STRINGS OF TRUTH
ALL CHARACTERS, PLACES, INSTITUTIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, EVENTS, OCCUPATIONS, ETC.
PORTRAYED IN THIS DRAMA ARE FICTIONAL
"EPISODE 11"
What the hell?
What right do you have to give an exclusive?
We already agreed to a divorce. What's your problem?
It was supposed to be amicable.
Why the delay tactics, then?
I just wanted to iron out some details.
Are you sure there isn't another reason?
- What? - Why?
Are you hoping I'll get Remington's and lose my memory?
I told you.
You're never going to get your way.
No matter what you do to me, you'll never get what you want.
Congratulations
on your divorce.
Get out of my way.
You tried so hard to hold on to her. I guess it didn't work out.
Isn't it time you stopped acting like the doting husband?
Get out of my way.
If I'm not careful you might hit me.
Two can play your game.
Are you really going to hit me?
I'll sue for custody.
If you continue to cause trouble for me and piss me off,
I'll exercise my parental rights and sue for custody.
So…
I suggest you quietly leave town.
You're…
You're an animal.
We heard you were poisoned.
How did you find out
that I was poisoned?
At first, we suspected you.
You were at the center of so many incidents.
Your husband's mistress gets into an accident.
Then, the member who frames you dies.
It's hard to see those things as coincidences.
On top of that, you were the last person to speak to Kim Bongju.
So now that I'm the target, I'm no longer under suspicion?
Help us.
You're at the center of all these incidents.
And now the perpetrator is going after you.
It's very likely you know this person.
Why do you think these are the acts of a single person?
We don't know that for sure yet.
But what these cases have in common are you and Hanphil.
In an investigation, we can't rule out even the smallest things.
Do you really not remember anything
about the night you last spoke with Kim Bongju?
No, but I don't know if it was
because of the alcohol, the poison, or the disease.
I don't remember that night at all.
By any chance, is my husband a suspect?
I'm sorry, but…
I think my husband is the person who poisoned me.
I think I found some evidence.
PREGNANCY JOURNAL LEE AJIN
FATHER'S NAME
BLOOD TYPE B
I KNOW CHA SEEUM'S SECRET.
IT WILL HELP YOU IN YOUR DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS.
I must be crazy.
I don't even know who sent this.
Is everything okay over there?
We believe the suspect is a female with type B blood.
A female with type B blood?
That's based on the evidence we have so far.
It's not my husband, then.
Probably not.
How solid is the evidence?
This was found at the crime scene.
It's the blood from Kim Bongju's jackknife.
It's mostly likely from the perpetrator.
So far, this is our strongest evidence.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTER
How's the patient doing?
We can't be sure of anything at this point.
His blood tests revealed that he has scotilla-min in his system.
Scotilla-min?
A direct injection would've made it spread faster.
Now, all we can do is wait
until all the poison is out of his system.
We don't know if he'll wake up or what side effects he'll have.
There's no way to tell.
So what happened?
It looks like our perpetrator attacked Mr. Kim.
They found scotilla-min in his blood.
You should be careful too.
Feel free to reach out to me if you need help.
I'll help with whatever you need.
I will.
Thank you. You should get back inside.
For now,
it's best to keep this investigation under wraps.
There's no telling what the perpetrator will do
if they find out Mr. Kim is still alive.
You should get police protection.
You could be in danger too.
Initially, I assumed they were targeting the people who tried to harm you,
but you were also poisoned.
It's unclear why these crimes were committed.
With no clear motive, we don't know who'll be targeted.
If I request police protection,
wouldn't the perpetrator realize an investigation is being conducted?
But your safety...
I'll be fine.
Just make sure you catch them.
I'll do my best.
I'll get right on it.
We believe the suspect is a female with type B blood.
HEALTH CERTIFICATE KWON SUJIN, BLOOD TYPE B
HEALTH CERTIFICATE LEE LUNA, BLOOD TYPE B
HEALTH CERTIFICATE LEE AJIN, BLOOD TYPE B
No matter how many times I watch this, all I see is Kim Phil passing by.
It was the same with Kim Bongju.
