BEYOND THE BAR
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
This is Kang Hyo-min.
- Attorney Kang Hyo-min? - Yes?
I'm Detective Han Su-cheol, Major Crime Unit, Jicheong Police.
What is this regarding?
Ms. Kim Yeong-mi was arrested today.
She's being charged with murder, but during questioning,
she mentioned something about you.
She said you were her attorney.
- Kim Yeong-mi? - Yes.
I was thinking perhaps she's an acquaintance of yours
or else someone you once represented in a case?
No, I don't think she's somebody that I know.
Right, well, Ms. Kim's refusing to answer questions
without her attorney present.
I'm sure you're busy, but if you'd come to the station, I'd appreciate it.
Okay. Yes, I can be there.
Ms. Kim Yeong-mi?
- Attorney Kang Hyo-min is here. - She's here.
Please, you can go ahead.
Have we…
met somewhere? I don't recall.
I was sure you wouldn't recall.
Huh?
You had a hand in how I ended up here, so…
I say, you must take my case now.
No idea who that is.
Yeah, no. Yeong-mi is a common name. It is sort of familiar though.
And you didn't recognize her face?
- Mm. - We know all your friends now.
Huh. Could she be someone you used to know in high school?
Yes, I'm sure it was high school. That's the only time we weren't together.
I don't think she was a friend of mine. I mean, she's older than us.
- She left school at 16. - Is the victim an acquaintance then?
I inquired about the victim just in case.
Only graduated middle school, not the school we went to.
Huh. Never finished high school?
I thought so, but it turns out she went to the U.S. after middle school.
She finished her high school there.
Hmm.
So what are you thinking? Do you plan to take her case?
I'm uneasy.
It's a criminal case, but turning her away is uncomfortable as well.
Anyway, the firm won't let me take it on pro bono,
so she'd have to pay a retainer.
Kim Yeong-mi doesn't have that kind of money.
Hmm.
How long do you think we have to wait? What are you getting done today?
The one she got.
It works great, too.
- Ms. Kang Hyo-min? - Yes.
See you in a minute.
Ready.
- Will I be in pain? - No. You can just relax.
- I'm starting now. - Okay.
Hmm.
- Wow, look how taut her skin is now. - Right?
I told you, it's great.
I should try it too.
If all three of us get it, can we get a discount?
- Think so? - When you go, ask them about that.
- What? No, you both come with me. - Okay, okay.
Yeong-mi Kim.
Yeong-mi Kim. Kim Yeong-mi.
KIM YEONG-MI SANGRIM HIGH, HANMUN MIDDLE SCHOOL
He's smiling again.
I guess Attorney Choi is home.
Hmm.
That scent is gone already.
Yes?
Ah, jeez.
- Is something wrong? - Well, yeah, a lot is wrong.
What is the issue with our team, you think?
Our team has no glaring issues I'm aware of.
Our team is so dry. We're so dry.
We're the litigation team,
and compared to us, a desert would be considered an oasis.
That's news to me.
Well, shouldn't we have a few team dinners or something?
- We had a team dinner, remember? - You plan to have them only once a year?
Anyway, the last time, you didn't come. Remember that?
- Mm. A team dinner. Fine, let's have one. - Yes!
While we're on the subject, how's tonight for you?
Well, if everybody is available, let's do it tonight.
And since it's a work obligation,
I'd say this team dinner is mandatory, no exceptions.
- Nobody should be pressured. - It's not an everyday occurrence.
If we're missing a single member, it would ruin it.
Especially Heo Min-jeong. Last time she was absent.
I'll make sure she comes along.
I do something wrong?
I mean, well, last time we were, you know, in my opinion,
Heo Min-jeong's sense of responsibility for team cohesion was just a little lax.
I know she's my colleague.
As her colleague, because I'm her colleague,
I believe she should be issued a warning.
What do you think?
Send us all a message when you get a location.
Yes, sir. I'll do it right away.
Heo Min-jeong, you're dead meat.
- Cheers! - Cheers, all right.
Here's to you.
Ah.
Eat something. Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble.
Gobble, gobble, gobble, right away!
- Cheers. - Cheers!
Mm.
That's so good. Delicious. Mm.
Try with some of this.
- Oh, I see now. - Don't talk.
- Just eat it fast. - Less talking, more gobbling.
Mm.
- It's good. - Mm-hmm.
Oh, I just love this place.
All right, everybody, ready to ride the waves?
- Yes, sir. - Yes, I'll ride the waves. The waves!
All right, allow me. I can mix the drinks.
Hang on, butterfingers. Allow me to handle the mixing.
- The somaek, you know how? - Top of my class.
- Ooh. - All right.
- Pass me the glass. - So we all needed a team dinner.
You know, a good somaek is all about the ratio.
- You said it, man. - Hey, that's too much soju.
- Hyo-min, how much beer… - It needs more.
- …you putting in there? - Hey, shut up.
Hey, come on, a little less. Easy, easy. Hey, hey.
