Heartless City Episode 11 Recap

Another week and here we are with Episode 11 which gives us so much more to think and mull over. And I hate to say this, but I’m still conflicted over Hong Ki’s character-who is he and what is his agenda? Having him be Busan, or on Busan’s side is making things too easy and if there’s anything this drama has taught us, it’s that there’s nothing easy or as it appears in this world. I have a nagging suspicion about Hong Ki, which puts him in the category of somewhat good guys in my perspective, but then again, a guy who is using the wrong means to achieve something right, is that really a good guy? Ahhh, so many questions!

Episode 11 Recap:

Hyung  Min has Safari at gun point just before he can take out Park Sa. Safari easily surrenders his weapon but has an even better trick unfer his sleeve. He takes out an identification card which labels him a police officer. And it’s legitimate.

Park Sa is stunned and so is Hyung Min. Safari sends a smile Park Sa’s way as Park Sa flashes back to his childhood with Safari right up to the moment where he betrays Park Sa and then almost kills him. Man, this is one big blow to the guy. Safari watches now as Park Sa backs away, and Hyung Min, suspecting someone else is there runs forward but Park Sa is long gone by then. He asks Safari who was here but Safari hedges, “I don’t know.”

Hyung Min and his men regroup outside and Hyung Min orders Duk Bae’s credentials to be checked and asks for him to be taken to the police station. He watches the reporter sit back, still in shock as medical personnel attend to her. Soo Min walks by them, wearing a staff uniform and she and Hyung Min exchange nods. Kinda obvious, no?

Hyung Min bursts into Hong Ki’s office, mad at the prosecutor’s interference but there’s not much either can do. He heads back to his own office where the prosecutor is now lazing around in his chair. The Prosecutor (Can somebody tell me his name again please) orders Hyung Min to report every detail of the day to him. Hyung Min tells him to remember the name  ‘Kim Ho Jae’ for all his life since he’s the reason the man died today. The prosecutor tells him he’s the one at fault since he went all out on his own but Hyung Min gets in his face and threatens him against any such interference in the further.

Meanwhile Hyung Min finds that Duk Bae is not on the police records. Hyung Min wants another search and then heads in to give Officer Kim the go ahead to interrogate him. Quiet all this while, when the interrogator enters, Duk Bae aka Safari starts secretly unlocking his cuffs. He deliberately riles up the interrogator until he comes forward to hit him at which point Safari hits the guy and cuffs him up. Hyung Min and the others rush in. Safari quips that he was just giving the young guy a lesson.

Meanwhile, Officer Oh calls up Hong Ki to warn him. Hong Ki immediately plugs in a flash drive to his computer and opens up Duk Bae’s file. Park Sa is sitting alone in his room, still anxious and panicky, twitching his fingers replaying the scene from the library in his mind again and again. Whoa, this is one beautifully shot scene. You never see Park Sa’s face, just hear the sound of his still labored breath and watch his fingers twitch and his eyes dart back and forth. Hyung Min gets an update-they found Duk Bae’s records in the police records.

“Hey, Team Leader Ji. Do you even know what being undercover means?

In interrogation, Safari is evasive about his answers-he came to catch the bad guys and just says he’s just a guy who doesn’t talk ‘too well.’ Hyung Min hears from a junior that although the records are legitimate, when the police force contacted Busan, no one knew of any Moon Duk Bae.

Hyung Min faces Duk Bae himself and asks him, “Are you undercover?” Safari wonders, so what and Hyung Min asks who his target is “Park Sa? Or is it Busan?” When he doesn’t respond, Hyung Min promises him he won’t be able to leave this room until he answers. Safari remarks, “Hey, Team Leader Ji. Do you even know what being undercover means?” Does anyone have any idea how he spent 15 years trying to stay alive in that world? “What I’ve done, you’ll never be able to understand/find out.”