How did the perpetrator get there and escape undetected?
Tell me about it. It's like they're a ghost.
You have to go through here to get to the crime scene.
Bold move to choose the same location where Kim Bongju was killed.
Well,
there aren't many blind spots along the Han River.
True.
First, let's go to the crime scene.
Yes, sir.
SEEUM - WOMEN IN HANPHIL WITH TYPE B BLOOD LEE LUNA, KWON SUJIN, LEE AJIN
Lee Ajin has type B blood?
Sir?
It's time for a stakeout.
- Hope you enjoy it. - Thank you.
Hello, this is Cha Seeum.
You were right.
They found scotilla-min in your perfume.
Did you keep that perfume
in your hotel room?
No, I always carried it with me.
So it was easily accessible to the perpetrator.
- Yes. - That's good to know.
We're still investigating, so there's no cause for concern.
I'll keep in touch.
Thanks, I appreciate it.
This was the last text message sent to Kim Phil.
"I know Cha Seeum's secret."
We can't track it since it was sent from a burner phone, right?
Kim Bongju was probably contacted the same way.
Since he was a drug dealer,
he probably used an app that automatically deletes messages.
Same place
"THE USE OF SCOTILLA-MIN"
same method.
But, unlike the other two cases, a different method was used for Cha Seeum.
She was slowly exposed to the poison.
Why is that?
Now, let's take a look at the women in Hanphil with type B blood.
Kwon Sujin was at home
on the night of both incidents.
We checked the surveillance cameras,
and we found nothing unusual during the stakeout.
Lee Luna seems to have a good relationship with Cha Seeum.
Cha made her concertmaster despite the others' objections.
Kim Bongju and Kim Phil
don't seem to have any special connection with her.
Now, it's time to move on to our most likely suspect,
Lee Ajin.
She and Kim Phil had an affair.
She also seems to be holding a grudge against Cha Seeum and Kim Phil.
And according to our reports,
Kim Bongju
was the one who exposed their affair on the internet.
So, she would have the most plausible motive.
Is there any surveillance footage
of Lee Luna and Lee Ajin from that night?
The thing is,
the surveillance cameras outside their homes weren't very useful.
Too many blind spots.
I analyzed their cell tower data,
and they were both close to their homes.
Not near the Han River.
They would've used the burner phone.
What about those labs that research scotilla-min?
There are three in Seoul.
Hmm.
SCOTILLA-MIN LABS
Yisang Pharm, Siyang Pharm, and Hyun In...
Come on, let's go! No time for chitchat!
Yes, sir.
Hello, everyone.
Let's begin.
Here's all the data on the research labs that use scotilla-min.
All the checked quantities and test data sheets are here.
This is quite a lot.
It appears that the police have already visited all of these labs.
They all said they had no issues.
What lab would admit to a substance being sneaked out?
Especially if it's poison,
and in a case where it seems to be tied to a crime.
I see what you mean.
There's got to be a discrepancy in the quantity.
Even if it's a small amount.
Yes, sir.
It's unclear why these crimes were committed.
With no clear motive, we don't know who'll be targeted.
Who are you?
What are you doing?
I just wanted to buy some rosin…
I'm…
I'm sorry.
What's your problem?
Seeum.
Are you okay? What's wrong?
Uh, it's nothing.
I'm fine. Let's go in.
But...
Okay, something's up. You even ditched your bag.
I guess I was a little tired.
Tell us what's going on.
Hyejeong.
It's getting late.
You should go home.
You know, don't you?
Do you not want me to know?
Poison?
What kind of crazy...
Who was it? Who did that to you?
They're still investigating.
You mean they still haven't caught the perpetrator?
I couldn't tell you because I thought you'd worry.
That's why you came home, isn't it?
I think I should leave.
If I stay here,
it might be dangerous for you and Dad.
What do you mean by that?
I feel better having you here with me
than you being alone and in danger.
They still haven't found the perpetrator.
- It's all because of me... - Okay, then.
For the time being,
don't come to work, Hyejeong.
That hurts, Pops.
- I won't run away by myself. - Hyejeong.
