Episode 2 of Cafe Minamdang revolves around the police’s case against Shin Gyeong-ho and how Nam Han-jun helps him escape his charges.
Recap
Jae-hui and the others from her division are looking into the hit-and-run case that Han-jun told them about. After looking at all the nearby traffic cam footage, they find out that the culprit is Shin Gyeong-ho.
Han-jun arrives at Gyeong-ho’s house and tells him all about his previous crimes. Gyeong-jo is convinced that Han-jun is truly a shaman because he knew the details even though the police didn’t. He agrees to do whatever is asked of him to secure his freedom.
Jae-hui discusses how they can successfully bring in Gyeong-ho for his crimes. They conclude that they need to get their hands on his car before he buries it himself. Right then they get a call tipping them off the car’s location.
Detective Jang says that they need a warrant first but there is no prosecutor who will go against such a high profile individual. Jae-hui says that she knows one prosecutor who will help, Prosecutor Cha Do-won.
Do-won is known as the chatterbox of the Seoul Western District Prosecutor’s Office because he talks the ear of suspects and gets them to admit to all their wrongdoings in an effective manner. He gets the call and agrees to process the warrant for Jae-hui.
Jae-hui, Jang and Kim head out in advance to stay one step of Gyeong-ho while Na Gwang-tae stays behind to inform them when the warrant comes through.
As soon as he’s left alone, someone from the junkyard arrives with the car and dash cam to hand it over to the police. This was orchestrated by Han-jun to make sure it reaches before the warrant is issued. Gwang-tae receives the dashcam right before the warrant has been processed but doesn’t realise it.
The police head to Gyeong-ho’s house to arrest him and while he’s in handcuffs and protesting, Nam Han-jun tells him to just stay quiet as he’ll be free soon enough.
Jae-hui asks Han-jun why he’s doing this and whether really that shameless or greedy that he’s doing it for the payout. He rebukes her and confirms that she was the Looney who’s been obsessed with him recently.
Internal Inspector Jung Cheong-gi is called into the MK hotel where an employee talks about Gyeong-ho’s case. He was the one who helped cover up the murder that was accused of years ago so they want him to help once again.
Jae-hui and Jang are questioning Gyeong-ho when Han-jun shows up and tells them he’s got some important revelations. He tells them that a spirit informed him that the dashcam was received before the warrant came through so it should be considered illegal.
Upon going through the security footage at the station, it is confirmed that what Han-jun said is true and they have no choice but to release Gyeong-ho. Gyeong-ho runs his mouth but Han-jun warns him that this is the last time he will be able to help.
Jae-hui is enraged and confronts Han-jun. She tells him about the victim that was hit by Gyeong-ho and tries to appeal to his good nature but Han-jun insists that he’s only in it for the money. She flashes back to the time she was a young girl and Han-jun was still a cop.
He was a mentor of sorts to her and gave her great advice about what it means to be a cop, something she repeats right back to him.
Jae-hui is being reprimanded by the police chief and he wants her to stop going after Gyeong-ho but Jang shows up and together with Jae-hui, convinces to change the chief’s mind.
They try and question the woman that was with Gyeong-ho but she is uncooperative. Han-jun cannot get what Jae-hui said to him out of his head and ultimately decides to help her and turn Gyeong-ho in.
They consider how this can be done and decide that they should take another crack at Cheong-gi as they were unable to make him spill information the last time. They plan on using him as bait to get Gyeong-ho to commit a mistake.
They head out late at night to set things up and that’s when Jae-hui sneaks into their house. She looks around and finds out that they’ve also been digging into the death of her brother, Han Jae-jeong, who was a prosecutor.
This was the same case that she was obsessing over and wonders what Han-jun is up to. Han-jun and the others return home and Jae-hui hides inside his wardrobe but just as she thinks she got away with it, her phone rings and Han-jun is alerted of her presence.
In the epilogue, Jae-hui is a young girl once again but goes by a different name. She had a crush on Han-jun and hands him a gift but before she can tell him anything, his girlfriend shows up and she becomes dejected and leaves.
Review
- Seo In-guk is excelling in the eccentric shaman role who is so full of himself but also has a more noble side and a good conscience. The way he hams it up whenever he’s “talking to spirits” is really well done.
- Han jae-hui’s dynamic with Detective Jang and Nam Han-jun are ones to watch as they develop because they’re following interesting paths.
- The ‘ghost’ moments of Han Jae-hui seem a little excessive and don’t necessarily add to much to her aura.
Rating: 3/5
Also Read: Who is Han Jae-hui in Cafe Minamdang?