Shui-yuan: GG Precinct character explained

In GG Precinct, the police consult Shui-yuan after a killer starts imitating his methods. Tai Chih-yuan and Yo Yang play Shui-yuan.

Shui-yuan, a Chinese language teacher, was dubbed the ‘Idiom Monster’ by the media after he killed his own students in cold blood. 

Twenty years after these murders, the police seek his help to catch a new murderer who has begun imitating Shui-yuan’s methods, killing more people than Shui-yuan ever did.

Teacher turned murderer

In the town of Hengqiu, Shui-yuan, a cram school teacher, is known for being strict and expecting discipline from his students. 

His students feel that he demands too much from them and complain, leading Shui-yuan’s superior to ask him to go easy on them. 

However, Shui-yuan does not care whether his students like his methods; he is solely focused on their education and values. Unlike many other teachers, he does not view education as a money-making business. 

When he sees that his board assistant, Huang Hsien, is eager to learn but cannot afford the fees, he decides to teach him and his sister for free.

Shui-yuan believes that his superior is cheapening education by prioritizing money over learning, but he still has to obey her. He tries to be easy-going while teaching.  

Despite that, two of his students, a young couple, are particularly disrespectful. They mock him and even bully Huang Hsien. 

Shui-yuan initially tolerates their behavior, but his patience wears thin when they write incorrect words on his idiom exam. 

In response, he brutally kills them, arranging their bodies to remind people of the wrong words they used. These murders come to be known as the ‘Idiom Murders’. 

Shui-yuan does not have regrets, believing his actions were justified. He claims that he was saving the soul of the nation by making people recognize the importance of the Chinese language. 

To him, idioms symbolize the wisdom of their ancestors, and those who fail to respect this heritage deserve punishment, even if it means becoming a murderer.

Manipulating and escaping

Shui-yuan is a self-important man. He is dangerous, not only due to his intelligence and ability to read people easily but also because of his manipulative nature. 

He is violent, often attacking authorities or prison guards at the first opportunity. Due to that, he is either kept in restraints or solitary confinement. 

Despite being imprisoned, Shui-yuan demands respect from others, which is why he takes a liking to Tzu-ching, who treats him respectfully when questioning him about the new murders resembling the Idiom Murders. 

Shui-yuan quickly deduces that the new killer might be a former student, as the idioms referenced in the murders follow the sequence in his book called The Great Idiom Supplement. 

This enables him to predict the next idiom that the killer will reference even before the murder occurs, leading Tzu-ching to meet with him regularly for information.

As Shui-yuan gets to know Tzu-ching, he uses her vulnerabilities to manipulate her. He manages to present himself as more honest than he truly is. 

GG Precinct Shui-yuan
Shui-yuan convinces Tzu-ching and Ming-han to take him to Liu Mu-ting’s house

When the police begin to suspect Huang Hsien, Shui-yuan diverts their attention to protect him. Under the pretense of helping them, he convinces Tzu-ching and Ming-han to take him to the crime scene, where he manages to escape. 

He then visits Hsiao-yin, as he has deduced that she is the new murderer. He is disappointed by her inability to meet his standards of murder.

Their confrontation ends with Hsiao-yin taking her own life. Even after that, Shui-yuan is not remorseful. Now that he is on the loose, it is implied that he will continue killing now that he is free.


Also Read: GG Precinct recap and ending explained

Muskan Chhatwani
Muskan Chhatwani
Muskan is an editor at The Envoy Web. Her name translates to smile in English, but she likes shows and films that do anything but make you smile. She believes that analyzing and interpreting the tiny little things on-screen can reveal a story that is not visible to everyone, a story of your own.

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