01x11 - Episode 11

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

PRO BONO

[suspenseful music playing]

[Jae-seop] Mr. Kang.

The Court will consider this
a confession of your crime,

and you manipulated the trial
out of personal resentment.

-[Jung-in] Your Honor…
-No.

To be exact,

the defendant only testified how he felt

when he was assigned
to the case, Your Honor.

Ms. Park.

Who are you representing?
The plaintiff or the defendant?

Of course, I represent the plaintiff,
Your Honor.

But I just want…

to take it step by step
to prove the crime.

May I continue, Your Honor?

Proceed.

Mr. Kang,

you just admitted

you harbored a desire for revenge
against Mr. Yoo Baek-man.

Yes, I did.

That desire for revenge…

Did that influence your trial?

[suspenseful music continues]

Mr. Kang?

Answer the question.

-Actually, I don't know.
-[people murmuring]

-[scoffs]
-[murmuring continues]

[Jae-seop] Order in the court.

Mr. Kang, please answer
the question properly.

For a very long time,

I thought about it over and over again.

Did my desire for revenge
affect the trial?

I had believed it didn't,

but is it really true?

Can a person really separate
their feelings and be objective?

That's why judges can recuse themselves
if there is concern

that they might conduct an unfair trial.

But I did not do that.

That alone is a dereliction of duty.

I am guilty of it.

But the charge against you isn't that.

It's abuse of authority
to manipulate a trial.

Mr. Kang, let me ask you again.

Did you manipulate the trial?

[suspenseful music continues]

No.

-[music fades]
-[sighs]

[Gi-ppeum] You just said

you wanted to get revenge
against Yoo Baek-man.

And you thought it was God's will
when the case was assigned to you.

But are you saying
you did not manipulate the trial?

If you're asking about the crime
I committed in my mind… Yes, I'm guilty.

When the trial began,
I was willing to do whatever it took.

I was prepared to do everything
in my power to get my revenge.

However,

there was someone who stopped me.

Then, we will close the arguments.

The verdict will be delivered
at 10:00 a.m. on May 23…

[sobbing]

It was…

the plaintiff's mother.

Shut up, you scum…

Bailiff!

-[breath trembling]
-[officer] Calm down.

The hearing will take place
in this court at 10:00 a.m.

[bailiff] All rise.

[Myeong-ok sobbing] Your Honor.

Please spare my husband.

[sniffles, sobs] I'm begging you.
Please spare him.

Please.

At that moment, I realized.

The one with power
that she feared the most was me.

I realized I had become just like
the people I hated and despised.

If I didn't stop there,

I would make others
suffer just the way I did.

-So I…
-[thudding, scuffling]

-You…
-[Jae-seop] Calm down, Mr. Yoo!

-[Jae-beom] Let go!
-Remove him from the courtroom.

Let go of me!

You can't fool me!

-[indistinct shouting]
-Wait! Get over here!

-[people murmuring]
-[Jae-seop] All right, order in the court.

We will continue this trial

and set a date at a later time.

EPISODE 11

What on earth are you doing?

Are we representing Kang Da-wit?

He almost confessed,

but you allowed him
to make a ridiculous excuse!

-You thought it was ridiculous?
-What?

For the first time,

it felt like I saw
Kang Da-wit's true side.

It surprised me a little.

I realized he was capable
of being sincere too.

There was someone who stopped me.

It was the plaintiff's mother.

"Stopped me…"

What did you think, Mr. Jang?

-It felt like a confession.
-A confession?

It seemed like
he was letting go of a burden

he'd been carrying in his heart
for a very long time.

[pensive music playing]

Are you crazy?

"Yes, it was my desire for revenge"?

I'm your attorney, Da-wit.

What are you doing
without consulting your attorney?

Jung-in.

You know better than anyone
that a trial is a game.

And the ones who win are the smart ones.
But why are you acting like a fool?

What, do you feel bad
about wanting to get revenge?

Or did you actually do something bad?

[sighs] No.

It doesn't matter whether you did or not.

Don't do anything risky anymore.

Stop acting like a fool.

"No one can be a judge in their own case."

That's what they say.

What?

-Nothing.
-[cell phone vibrating]

JI DONG-CHEOL

-[seatbelt unlocks]
-Just a second.

-Hey, go ahead.
-Just as you had predicted,

Justice Shin acted quickly out of fear.

So? Who did he meet with?

The person he met with was…

[tense music playing]

You're withdrawing?

Yes.

What's the reason?

I'll do my best to find out the truth
about your father's case.

Then why?

What are you going to do if that truth
isn't something you had hoped for?

[sighs heavily]

An attorney has to work
for the benefit of their client.

I see.

You're saying you want to work
for the truth, not my benefit.

I'm sorry.

If you want,

we can change his charge

to dereliction of duty,
which he admitted to.

[scoffs]

For not recusing himself from the trial?

Are you telling me
to just settle for that?

Ten years. [exhales heavily]

For ten years, I've dreamed
of getting revenge on Kang Da-wit.

-Mr. Yoo.
-[slams table]

What I want is the truth too.

The truth that will take off the mask
worn by that shameless hypocrite.

Ms. Park.

Find it.

Whatever it may be…

find the truth.

Why me?

[somber music playing]

Why did you choose me…

to find that truth?

Because it would hurt him the most?

