Pied Piper 피리부는 사나이 - Episode 2 (a Shortcap)
The second episode has Myung-ha and Sung-chan working together, sort of, but despite the fact that Sung-chan seems to honestly think that Myung-ha has talent, he also screws her over whenever he gets a chance. It seems that Myung-ha is far too trusting a person and he simply doesn't care about anyone else but himself and his quest to find the Whistler. Doesn't care yet? It's not that he is devoid of human emotion, not at all. It seems that he is just not letting anyone see them.
He's very focused, and I don't blame him. I'm guessing he has a lot of survivor's guilt.
Oh, definitely.
I still can't pick that reporter out from a line-up. He really has zero presence.
It's an interesting role for him to pick; definitely second fiddle to Shin Ha Kyun, and for what he's needed to do so far, serious underchallenging. This is why I think there's more to the story than we're getting right now.
And Joo Sung-chan? He has flown under K-Group's radar all this time but goes around Seoul doing rogue negotiating. Always in search of the one who whistles. Always a step ahead of the police negotiators. Although ... not as well-dressed as he used to be. And with an alcohol problem or the beginnings of one.
He seems to have amazing tolerance the way he was downing that soju like soda. Also, I laughed so much at his rogue negotiating. Of all the superhero powers to have! "The Negotiator."
Able to bridge arguments in a single bound of logic!
Myung-ha and her team become aware of this rogue negotiator and pretty quickly identify him as Joo Sung-chan (thank you for being capable, police in Pied Piper)(I add my thanks.) The police are not the only ones after him though ... K-Group's CEO is also quite desperately trying to get a hold of him. They are having continuing issues with protesters, which sours the glory of his grand new casino, and want Sung-chan to solve that problem. He shakes the K-Group suits (not for the first time, it seems) but when he wants to get back to his car, Myung-ha and her colleagues are waiting there for him. Second chance for Myung-ha to shove Sung-chan around and twist his arm and hand to make sure he doesn't flee.
K-Group apparently really love greasy Chinese food. They're always in that same dingy restaurant being shady.
The only thing I thought was wei... never mind, I just put two and two together and came up with four. I'm good.
He tells them that "Team Leader Oh's negotiation didn't fail" and that the bomb was set-off remotely. And then, he drives off after they stupidly let him go into his car to "get some documents" (love his grin). His words make an impression though and Myung-ha and her colleagues look at the CCTV footage of that hostage situation a year ago again. Indeed: the guy with the vest did not press the trigger. It was remote controlled. Something is very fishy and stinks to high heaven.
That was unbelievable. Myung-ha was a top police trainee and headed for the SWAT team and should've known better than to fall for the "get some documents" trick. That said, Sung-chan was super-smooth.
Brain fart?
Again, it shows they're not really professionals yet. Much too trusting, too. And he is GOOD.
And then, a new hostage situation emerges! A guy storms a bank and takes everybody in it hostage. It seems his main reason for this desperate act is financial difficulties, with some connection to K-Group. By chance, a rookie reporter from Yoon Hee-Sung's team is in the bank when it happens and manages to secretly film everything. What a scoop! Figure the odds. At the same time, Myung-ha lures Sung-chan downtown with a fake police-call and puts handcuffs on him. But then, the real call comes in ... and they hear that somebody whistled on the emergency call when they reported the robbery. Dun-dun.
Very impressed at that rookie reporter's nerve.
Planning to never go to Seoul, where hostages are a daily, nay, hourly occurance.
Oh, but Shin Ha-kyun's there too.
Myung-ha locks Sung-chan up in the car and goes to the crisis negotiator tent. She manages to quickly establish some connection with the hostage taker on the phone, but before she can do much more, the SWAT team takes over. As they move in, one of the hostages and one of the SWAT-guys is shot by accident (they had false intel that the bank-robber only has a toy gun). The situation seems to be spiraling out of control. Sung-chan frees himself of the handcuffs (easily) and pays a certain someone a visit. But not before calling the CEO of the K-Group and asking permission to get involved.
He's so fiddly, Our Hero. I love it!
Look how sweet he can look, too. Not sure how I feel about that.
That certain someone is the chief of police, who likes to dine with some K-Group people at the ever same place near the protesters. By invoking Mr. K-Group's name, Sung-chan is given command of the situation ... and wow, he TAKES command. He is a pleasure to watch and this, this is what he is obviously good at. He knows that the hostage-taker responds well to Myung-ha, so he coaches her as she reestablishes a connection to the frightened man. After some back and forth, she delivers him a cigarette (and shares some truly emotional moments with the man) ... but behind her back, Sung-chan has the SWAT-team move in and they taser the guy. That's too bad, because the robber was just
about to reveal the "real reason" for doing what he did...
So annoying. I really wanted to know what the robber was going to say.
She is a very empathetic person, isn't she? I hope it doesn't kill her.
A little surprised she doesn't have training in this, but then, it's not like they get practice, and practice is what makes a person perfect.
It seems like they want us to understand that this tactic is new and not especially popular yet - the group appears to be made up of people who have some talent in the area but they're having to develop expertise very much on their own.
* Myung-ha feels extremely betrayed when the SWAT-team moves in behind her. I think that's quite unprofessional of her, actually, but I guess she is just too young and inexperienced.