If they show up, I'll beat them all up!
Don't even think…
about running away without telling us.
If you do that,
we'll be worried to death.
But let's find the culprit.
I'll find the person who did this to you.
I'll hire some bodyguards. Your safety comes first...
No, it's okay.
I completely understand why you don't trust me.
I know I have no right to do this, which is why I gave it a lot of thought.
But you're in a dangerous situation.
Is everything okay?
- Seeum. - Help me.
I need you to look after my dad and Hyejeong.
What?
If something should happen to me, you…
you need to keep them safe.
Did everyone watch the documentary yesterday?
It's certainly getting a lot of attention, in more ways than one.
You're right. That's why the ratings…
were so high.
They're a couple on the verge of divorce who appeared on TV together.
Of course people are intrigued.
You know what?
Seeum said she would get divorced if the affair was real.
So, it's real then, isn't it?
It's likely that Professor Kim is the father of Ajin's baby, isn't it?
Well...
that does seem to be the case.
And he had the nerve to do those interviews.
I can't even imagine what Seeum has been going through.
That's not all.
I'm sure he gained a great deal by playing the doting husband.
How was he a chief composer for three years without writing any songs?
I think Seeum made that possible.
You can't trust anyone!
Tell me about it.
Hello, everyone.
- Hello. - Hey.
- Hi. - Did you go to work today?
I haven't even seen you since I've been working nights.
Yes, I'm working.
Hanphil is in really bad shape right now. Are you okay?
Everyone keeps asking me questions
because of the documentary yesterday.
They keep asking if you know anything.
Whether they're really having an affair.
- Haena. - Cha Seeum is quite impressive.
How can she perform with his mistress?
I'm a little busy right now. Is there anything else you need?
When you have time, let's have dinner with Jinyeong.
Make friends with your future brother-in-law.
Okay.
- Haena. - Coming!
Oh, we can set a date later. Bye.
I spoke about
the possibility of getting Remington's disease.
Yes, "the possibility."
And should the symptoms start to appear,
you would voluntarily step down from your position.
Yes, that's correct.
What does standing on the podium mean to you?
SPECIAL DOCUMENTARY A MAESTRA'S FATE
Uh, I want to share something with you before we start rehearsal.
After this concert…
I'm leaving Hanphil.
Seeum.
I thought you were back for good.
You said you were fine.
I'm here to say my last goodbye.
I know how you're all feeling right now…
but I always leave while I can still receive a standing ovation.
How can you joke at a time like this?
The podium has always seemed like a battlefield to me.
The members are in front of me, and the audience is behind me.
I'm at the center of everyone's attention.
"Enemies on all sides."
But,
my greatest sense of peace and freedom comes when I'm standing here.
I can just focus on the music and forget about everything else.
And…
this was all possible because you and the audience
believed in me.
You were not my enemies
but my allies.
Thank you for everything.
Now I want to be free and at peace
somewhere that’s a little larger than this podium.
I hope you can all understand.
If you put it that way,
it wouldn't be right to try and convince you to stay.
Okay.
Having said that, let's get started with the rehearsal.
The concert's just around the corner.
Bodyguards have been assigned
to Cha Seeum's father and Lee Hyejeong.
That's good.
Hi.
Thanks for the update. And I need more coffee.
Yes, sir.
What's up?
- Are you busy? - Yes, I am.
Probably too busy to watch TV, right?
I watched the documentary.
Oh, really?
It turned out well, didn't it?
You know,
I wanted to tell you, but Seeum...
She looked lovely.
What?
I mean, yes.
She was lovely.
- The camera loves her. - What brings you here?
Nothing much. Finish what you were doing.
Go ahead.
What's keeping him so busy?
Hello, I'm Kang Cheolsu, the bodyguard.
Mr. Yoo Jeongjae assigned me to guard your father.
Thank you.
After this concert,
I'm leaving Hanphil.
Is resigning the new trend?
Excuse me?
It doesn't matter how young and inexperienced you are,
you can't just quit and not come to work.
Did you even think about the transition period?
I'm sorry.
Do you really want to quit?
That's what Seeum wanted me to ask you.
