A Stalker's Guide to Shin Ha Kyun
Shark Episode 17 Recap
Chairman Jo and Yi Soo continue their game of chicken; neither is willing to yield ground, trying instead to push the other to the limit. Both insist the unfortunate photo of the Hae Woo/Kim Jun kiss can only harm Hae Woo herself. Notably, Yi Soo claims his teenage love is only another target for his schemes. Wouldn't it be interesting, he says, for Chun Young Bo to be revealed alongside the scandal of his granddaughter?
Meanwhile, Joon Young speeds recklessly in his car. His driving can likely be forgiven and attributed to his emotional state, since he’s been taking an emotional thrashing lately.
It appears the chairman is confident he can publicly deny the veracity of the document. He coolly claims that the people of Korea possess “good judgment” and will undoubtedly believe in him should it be revealed. All of Yi Soo’s responses in this conversation, including to that wild remark, are full of mocking bravado. Most of them equate to “Oh yeah? We’ll see. You do that then.” He knows that some people will still believe, even if the truth is presented as fiction.
But when the snark match returns to the subject of Hae Woo, Yi Soo’s predatory expression wavers. Chairman Jo ultimately decides to hold back the photos. He “feels sorry” for his granddaughter, whom he says has followed a self-destructive path in order to help our hero. These words also come complete with a warning: from this point on, Hae Woo is no longer his Achilles Heel, but Yi Soo’s.
A trembling Yi Soo denies this possibility and says that, as Chun Young Bo, the chairman is an unforgivable person. The old man rages in turn that none have the right to judge him, just as he claimed in an earlier confrontation. This time Yi Soo disagrees, claiming that right for history – and himself.
"History favors the victor," the chairman chortles in the darkness. Our hero responds by ending the call, clearly unsettled. Yi Soo really seems to be losing his cool more often as the finale draws nearer. His rays of humanity are refreshing, though.
Right away, Chairman Jo phones his minion. He warns this time, failure cannot be tolerated….
Yi Soo stalks around his office at Giant Hotel. Though he made a big show of not caring, the looming threat the photo poses bothers him. He flashes back to the day when he’d caught the one who’d captured it…and the warning left “not to trust ‘that woman.’” He seems ready to take action when he receives a timely call from Joon Young.
At her own office, Hae Woo contemplates the information Detective Byeon brought forward regarding the kidnapper – the familiar bookstore ajusshi. She hops up, possibly to do the research her sleuthing partner suggested, just as Soo Hyun appears with more information. He mentions the kidnapper had no numbers registered to his cell and the land line at the store is also useless.
Hae Woo anxiously writes down a number and instructs Soo Hyun to investigate the call records associated with it. When he asks whose it is, she urges secrecy but is honest with him: “My grandfather….”
Our hero meets with Joon Young. As he approaches,the painfully tense atmosphere between them is ignited when his old friend slugs him right in the jaw. Twice.
As Yi Soo staggers from the blows, it seems Joon Young will strike a third time. Instead he opts to grasp Yi Soo firmly by the lapels for an angry chat that has been a long time coming. "How dare you use Hae Woo?" he shouts. "How dare you!"
Even feeling like he's losing her to Yi Soo, Joon Young's mind still goes directly to his wife.
Joon Young goes on to ask Yi Soo whether hurting his father and the others has made him happy. He questions: “Do you think I’ll forgive you?” to which our hero replies, “Don’t forgive me.”
This response, and perhaps the coldness with which Yi Soo delivers it, causes Joon Young to ready another punch. Perhaps two is his limit for the day – or he’s still got some friendly feelings left towards the other man. He doesn't follow through and even releases his grip on Yi Soo,who begins to walk away.
Joon Young relates how he felt after his brother died in the hit-and-run. His outrage and grief often led him to the driver’s doorstep. Ultimately he never took action, since he couldn't bear to live with the thought all his brother left him with was “the thirst for revenge”. Joon Ho, he says, wouldn't have wanted that for him. The sweet memories lingering between them weren't worth sullying for payback.
