(Artificial City)
(All people, places, organizations, and incidents appearing in this series are entirely fictional.)
(Episode 17)
That day seven years ago…
You already knew about everything
that happened that day, didn't you?
So, what are you going to do about it?
I'll take some time to think about it.
About how you people have wronged us
and how to make you pay.
And…
you'd better be ready for that.
"You people" and "us"…
Us?
Since when are you and Kim Yi-seol "us"?
Come back to your senses.
Have you forgotten the goal you've been striving for all this time?
Will you be so daring to choose to side against me?
What do you think you could do in opposition to me?
If I can't have it all,
I'll ruin it all.
You'll see.
I will ruin everything completely.
[NOTICE, CLOSED AFTER 10 PM, THE ENTRANCE BY THE PARKING LOT IS OPEN.]
(Artificial City)
No! No!
That wasn't Yi-seol, was it?
I have to go and check. I didn't see--
That was Yi-seol!
It was Yi-seol!
Your husband contacted her to come and meet him.
I was worried and followed her.
Mrs. Yun. You have to go. You have to run away!
They killed Yeong-ju, and now Yi-seol…
Mrs. Yun. You have to pretend you know nothing and run away.
Quick!
If that person is indeed Yi-seol,
I cannot leave her like that.
I never will.
I heard a crashing sound, and when I came, she was already dead.
- Where were you when this happened? - I was just out doing…
Okay.
- She doesn't have an ID. - What about her phone?
- You still haven't found it? - No.
We might need a fingerprint scan for identification.
Her name's Kim Yi-seol.
Oh! Mrs. Yun!
She texted me to meet her here.
How do you know her?
Could you spare some time to talk with us?
Did you just say I raped you?
You drank all the drinks I offered, with a smile on, too.
Even when you were drunk, you were still so eager to talk to me.
I thought you also wanted to have fun.
You call that a rape?
I had to make a good impression.
I was about to get evicted from my apartment.
And I needed help from someone with power.
But I never gave you permission to do anything like that.
Okay. Fine.
So, there was a slight misunderstanding between us back then.
That doesn't make me a rapist.
And that was seven years ago!
I didn't even remember any of that until you just told me.
The trauma of that day has haunted me until this very moment.
Don't blame me for that.
That was your lapse of judgment. It wasn't my fault.
You're right.
It was a lapse of judgment.
That day…
I should have stood up against you right when it happened.
Had I done that…
my child
wouldn't be living with you right now.
What did you just say?
Your child is living with me?
I'm surprised you didn't know about that.
Tell me! What are you even talking about?
I…
gave birth to Hyeon-wu.
Mrs. Yun adopted him, not knowing.
And Chairwoman Seo Han-suk was behind it.
Now, it's time for us all to each pay
for the wrongs we did.
Look.
What makes you think I'll buy that?
It is true.
How dare you?
Why are you doing this?
Who is it? Tell me who it is!
Who put you up to this?
Tell me!
Who put you up to this?
Who told you to threaten me like this?
Tell me right now!
I hope nobody saw you then.
So, Kim Yi-seol texted that she wanted to meet up?
[KIM YI-SEOL, COME MEET ME AT THE OFFICE FROM BEFORE.]
I heard she had quit the gallery.
She did.
May I ask why?
Just personal reasons…
That's weird…
Why would an ex-employee
suddenly want to meet her ex-boss so late at night?
When do the autopsy results come out?
Tomorrow or the day after at the earliest.
But…
why do you ask that?
That will reveal the true cause of her death.
Is there anything suspicious you know of?
Don't answer that.
- Who are you? - I'm Ju Sang-jin, her attorney.
So, Jae-hui told you to come find me?
Yes.
She said you'd know what to do.
She told me to share everything I know with you.
You should stay here until this is over.
So… What will happen?
Jae-hui will make sure the news of her death gets publicity.
That's why she'll pretend not to know about Jun-hyeok and Yi-seol meeting.
An official investigation will never work for people like him.
So, she'll find another way.
[PROSECUTOR GENERAL CHO GANG-HYEON]
Hello, sir.