You said you were good at this. What on earth?
Hey, let me do it. Move over.
- There you are. - Oh, I was feeling cooped up.
I thought I'd come out for a little air.
Are you okay?
Did everything get sorted at the police station the other day?
We're all sort of on eggshells, so nobody asked.
But we're all concerned for you, Attorney Choi.
There's just so much in my head.
What's on your mind?
When it comes to men, my mother has no luck.
She's so smart, but she always winds up with the ones who are trouble.
When he found out I was a lawyer, that man talked my mother into…
Into committing fraud and to use my name to do it.
Some people will blindly believe whatever a lawyer says.
The victim is demanding 20 million won,
threatening to put her behind bars if I don't pay up.
With the deposit on the house, that's exactly my life savings.
How could they have known?
But I guess it's a relief that I can pay it all,
and won't be in any debt.
20 million might not seem like much,
but I worked so hard doing these part-time jobs through my 20s,
through my high school years.
Well, but you don't really plan on accepting that, do you?
Well, what can I do?
Well, if you do it,
you'd be doing a great disservice to your mother, I think.
That could be a gateway to bigger crimes down the road.
If a parent walks into a house that's burning,
is it her child's duty to walk in after her?
If you bail her out of trouble this time,
I think that would be cheating your mother out of a chance to learn.
Isn't it better to realize that now and then move on from there?
Hmm. That's a new angle to me. I like that.
Thank you. I promise I'll think it over.
All right, everybody. All right, round two. What do you say?
- Round two, yeah! - What do you mean, round two?
The definition of a team dinner is one meal and a few drinks.
Uh, you are so heartless. Heartless.
- If you're up for round two, put it there! - Yeah!
I'm drunk. I'm heading home. Thank you for the meal.
Sheesh. Come on, that woman is heartless.
So damn heartless. Such a bummer.
- All right, I'll go home too. - What?
- Huh? - Thank you for the meal, goodbye.
- Oh, heartless, you're heartless. - Fine, I'm heartless.
- No damn fun. - Right, no fun.
- I should probably get going too. - Mm, then see you tomorrow.
- Dry. - So dry.
- Attorney Choi, could we have a word? - What?
Oh, okay.
So who's up for round two?
- Here, take these. - Oh. What is it?
- Just some clothing for the kids. - Oh, thank you. You're so kind.
And the firm, that is, if you meet some criteria,
can offer a housing loan at a below market rate.
If you make associate after your probation period,
you apply and I'll give you a recommendation.
Oh, thank you.
This way, if you get the support,
perhaps your sisters can sleep more easily.
- Your concern for me is humbling. - Mm.
Uh, I can't show you any preference because you're a single parent.
No, I know, sure. I don't expect that.
But if you ever do have a problem, you can come to me with it.
You can count on that.
Right.
Thank you very much.
Who said you could come in?
- I'm just a little thirsty. - Hey!
Wanna have a nightcap? Got any beer?
I told you I'm drunk. I wanna go to bed.
- You need to go. - How about a glass of water?
Pay attention.
I want to speak to you like a big sister.
- This lady is not for you. That's it. - Why not?
- For one thing, she's too old for you. - I don't mind.
- And she's been married before. - I don't care.
- And she has a child. - An adult child.
- She can't have any more kids. - That's more a matter of destiny.
You should leave that to the heavens.
- She can't. - I won't force anything.
So, what else is there?
Why on earth am I having this discussion with you?
Let's just date.
Okay. But if I won't get married, what will you do?
What, do you think you have all the time in the world?
There's a price to pay.
- Don't you want to marry? - Yes, and I will.
When I'm with the one I love, I'll get married.
- All that I'm saying-- - The one that I love is you, Noona!
With you around, I couldn't marry anyone but you.
You're…
just too good for me.
Yeah?
Why don't we act like drunk people act?
- What? - Let's do the wrong thing.
- It's the wrong thing. - Whatever you say.
X equals negative B plus or minus the square root of B
divided by X equals negative B plus or minus the square root of…
X equals negative B…
X equals negative B plus or minus the square root of…
X equals negative B, plus or minus the square root of…
B minus three…
THE PRINCIPLES OF MATHEMATICS
Oh, there she is!
- She's covering her face, look. - Come on, show us your face.
- You think we can't see you? - She looks so scared.
- Aw. - Check it out!
You like that? You like that?
Time for a cute little cigarette burn.
Every night! You're driving me crazy. Can't they put her in solitary?
How am I supposed to sleep with that maniac screaming every night?
LAWYER KANG HYO-MIN GAINS FAME FOR SAVING UNKNOWN ARTIST
I HAD TO RUN AN ERRAND BEFORE WORK SEE YOU
You bailed, is that what you did?
Doesn't matter, I see you at work all day.
What do I do now?
- PTSD? - Mm. Yes. That's the doctor's opinion.
She's been exhibiting severe anxiety symptoms,
screaming almost every night.
She has persistent nightmares.
But she's been complaining about numbness and joint aches too.