Yi Soo cuts him off with the insistence he doesn't need lecturing. He’s doing things his way, that’s all.
Joon Young remarks that darkness has replaced the bright aura that Yi Soo once had. With tears brimming in his eyes, he asks his friend not to drag Hae Woo down into that darkness with him.
His piece being said, Joon Young lets Yi Soo know this is the last time he’ll show “this much mercy.” One day, responsibility must be taken for the harm he believes Yi Soo has done to his father.
Joon Young then returns to his car, dropping his tough facade The hand he jabbed Yi Soo with trembles so badly he has trouble opening the door.
Dong Soo is at the hotel, providing comic relief as he squabbles with a cute bartender over work. They’re interrupted by the arrival of Junichiro and Secretary Jang. Things are still awkward between them, so Dong Soo ducks beneath the bar before she notices him. He’s flabbergasted to hear the two as they converse about spying on Kim Jun.
Secretary Jang is to be replaced in thatcapacity…until she promises her presence is for Junichiro’s sake. She underscores her loyalty by promising to bug “Kim Jun’s” office as well. This shocks Dong Soo all over again and his reactions to this serious situation are seriously funny.
Yi Soo hesitates to answer a call from Hae Woo as he drives along. He eventually does and she asks him to meet at his apartment. She wants the document placed in her care as it is important evidence.
Since he can’t fully trust her, Yi Soo refuses. Hae Woo attempts to argue her point, but he ends the call in a fluster.
Our heroine then calls Soo Hyun to find out his progress on the requested call records. He sends her a number from the day of the kidnapping; there is no personal information attached to it. Hae Woo seems to have a plan though Soo Hyun isn't optimistic anyone will pick up.
Having apparently found him, Yi Soo grills the photographer on the subject of who “that woman” could be. The man hardly hesitates before outing Secretary Jang. I think I’d give up my boss too if the same guy that has already beaten me senseless once had me pinned against a wall.
We next see Yi Soo storming back into his apartment.He sweeps the place for listening devices of any kind. When he eventually finds one beneath the television stand, he seems ready to crush it in his grasp…
…but returns the bug to its original place instead.
Vulnerability shadows Yi Soo’s face as he recounts the time Junichiro claimed common cause with him. He sighs and almost seems to smile to himself in bitter acknowledgement that there is no one left for him to trust.
Secretary Jang, reluctant in her purpose, hovers in Yi Soo’s office at Giant. Dong Soo appears at just the right time with juice and together they share a surprisingly normal conversation. She soon excuses herself, seeming almost relieved. I had to laugh when Dong Soo watches after her, sipping away at his juice. “You think you know someone, when you really don’t…”
Hae Woo slips into her grandfather’s empty office.Using his phone, she rings up the number sent to her by Soo Hyun.
The bookstore ajusshi/minion/assassin answers,though he remains silent. Our heroine asks to meet and talk, promising to go to the location of his choice without escort. We can see his violent trembling in the split screen just before he drops the call.
Chairman Jo manages to return home at just the wrong time. Lucky for Hae Woo, Mrs. Park buys a few minutes in conversation he clearly doesn't want to have.
She’s doubly lucky when her grandfather watches her walk out without suspicion. He asks instead to talk about something important and disappears into his den. Before following his lead, Hae Woo sends a text to Soo Hyun.
Soo Hyun receives it – a request to track another number – just after discovering the location of the car stolen during Yi Hyun’s kidnapping.
Back in his office, Chairman Jo reveals the Kiss Photo to his stunned granddaughter. He impresses upon her the lie that “Kim Jun” sent it in for publication; he says she’s being used, and she should stay clear of that person from now on.
Hae Woo excuses herself with a denial. The chairman sees that he’s losing ground and tries a new angle: “Don’t you care how Joon Young might be hurt?”
Ouch. This sore spot causes our heroine to finally snap on the chairman. She flat-out accuses him of the attack on Prosecutor Oh. It’s like she’s trying to lessen her guilt toward her husband by reflecting some of the blame elsewhere. “Who’s hurting him more?” is what this exchange implies.
