[Drama 2015] Missing Noir M/"M" 실종느와르

[Sunset]

40somethingahjumma said: Sunset90 said:
@everyone... Let's learn korean and say goodbye to english subs =)) ... One week of waiting would be filled up

[kd-addict]

liddi said: At last, 3rd time watching Ep2... this time with English subs, which made for a better understanding of the case. Truly an enjoyable arc, and indeed, as @40somethingahjumma said, is one that has so much twists and turns, yet ultimately everything aligns when all is revealed. Ultimately, this case, despite being riddled with horrific and cruel crimes both in the past and present, still evokes my sympathy and empathy for those who were entangled in this web and finally paid for it, one way or another.
Anyway, will discuss more in spoilers so as not to spoil the enjoyment of those who have not watched. Certainly at least from the first 2 episodes, this is a drama best watched with fresh eyes without any preconceived notions.
Overriding theme:

Sins of the father being visited upon the children. This is an overriding theme throughout the whole case, both in the case of Kang Min Cheol and Lee Jeong Soo.

Kang Min Cheol's fathers, biological and adoptive, both of whom violated his mother, were responsible for his life steering down this dark, destructive path. His adoptive father, unable to live with the guilt of what he had done so many years ago, chose to let him know the circumstances surrounding his mother's rape and disappearance, then ended his own life. Yet in doing so, this inadvertently opened up a can of worms that launched him on a path of no return as he sought to uncover the truth and wreak vengeance on those who did his mother wrong. His last words to Gil Soo-hyun and Oh Dae-young reflects his regret in not letting the past stay buried, because there was no way he could not do anything once he knew. I believe that Gil Soo-hyun had compassion for Kang Min Cheol, in spite of the terrible crimes he had committed, because he understood and empathised with him... and ultimately his act of mercy for this tortured soul was to spare him the final blow - that the man he was determined to hunt down was actually his biological father, evil, unrepentant to the very last.

Lee Jeong Soo saw his life collapse around him when his father's past caught up with them. While his father paid with his life, he was forced into a worse fate - admitting to crimes he did not commit, putting on a maniacal front while working frantically against time to save his sister. As much as he was coerced by Kang Min Cheol, likewise his terrible guilt and shame for what his father did, propelled him to cooperate and carry on with the charade. While we find that Kang Min Cheol purposely left evidence on the phone to ensure that Lee Jeong Soo is exonerated, and both Lee Jeong Soo and his sister survived through the ordeal, still they will never truly be free from the long shadow of their father's past.

Questionable morality:

1. Kang Min Cheol took matters into his own hands the moment he decided to play judge and executioner for all who had done his mother wrong. Yet by his very actions, he became similar to those he despised and hated... wreaking suffering on the innocent as well as the guilty. Ultimately, did the ends justify the means? Or was he left with no choice, seeing no other avenue of seeking justice for his mother?

2. Gil Soo-hyun's decision not to shoot either of them during the final confrontation indicates a telling moral conflict. Granted, one is a murderer who can no longer be convicted, while the other is a killer who knows he has gone too far and cannot turn back. Still, his choice to let them both die is indicative of treading a very fine line, where he too, is now in danger of, if not already, like those two, playing God in deciding whether one should live or die.

Fate of the innocents:

While the list of crimes committed across both timelines were horrific and gruesome, ultimately Kang Soon Young's fate is the most heartbreaking... already a victim of rape, then conned of the settlement money, having to prostitute herself to support her child, and finally her terrible death. To have been so brutally killed, then desecrated by the father of her child no less... she was voiceless all those years and would have remained voiceless had it not been for her son.

Likewise, not only did Lee Jeong Soo lose his parents, he became the pawn in a Machiavellian, diabolical game, kept in check by his father's sins and his sister's fate. Putting on the steely front the way he did, knowing all the while that one small misstep would result in his sister's life, how that must have cost him, and while his facade slipped as time ran out, he stuck to the script all the way to the end, because he was left with no other option.