The prosecutor flips his lid when he hears Hyung Min is gonna let the man go-they’ve no reason to hold the man since they don’t even have a basic reason to arrest the man from the site, and it’s hilarious the way he’s ranting but Hyung Min’s sitting there looking bored and very much like he’d love to roll his eyes. The prosecutor takes things another way when he wonders if Duk Bae was the undercover Hyung Min sent in and Hyung Min just smiles at the logic before remarking, “Of course, there’s nothing I can hide from you, Prosecutor Ahn!” Ah, yes, that was his name! Haha, it is doubly hilarious the way the man buys Hyung Min’s sarcasm and Hyung Min’s all, “Please keep it a secret!”

Safari is let go and the prosecutor makes a call telling the other party Duk Bae was undercover by Hyung Min so he was let go. The person on the other end just tells him he did a good job. Hyung Min follows Safari outside and asks where he’s headed. Safari is about to leave but Hyung Min asks him to help him with catching Park Sa. Before leaving, Safari asks him if he has someone undercover and reminds him that ‘even an undercover is a person’. He says matter of factly that if Hyung Min does have such a person, he’d do good to remember these words.

As he’s leaving, Officer Oh comes out and asks Hyung Min if they’re just going to let Duk Bae walk away. Hyung Min says the more important task at hand is finding out the man behind Duk Bae-who sent him undercover and that has Officer Oh looking uneasy.

Hong Ki finally gets the call and Park Sa confronts him the moment they meet up by grabbing his collar and asking if Duk Bae was an undercover officer. Hong Ki seems surprised that Park Sa knows and Park Sa warns him not to pretend he doesn’t know anything and demands an answer. Hong Ki agrees Duk Bae was someone he sent undercover. A failed undercover, Hong Ki says.

Park Sa draws back in shock and tries to gather his thoughts as Hong Ki continues. “But Safari isn’t a police officer anymore. He became a monster. For money and his greed, he betrayed me and the police.” Park Sa shouts out in frustration and anxiety, not knowing what to think. “WHY didn’t you TELL ME? WHY?”

Hong Ki says he simply said the truth-that he was to catch Safari and Busan and the truth about his mother. Park Sa argues that he’s the same-a man who’s just finding revenge for his mother against Safari; just Park Sa, he shouts. Hong Ki disagrees and tells him to simply ask himself if he’s a monster of not, reminding him to think of Lee Kyung Mi.

As he says Kyung Mi’s name, a tear falls from Park Sa’s eyes and Hong Ki nods, “That’s right. You’re not a monster. You won’t become like Moon Duk Bae.” Park Sa’s face hardens as he mutters that what’s the point-Duk Bae’s still a police officer.

But Hong Ki tells him this is the start. Now everyone will know Safari was a cop and most of all, it would force Busan to make a move. Aha, smart move!

At the same time, Chairman Jo’s son is on the move on his dad’s orders. He smirks at Safari being a cop.

Jin Suk goes to Soo Min’s room but she’s not there. The girl is currently back at her own place, staring at the bag as she remembers how Eun Soo tried to kill her and Park Sa saved her and told her his name, “Shi Hyun. It’s Jung Shi Hyun.” She picks her mobile and inserts her battery just as Hyung Min calls. She asks what to do next and he confiscates her phone, telling her she needs a new number and gives her another phone to use. She asks him, “Can I look up one number from there?” Awwww. But Hyung Min says she can’t. Uhhhh!

He tells her to hurry back to Jin Suk and tell her the truth-beside the police’s involvement. They’ll have another opportunity the next time she’s asked to make a deal. And then he asks her why she ran away instead of going through with it. She hedges and says its because she was suddenly too scared. That reminds Hyung Min of Safari’s words that even an undercover is a person, so he tells Soo Min, “You did well!” Asking her if she wants something to eat, he heads off to the kitchen but she asks for something to drink instead.