[scoffs]

[door rattles]

[door closes]

[object thuds]

[sighs wearily]

So?

-You want to start over from square one?
-Yeah.

[sighs]

We were only supposed to file
a lawsuit on Yoo Jae-beom's behalf

with evidence he had collected
over the past ten years.

He said he wants the truth too.

[scoffs]

Truth, my foot.

You're all just siding with Kang Da-wit.

Are we his attorneys?

I get it now.

Just because we worked together for a bit,
you're trying to be loyal now?

-Jun-u.
-Tell me! What?

[sighs frustratingly]

Doesn't it make you angry?

Yeong-sil, I…

I really liked him.

I wanted to be like him.

I trusted and followed everything he did.

Elijah's case?

I was against it but followed in the end
because it was his decision!

Jun-u.

But what is this?

The desire for revenge?

A manipulated trial?

He made fools out of us.

A judge shouldn't do that!

An attorney shouldn't do this either!

Why are you jumping to conclusions?

Does admitting to wanting revenge mean
admitting to manipulating the trial?

No, it isn't.

Everyone has the freedom to think.

The crime he committed in his mind
isn't a crime in court.

Our job is to find out if he took action
to commit a crime, isn't it?

She's right.

She's right, Jun-u.

[exhales heavily]

Okay. [clears throat]

What is it you want to revisit?

A person.

A person?

The most crucial person in the case

that we haven't met yet.

Whenever I think of Min-seok,

my heart still breaks.

[breath trembling]

Imagine how hot it must have been
in that pit of fire.

[voice breaking]
His hands and feet were broken.

He must have struggled so much to get out.

How shameless am I… [sobs]

to keep living after my child has died?

[melancholy music playing]

[sniffling]

I heard you sued the judge from that case.

No, you can't do that.
You'll be punished by the heavens.

When everyone, including the police
and prosecutor, listened to Yoo,

he was the only one who listened to me.

He believed in that photo
of Min-seok's cup noodles too.

Sorry?

That photo is real then?

Yes.

Min-seok said he'd be working late
and packed the cup noodles.

I told them all about it
from the beginning,

but none of it was recorded
in the documents.

Gosh, those b*stards.

They were either indifferent
or were bribed by Yoo.

Oh. I see.

Ma'am, was Min-seok paid properly
when he worked at the factory?

His wages?

Yoo, that b*stard.

He used technical high school students
to save money.

He only gave a small sum,

saying they were getting
practical training.

Really? I can't believe it.

One day,

when Min-seok brought home
a few leftover sheets of paper,

he accused him of stealing…

[voice breaking]
and went ballistic over it.

He blamed Min-seok
for everything that had been missing

and told him to work it off…

[sobbing] so he was working for free.

[gasps] For free? My goodness, that thief.

Papers… That means…

Gi-ppeum.

Yeah.

That's right.

[somber music playing]

[sniffles, exhales heavily]

BURNT CUP NOODLE SHOWS
WORKING CONDITIONS

It was all true.

The cup noodles.

And the security screening area.

Yeah. At the very least,
Mr. Kang didn't tamper with the facts.

It was only for the media anyway.

What on earth do the cup noodles
and security screening area

have to do with the fire?

When a judge relentlessly attacks
a defendant's morals

to create a negative public opinion,
that also constitutes abuse of authority.

-Is that all there is to it?
-What?

It differs from Mr. Kang's
typical media manipulation tactics.

It seems to be a bit random.

He kept persistently asking
a few questions

that were seemingly unrelated.

The defendant
toured the factory every day,

checking all equipment
and inventory, correct?

-Yes, Your Honor.
-He said equipment kept going missing,

so he even installed
a security screening area at the doors.

Yes, Your Honor.

The defendant fussed over every sheet
of paper and pressured you to cut costs.

With proper facilities,
couldn't the accident have been prevented?

Your Honor!

[manager] It is not true.

It was unavoidable. Doesn't it say so
in the fire inspection report?

Let me ask you again, Witness.

Was there really nothing
you were instructed to do

by the defendant?

That was obviously
because of his desire for revenge.

[Gi-ppeum] No.

Mr. Jang is right.

We all know Mr. Kang very well.

If he wanted someone
to fall for a trap to get revenge,

he wouldn't have insisted on
repeatedly asking the same questions.

[Nan-hui] Yeah.
Instead, it sounds more like…

[inhales deeply]
I don't know. Desperation?

Yes, desperation.

He desperately wanted to get
to the bottom of something…

What could that be?

The papers.

The security screening area.

Emergency evacuation facilities.

-Nan-hui.
-Yes?

-Do we have the factory's floor plan?
-What?

I think I made a copy
just in case we'd need it.

-Hold on.
-Yeong-sil. [sighs]

-Are you really going to keep doing this?
-Do what?

Our job is to find out the truth
about Kang Da-wit's manipulated trial.

We're not defending him.

Yoo Jae-beom wants the truth too.
The truth is for public interest too.

This is the floor plan
for the whole factory.

This is where the accident happened.
This is the enlarged view of that area.

[cell phone vibrating]

-[Yeong-sil] There.
-[Gi-ppeum] This is the exit, right?

-[Yeong-sil] Yes. That's the only one.
-[suspenseful music playing]

Yes, Mr. Bae?

Have you decided on your final argument?

What is this new evidence
you're submitting?