We're keeping a close eye on her for now.
She's caused quite a stir among her fellow inmates.
Uh-huh.
X equals negative B plus or minus…
Square root of B, minus three and…
X equals negative B, plus or minus the square of B
minus three divided…
Have you been okay in there?
- Minus negative. B, plus or minus. - Ms. Kim Yeong-mi?
Guess what?
I was always first in my class in middle school.
- Also in high school. - Huh. I understand.
Your records say you only finished middle school though.
That's because I had to drop out as a sophomore.
Because I was… I was bullied viciously at school.
A cigarette burn.
Why do you look surprised?
It was worse than anything you were thinking.
- By any chance, was the girl you hit-- - Yes.
She was the main instigator. She did this to me.
I thought I could just go on like that.
I was planning to take the equivalency exam and go to college,
but the pain ate me up,
destroyed my mind and then my body as well,
like someone who had just gotten beaten up.
I had crushing pain all over my body. I got medication, started to take it…
That stuff was messing with my head.
I walked around in a daze all day. I couldn't concentrate to study.
I couldn't just stop taking it.
Without my meds, those memories came flooding back, tormenting me.
When we first met at the station,
you said I was partly to blame, didn't you?
Have we really met before?
I need to rest now.
Maybe it's the medication. I feel drowsy.
Okay.
- All right then, it's on. - Are you looking for Attorney Heo?
What? Uh, yeah.
Must have gone out in the field today, huh?
Yes. A court appearance out of town. She said she'll be back by tomorrow.
Ah, okay.
- Huh? - Huh?
- Could you let me know when she gets in? - Sure.
Also, if it's urgent, I can take a message.
No, no, no. Don't say a word to her about it.
- Sure. - Just don't.
- All right. - Thanks. Thanks.
As expected, there was a poison pill clause
in the investment contract.
It states a call option may be invoked
if the company's CEO is accused of embezzlement.
Okay, so Bluestone issued a loan of 15 billion won to Hynic Core, opted out,
then having acquired Hynic Core shares for free,
sold them all off to Optalyn for 120 billion won?
So Bluestone netted a hundred billion profit in just a few months.
Hmm.
That's really impressive.
And in the end, unless I am mistaken,
tens of billions in dividends went to Ko Seung-cheol,
and in addition,
when Optalyn acquired Hynic Core from Bluestone,
he acted as their attorney at Yullim, and racked up billions in retainer fees,
which also has positioned him as a rainmaker,
one of our highest earners.
Well, was Attorney Ko capable of planning all that?
Attorney Ko knew Optalyn wanted Hynic Core's tech.
He must have known that much.
Optalyn, after all, has been a client of his for many years,
and let's recall at the time,
Yullim also was representing Hynic Core in certain cases,
which meant Yullim couldn't advise Optalyn directly
concerning their plans for a merger.
That would have been malpractice defined by the Criminal Code.
Mm. Which is why he had to introduce Bluestone,
where he's a direct beneficiary.
Exactly.
No conflict exists since, on the surface, as we know,
a beneficiary has no say in the management of an investment trust.
Right, but in truth, he was pulling strings all along,
from behind a screen.
With an OEM, that's how.
OEM FUND FUND WITH IMPROPER INVESTOR INTERVENTION
Wouldn't it be a conflict of interest even if Attorney Ko weren't a beneficiary?
Well, basically, Bluestone is only a trust.
All the strategic decisions are left entirely
to the asset management firm.
Attorney Ko was only a beneficiary.
Moreover, Bluestone made an indirect investment through an SPV…
a company created solely for a particular project
…so legally, establishing a conflict is impossible to do.
And yet even so, just in case,
he even went through the trouble of drawing up a conflict waiver.
WAIVER REGARDING POSSIBILITY OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST
- Thorough, isn't he? - Mm.
So if it was an OEM, how in the world can we prove it?
Even if he was behind the scenes pulling the strings and all,
that doesn't seem possible to prove.
Yeah, there might be a solution to that, actually.
Yes, all right, Dad. I need to go to campus anyway.
I'm supposed to see Mom there. We're having dinner together.
Right.
Yes, I understand. I'll call you later.
How dare you represent her?
She's responsible for our daughter's death!
How could you do that? How could you? Represent her! That evil bitch!
- What's the problem here? - What do you want? Step aside!
I have a score to settle with Kang Hyo-min or whatever her name is.
You like that? Aw.
Who are you gonna call, huh?
Harder, come on.
This is not the place. Please leave.
Yes?
PROFESSOR CHOI EUN-HEE
- Hyo-min! - Kim Yeong-mi.
Or before she changed her name, Kim So-yun.
Hmm?
She has been charged with Choi So-yun's murder.
Uh…
- That doesn't ring any bells. - Try to recall.
That's the least that you can do for her.
Choi So-yun…
I saw an interview you did with a woman's magazine long ago.
They asked if you had any regrets.
"Is there something in your past you wish you'd done differently?"