No.
I haven't heard anything from Mrs. Yun.
Yes.
Sure. I'll be right over.
Sungjin Group has called for a meeting.
Get some shut-eye.
If anyone calls, don't answer.
Okay.
[REPORTER HAN DONG-MIN, JBC]
I've told the police to keep quiet about it.
But the reporters have found out somehow and are already asking questions.
We have to act quickly in a situation like this.
We first need to know exactly what happened
before we discuss our plan of action.
Can someone first tell me what happened?
An ex-staff member of the gallery died.
What?
We all know news of a death always carries weight.
But it doesn't really make sense that you had to call
the prosecutor general, a politician, and a former minister
in the middle of the night just over a former gallery staff.
Her name is Kim Yi-seol.
Apparently, she said she had been raped by Jun-hyeok and had his child.
It's nothing but a lie, a cunning attempt to threaten us.
She jumped from Jun-hyeok's office building and killed herself.
Mother will figure out the situation herself.
We wait till she does and calls us.
Why did you?
Why did you have to make it worse like this?
Is this your revenge on me
for being a bad step-son?
Were you planning this the whole time when I thought you were working with me?
You'd better watch your words.
You can blame me all you want.
And I never really expected you to be grateful for even
accepting you as a step-son.
But don't blame yourself or have any regrets
over a nobody like Kim Yi-seol.
For the likes of her,
it is in their destiny to live lives of little significance.
Don't let someone like that trouble you in any way.
I already knew you're a cruel person, but this is beyond what I could imagine.
Are you saying
that perhaps I should have gone around talking to people
about this incident and how you've always caused trouble?
Remember,
I'll do anything it takes
to protect you.
So, you put your trust in me.
And don't forget.
You've never even seen Yi-seol today.
Understood?
You must be shocked.
What are you doing here?
Did Mother call you in?
What's with that tone?
Are you suspecting me?
Why are you overreacting?
I'm just asking to make sure--
You fooled me,
adopted a child born from a girl like her,
and raised him as my son!
And now you're saying I'm a murderer?
How did you know
that Yi-seol was Hyeon-wu's mother?
You met her, didn't you?
She must have told you about it.
She probably said she would expose you for raping her.
Is that why you killed her?
How dare you even speak of such things?
Stop, both of you.
[TO MRS. YUN]
You should first take a look at this before we continue.
[TO MRS. YUN]
Apparently, she left this where she jumped.
To Mrs. Yun,
Thank you for everything.
I'm sorry to go without a proper goodbye.
Please take good care of Hyeon-wu.
All those lies she told must have put her under a lot of pressure.
So, perhaps she wanted to meet you for the last time and apologize.
Then perhaps she lost the courage to do that.
Kim Yi-seol…
Let's have pity on her poor soul and
not make big news out of her death.
Where are we going, Mommy?
Hmm? Where are we going?
You both look distraught.
Let me just say, some things just happen when you least expect them.
This, too, shall pass, so don't stress over this too much.
Do we have to bring our son?
It will be only courteous to bring him with you.
Let's go.
Kim Yi-seol, a narrator at the Sungjin Gallery
who collaborated with the popular presidential candidate
Jung Jun-hyeok in his talk concert, passed away last night.
As the police continue the investigation on her death,
the Sungjin Gallery has provided a venue for her funeral at Sungjin Hospital.
[KIM YI-SEOL]
I said, don't go!
You have no reason to meet Jung Jun-hyeok.
- This is none of your business. - Don't just say that.
Okay. I'm sorry. That was inconsiderate.
- I'm worried about you. - Okay!
I'll be back soon. Let's have fried chicken later.
- Don't worry too much. - How can I not worry?
What are you going to do?
I'm telling you! Don't go there!
You helped Jun-hyeok with the talk concert, right?
Did you know that girl?
[REPORTE HAN DONG-MIN, JBC]
[CERTIFICATE OF STILLBIRTH]
[CHO GANG-HYEON FEELS RESPONSIBLE AS PROSECUTOR GENERAL CANDIDATE]
[CONGRESSMAN MIN SEONG-SIK ELECTED PARTY LEADER]
[TO REPORTER HAN]
[IF YOU'RE READING THIS LETTER, I AM PROBABLY DEAD ALREADY.]