Uh…

Right, so…

[sighs]

I'll get it right away
and report back to you, sir.

I mean, can't you do it any faster?

Hurry up, will you?

Yes, sir.

[exhales deeply]

[suspenseful music continues]

CRIMINAL COURT, SINGLE-JUDGE DIVISION
WITNESS EXAMINATION

[Nan-hui] Jun-u.

Stop being so late, will you?

Prosecution, are you done
with your direct examination?

-Yes. No further questions, Your Honor.
-Your Honor.

If I may,

may I ask the witness just a few things?

Go ahead.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Sir.

You worked as the factory manager
at the time of the fire. Correct?

Yes, that is right.

During that trial ten years ago,

Mr. Kang used his authority
to summon you three times

and asked about evacuation facilities

and if Mr. Yoo gave you
any instructions, correct?

-Yes.
-Were there really no instructions?

I told you already. There was none.

Yes, that was how you testified,

stubbornly until the end.

You admitted Yoo Baek-man
had always emphasized cost reduction

and you couldn't properly keep up
evacuation facilities

because you didn't have the budget.

But it was unavoidable given the realities
of a small, struggling company.

Other than that, you never got
any specific instructions from Yoo.

Correct?

That's right.

And did you testify
without hiding anything then?

Pardon?

[tense music playing]

[pointer beeps]

[Gi-ppeum] Since paper
kept disappearing at the time,

you installed a security screening area
at the doors, correct?

Yes, but why do you ask about that?

A security screening area to prevent theft

is usually installed at an exit, isn't it?

-Yes.
-[pointer beeps]

[Gi-ppeum] Is this
the factory's floor plan?

[manager] Yes.

If you take a look,
the emergency exits are located

here

and here.

The area in between
was covered with intense flames.

So over here,

Min-seok was working on the other side
and couldn't escape, correct?

Yes. [sighs] It was very unfortunate.

However,

if you look closely over here,

there is a small door…

right here.

[tense music continues]

Yes.

These are photos
from the scene of the fire.

What door is this?

It seems there was another exit.

[sighs] I already said this
at the trial ten years ago,

but it was a side door
for the night shift.

It hadn't been used for a long time,
so it was rusty and broken.

That's why it didn't open.

Right. You consistently said so
at the trial.

It was one of the facilities
you mentioned earlier

that you couldn't keep up
due to a lack of budget, correct?

[splutters] Yes, that's right.

Due to the layout of the factory,
those who worked in this area

only had this door
as a fire escape, correct?

They couldn't go to the other side
since the fire was already too strong.

That's right.

[tense music continues]

Min-seok

struggled so hard to open that door

and died with broken hands
and feet, correct?

[music intensifies]

[metallic banging]

[Min-seok] Hey!

Please answer the question.

Yes.

-Are you sure it was broken?
-Pardon?

Sir, was the door really broken?

Ma'am, what are you talking about?

I already told the truth back then.

For your information,

it has been ten years.

The statute of limitations has expired.
You cannot be punished for it.

[tense music continues]

What do you mean?

If you hid something back then
because you were afraid of being punished,

it means you can say it now.

However,

if you commit perjury in this court…

you will be severely punished.

Did you really receive no instructions?

[tense music continues]

[Baek-man] You damn thief!

They were defective,
so we were going to discard them--

Discard them?

If there's ever another thief
like this prick,

I'll fire you first.

I already said there weren't any.

[Gi-ppeum] Is that so?

All the managers must have gotten
their stories straight back then.

But now, most of them have left,
and some will have changed their minds.

Should I call all of them here
for witness examination?

Sir.

The truth will come out eventually.

Even if you've lied
about something up until now,

if you tell the truth
before this testimony ends,

no perjury will have been committed.

Let me ask you again.

Did you really…

receive no instructions from Yoo?

[tense music playing]

-[metallic banging]
-Hey!

[grunts]

Hey!

I'm in here!

[sobbing]

[spluttering] I…

-I'm sorry.
-[sighs]

That door… [sobbing]

I locked that door.

-[gasps]
-[people gasping, murmuring]

[manager sobbing]

I'm still young. Don't worry.

[manager] Mr. Yoo
had kept hounding me to lock it.

He said the trainees might use the door

to steal things.

[Jung-in] So that's what it was.

That's why…

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. [sobbing]

If I disobeyed his orders,

I'd get fired right away.

If I got fired,

I had no way of providing for my family.

Stop lying! My father would never do that!

Calm down, Mr. Yoo.

Let me say a few words.

Please.

[tense music continues]

Kang Da-wit.

You did this, didn't you?

Again!

What did you cook up again this time?

Calm down, Mr. Yoo!

Your Honor, this is wrong!

-Your Honor, this is wrong!
-Please remove him.

-Remove him from the court now!
-This is a lie!

Let go of me!

[music intensifies]

-[door slams]
-[Jae-seop sighs]

[music fades]

[sentimental music playing]

The truth? There's no such thing.

Everyone just has their side of the story.

The winner's side of the story
after fighting in court.

That's the only truth
the world acknowledges.

Do you want to know the truth?

Then, defeat me.

Okay.

I'll defeat you.

[Jae-seop] We'll take a ten-minute recess.

10 YEARS AGO, SEOUL SOUTHERN DC

-[Da-wit] Mr. Yoo.
-Yes, Your Honor?

There's something
I've been meaning to ask.