What? She did?
She wants you to consider how you really feel,
and if you wish to continue working, then you should do so.
Hello.
Did you decide what to do?
I want to keep working at Hanphil.
- That's fine, then. - Ms. Cha.
Why are you taking me back?
I'm sure I disappointed you.
I like the way you work, so why not?
Really?
However, I won't tolerate a repeat of the same mistake.
Yes, of course.
The concert's not far off, so make sure you're ready.
I will.
Thank you.
Very good.
Concertmaster, focus.
Concertmaster, you're going too fast.
What's going on?
You're having trouble focusing today.
- I'm sorry. - I want an explanation, not an apology.
Luna.
Seeum.
Can you take me out for a drink?
Can you tell me…
why Taeho came back?
How did that happen?
I didn't see any reason for him to quit.
But he was spying on you.
- He might have even poisoned... - I don't think so.
Certainly, the circumstances make him look suspicious.
But I'm sure it wasn't him.
Why?
What makes you believe that?
It's just something I know.
It bothers me that you're in a dangerous situation.
You don't need to worry about me.
Luna.
You are…
really special to me.
You are…
really…
really special.
When I was a child,
I was abandoned twice.
Mom!
By both my biological and adoptive parents.
After their business went bankrupt,
I was sent back to the orphanage.
It was hard to believe at first,
so I kept waiting.
I waited with the violin my adoptive parents gave me.
But no matter how long I waited, they never came.
Then, by chance…
I saw your performance on TV.
It was Handel's Passacaglia.
As I listened to you perform,
I forgot I'd been abandoned again.
It was such a beautiful performance.
After listening to your performance that day…
I knew…
that I had to be on that stage with you.
That's what kept me going.
If it hadn't been for that…
I would have given up a lot more than just the violin.
I had no idea…
So, as you can see,
you mean more to me than even family.
You embody my dream.
I finally got to meet you.
And now you want to leave again?
You can't.
- Luna. - I want us to stay together.
No matter where you go.
But right now, my condition is...
Staying in Korea could be dangerous for you.
I think you should leave too…
but can't you take me with you?
It doesn't matter where you go,
just don't leave me.
Here.
Just a moment.
- Thank you. - Have a good night.
- Thank you. - Take care.
Will you be okay?
Yes, I'm fine.
You should go home.
Let me help you inside.
You don't have to…
HYUN IN PHARM
BEETHOVEN NO. 5 CONCERT
How did you learn to play the violin?
My dad taught me.
He played the violin as a hobby.
I went to many concerts with my dad
before his business went bankrupt.
Uh, I tagged along wherever he went.
Seeum.
You're still here?
I thought you were lost again.
I was so scared.
HYUN IN PHARM
There it is. I found it.
Would it be possible
to see the test data sheets of your lab's experiments with scotilla-min?
As I explained to you last time,
we manage all of our operations efficiently.
We received a tip-off. We'd appreciate your cooperation.
Do you have a warrant?
Are you really comfortable
with having a warrant issued?
Of course. We have nothing to hide...
Instead of officially stating that Hyun In Pharm tried to hide everything,
it would be better to state
that the company actively cooperated with the investigation...
and had no knowledge of the damage.
It's not that I'm refusing to cooperate.
There's just no point in wasting your time.
We'll just take a peek and check it out.
Well…
Do you know what to look for?
There are tons of test data sheets.
I…
I must have lost my mind for a moment.
No.
I'm the crazy one for believing in a guy like you.
I am so sorry. I really am.
Our wedding
is off!
Come on, Haena.
I don't think...
Let's end things right now!
I don't want to hear your excuses.
Haena, I am so sorry.
Please, I'm begging you.
Haena.
You knew about this.
- What? - I saw all the texts.
How could you hide this from me?
Haena, I'm really sorry.
Forget it, I don't need this.
Haena.
Haena!
JINYEONG
You'd better end it before I tell Haena.
HAENA
The person you're calling
is not available. Please leave a message...
Kim Jinyeong.
Every time this person conducts the experiment,
there is a slight shortage of scotilla-min.
Really?