Do you remember how you responded?
You said you would make the same exact decisions all over again,
thousands of times again and again.
You said you had no nagging doubts or regrets concerning any choice you made.
Do you really still believe that?
Have you lived so well that you have no regrets?
Not even a single doubt? Your life doesn't look that perfect to me.
You're a hypocritical and selfish person, drafting laws to help the disabled
while you abandon your own disabled daughter.
Is that so perfect?
While you were lobbying for anti-bullying laws in public schools,
Kim So-yun went unnoticed.
You turned your back on her.
If you had one regret, at least I could understand.
X equals negative B, times the square root of B…
- Negative B… - I remember you.
- Is that so? - Kim So-yun was your name.
Then you changed your name to Kim Yeong-mi.
Yes. I hated that name. I loathed it.
So do you think Choi So-yun did that to me because we had the same name?
Because I didn't lend her my textbook? Or because…
I was a new student, and I took over as head of the class.
Not at all.
There's no reason for it.
Such extreme cruelty has no logic behind it.
- At that time, I-- - You had your excuses, I know.
Bystanders always have good reasons not to act.
Still…
I don't buy the innocent bystander. There's no such thing.
Silence is just as bad as a bully's beating.
Every bit as violent.
You know, it's crazy,
but I think it's the same as siding with the aggressor.
People say you're responsible for everything you do.
I say what you don't do is also your responsibility.
And…
is there something I can do for you?
Please get me…
an acquittal on a murder charge.
Huh?
I know I committed an offense, but I really didn't mean to kill anybody.
I can't live as a murderer.
You willfully struck Choi So-yun,
and you know that resulted in her death.
Ms. Kim, the misfortune you experienced
can be considered a mitigating circumstance,
but it won't erase the murder charge.
If even a single person had the courage to help me,
I would have been the top student instead of you.
Then, very likely today, I would be sitting in that seat.
I… I know my demand is not realistic.
Try reaching out your hand to me, because I…
You're my only hope now.
ATTTORNEY YOON SEOK-HOON
Are you okay?
Huh.
Yes?
- Are you okay? About your suit-- - Oh, I already sent it to the cleaners.
I want to thank you for what happened earlier.
Mm.
She's the mother of the victim in the Kim Yeong-mi case, no?
- Yes. - And she's an acquaintance too?
Yes.
I forgot about her and then when I took the case,
I remembered we went to high school together.
Kim Yeong-mi was terribly bullied in school,
and the victim was the school bully and the ringleader.
Ah.
I need to get her an acquittal because I bear some responsibility.
I have to at least get the murder charge dropped.
Your responsibility? How?
OCTOBER 2013
- Have a good day. - See ya.
SCHOOL ZONE
Are you okay?
- So annoying! - Well…
You just step into the road, you don't look?
- What are you talking about? - Are you hurt?
I'm not hurt. I won't make a complaint. Now, just go.
Hey, I just thought… Uh…
Your phone!
CHOI SO-YUN REALLY WENT AT IT
CIGARETTE ASH SPRINKLES! SICK!
I TOTALLY BLEW OFF STEAM TODAY
WHAT A MASTERPIECE
YOU SHOULD HAVE TIGHTENED THE TAPE IT DOESN'T LOOK PAINFUL AT ALL
Holy crap! Hey! Check it out.
Look at this, look at this!
YOU SHOULD HAVE SMASHED HER HARDER
GGUNGYI
Yes, hello?
Yes. I have your phone.
Sorry. No, bring your mother, okay? She should be in attendance.
I'll convene a school violence conference today
to make sure the victim gets support
and that the ones who did the bullying are expelled.
Afterward, I will also seek criminal charges and civil damages.
This is why working moms are always late getting important information.
The abused kid's name is Kim So-yun, you know?
You may not know her, though I bet you've heard of her.
- Kim So-yun? - Yes.
Kim So-yun, the top student.
Your daughter used to be top in her class until this new girl got transferred in.
Now her grades are dropping.
Didn't you know she's your daughter's competitor?
You really want to help her?
Come on, are you being serious right now?
I suggest you listen carefully, Kang Hyo-min's mother.
You can't expel my daughter, whose father runs this school.
Do you get where this goes?
Oh, and our family motto is, "We are not a doormat for anyone."
Humiliate my daughter at a school violence conference,
I'm guessing her rage could be directed at your daughter.
It was aiding and abetting. "Bystander" is not the right word.
My mother decided to do nothing.
The truth is, I also let the whole incident go by,
and not too long after, Kim So-yun dropped out of school,
and Choi So-yun went on to study in the United States.
How could I just put that aside? Forgotten her?
I believe I'm also responsible for what happened,
and so I need to help her now.
- It's the least I can do. - Mm.
I want to handle the oral argument and take the lead on the case.
Your first criminal case. Do you think you're ready?
Yes. I know I can do it.
Okay.
I appreciate this.
Attorney Kwon, I think you have a way of drawing a person into your world.
- Really? Go on. - Yeah, sure, of course.