Sorry? Yes, go ahead.

Has it ever crossed your mind

that the workers at your factory
have loving families too?

Pardon?

Well, of course.

They're not machines that make you money.

They are people of flesh and blood.

Do you know that?

I did everything I could as a judge,

but I couldn't prove back then
that they locked the door intentionally.

"We admit we failed to properly maintain
evacuation facilities to save costs."

That was the best I could uncover

in court.

Based on that,

I had to decide on the sentence.

I knew it was common practice

to give business owners
a slap on the wrist in cases like this.

But no matter how much I thought about it,

-just to save a few pennies…
-[siren wailing]

…a business owner caused
a 17-year-old to burn to death

with broken hands and feet

after he struggled
to open a door to get out.

So I couldn't impose anything
but the maximum sentence on him.

Your Honor.

Whether my judgment was guided
by my conscience as a judge

or by my personal desire for revenge
that caused an abuse of authority,

I ask this Court to decide.

And I will accept its decision.

-Plaintiff's counsel.
-Yes, Your Honor?

Do you have any final words?

[gentle music playing]

No, Your Honor.

This concludes the final arguments.

The verdict shall be delivered
at 10:00 a.m. on December 15

in this court.

[people murmuring]

A FEW DAYS LATER,
THE DAY THE CHARGES WERE DROPPED

[Jun-u clears throat]

Well done, Mr. Kang.

[sighs] It's finally over.

Yes.

[Nan-hui grunts]

An acquittal seemed likely,

so the prosecution
dropped the charges right away.

[Yeong-sil] All right.

Welcome back.

Welcome back!

-Welcome back!
-[Da-wit] Sure.

Here. Have a block of tofu.

Why would I need to eat tofu?
I didn't go to prison.

Ey! [laughs] You were about to
if we didn't go easy on you.

Go easy on me?

You were ruthless.

You used all kinds of tricks.

And who do you think
we learned all that from, Master?

Geez, all you picked up was the bad stuff.

So you do know
you taught us only bad stuff.

Why are you arguing?
Are you an attorney or something?

-Yes.
-Still, I'm relieved.

I had a pretty bad feeling

about how the presiding judge
conducted the trial.

Judge Oh Jae-seop?

As I told you before,
he has a faint heart.

What?

I wondered why
there were so many reporters.

-There were especially a lot, right?
-Geez.

So you had insurance in place.

-Ah, of course, you would.
-[chuckles]

Ms. Park.

Thank you.

-About what?
-Well… You know.

Thank you. Do you really have to ask?

No, thank you.

About what?

I want to believe you.

You gave our family hope
that this world was still worth living in.

You may appear to complain,

but you fight harder
than anyone else for those in need.

I want to trust that person.

I'm just thankful for everything.
Do you really have to ask?

Why are you two
being so cringey? [laughing]

[laughs]

Hey, Jun-u. Why are you so quiet?

[Nan-hui] That reminds me.
What made you come to the hearing?

I thought you wouldn't come at all.

I had to since it'd be my last time.

-[Gi-ppeum] What?
-[Yeong-sil] What?

-Your last?
-What do you mean, Jun-u?

I'm going to get fired…

by Mr. Bae.

What?

You didn't report to him
about our plan for the last hearing.

Report what? Are you a spy?

Mr. Kang, please! Shh!

Then, before you came to court that day…

They're submitting this?

For what purpose?

Yes, from my understanding,

they'll argue
factory facilities were fine at the time,

but Kang Da-wit imposed
oversight liability unreasonably.

Really? Unreasonably?

-Yes, unreasonably.
-[upbeat music playing]

[sighs contentedly] Has Park Gi-ppeum
finally come to her senses?

Yes, the factory was so thorough
with their security,

they even set up
a security screening area.

They plan on proving that too.

That's from my understanding.

-Is that so?
-Yes, sir.

Good job.

Ah. Is that what happened?

I'm sorry, Mr. Kang.

Geez, that is so like you.

Why did you work as a spy?

Did he promise to send you
to another team?

No, not at all.

-It's true.
-No…

Busted. So which team? The M&A team?

-Yeah, it must've been the M&A team.
-No, I never said it was the M&A team.

-[cell phone vibrates]
-No.

-[Gi-ppeum] The M&A team.
-[Yeong-sil] He's getting fired.

-For lacking understanding.
-[Da-wit] Hey, Jung-in.

What? I'm with my team right now.

[Jun-u] Yeong-sil, when did I ever…

[Da-wit] Where are you?

No, I'll go to you.

We need to talk anyways.

-Mr. Jang.
-Yes?

-I can finally breathe.
-[Yeong-sil] Me too.

-I've always wondered about something.
-Yeah?

How do you all
understand everything so fast?

-[upbeat music continues]
-[laughs]

[sighs] I'm glad you're back.

-It's good to see you, oppa.
-What?

Gi-ppeum!

You did a great job!

-[Gi-ppeum] Well, we all did.
-What?

-[Nan-hui] You did the best.
-"Oppa"?

Me too…

Wait for me!

-What?
-What do you mean "What?" Come on.

-I'll root for you.
-Don't be silly.

-[Jun-u] What? Come on.
-[Gi-ppeum] Hey, your face is red.

[Nan-hui] No, it's not!
Your ears are red. It's due to the cold.

[ambient jazz music playing]

Mmm.