Chairman Jo reacts with a jaw-trembling display of pity. He’s pained by the way her feelings seem to have blinded her; Hae Woo retorts that she’s also pained. As she walks out, she doesn’t see the chilling transformation of sorrow into irritation on her grandfather’s face.
The subject of Joon Young struck a chord with Hae Woo. She manages to call him just as he gets through another round of suffering over her apparent infidelity. He initially refuses to meet her until after both return home, but eventually caves in.
Alcohol brings Yi Soo and Junichiro together for a chat full of information.
We learn from Junichiro that his father was a close friend of Chairman Jo. As the one person in their village who knew him as Chun Young Bo, he was sworn to secrecy. Unfortunately, these words did nothing to save the man Yi Soo rightly identifies as Kim Yoon Shik of the infamous document.
Junichiro believes his father knew he’d be murdered;by the time of the fire, his notes regarding Chun Young Bo had already been buried for safekeeping. Yi Soo wonders why Kim Yoon Shik didn’t just use what he knew as a shield. His answer is that power can only be fought with power, so as his family was powerless at the time, nothing would have come of the reveal.
Our hero goes on to ask why he was chosen as a tool for Junichiro’s revenge. Why not carry it out alone?
His benefactor responds that Yi Soo wasn’t chosen but that: “You came to me.” With an expression that reflected many of the painful feelings Junichiro suffered in the past, Yi Soo was someone he felt compelled to help.
Our hero admits that had he been told all of this before, he would have never doubted Junichiro. If they weren’t involved in a hardcore revenge plot, their subsequent declarations of mutual trust and belief in one another might be pretty heartwarming.
As the scene ends, Junichiro expresses his worry that Yi Soo is disadvantaged as a result of his recent exposures. Yi Soo puts his best shark face on and replies the same can be said of his adversary.
Jo Ui Sun is agonizing over the USB when “Kim Jun”gives him a call. He has a hissy fit about having to talk to anyone other than Junichiro; why should he have to talk to someone lower in seniority about business? Our hero provokes Ui Sun by jabbing at his self-importance, implying everyone knows he’s a talentless hack not worth talking to in lieu of the chairman.
Sassy Yi Soo seems to have done his job; Ui Sun becomes angry and drops the call. But a few seconds later, the man suddenly smiles as though pleased with himself.
Hae Woo returns to her office in hopes of an update from Soo Hyun. We’re treated to the knowledge she’ll be transferred to Jeju Island in a month’s time instead. During this exchange, Soo Hyun finally calls and points our heroine toward the location the kidnapper might be. He can’t guarantee the man will still be there when they arrive though.
Like a good “friend,” Soo Hyun lets Yi Soo what he told her. The boss isn’t happy Hae Woo scampered off on her own, so he hangs up and rushes off to find her. It’s a great idea to meet kidnappers/potential assassins/spies alone just because you used to buy books from them frequently. Right? Right.
Oh. The kidnapper is also totally watching Soo Hyun from behind the trees.
Our hero finds her wandering around aimlessly and admonishes her. The kidnapper she’s trying to meet is also a trained killer; what would she do if she met him anyway? When he tries to lead her away, she tells him she realizes he had nothing to do with the photo. She goes on to question why he won’t give her the document, citing it and/or her grandfather as possible reasons.
Yi Soo claims it’s actually just because he can’t trust her. She grabs his arm in response and starts to protest, leading him to pull her into his arms. To him, Hae Woo is the only one that can see his plan through. She must stay safe.
He refuses further queries and stalks off. Soo Hyun arrives on the scene a few seconds later to act as protection detail in his place.
Jo Ui Sun interrupts his father’s machinations against Yi Soo with his usual bluster. A certain sassy shark has sparked the idea that he should be given more power and authority at Gaya Hotel. The entire exchange shows how brazen Ui Sun has become, talking back to his father and even using the Chun Young Bo name as leverage. He demands a portion of the power Chairman Jo wields, as well as humane treatment and a “real” life.