[ON THE DAY OF THE HYEONGSAN TRAGEDY, JUNG JUN-HYEOK RAPED AND IMPREGNATED ME]
[THE CHILD WAS ADOPTED BY YUN JAE-HUI, AND CHAIRWOMAN SEO WAS BEHIND IT.]
[FROM JUNG JUN-HYEOK, MAY THE DECEASED REST IN PEACE]
After the report on the Sungjin Foundation holding Kim Yi-seol's funeral,
they will mention that you will be stepping down as Chairwoman
and that Ju-yeon will be the new leader of the foundation.
Were it not for the news of Yi-seol's death,
we could face criticisms for nepotism, which could affect Jun-il's succession.
It seems her death was not completely in vain, after all.
[KIM YI-SEOL]
Aren't you Mr. Han Dong-min?
Open the door for your wife and then hold your son's hand.
Then, the three of you can walk in together.
Put on a solemn expression.
How do you feel? One comment, please.
Is it true that Kim Yi-seol was close to your family?
Do you know of anyone that possibly held a grudge against her?
- When did you last see her, Mrs. Yun? - Anything you want to say in her memory?
One comment, please.
I was a journalist until recently,
so I understand your passion for reporting.
But I'd also like you understand that we just lost someone
that was indeed precious to us and have some empathy.
I hope…
you and the viewers would understand this
and let us mourn her unfortunate death and commemorate her in peace.
You must be devastated.
We were not particularly close, so…
You say so, but I'm sure you're mourning her deep in your heart.
There is a complicated issue behind this,
which put me in a position where I must let reason guide me, not my emotions.
And I'm rather surprised that
you're paying so much attention to the funeral of a mere ex-staff member.
You must have been particularly close to Ms. Kim Yi-seol, Chairwoman.
Well,
Mr. Han, I'm not really sure what you mean
by "particularly close".
Last night, I saw her going out to meet Jun-hyeok.
And this morning, I heard the news of her death.
I also received a letter she had sent me before she died.
It said that seven years ago, on the day of the Hyeongsan-dong tragedy,
she was raped by Jun-hyeok,
and you made it so that Jae-hui adopted Jun-hyeok's child she gave birth to.
She sent you a letter like that and then committed suicide?
She was already expecting danger coming her way when she wrote it.
Given this, it is highly unlikely
that it was suicide.
Then, why are you talking to me about this?
Why not go to the police or the prosecutor's office
or try to find the truth yourself like a reporter should?
Is it because you don't fully trust what she wrote?
Or…
is it because of Jae-hui?
I heard that she once stopped your report from going out.
It it's her that's making you hesitate, you don't have to worry.
Trust me. I can stop her from doing anything like that.
But remember
you'll have to take the responsibility for whatever you do.
I hope you don't mind if I become someone that
you can rely on and ask for help.
Reporter Han.
Hello.
I should have had more courage and told you
when you came to me looking for Sun-ok's family.
If I had done that, she'd still be alive.
It's all my fault.
It's not your fault at all.
Calm down.
Please, don't cry, ma'am.
It aches my heart to see you cry.
Let's go in.
Are you okay?
I'll be back in a moment.
Wait!
Like you said, I should do something about this.
And as long as I take the responsibility, I can do whatever I want, right?
That is what I said.
Then will you help me as I handle this?
Mommy, why is there a picture of Yi-seol here?
I'll tell you later.
This will be over soon.
The same goes for the reporters.
You don't have to mind them too much. They won't be too big an obstacle.
Just stay the course.
Because I need you.
I need you, Yi-seol.
I feel so lucky that I have you.
But… How can you trust me, telling me all this?
I just want to get close to you and be friends with you.
I have myself. And I have you.
Stay on my side at any time.
[KIM YI-SEOL]
Now, it's our turn to make a move.
You can start.