-Hi.
-Hey.

What do you think? Isn't it nice here?

Yeah, it's good.

This is a date.

Hey.

I'm kidding.

Here.

What do you think?

Are you relieved now
after facing Team Pro Bono in a trial?

[Da-wit clicks tongue]

[sighs]

You said, "No one can be
a judge in their own case."

Is that why you wanted to be judged
by your own team?

[smacks lips] Well…

Anyway, I have a question.

What is it? Is it something serious?

You resigned to represent me.

I appreciate that.

[scoffs]

What's with this all of a sudden?

I truly appreciate it
from the bottom of my heart.

But I kept wondering.

Why go out of your way to do that
when you didn't have to?

It was as if something
was weighing on your mind.

As if you were feeling guilty.

[suspenseful music playing]

What is this?

Come to think of it, you and Dr. Oh
have been in constant conflict.

You brought me in as a team leader
when I couldn't even work as an attorney.

When Yoo Jae-beom sued me,
you even resigned.

[scoffs] So?

What's your point?

You know,
after Yoo Jae-beom turned himself in,

I deliberately went to see Justice Shin

to spook him a bit.

When I did that, he quickly scurried to…

Guess who.

Dr. Oh.

Your father. [chuckles]

[suspenseful music continues]

Why did Shin Jung-seok,
Yoo Jae-beom's accomplice,

go see Dr. Oh?

And why do that
while trying to avoid attention?

I just saved your life,
and this is the thanks I get?

What on earth are you talking about?

That day wasn't your first time
seeing Yoo Jae-beom.

It was for a moment, but I definitely saw…

how he looked at you.

My apologies for being late, Your Honor.

I'm Oh Jung-in,
attorney for defendant Kang Da-wit.

[suspenseful music continues]

Just how much do you know
about the trap I fell into?

My apologies, Dr. Oh.

Oh Jae-seop is a reliable guy,

but it seems
the atmosphere at court wasn't good.

[inhales sharply] Geez,
it's been getting harder to see lately.

Attorney Bae.

Yes, sir?

I guess being a first-time CEO
doesn't suit you.

I apologize.

I'll correct it, sir.

How are you going to correct it?

It would look bad
if Oh & Partners gets directly involved.

It might give the impression
that we can't handle our employees.

And so?

-Let's use a mercenary.
-A mercenary?

[suspenseful music playing]

Come in.

Hello, Dr. Oh.

[chuckles]

-[suspenseful music continues]
-[gasps]

Our office is gone!

What happened?

My mushrooms…

Your mushrooms aren't important right now!

These jerks!

[Yeong-sil] My mushrooms…

DISBANDMENT OF TEAM PRO BONO

Sir! No, I shouldn't even
call him that. Hey!

What is the meaning of this?

What do you mean?

You could've just fired me
and ended it there.

Why did you get rid
of Team Pro Bono's office?

Why keep a team that violates
the basic ethics of being an attorney?

Violate the basic ethics?
When did we ever do that?

You defended the opposition
instead of your client.

How could attorneys do such a thing?

Yoo Jae-beom clearly said
he wanted the truth too.

The management group voted unanimously
to disband your team and fire all of you.

Got that?

And I just signed off on it myself as CEO.

Go to the security office
and take your personal belongings.

-By any chance…
-Right. [scoffs]

-Take those mushrooms too.
-Okay.

Get out!

[sighs]

This is the CEO's office.

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES

-[camera shutters clicking]
-I will reveal for everyone to see

how former judge Kang Da-wit

shamelessly manipulated the trial

of Chairman Jang Hyeon-bae's case.

For sending an innocent businessman
to jail by manipulating a trial

in order to fulfill his own desires
to become a justice,

former judge Kang
will face the full force of the law.

-Mr. Woo.
-Yes?

Recently, former judge Kang

was cleared of abuse of authority charges
from a trial he conducted ten years ago.

He simply got away with it
by abusing the fact that it's very hard

to legally prove abuse of authority.

So I will file a civil lawsuit
for damages with a broader scope for…

-[reporters] One hundred million won?
-One hundred million won?

A claim of one billion won.

[reporters] One billion?

One billion won?

-[reporters clamoring]
-[camera shutters clicking]

Let's take another photo.

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES

[Jun-u sighs] Goodness.
At least the view is nice.

[whines] It just never ends.

It hasn't been a week since we celebrated
the end of the trial. What is this?

This place is currently vacant.
I had to pull some strings to get it.

For me, I'll be fine… [laughs]

but you've all become
unemployed overnight.

-[Nan-hui laughs sarcastically]
-How about you worry about yourself?

Why, Ms. Jobless?

[Myeong-hun] One billion won.

You were sued today
for a billion in damages!

[Jun-u splutters]
A billion? That's insane.

[sighs exasperatedly]
I am so sick of that guy. Geez.

Why does he keep trying to interfere
with everything you do, Mr. Kang?

You said you went to JRTI together.

There must be a reason
if a former cohort hates you this much.

Well, the thing is…

16 YEARS AGO

THE 40TH JRTI ENTRANCE CEREMONY

-[Myeong-hun singing operatically]
-No. Don't.

[stops singing]

Are you insane?

Why are you kneeling?

-I…
-Lose the sunglasses.

[sighs]

Hey, if they're all bad,

what am I supposed to do then?

They're all bad, so what can you do?

