling him away from the family.
Ho-myeong rushes to Hillside Cafe, only to find it destroyed. An elderly employee is cleaning up broken glass and furniture. He explains that several men stormed the café looking for a woman before driving away down the main road.
As Ho-myeong processes what happened, he turns around and discovers Beom-ryung standing there.
The episode ends on that tense note.
Review
I thought Episode 4 maintained a strong pace from beginning to end. The story moved several plotlines forward without feeling overloaded, and the danger surrounding Young-ae became much more serious.
The biggest question heading into the next episode is whether In-goo’s men successfully captured Young-ae. The wrecked café certainly suggests things went very wrong. My jaw dropped a bit when In-goo decided that eliminating a prosecutor was his best option.
Chairman Do continues playing every side for his own benefit. His plan to take over In-goo’s drug operation is becoming clearer, and he’s proving to be just as dangerous as the people around him.
I also liked seeing more of Han. He hasn’t been at the center of the story lately, but this episode hinted that he’s still holding plenty of cards.
On the emotional side, I felt especially bad for Je-sun and Nam-il. They’ve lost their home, Je-sun has lost his job, and they’re still running from people who think he’s someone else. Their situation keeps getting worse, and I’m hoping Je-sun’s memory finally starts returning soon.
Overall, Episode 4 does a good job balancing family drama, political maneuvering, and criminal intrigue while ending with a cliffhanger that raises the stakes for everyone involved.
Fifties Professionals Episode 3 | Fifties Professionals Episode 5