Kim Yi-seol
did not commit suicide.
Since when did you know Hyeon-wu was adopted?
Is that why you're always so affectionate to him?
Do you sympathize for him?
I was surprised Jae-hui adopted him without us knowing.
But what surprised me more is how Mother handled it.
I wonder what she was thinking.
As for Hyeon-wu, I'm sure the matter will stay within the family.
But did Kim Yi-seol really commit suicide?
Is it true that she was raped by Jun-hyeok?
You said that after playing golf,
Jun-hyeok went to the office building with Professor Yu, right?
They didn't have a drink after. That's why you were back early.
And how did Kim Yi-seol die at Jun-hyeok's office building?
If it wasn't a suicide, what are you going to do?
Do you… know what really happened?
Everyone's saying it was a suicide.
That's all we need to know.
I have a question for you.
What does it feel like to live with secrets?
When you see people who don't know the truth, do you feel guilty?
Or do you feel superior that you know what others don't?
You'll get to experience that yourself this time.
- What are you doing, sweetheart? - Wait. Let me finish this.
What are you doing?
Take this to the gallery tomorrow and give it to Yi-seol.
Make sure to tell her it's a gift from me, Mommy!
Okay. I will.
Let's have a talk.
What are you going to do about this?
Because of you, I now have a child born out of wedlock.
Hyeon-wu's your son.
I never wanted a child born like this.
Hyeon-wu wants me to give this to Yi-seol.
He said she liked apples best, just like he does.
What I'm going to do is to think about
Yi-seol's pain,
her death,
and how to explain those to Hyeon-wu.
I have to tell him about all that.
You'd do that without my permission?
Why did you have to make this mess in the first place?
If you can't accept Hyeon-wu as your son,
we can get a divorce.
Thank you for everything. Let me know how things go.
Sure. Take care.
How do you have my number?
I had yours because Yi-seol gave it to me.
When you work as a reporter,
one skill that you absolutely need is finding information.
I got a letter from Yi-seol.
That was a letter?
I had no idea what was in the packet.
Yi-seol just gave it to me in case something bad happens.
And I only had guesses.
Do you have anything to tell me about her death?
I'm with you on this. You can trust me.
Don't worry.
Everything will be out soon.
Mrs. Yun and Prosecutor Park are helping me.
We'll first reveal that her death was not a suicide.
And we'll make sure whoever killed her
pays for what he did.
I know it's your favorite since childhood.
Your mother was a good cook, and her eel seaweed soup was unrivaled.
This is probably not as good as hers,
but I got it from a decent place, so I'm sure it's good.
You lived with her until you were three.
Do you remember anything?
She would do the extra work to take out all the bones for you…
I'll stop talking. Keep eating.
Go ahead.
I believe in you.
You would never do such an unspeakable thing.
You're my own son, so I know.
I hate that I'm your son.
I've hated that all my life,
and I forever will.
Right.
I'm okay with that. That's what fathers are for, anyway.
But
don't be harsh on Hyeon-wu. He's your own son.
As pathetic as I am, you turned out a real success.
And imagine how great your son will grow up to be.
He's not a Seo nor a Yun. He's a Jung.
You know very well why Jun-il never really lived out his potential.
Don't let that happen to Hyeon-wu. Don't let him suffer the same ridicule, Jun-hyeok.
Long time no see, Mrs. Yun.
How have you been?
I have been well, but you don't look like you have.
Has something happened?
A person died because of me.
Won't you scold me for that?
That must be tough for you.
Well, I'm not really sure.
I just know that I'm scared.
And a part of me says it wasn't my fault.
And I just want to run away from all this.
If you could, then you wouldn't be thinking about that.
I only wanted to be successful.
I thought everything would fall into place with enough effort.
I never thought looking out for my own success could sometimes take
hurting other people.
I still don't understand what I've done so wrong.
I don't know what I have to do next.
I'm sure you'll find a way to handle this.
Don't talk as if that'd be easy.
I still
hate you so much, Dad.
This has the video testimony of Park Yong-seob and the text file.
Have you found Yi-seol's phone yet?