-[sighs] My bangs look weird, right?
-I told you they look cute.

[chuckling] Who on earth
is making you this nervous?

[sighs] Her?

I've had a crush on her for four years.

She's my junior
from SNU Law School. [sighs wearily]

You have no idea how much courage
it's taking me to tell her.

All right, I get it.

-Hey, you can do it. Okay?
-I can do it.

Bye.

Hey, she's here.

-Is that her?
-Stop staring.

All right already.

Hey, Jung-in!

What a surprise to see you here.
[chuckles nervously]

I almost didn't recognize you in that…

[romantic pop music playing]

Hey.

What's your name?

-Me?
-Yeah, you.

[Da-wit] Huh.

It's Da-wit. Kang Da-wit.

Da-wit. [chuckles]

What an interesting name.

Nice to meet you. I'm Oh Jung-in.

-Yeah, nice to meet you too.
-[music continues]

-[music distorts, stops]
-Well, there were things that happened.

What are we going to do
about Chairman Jang?

He must be so bent on getting back at you.

More important than that,
before the trial starts,

there's one thing we need to address.

What? Address what?

How long are you
going to hide this for, Mr. Jang?

-Sorry?
-[Jun-u] What?

-What did Yeong-sil do?
-What is this about all of a sudden?

Did you think I wouldn't know?

[soft suspenseful music playing]

[sighs heavily]

Just as expected,

you knew about it.

Mr. Jang.

What on earth is going on?

Chairman Jang Hyeon-bae.

He's my father.
I've cut ties with him though.

-What?
-[both] What?

[suspenseful music continues]

[growling]

[Hyeon-bae] Go up.

Good. [laughs]

Good job.

-[chuckles]
-[snarls]

-Attorney Woo.
-Yes, sir?

-You're sure about this trial, right?
-Of course, sir.

Just count on me.

Every attorney says that. But…

After being sentenced to jail,

-I don't trust the lies attorneys say.
-[growls]

Are you really sure about this trial?

Oh. Well…

I mean… [chuckles nervously]

Last time, I told you about my father
and how he'd beat me every week.

That person is Chairman Jang Hyeon-bae.

[Gi-ppeum] My goodness.

Mr. Jang.

I'm sorry, everyone.

I didn't mean to deceive you…

[sighs] but I couldn't bring myself
to tell the truth.

Then, you're the illegitimate child
of a wealthy family?

-[sighs] Gosh, I'm so jealous.
-[grunts]

[Yeong-sil] It's okay.

It's okay, Nan-hui.
It doesn't bother me anymore.

[sighs] But seriously,
what kind of life have you lived?

You said you worked with labor unions

and fought for them.

[Yeong-sil scoffs]

[breathes deeply]
Honestly, I did all of that

because I just hated him so much.

I didn't want to be like him.

I did whatever would drive him crazy,

and that's led me here.

It might have been
a childish desire for revenge.

Who goes that far just for revenge?

Mr. Jang.

You're just someone who's not like him.

That's right. You look different too.
I'm sure you resemble your mom.

-Yeah, like your mom's side, right?
-[chuckles]

Thank you, everyone.

But Mr. Kang.

-Yes?
-How on earth did you know?

Well, I just happened to find out

as I put the puzzle pieces together.

Mr. Kang, you were worried about me,
weren't you?

Because you have to fight
against my father in court.

Mr. Jang.

Don't mind me at all

and try as best as you can.

I'm also going to fight

to bring him to justice.

[intriguing music playing]

Are you really going to be okay?

This lawsuit isn't for you or me.

He's made numerous people suffer.

This is a pro bono case for them.

We have to do this.

SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT COURT

COURT 305, TODAY'S TRIALS

PLAINTIFF JANG, DEFENDANT KANG
IN SESSION

-Plaintiff's counsel.
-Yes, Your Honor?

You filed a claim for damages,
alleging the defendant

sentenced your client to prison
with a malicious trial.

Is this correct?

Yes, the key criminal acts

for which the defendant
sentenced my client to prison

were verbal and physical abuse
against his secretaries

and sexual as*ault
against his housekeepers.

But all the secretaries have come forward

and said such things never happened.

These are their statements.

I will submit these
as an additional exhibit.

And for the sexual as*ault
against the housekeepers,

due to a lack of objective evidence
aside from the victims' statements,

the Supreme Court has already rendered
a judgment acquitting my client.

The defendant baselessly
framed and imprisoned

a businessman who leads Korea's economy.

Shouldn't he face appropriate consequences
for such crimes?

-Your Honor.
-Yes, Mr. Kang?

I listened carefully
to the plaintiff counsel's claim.

And of course,
to defend myself against it,

I'd like the Court to summon
the person who was too busy to be here.

That jerk's at it again…

I request a direct examination

of the plaintiff Chairman Jang Hyeon-bae.

This request is unnecessary, Your Honor.
The witness statements are enough.

Why don't you request
the secretaries as witnesses first?

They've reversed their statements,
saying they had never been abused.

That's correct, Your Honor.

But plaintiff's counsel,
after Chairman Jang was sentenced to jail,

weren't those employees assigned
to posts in the countryside

and only recently returned
to headquarters?

Right after reversing
their statements, right?

That was ultimately a normal shift
of personnel on group-wide rotation--

I can imagine
just the sheer amount of pressure

they must have received
after being branded as whistleblowers.