Well, sometimes if a person is too complete,
it takes away from their natural allure.
And, well, but you, though you really have everything,
you also kind of have a mysterious side.
Something like negative space, you know, that actually adds so much to your charm.
What kind of negative space?
The kind that never seems to quite get filled in.
It's just negative space.
That's why I…
I think I want to fill that space for you.
The negative space in your life.
COURT IN SESSION
FIRST TRIAL OF THE CRIMINAL CASE ON MURDER CHARGES
Defense counsel, can you repeat what you just said?
The defense is entering a not guilty plea.
Oh, gosh, are you joking? How could she not be guilty?
She killed my daughter!
- Order. Silence in the courtroom. - Sit, sit, sit. It's all right.
Defense counsel, in a murder trial such as this, given the circumstances,
a not guilty plea could have some very unfavorable consequences.
Have you considered that point fully?
Yes, that point has been fully considered.
The specifics of my client's actions
in this case do not justify a charge of murder.
A murder charge requires that both the intent
and the actual actions must be present.
In other words, the intent to kill and the act of killing must occur simultaneously.
I will show that requirement cannot be met in this instance.
I can illustrate this with a simple hypothetical.
Let us just imagine person A contemplates killing person B.
Then when it comes to it, he doesn't act on the impulse.
Murder cannot be established.
Now imagine, sometime afterward, person A, who no longer intends to kill anyone,
accidentally drops something on B's head, causing his death.
In that case as well, a charge of murder can't be established.
The intent to kill and the act of killing have never coincided.
They didn't occur simultaneously.
My client, Kim Yeong-mi's case adheres to this principle.
Though she may have intended to inflict harm
when she struck the victim with a blunt object,
the victim didn't die as a result of that action.
Then a while later, the victim died in an automotive collision.
No intent to kill can be established in that action.
It was nothing more than a terrible accident.
Totally unpredictable.
Therefore, two parts of this case must be judged separately.
The first is an assault, not murder.
The other is negligence causing a car accident
and should be judged as a misdemeanor.
I understand.
- She's so persuasive. - Thank you, Counselor.
Yeah, don't act like a groupie.
Mr. Prosecutor, do you think the charges should be amended?
If you please, the prosecution
believes that when the defendant struck the victim with a blunt object,
it clearly demonstrated that she intended to cause the death of the victim.
We maintain the charge of murder.
But if the court decides that murder charges are not warranted,
we would like to add additional charges of attempted murder and manslaughter.
In addition, we also make a charge in accordance
with the Act on Special Cases of Vehicular Homicide.
Defense counsel, do you have any objection to these charges as amended?
No objection, Your Honor.
Now you've set the stage. Now the knockout punch is what you want.
Right. That may be complicated. I'll try to do the best I can.
No matter how well you write your argument,
it takes more than that to prevail.
You need to process the good raw materials to get good results.
You have a good theory.
Now you need to strengthen that theory with actual facts.
The argument corresponding to the processing
can only present the basis of the claim.
It doesn't give us substantial evidence.
Yes, I understand.
Good. I'll see you later.
Take care, sir.
You were impressive today.
Attorney Kang Hyo-min.
Attorney Kang Heo Min, I really was impressed.
I appreciate it.
- I should visit the scene of the accident. - Oh, but didn't you already go?
I want to be thorough, just in case.
Why go through all the trouble? Hire an investigator.
I need to get actual facts. Some raw material.
Hmm. I heard someone say you even covered her retainer.
You did?
Why would you do that?
We'll give you a hand. Let us help. Tell me, what do you need?
You want us to dig up some raw material?
MOM
I've emailed you some reference material. Take a look.
And I've deposited Kim Yeong-mi's retainer fee to your account.
- I heard from Ji-eun. - No, Ji-eun, why'd you tell her that?
And why should you pay it?
I CAN TAKE CARE OF IT WHY ARE YOU BUTTING IN?
I SENT YOU SOME REFERENCE MATERIALS HAVE A LOOK
This is it!
Ah.
Sorry for asking you to meet here instead of back at the office.
Why sorry? I love this place.
I should mention it to Jin-woo, we could have our meetings here.
Uh, hey, I'd rather Attorney Lee didn't know this place.
- Hmm. - Mm.
Anyway, oh, give this a try.
- I ordered it for us. - This looks delicious.
Thank you for this meal.
Damn it! Seriously?
- Look at what you did to my shirt! - Excuse me. Sorry.
Where do you keep your damn eyeballs?
- Damn! - Excuse me.
- Excuse me? - Why do you whine like that?
- Huh? - It was both our faults.
- Please stop bitching at me already. - Hey, I'm the customer. You realize that?
If ordering an Americano gives you the right to shit all over somebody like that,
let me grab one.
- Hang on a minute. - Huh?
You should mind your manners there, little girl.
- Your manners are so great. - Hey!
Where's the manager here? Send your manager out, you!
You'll get fired today! I'm making sure of that!
You're pretty stupid, huh?