I've searched the entire building
and the surrounding area, but it's nowhere to be found.
And the CCTV data for the past month had already been deleted.
Are you sure it was Jun-hyeok who did this?
Well…
When I first started suspecting him,
I was scared that a part of me still believed in him.
And when I started growing certain of it,
it scared me that my own husband did such a thing.
He's still Hyeon-wu's father. So, it'd be better if he hadn't.
What if he's free from all charges regarding Yi-seol's death?
I'd still have to get a divorce.
I don't think he'll truly accept Hyeon-wu as his son.
What about the grandfather?
You'll lose custody if he reveals that Hyeon-wu was adopted in secret.
If that were to happen, they might change all of Hyeon-wu's records.
That's not going to happen.
They won't reveal anything that might be a weakness for them.
That's what led to all this, after all.
Hyeon-wu.
Miss, where's Hyeon-wu?
Welcome home.
Hyeon-wu's with his grandfather, so don't worry.
You should have called beforehand.
Were you out on an appointment?
I just
took a visit to my father.
Right.
So, how is he doing?
He's…
doing well, as always.
Doing well, as always… That's a privilege not everyone's given.
Why the sudden visit, may I ask?
You said you'd ruin it all if you can't have it all.
I heard you've found a way.
You can do it like this.
Boy, you're smart.
Sweetie, can you help me out, too?
Daddy!
Hi, Jun-hyeok.
- Are you having fun with Grandpa? - Yeah!
You can keep playing.
How did you know?
I warned you there are things that you simply can't manage.
Jun-hyeok called Yi-seol to his office.
And he lied about that.
You don't know the difference between a secret and a lie.
He must have done something he had to hide.
That's merely a guess of yours.
He did not murder Kim Yi-seol.
You say so, but that's also a mere guess.
It's not.
I had her killed myself.
Master Jun-hyeok called Kim Yi-seol to his office.
Does he know what she's been saying about him?
I gave birth to Hyeon-wu.
Mrs. Yun adopted him, not knowing. And Chairwoman Seo Han-suk was behind it.
What makes you think I'll buy that?
It is true.
How dare you?
Why are you doing this? Who is it?
Tell me who it is!
Who put you up to this?
Tell me!
Who put you up to this?
Who told you to threaten me like this?
Tell me right now!
[SEO HAN-SUK]
Hello?
Are you with Kim Yi-seol?
What is she even talking about? Is it true?
I'll explain everything. Come over to the house.
[NOTICE, CLOSED AFTER 10 PM, THE ENTRANCE BY THE PARKING LOT IS OPEN.]
[ID CARD / KIM YI-SEOL]
[TO MRS.YUN]
I'll do anything it takes
to protect you.
So, you put your trust in me.
And don't forget.
You've never even seen Yi-seol today.
Understood?
I'm sure you understand the situation.
If you stop now, I'll forgive you for everything.
But if you choose to go against me,
I assure you that everything you've accomplished
will go to complete ruin.
[KIM YI-SEOL'S DEATH WAS A MURDER] Kim Yi-seol
[KIM YI-SEOL'S DEATH WAS A MURDER] did not commit suicide.
The police have put the man in the video under witness protection
and are investigating the possibility of murder.
The prime suspect is known to be a prosecutor currently in office.
And the police have already identified his whereabouts.
Mr. Park Jeong-ho?
You are under arrest for the murder of Kim Yi-seol.
The choice is yours.
What will it be?
(Artificial City)
A prosecutor sold a child to help his lover.
And to hide that fact,
he killed Kim Yi-seol, the birthmother.
When will Jeong-ho be released?
You know who'll be next after him.
How have you been, Mrs. Yun?
I want you out of the picture before Jun-hyeok starts his campaign.
- You crazy bitch! - Hey!
- Are you crazy? - I am, you bitch!
I'd say, good for you.
I'm sure it makes you feel less guilty
to know that the one that killed her is doing so well.
You're not even human.
That's what I'm going to tell myself.
And although I'm scared of you, in a way I'll feel superior to you.
That's…