That's not possible.
This shouldn't happen in our team.
We don't have time for this right now.
We need to find Kim Jinyeong.
Can you tell us where he is?
I can move out right away.
Please put the house on the market as soon as possible.
Yes, you can lower the price, so just make sure you do it quickly.
HAENA
How are you feeling?
I…
Are you okay?
I'm sorry about yesterday.
I guess I had too much to drink.
It happens.
About what I said
last night…
Seeum.
I need to speak with you privately.
Uh, let's go to my office.
I'll see you later.
Have you ever heard of Kim Jinyeong?
There may be a connection between him and Hanphil.
Never heard of him.
Who is he?
There's a possibility that he stole the scotilla-min.
Do you know anyone who works at Hyun In Pharm?
No, I don't.
He doesn't appear to be home.
I think you're right.
We've got a warrant.
First, let's put a stakeout team here.
Then we'll track his credit cards and phone.
And check the surveillance cameras around this area.
Yes, sir.
Have you ever heard of Kim Jinyeong?
There may be a connection between him and Hanphil.
You're still here?
I waited for you. Let's go.
If the perp finds out an investigation is underway, you could be in danger.
Think of me as your driver, or even your bodyguard.
THE HANGANG PHILHARMONIC
What's wrong?
What was the name of that pharmaceutical company earlier?
Hyun In Pharm.
BEETHOVEN NO. 5 CONCERT
This was found at the crime scene.
It's the blood from Kim Bongju's jackknife.
It's mostly likely from the perpetrator.
A female with type B blood.
Seeum.
What's this?
Are you running away?
- Get out of my way. - I can't do that.
I'm about to lose everything because of you.
Why are you blaming me?
You're the one who cheated on her.
What did you say?
Kim Jinyeong.
How is he connected to this case?
I never expected there would be an accomplice.
Well, scotilla-min isn't easy to get your hands on.
Tell me.
How did you use the scotilla-min?
What did you do with it?
Did you…
do anything strange with it?
Luna.
Please don't tell your sister.
I'll end it as soon as I can, okay?
Honestly, there isn't really anything to end. It's not a relationship.
We don't even have a relationship.
I didn't do anything wrong.
I won't say anything.
Really?
Luna, do you really mean it?
But, I do need a favor from you.
I heard your company researches a substance called scotilla-min.
I need some.
Scotilla-min?
Why would you need that?
It's extremely toxic, so it can be dangerous if mishandled.
It would be better if you didn't know.
That's why the police are already after me.
So what?
Uh, "So what?"
If I get caught, you think you'll get away with it?
- Where do you think you're going? - Let go.
- I can't do that. - Let go of me!
- No way! - What's going on?
Are you okay, Luna?
What's wrong with you? She told you to let go.
Who do you think you are? Can't you see we're talking here?
Didn't she tell you to let go?
Luna, call the police.
You won't get away with this.
- Hey! - Let him go.
Are you okay?
Yes, I'm fine.
First, let's call the police.
- He might come back... - Why did you follow me?
What?
You looked so upset when I saw you earlier.
I was worried about you.
But,
what was that guy talking about?
It's just a misunderstanding, right?
For now, we should call the police.
Let's talk.
We can go to my place.
There's nothing here.
You're right.
I'm sure it isn't what I think.
Hang on.
JEONGJAE
You should take that.
It's okay, I can take it later.
Go ahead. I'll make you some tea.
♪ I have died ♪
♪ Foolish me ♪
♪ My torn and wounded soul ♪
♪ I have died ♪
♪ I've swallowed myself ♪
♪ Like a lonely and angry monster ♪
♪ Erase me cruelly... ♪
STRINGS OF TRUTH
Luna has killed someone.
Be careful.
I heard that you're at the center of all these incidents.
I think I know how to find Luna.
Having the concert as originally planned.
Passacaglia. There is no better way.
- Seeum. - I have to do it.
This is the only way I can protect those close to me.
Luna and I are going to prepare really well for this.
Continue with the concert as planned? It's too dangerous.
Luna, open the door!
I'm going to make sure you never forget me.
Translated by Park Soyoung