Hyung Min goes to buy the drink but then comes back almost immediately and sits by her side. “If it’s too hard on you, you can quit. I’ll get you back onto the police force.” Okay, I almost see you as a person now. But Soo Min declines-she will definitely catch Park Sa. He tells her she doesn’t have to do it since he will catch the guy and she tells him, “No, we’ll do it together! Also, don’t feel sorry for me. It was my own decision.” In return, she asks that he teach her more.

With that, he starts teaching her the names and shows her the faces off all the men in the organization-from Jo Oh to Soo and even Duk Bae.

That night, Hong Ki comes home to find Safari waiting for him. Safari remarks that Hong Ki hasn’t changed at all but Hong Ki says Safari has changed a lot. Safari holds a gun to his head-he never had any choice since “that is the kind of place you sent me to.” Hong Ki tells him everyone has the opportunity to make their own choice and so does Safari, even now. Safari shouts at him-does he think Safari didn’t know, and saying Hong Ki never had the intention of catching Busan.

Hong Ki asks if he came to talk nonsense and reminds him he was the one who killed Commissioner Kang and to make use of this opportunity while he still can. He coaxes him to shoot and Safari seems like he wants to, but ends up shooting at the ground near his feet. As he’s leaving, he turns back to tell Hong Ki not to misunderstand and drops his badge on the floor, saying this really is the end.

As Safari drives away, he is impatient and anxious. At home, Hong Ki flips over a clothes rack in anger.

When Safari reaches his destination-home perhaps, something seems out of place. He goes up to find Jo’s son’s minions waiting for him. And so he runs away. From inside (Ah, it’s Jo Oh’s mansion again) Jo’s son is watching and on the sidelines, a bloody and beat up Chung Mo and Eun Soo are on their knees. Chung Mo wants to get in the son’s good graces who tells him to go and find Safari in return for his life. Man, this guy is so twisted. He actually licks blood off his fingers that he fingers from Eun Soo’s face and smiles at her.  *shudder* He leaves, giving the order to have her brought to his room.

Soo Min returns and Jin Suk tells her she was fraught with worry. She asks her what happened. Chung Mo goes to see Safari-“Isn’t it best to be by Hyung nim’s side at this time?” and asks what they’re going to do now, putting on a show of cursing Chairman Jo’s son. Soo Min tells Jin Suk that she’s sorry for not being able to exchange the bags but Jin Suk tells her it doesn’t matter as long as she is alright. After all, the others were just going to kill her and had called in the police.

She tells Soo Min that she’s really glad she’s back and asks her how she got away. Soo Min remembers Shi Hyun’s words, but says it was just because there were a lot of people around so she could slip away easily. Asking for permission to speak up, she tells Jin Suk it’s better if she didn’t deal with such people in the future.

Safari gets a call. It’s Jin Suk who shouts at him for trying to kill Soo Min and taking the money. He tells her to believe what she wants and that he’s a dead guy walking anyway. Since Jo’s son is here, the best would be for her to have a low profile as well. She tells him this marks the end of her fate with ‘Safari Uncle’. He looks grim after her puts down the phone.

Just then, Jin Suk’s minion comes in to tell her to run. She tells Soo Min to make her getaway first and turns back to face the three guys who come barging in, beating up her minion. While she faces them bravely, even sending a glass smashing near one of the men’s head, a close up of her hands show her trembling in fear. Oh drama, I love the details in thee! One of the men takes out a phone and makes a call.

Jo’s son takes the call while he’s playing a game. Jin Suk asks him who he is (though she already knows) and he tells her who he is, saying he’s heard loads about her. She’s like-can he even be her opponent? When she asks why he sent his men, he tells her, “Give up Park Sa.” She tells him there’s no need for that and they should just deal with her, isn’t that what they want? Jo Oh’s gone and she can step into his shoes. He tells her these words have to be face to face and tells her to come over.

She closes her eyes for a brief moment but the fear in them is visible and nonchalantly agrees. She doesn’t have much of a choice anyway. Soo Min meanwhile, calls up Hyung Min, asking him to come since Jin Suk is in trouble.