The plaintiff's counsel is great at that.

Your Honor, he's--

I do not wish to call them back to court
and put the pressure of perjury on them.

That is too cruel.

Shouldn't the one
who filed this suit against me

appear and state his position first
since that's the natural order of things?

Just as a reference, Mr. Yoo Jae-beom,
the person who sued me in my last trial,

attended court every time

despite being in custody
because he wanted to see me so badly.

Doesn't Chairman Jang want to see me?

Don't tell me he doesn't have
the confidence to talk to me face to face.

-Should I give him a call or--
-Be quiet.

NOTICE OF HEARING DATE FOR EXAMINATION

[tense music playing]

[gulps]

[paper rustles]

[sighs]

[groans] Damn it.

-[slams cup]
-I'll make a new pot.

[tense music continues]

CIVIL PANEL COURT

[inhales sharply] Okay.
What do you want to know so badly?

Ask me.

Thank you for making the time
to come, Chairman.

Don't worry about it.

That was just a greeting.

I will refer to you as "Plaintiff."

You're claiming I made a judgment

that you verbally and physically
abused your secretaries

without any concrete evidence, correct?

I am not someone
who would lay a hand on others.

And likewise about the sexual as*ault
against your housekeepers?

That is ridiculous slander! How dare you?

That is very interesting.

I clearly remember

you were trying to settle
with the victims back then,

so you asked me for more time.

Your Honor, we have already explained this
through our written statement.

A critical international deal
was imminent at that time.

So, despite thinking it was unfair,

he had no choice
but to settle and conclude the trial.

The defendant clearly knew about this,
but he conducted the trial

to embarrass my client
and increase his popularity.

To embarrass him?

Okay.

Your Honor.

May my attorney proceed
with the examination?

-Yes, go ahead.
-Thank you.

[somber music playing]

[exhales deeply]

It won't be Ms. Park
doing the examination?

[people murmuring]

I'm Attorney Jang Yeong-sil, Your Honor.

All right.

[breath trembling]

Are you sure it'll be okay?

[breath trembling]

You don't have to do it. We can handle it.

No.

Today, I want to do it.

[somber music continues]

Defense counsel, start your examination.

-[nervously] Plaintiff…
-I'm so glad to see you,

Attorney Jang.

I can't believe we have a reunion here
between father and son.

-[man 1] They're father and son?
-Those two?

-[man 2] Really?
-[man 3] It seems so.

-[people murmuring]
-Did you say you're father and son?

Yes, Your Honor.

The defendant's attorney, Mr. Jang,
is a blood relative of Chairman Jang.

But they haven't been in contact
for a while since he ran away from home.

That's enough.

Your Honor, there is no regulation
for an attorney to recuse themselves,

but wouldn't this be inappropriate?

Conducting a hostile examination
between father and son is a bit--

No, it's okay.

I can't help it as a father.

When he was young,
I was always terribly concerned

that he wouldn't grow up
to be a proper human being.

But now that I see him here
standing so confidently,

that's enough to make me happy.

Go ahead and ask, Mr. Jang.

-[somber music playing]
-[splutters]

P… Plaintiff.

What?

I can't hear you.
Could you please speak louder?

-Plaintiff…
-[Hyeon-bae] When you talk to someone!

Didn't I tell you the polite thing to do
was to make eye contact?

Where on earth are you looking right now?

[whimpers softly]

[whimpers]

[Hyeon-bae] Didn't I tell you…

to make eye contact
when talking to someone?

-Didn't I?
-[belt smacks]

[breathes heavily, whimpers]

Plaintiff, this is a court of law!

No matter how close you two may be,
please be respectful!

Mr. Kang, what are you doing?

That is what His Honor will say.

Right, Your Honor?
That's what I did when I was a judge.

[judge] Mr. Kang, please sit down.

-Sit.
-Yes, Your Honor.

Plaintiff, be careful.

My apologies, Your Honor.
I will be careful.

-[judge] Defense counsel.
-[breath trembling]

Please proceed.

Yes, Your Honor.
[sniffles, breathes heavily]

P…

-What?
-[Yeong-sil] P…

P… Plaintiff…

P… [pants]

Yes, the plaintiff is right there.
He's not going anywhere.

-Just take your time.
-[people laughing]

This is causing
a lot of delay in the hearing.

Are you going to continue
with this, Defense?

Your Honor, I will continue from here--

I can do it.

-Ms. Park.
-[Yeong-sil] Ms. Park, I…

I can do it.

[somber music playing]

[exhales heavily]

[exhales heavily, sniffles]

Your Honor.

May I… [exhales shakily]

continue with the examination?

-Yes, you may.
-[Yeong-sil] Thank you.

Plaintiff.

Please answer

my question.

Okay.

Before you hit a person,

you…

always…

always make them kneel, correct?

What?

Did you know it is scarier…

to wait

to be hit…

than to actually be hit?

Give me a proper question.

Stop talking about ridiculous things
that have nothing to do with me.

Nothing… to do with you?

Your Honor, defense counsel is asking
baseless, nonsensical questions…

-[beeps]
-[people murmuring]

What is this?

This is the office
of Chairman Jang's secretaries.

[Hyeon-bae] Damn it.

You little!

Damn it!

[people murmuring]

Damn it!

[man groans]

You little!