She ought to have expected the SWAT team because procedures.
She does get too emotionally involved.
* Sung-chan has a police-radio in his car and listens to everything they say. How that allows him to go to places where a negotiator is needed faster than the police isn't entirely clear to me, but I guess he just knows the shortcuts and the beneficial illegal left turns better than they do.
Let's go with that.
You have entered a logic-free zone. Please suspend your belief, keep your hands inside the car at all times, and keep moving.
* At the market, Sung-chan quasi steals two pieces of pastry because he thinks the woman should "give him extra". Wow, Sung-chan ... I think he also lives in his car, so he probably has hit rock-bottom.
I took it more that he was in hiding.
Remember back when I was like, but... okay, never mind? Yeah. That. I keep thinking that Chairman Seo must want to kill him.
* He is still sad about his girlfriend. He looks at the ring he bought her in his car and his face shows deep emotions. Again, it is clear that he wears a mask around people, but his true self is full of feelz. Awwwww.
This actor's expressive face is why I'm watching this show. And he just fits this role so well.
We wish to squish him with love. And occasionally kick his ass.
* I'm already so smitten with that grin of Shin Ha-kyun... wow. He makes me tenderly whisper "Hakyun" in the dark. (Okay, Lafer.)
I wouldn't go that far, no.
There are times he looks rather elven.
Elven is the word!
He's very focused, and I don't blame him. I'm guessing he has a lot of survivor's guilt.
Oh, definitely.
Episode 2
A year has passed since the bomb blast in episode 1. Yoon Hee-Sung is now a popular news anchor, Yeo Myung-ha is still working in the police negotiator team, but they are struggling to establish themselves as useful and have to fear disbandment. The whole police force basically sees them as necessary foreplay until the SWAT-team can move in. She and her two male colleagues also get a new boss... a reincarnated sloth who likes to play minesweeper and puts his naked feet on his desk.I still can't pick that reporter out from a line-up. He really has zero presence.
It's an interesting role for him to pick; definitely second fiddle to Shin Ha Kyun, and for what he's needed to do so far, serious underchallenging. This is why I think there's more to the story than we're getting right now.
He seems to have amazing tolerance the way he was downing that soju like soda. Also, I laughed so much at his rogue negotiating. Of all the superhero powers to have! "The Negotiator."
Able to bridge arguments in a single bound of logic!
K-Group apparently really love greasy Chinese food. They're always in that same dingy restaurant being shady.
The only thing I thought was wei... never mind, I just put two and two together and came up with four. I'm good.
That was unbelievable. Myung-ha was a top police trainee and headed for the SWAT team and should've known better than to fall for the "get some documents" trick. That said, Sung-chan was super-smooth.
Brain fart?
Again, it shows they're not really professionals yet. Much too trusting, too. And he is GOOD.
Very impressed at that rookie reporter's nerve.
Planning to never go to Seoul, where hostages are a daily, nay, hourly occurance.
Oh, but Shin Ha-kyun's there too.
He's so fiddly, Our Hero. I love it!
Look how sweet he can look, too. Not sure how I feel about that.
So annoying. I really wanted to know what the robber was going to say.
She is a very empathetic person, isn't she? I hope it doesn't kill her.
Additional Thoughts:
* Myung-ha uses her dead uncle's notebook to do negotiating (and seems quite lost without it). Sung-chan finds and reads it when he is handcuffed in her car. He scoffs at the "obvious words" it contains, but is impressed enough to quote some to her once he starts coaching her.A little surprised she doesn't have training in this, but then, it's not like they get practice, and practice is what makes a person perfect.
It seems like they want us to understand that this tactic is new and not especially popular yet - the group appears to be made up of people who have some talent in the area but they're having to develop expertise very much on their own.
* Myung-ha feels extremely betrayed when the SWAT-team moves in behind her. I think that's quite unprofessional of her, actually, but I guess she is just too young and inexperienced.
She ought to have expected the SWAT team because procedures.
She does get too emotionally involved.
* Sung-chan has a police-radio in his car and listens to everything they say. How that allows him to go to places where a negotiator is needed faster than the police isn't entirely clear to me, but I guess he just knows the shortcuts and the beneficial illegal left turns better than they do.
Let's go with that.
You have entered a logic-free zone. Please suspend your belief, keep your hands inside the car at all times, and keep moving.
* At the market, Sung-chan quasi steals two pieces of pastry because he thinks the woman should "give him extra". Wow, Sung-chan ... I think he also lives in his car, so he probably has hit rock-bottom.
I took it more that he was in hiding.
Remember back when I was like, but... okay, never mind? Yeah. That. I keep thinking that Chairman Seo must want to kill him.
* He is still sad about his girlfriend. He looks at the ring he bought her in his car and his face shows deep emotions. Again, it is clear that he wears a mask around people, but his true self is full of feelz. Awwwww.
This actor's expressive face is why I'm watching this show. And he just fits this role so well.
We wish to squish him with love. And occasionally kick his ass.
* I'm already so smitten with that grin of Shin Ha-kyun... wow. He makes me tenderly whisper "Hakyun" in the dark. (Okay, Lafer.)
I wouldn't go that far, no.
There are times he looks rather elven.
Elven is the word!