With the shortage of part-time help these days,
no one's getting fired over some obnoxious customer.
This isn't some little store. It's a global company.
Ah, you were thinking this is some hole in the wall, weren't you?
What? Hole?
- Ah, you deserve to get-- - Gonna hit me?
Yeah, come on. Please, go ahead.
- What? - I'll tear you to fucking pieces.
- You… Hey, I should just-- - Excuse me.
- This will pay for the cleaners. - You're the manager here?
No.
Then why are you getting involved?
Because you're too loud.
Well, it's not about just the money for the dry cleaning.
- That's not all. - Uh, excuse me.
- What's all this? - Who the hell are you?
- I'm the location manager here. - Oh.
- Your part-timer there, you see? - Mm-hmm.
- She just spilled-- - Please leave.
What are you…
Please stop making a scene and just leave.
Listen to me, your part-timer just spilled--
I get that.
And I'm asking you to stop making a scene and leave.
- Is she someone you know? - Oh, no.
That said, I think we should be going. I'll pull the car around outside.
Come out when you're ready.
Hmm.
Why did you butt in?
I could have handled that myself.
- So what made you do it? - I didn't do that for you.
Don't kid yourself.
So why'd you decide to confront me?
Would you have done the same thing with somebody else?
No, right? You probably would have just said thanks.
You kids think your parents owe you some kind of debt for their entire lives?
You think parents are saints who miraculously heal
from the wounds you inflict? Is that it?
We hurt just like you and we don't heal any more quickly.
You suppose it's your God-given right to throw a fit?
Mom.
- What? - Could I give you a call?
- Sure. - What's your number?
YULLIM, HEO MIN-JEONG
But I won't call often.
No.
Oh, the flowers are so pretty.
I don't even have time to check what's blooming these days.
That can be easily changed.
Go out with me occasionally.
I heard from the attorneys you work with.
They all say that your skills are refined.
Oh, no, no, that's incorrect. I still have a long way to go.
Although, it's true that I've been putting in the hours.
When I started working M&A I… I was completely lost.
I couldn't comprehend even half of the jargon.
They probably were speaking my language, but it sounded a lot more like Greek.
Yeah, I know. It feels like that.
And law school doesn't teach you about that, so…
Right. So… hmm.
I got in the habit of recording things.
And I listened back to conversations again and again
until I could perform it all to a T.
- And it worked. - Good method. You're a smart guy.
Are you cold?
- Oh, no, not at all. - Please, I insist.
CHOI YUN-GEUN ARE YOU FREE TODAY?
WANNA GO FOR A WALK TONIGHT?
ROOM 930, LIELSIUM HOTEL
Well, did you or did you not take a picture?
Yeah, um, I did. I did take one.
- Um, I accidentally deleted it. - What?
How could you screw that up, you idiot?
I'm supposed to see her again Wednesday night at a hotel.
Oh, really? Should've mentioned that right away.
Attorney Kwon, she must have been so thirsty.
- Get it right this time. - Yes, yes, understood.
Wednesday.
What exactly do you mean?
Among Yullim's adjunct staff,
were some Attorney Ko had a debt to in the past.
He couldn't easily lay them off himself.
He'll try to use Attorney Na to restructure
as a tool to get rid of them.
When the job is done, he'll be ready to show the managing partner out the door.
- Do you think he'd really go so far? - I'd say it sounds logical.
It makes sense that someone working with Ko will
start to lay the groundwork for your ouster.
The thing about it is,
Attorney Ko Seung-cheol doesn't like to get muddied.
He'll be hiding in the wings.
Ha Du-sik just put in a call to propose that we have lunch together.
You do know that Ha Du-sik is Attorney Ko's enforcer?
Mm. I do know that, yes.
Ha Du-sik and Ko Seung-Cheol are not of the same ilk.
Ha Du-sik works from the shadows.
When he's targeting someone and he can't rattle them then,
he'll indulge in monkey business.
He'll use anything to pin something on you.
Use monkey business?
Mm, he'll stoop to sexual blackmail or honey trap, that sort of thing.
With you, Attorney Kwon, he'll use the same method.
That's his only expertise.
You mean he'll try to hook me up with someone?
He could, sure.
Actually, that is probably the only tool at his disposal.
If a hammer is all you have, every object appears to be a nail.
Hmm.
COURT
FINAL HEARING FOR THE MURDER CHARGE
Your Honor, the defendant struck the victim
with a blunt instrument in the head,
which put her on the path that precipitated her death.
In a Supreme Court precedent, a defendant, after beating his victim,
believed him to be dead, then buried him, causing him to suffocate.
The entire process, they ruled, was a single act considered murder.
The precedent which the prosecutor cited
in this case have fundamentally different circumstances.
In the case he cited, the defendant buried his victim
with the mistaken belief he was already dead,
and that was the proximate cause of the victim's death.
In this case, however,
there was a new independent intervention by the victim,
who acted to break the chain of continuity that the state is claiming.