[man 4] I think that's really him.

[judge] Order in the court.

Ah. [clicks tongue]

What is that video?

Didn't all the secretaries
reverse their statements

and say there was no physical abuse then?

[Gi-ppeum] Yes, they did.

But one employee, who couldn't sit back
and let the truth get buried,

sent this video to us.

-We will submit it as additional evidence.
-[upbeat music playing]

That's an altered video!

Is there any proof that the person
in that video is the plaintiff?

I am certain that it is an unverified
and altered video, Your Honor!

[beeping]

Plaintiff, are you sure that isn't you?

-That's not me.
-[murmuring continues]

Then, that means there are
no publicity rights in this video.

To all the journalists here,

we will send you the video,
so please upload it as much as you like.

-Use it.
-[Yeong-sil] You can modify it too.

-[all laughing]
-[man 5] What?

[man 6] What on earth?

What are you doing?

Oh? You just said

that wasn't you.

Sorry.

Your Honor!

He's distorting the truth
with an altered video

with an unverified source.

Please intervene and stop him!

Yes. Defense counsel, please refrain
from making unnecessary comments.

My apologies, Your Honor.

The Court will determine
the authenticity of the submitted video.

Then, what about the sexual as*ault
against the housekeepers?

Aside from the victims' statements,
due to a lack of evidence,

the Supreme Court reversed the decision.

Don't you have any videos for this?
If you do, why don't you submit those too?

-There is no video.
-Of course not.

How could there be such evidence
in a case of gold diggers

falsely accusing their employer
to extort money--

Instead, we have a witness.

-[people exclaiming]
-That is ridiculous…

How can there be a witness
if it had happened inside the house?

[upbeat music playing]

[Yeong-sil] Your Honor.

We request the plaintiff's…

live-in partner,

Lee Yun-hui

as a witness.

What?

[music fades out]

[breathes shakily]

[breathes shakily, gulps]

It was all my fault.

After spending my entire life
in the shadows,

I moved into his house in my later years

because of my lingering hope…

that he'd acknowledge

his one and only son

as family.

[melancholy music playing]

But that man

treated me

worse than used furniture.

Right before my eyes,

-he sexually harassed the housekeepers.
-[people murmuring]

When he got drunk at night,

he'd break into their room

and act like an animal.

[voice shaking] I kept my mouth closed
even after witnessing that,

so I am an accomplice.

Please punish me.

[sobbing]

COURT 305, TODAY'S TRIALS

RECESS

Cigarette.

-I don't have them, sir.
-You don't even have any damn cigarettes?

Did you coax your mom
into this little scheme of yours?

You think I'm going to let you two slide?

I'm not afraid of you anymore, Chairman.

What?

[chuckles]

Don't go too far.
The trial isn't over yet.

[Hyeon-bae sighs]

[exhales heavily]

Good job, Mr. Jang.

Thank you, Mr. Kang.

You should take the baton now, Mr. Kang.

It's time to strike back.

[upbeat music playing]

Tag me in.

Your Honor,

the defense submitted today
an unverified video

and his attorney's mother as a witness.

Not enough objective evidence
has been provided, so--

[taps table] Plaintiff's counsel,
don't get worked up.

This trial has only just begun.

We have a list of additional witnesses
we'd like to request.

Your Honor, we first would like to summon

the one who manipulated a trial
for the plaintiff Jang Hyeon-bae

and transformed a guilty verdict
to an acquittal.

-The dirty trader in a judge's gown.
-No way.

We will request Shin Jung-seok…

-as a witness.
-[people exclaiming, murmuring]

Mr. Kang, by Shin Jung-seok,

do you mean
a current Supreme Court justice?

Yes, Your Honor.

[Myeong-hun] Your Honor!

This is an insult to the judiciary!

This is public defamation
against one of our nation's justices!

I am not done yet!

[splutters]

[Gyu-jang] Justice Shin,

did you get the research analyst's review
of Chairman Jang's case?

[Jung-seok] Not yet, sir.

[Gyu-jang] Young judges these days
lack a sense of duty.

Why are they dragging their feet
on such a clear case?

[Jung-seok] I'll tell them again.
Don't worry, sir.

[Gyu-jang] That fellow, Chairman Jang.

We need him for our suffering economy.

Make sure a wise conclusion is reached.

We're in the same boat anyway,
right? [laughs]

We also request
the mastermind behind all of this,

the founder of Oh & Partners,

Dr. Oh Gyu-jang,

as another witness.

[people murmuring]

[theme music playing]

We've stirred up the hornet's nest,
so they can't ignore us.

We'll have a proper fight.

The trial was suddenly reassigned

to a new senior chief judge
who's close with Justice Shin.

To uncover the truth,

we request
a confrontation cross-examination

with Jang Hyeon-bae,
Shin Jung-seok, and Oh Gyu-jang.

Can we do this
as pro bono attorneys though?

We have to shake things up
to create an opportunity.

It won't be easy
to go up against my father.

If you want to beat him,
look into the truths.

What he's hiding.

What if Jang speaks nonsense
in court when I'm not there?

Is this also a part of your big picture?

-Are you afraid of something?
-You will be detained immediately.

-Bailiff.
-[sighs]

[Da-wit] Why did you want to see me?

[Gyu-jang] Your lifelong dream
was to be a justice, right?

I'll give you Shin Jung-seok's post.