Soo is flabbergasted to learn Safari was a police officer and asks Park Sa what’s happening now that Busan knows. Before Park Sa can answer, he gets the call from Jin Suk’s minion. He and Soo rush to the club and he freezes just as he exits the car when he sees Hyung Min running inside. Going in, Hyung Min passes the three minions of Jo’s son as they’re leaving.

Soo Min runs back to Jin Suk and asks her if she’s okay. Jin Suk tells her not to worry “This Unni isn’t that easy.” Hidden in the corner and listening to their conversation is Hyung Min who then leaves, since there is no more trouble. Park Sa watches him go.

The next morning, Soo Min tells Hyung Min this was the first time she saw Jin Suk look like that, although she said it was nothing big. At his question, she tells him there was no mention of any Busan. Hyung Min returns her phone to her and asks her who ‘gangster ahjusshi’ is. She hedges and just answers evasively.

Jin Suk sits on pins and needles, scared but ready to go and heads out to the car… only to find Park Sa sitting there already.

Park Sa tells her not to go-he’ll meet Jo’s son himself. She tells him she can deal with it but he tells her to stay put-he’ll do this. She tells him Jo will definitely want to make a deal but he tells her it won’t be the end of things (means things won’t get resolved with just making the deal). She tells him he can’t go directly against Busan-they will all die then. But he tells her he can’t let her go to Jo in his place either.

They go back inside and sit for a while, thinking it over. Park Sa finally asks her if she knew Duk Bae was a police officer. She jerks her head at him-WHAT does that mean?

Jo Oh has visitors-his son along with Park Sa. Park Sa gets right to the point-put him through to Busan, since Safari is now done for. He tells Jo Oh Safari was a cop and promises Jo Oh stuff like meeting his son again and again in exchange for getting him through to Busan. Jo Oh wants to know what he needs to do and Park Sa puts forward his phone.

Jo’s son is in bed with Eun Soo-ewww, and I feel so sorry for her. Doesn’t it look like she’s drugged or something, when the call comes through and he heads down to take it.

Respectfully, Jo Oh tells him that Park Sa came to find him and wants to apologize and make up for everything he did wrong. Jo Oh says this is the best way for him to ‘come out (of prison) too. Jo’s son wonders if he called on Park Sa’s askance and shouts at him, “I’m the one who will catch and kill that bastard!”

Before Jo Oh can say more, Park Sa takes the phone and talks to him directly. Jo’s son tells him he should have come straight to him and begged on his knees. Park Sa asks him what time would be good to come and that he didn’t come directly cause he thought it might surprise him too much. Jo’s son demands, with a smile, that he come right away.

And so Park Sa rushes there. Jo’s son-back to his video game, muses there’s no way Park Sa would come unless he were looking to die and tells his minion to go and catch Jin Suk. Just then, his ther minion comes in to tell them Park Sa is here.

Jo’s son laughs when he sees Park Sa, musing that he really must be crazy to just come like this. “Living is hard, right? You no longer want to live that’s why you came here, right? To die?” He goes face to face with Park Sa and tells him to look up at him and not on the floor. When he does, he slaps Park Sa.

He tells him to kneel and his men from behind force Park Sa on his knees. Park Sa sits there with a taut expression even as Jo’s son gives the order to kill him. Park Sa offers to make the distribution (of drugs) but the guy doesn’t retract his order. So Park Sa sits there, with his hand fisted, as the minion moves in for the kill.

However, he saved the need for fighting when Jo’s son tells the minion to stop, cooing that he likes Park Sa and tells Park Sa to stand. Park Sa stands and he asks if he’ll make the deliveries. Park Sa agrees. Jo’s son says he’ll get Jo Oh out so everything goes back to the way it was at the beginning. Park Sa agrees. Phew, death averted. Park Sa leaves and Jo’s son’s minion tells him he did well cause the guy really would’ve killed him otherwise.