An independent intervention? Now, precisely what do you mean by that?
I mean that the victim was a habitual jaywalker.
Choi So-yun, the victim, ignored or broke traffic laws frequently.
Some three months before her death,
she was hit by a car while jaywalking, for which she received medical treatment.
She also received 12 traffic violations over the past 36 months.
It's also worth noting…
I SENT YOU SOME REFERENCE MATERIALS HAVE A LOOK
When the trial begins,
the prosecution will try to show that the blow
with the blunt instrument and the vehicle collision
should be considered a single continuous act.
In order to refute this, you must prove that the causal relationship
between the act and the victim's death has been severed.
In other words, you must break the chain of continuity
and causation by arguing an independent intervention
on the part of the victim.
When Choi So-yun was in high school I nearly ran her over in my car.
I was driving at a normal speed, approaching a green light.
Choi So-yun suddenly veered into the middle of the road.
That road was a four-lane thoroughfare,
very dangerous for pedestrians to cross against the light.
There were nearby overpasses and underpasses,
but Choi So-yun opted to jaywalk.
It isn't easy for people to change.
This is it.
Can someone give me a hand?
First, we need to get the CCTV from the accident scene.
Maybe six months' worth?
I'll file a motion to preserve it as evidence.
Plus, we need to obtain the victim's traffic records.
The location where the defendant struck the victim
with a blunt object was near a bar where the victim frequented.
The parking lot was across the street from there.
Although that street was a busy, dangerous six-lane road,
the victim chose to jaywalk
in an area where pedestrian crossing is prohibited.
Not only that, according to the footage,
when going to that same bar thirty-four times over six months,
she repeatedly jaywalked across that street
to the parking lot in almost exactly the same manner.
Autopsy results showed the blow from the blunt object
caused a concussion which was not life-threatening.
The cause of death was cardiac rupture
brought on by an automotive collision impact.
You're saying…
my daughter should be held responsible for her death?
Is this some kind of trick? Huh?
Order in the court.
I will have you ejected if you continue to hinder these proceedings.
- Your Honor-- - Hey, Myeong-suk, hey, hey, sister, stop.
You need to calm down. Calm down. It's all right, calm down.
The prosecution's argument would suppose
an excessively broad interpretation of the causal relationship
between the defendant's actions and the victim's death.
This case is not one act.
It is two distinct occurrences. One, the assault with a blunt object.
Two, the automobile accident,
which was the actual cause of the victim's death.
I will present evidence in support of this claim.
Prosecution, what sentence are you seeking?
We request that the defendant be incarcerated for a period of 25 years.
Defense counsel, make your closing argument.
Your Honor, I'm standing here today not just as a defendant's attorney,
rather as a woman who admits
that in this case I bear some of the responsibility.
When the defendant, Kim Yeong-mi was in high school,
she was severely bullied by her classmates,
and I was among those who witnessed it.
And I turned a blind eye to the violence back then.
Counselor, where is this going?
I'd like to submit a twelve-year-old video of the abuse
that the defendant endured as evidence to be admitted.
Your Honor, the defense hasn't established the source of this video,
nor its direct relevance to the case.
It also will very likely cause the victim's family serious additional pain.
I agree. The prosecution isn't wrong.
This video doesn't pertain directly to the facts as they've been presented.
Nevertheless, it is crucial material for determining the defendant's sentence,
as it will show the impact the bullying had.
These images will show the extent of her pain
and how that pain eventually would influence her state of mind.
If this is evidence being introduced only for the defendant's sentencing,
under those conditions, I will admit it.
You can proceed to show the images.
What? My daughter's dead.
You're going to play a little video?
Who cares about that school violence video?
Please do not interrupt during these proceedings.
How can you call yourself a judge?
Why?
How can you defend that murderer?
- Escort them to the exit. - Let me go! Let go!
Let go of me! Let go!
You have no right to put your hands on me.
You'll pay for this! You all deserve to die!
You're not going to get away with this!
Defense counsel, please get on with it.
Your Honor, before we screen the video,
in order to prevent re-traumatizing the defendant,
would it be all right if she was temporarily allowed
to wear a noise-canceling headset and blindfold while we watch it?
All right, I'll allow it.
Would you like to listen to music and cover your eyes?
Attorney Yoon, I'm…
COURT IN SESSION
Oh, my God. Did you see her?
- She's all tied up. - Who did that?
Who would take a video?
Time for a cute little cigarette burn.
You know, if you move, you're really gonna hurt your eye.
Okay, here it comes.
Oh, no! Does it hurt?
Now I would like to demonstrate
what the defendant was like before this bullying.
You can remove the blindfold now.
One, two, three.
- Sorry, not sorry. - Have fun cleaning up alone!
You are so dead!
The defendant, Kim Yeong-mi, was an intelligent, conscientious student
who was consistently at the top of her class
in middle school and in high school as well.
She laughed, hung out with her friends, and dreamed about her future.
She was an ordinary girl.