Detective Byeon learns more about the chairman’s minion, Choi Byung Ki. Aside from his lack of recent records, all that his source knows is that the guy used to be torture specialist.
He leaves the meeting to link up with Hae Woo and Soo Hyun. With them poses the possibility that the murdered professor Kang Hee Soo knew Choi Byung Ki. The rebellion that saw the professor imprisoned coincides with minion’s eight year record gap.
As a professional in torture, it makes sense Choi Byung Ki may have been the one who performed the act on Kang Hee Soo.
All that’s left is to see how this kind of person began working for Chairman Jo. Hae Woo wishes to take the task on herself, but Detective Byeon successfully insists he be given the job. Once the detective rushes off to begin, Hae Woo dispatches Soo Hyun to find and contact the murdered professor’s psychiatrist.
A big chunk of the episode is then dedicated to sweetness with Yi Hyun. Since she isn’t allowed to leave home after the kidnapping, she calls her brother. He shows concern for her and tries to make her house arrest easier but all she wants is to see him.
Next she calls Soo Hyun, who in turn rings up Detective Byeon for permission to take her out on a movie date. The detective’s reaction is positively hilarious…but he gives the outing the green light.
The date must have taken an interesting turn,because it isn’t long before Soo Hyun and Yi Hyun arrive together at Yi Soo’s apartment. Or it was the plan all along. At least they brought groceries.
Things aren’t all puppies and rainbows. Soo Hyun offers the information on Choi Byung Ki once Yi Hyun skips off to the kitchen to make spaghetti for the three of them. Once he’s heard everything, Yi Soo attempts a return to get-together at hand; he helps his sister around his kitchen, finding ingredients for her.
Eventually Yi Soo is forced to slip away to take an important phone call – from the much-talked about assassin himself.
Our hero both warns and threatens the man. Neither Chairman Jo nor Yi Soo can let him go easily after everything that has transpired. He demands balance, which the assassin offers…instructing Yi Soo to check out the bookstore and his desk there, specifically the bottom drawer.
Unfortunately, this revelation means a rain check on spaghetti. Yi Soo gently informs his sister he needs to go out and instructs Soo Hyun to watch her closely.
Speaking of short lived happiness, Joon Young and Hae Woo have an awkward shopping date. This leads to a cringe-worthy stroll in which Joon Young brings up the subject of children and our heroine looks like she’s ready to jump out of her skin when he takes her hand. He doesn’t want to talk about the real issue at hand and it’s hard to watch.
Hae Woo admits to meeting Yi Soo again. Though Joon Young looks like someone is twisting a knife in his chest, he tells her they don’t need to talk about it. He already knows and it changes nothing between the two of them. Hae Woo won’t quit being involved with Yi Soo even though Joon Young is adamant that she does; though she says her feelings for her husband haven’t changed, the rift is growing more visible all the time.
The two go their separate ways for the evening.We’re shown another angst montage featuring the married couple, but it ends quickly. Hae Woo finally receives the long-awaited call from Kang Hee Soo’s therapist.
Meanwhile, Yi Soo slips into the bookstore. The desk yields nothing until he completely removes the bottom drawer. There he scores a book …and a photo drops out from between its pages. Yi Soo is palpably shocked when he realizes thephoto portrays Chairman Jo’s assassin and…
Han Young Man, his own father.
Soo Hyun takes Yi Hyun home, a process accompanied by adorable flirtation. He then returns to the car alone, but is stopped dead in his tracks. The assassin now has him at his mercy – and at gun point.
Hae Woo makes a late night visit to the professor’s therapist, who was unaware of the man’s murder. She informs Hae Woo (and the viewer) that he’d had the worst PTSD she’d ever encountered. Knowing Choi Byung Ki’s former occupation,our heroine tries to press for indications he might have been involved.
Unfortunately, the professor used nicknames to refer to his tormentors…
…the most terrible being “The Shadow.”