Park Sa returns to his place and takes a few deep breaths after drinking some water when his phone rings but he lets it slide. It’s Soo Min who hangs up dejectedly when he doesn’t answer and wonders why he’s not responding and if he got into trouble because of her. And then she dials again. This time, Park Sa sees her name on the id but lets it go.

So she sends him a message, hehe. It says, “I’ll wait at the café. Do come! I wanna see/I’m missing Ahjusshi.” He puts the phone down after reading it and stands to a side. In the café, Soo Min waits alone, glancing at her watch. She calls again, looks towards the door, but there’s no response.

Much later, Park Sa’s standing to a side, looking at her before turning and walking away. But she sees him and calls out, “Ahjusshi!” He stops. She’s teary eyed, but smiles to see him.

Approaching him, she asks him if he’s alright, why he hasn’t been answering her calls and that she was worried. He simply stares at her before looking away, not knowing what to say. She sees the cut on his lips and approaches him, putting her fingers on it, asking if it doesn’t hurt. He doesn’t answer but doesn’t reply either.

She looks him over, wondering if he’s not hurt anywhere else and he tells her, “I’m fine.” She replies, with a relieved laugh, “That’s great… that you’re unhurt!” And he looks at her with these eyes! *SWOON*

He turns and walks away and she calls out to him, “Thank you… I really wanted to say those words.” He stops and after a few moments, turns back to face her. “You… aren’t hurt anywhere?” She tells him it’s thanks to him and asks him, “You know what I do, right? Truthfully, I…” but can’t bring herself to say more. She asks him instead, “What’s your true identity?” he tells her it’s exactly as he told her and so she says she wants to ask something. OMG, is she going to ask what I think she’s going to ask?!

“By chance, do you know Park Sa Adeul?” OMG! SHE TOTALLY DID! **FAST HEARTBEAT*

His eyes change expression just the slightest bit as he continues to look at her, but says nothing.

Comments:

He’s totally going to know now, isn’t he? Oh this is going just as I thought! I am loving this twist! Damn, this is just PERFECT! *giddy and excited* The last encounter literally has my heart beating fast! I so wanted this drama to take this way and was kind of thinking it might-we’ve already seen Shi Hyun burdened by so many stakes that it made all the more sense that the writer would also put him in the shoes of being the one who knows the truth first. It gives us the added advantage of Soo Min being conflicted about him when she finally does know the truth. Now I’m not sure he’ll know everything right now-maybe she won’t even tell him the reason she’s seeking Park Sa but he’s got a head start in figuring out who she is. *claps hands gleefully* I SO WANT HIM TO KNOW NOW! 😛

Basically what’s happened is that Park Sa’s coup has been nulled now that Chairman Jo is directly involved but he means to take things one step forward by waiting for the opportunity to wage direct war against Busan. We’ve got two factions-Busan, and Jo Oh’s lot. Busan is the manufacturer of the drugs and all while distribution is up to Jo Oh’s group. When Jo Oh is overthrown, Park Sa is the guy next who would have ensured distribution so Busan would have to deal with him. They, however, weren;t too happy with their guy being over thrown so they wanted to get him out of the way. But now that’s he’s willing to get back in line and under authority, his life is spared.

So now, we’ve got Safari on a run (I AM SO INTERESTED IN HIS PAST-WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY?) and Jo Oh coming back into the picture. The road ahead for our bromance-Park Sa and Soo is pretty rocky but knowing Park Sa, he’ll turn this to an advantage!

Hong Ki! He’s such a dilemma and I can’t figure out what he wants and from his and Safari’s exchange, it seemed like Safari was also betrayed, or at least that Hong Ki made things difficult for him. His words to Hyung Min-that an undercover is a person, that is just too deep to be something he’s simply saying. Maybe he’s advising Hyung Min to be careful so as to not create another situation as was created with Safari. Who knows? In a world where everything is such different shades of grey, WHO do you put your trust in?