Were it not for that cruel bullying,
she would not be here today as the defendant.
She was destined to contribute,
destined to take on an upstanding role in her community.
She could have been standing here instead of me,
or seated next to you as an associate judge.
Your Honor, what she did was a criminal act,
and her crime was unjustifiable and unforgivable.
She must receive a punishment commensurate with that crime.
However, if punishment alone is our only objective,
then the victim will not be the only casualty.
The law must exist not only to sanction our transgressions,
it also needs to be a way for us to rehabilitate and reintegrate.
Kim Yeong-mi's story is not merely a personal tragedy.
It is also plainly the result
of social responsibility we have all shirked.
To assist in her rehabilitation is not merely the act
of saving one person's life.
It's a path to reclaiming the love and responsibility we were blind to,
and it's a stride toward the betterment of society.
I would like to submit a signed petition on behalf of all the bystanders,
myself and 84 of the defendant's high school classmates.
Your Honor, I humbly request that you carefully consider this petition
and all the materials I've presented today
in determining punishment so that the defendant,
Kim Yeong-mi, can start her life anew.
I implore you to give her one more chance.
Ms. Yeong-mi?
Do you have anything you want to say?
Please forgive me.
I deeply regret my actions.
I will accept any punishment I get.
I will now render my verdict.
On the charge of murder concerning the defendant's claim
that the causal relationship between the defendant's act
and the subsequent death of the victim was not direct,
we're in agreement.
Accordingly, this court will consider the assault
with a blunt instrument and the car accident as two separate events.
We find, firstly, that the defendant did strike the victim
in the head with a blunt instrument with the intent of injuring her
and caused her concussion.
Accordingly, she is guilty of assault and battery.
Secondly, concerning the vehicular accident,
we do find that in plain disregard of the law,
the defendant took her eyes off the road
and that this negligence resulted in the victim's death.
Thus, in accordance with the law on special cases
as it relates to the operation of motor vehicles,
we find her guilty of negligence.
For these two incidents,
the defendant is sentenced to one year in prison.
This concludes our verdict.
What is this?
Photos and videos of the school bullying from Choi So-yun's phone.
You mean you had her phone all along?
Never got around to returning it, so it was in storage.
I thought you might use it for sentencing.
And about what you said last time, I…
Mom, that was--
If I could take everything that I know now and all of my experience back to the past,
I would make better choices, certainly.
But…
the way I was then, it was the only thing I could do.
And there are no second chances.
That's because at the heart of each choice I made,
was the love I had for Hyo-min, my daughter.
As long as that love doesn't change, even if I could change things,
I'd do it all again the same way.
That's why I said I have no regrets.
Still…
having heard what you said, now I do regret it.
I can handle this myself. Why are you getting involved?
- What are you doing? - Holy crap!
Attorney Yoon!
You're not out celebrating with everyone?
Everybody went to that place for fried chicken.
Ah. Something wrong?
It's just…
I just have a lot on my mind is all.
But why aren't you home, Attorney Yoon?
I had paperwork to get done.
Uh, when I'm wired, I come up here a lot.
- Hmm. It does feel good. - So what's going on?
Everything, nothing. This view, the vibe, and…
unexpectedly running into you up here, Attorney Yoon.
All of that.
Oh, and by the way…
I must say that trial was one of the best I ever attended.
- Really? - Mm.
They say we humans use our intuition first,
then construct our logical reasons around it.
That intuition is a gift from God,
so our reason is only a faithful servant to it.
Your pleading today was eminently intuitive,
but it still allowed you to give the judge a logical foundation,
and you maintained a good balance between emotion and reason.
My compliments.
You did well too, Attorney Yoon.
How so?
When you talk to a client who needs to heal a wound by bringing suit,
look at the source of their pain…
set aside your preconceptions, and look at the heart of the matter.
To me, justice is only a way to protect those who need it.
You need to expand your line of thinking about this.
Think outside the box.
Your sculptures are amazing. Attorney Yoon is a real artist.
By slowly whittling away at your associates' shortcomings and weaknesses,
you draw out the potential they never realized that they had.
And among those sculptures that you created,
who would you say is your masterpiece?
Lee Jin-woo?
- Kang Hyo-min? - Bingo.
Hey, that smile looks good on you. You should smile more often.
Yes, all right, I will.
You get me home
No matter where we are
You make me whole
In your love I don't sorrow
When the world feels cold
You held me close in your arms
With you I'm safe, no more tears
You got me home
BEYOND THE BAR
What're you gonna do?
Let's first take every possible action under current law.
- What the hell are you doing? - Attorney Yoon.
Attorney Yoon! Don't lose control!
I look forward to seeing you.
I'm worried sick.
- You should have told me. - Did you ever give me a chance?
You should have insisted that I tried to understand.
So, what are you doing tomorrow?
- You're here? - Go ahead.
Ko Seung-cheol has Ha Du-sik's back.
They won't take this lying down.
A lawsuit has been filed against Bluestone.
Your company is yours again.