Unanswered questions:

1. Kang Min Cheol's instruction to Lee Jeong Soo was to deny that Kim Seok Gyu was the murderer, so as to ensure the statutes of limitations on the cold case had lapsed before he took matters into his own hands and became both judge and executioner. Why was this necessary? Was this because he felt that the law which should have protected his mother, failed her again and again, from the failure to indict her rapists to the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and death. As such, he would not trust the law to bring the perpetrator to justice?

2. How did Kang Min Cheol keep abreast of who the murderer was? It would appear that he was using Gil Soo-Hyun to find the killer, yet if that were the case, how did he know who they had identified? There would have been no opportunity for Lee Jeong Soo to inform him after Gil Soo-hyun's revelation, and by all intents and purposes, he had already been tailing Kim Seok Gyu even before Gil Soo-Hyun returned to the prison. Does that mean he was actively shadowing the team as they went about their investigative work?

3. Joo Won Hyeong was the only one out of the four who lived with regret and guilt for what he did, and spent his entire life doing penance by adopting Kang Soon Young's son and caring for other orphaned children. His family was the one approached for the settlement money after she found herself pregnant. As such, did he bring the boy up, thinking he was the biological father? And did he know or suspect that something terrible must have happened to her?

[NRGchick]

@liddi Nice to see you here too.
Enjoying this drama. Love the mystery at the moment. Just like how Bad Guys was beyond daebak. 
I am having difficulty finding the torrent for Ep 3. Can anyone PM me the link?

[40somethingahjumma]

kd-addict said:

@liddi, amazing insights. First time commenting in this forum as I have too many questions. To add to your questions,

(1) why did Kang Min Cheol have to make use of Lee Jeongsoo to contact Gil Soo-hyun and find out about the killer? He could have sent those letters/drawings in to the police station similarly and Gil Soo-hyun would have been put to the case.

(2) Lee Jeongsoo was convicted of killing his family for insurance etc, not for the 3 man who raped Kang Soon Young. Why must Kang Min Cheol come up with such an elaborate plan to torture and kill these men? I can understand if he wants to torture them to obtain information on where his mother is, but why should he hatch such an elaborate plan like planning the exact timing when they will die etc?

3) Why did Kim Seok Gyu take a selca of himself and Kang Soon Young's body?!?

I am enjoying the show, but with so many questions, it takes some of the pleasure away. Unlike Ten and Bad Guys, I didn't have that many questions while I was watching and it was much easier to go with the flow.

[valsava]

Sunset90 said: Waiting a whole week won't be the problem... Waiting for the subs is killing me ...  =((
Maybe I should extend my help in atleast segmenting in viki. I don't segment videos which are not in my language. 

[Sunset]

There are many killers in this world who take pictures of their victims. They take some kind of "trophies" (Yes it is termed trophies by the FBI), like some kind of personal belonging or something in order for them to relive the crime. Yes they love reliving it. They enjoy killing. 
It's like we see pics of stuff we like (like an icecream or a good tour or something.) Killers are bastards who love having something to remember their "exciting" incident. 

[liddi]

@kd-addict, @40somethingahjummaMy 2 cents...
1. I agree about Kang Min Cheol using Lee Jeong Soo as a scapegoat and red herring. With the killer apparently behind bars, there is no reason for anyone to look for the killer... only the victims. As such, he is free to track the investigation through which he can find his mother's killer, and exact his own brand of vengeance while staying one step ahead of the law.
2. I believe the reason for the elaborate torture/murder setup is twofold. The first has to do with timing. He has already determined that he, rather than the law, will be the one to make his mother's killer pay for the crimes. As such, timing is crucial, since the statute of limitations must lapse, rendering the law useless and leaving him the only one left to mete out justice. The IV drips ensure that the men who abused his mother suffered horrendously yet stayed barely alive until the law caught up, creating the sense of urgency on the part of Gil Soo Hyun to rescue the next victim... thus escalating the rate at which the crime would be solved. The other reason is rage pure and simple. These men created hell for his mother, and by the same token, they too would suffer hell for what they did, since the law could/would not prosecute them.
3. Kim Seok Gyu's selca is not so much a trophy, but a purely pragmatic move on his part - to prove that on the date stated in the newspaper he was holding up in the photo, Kang Soon Young was killed. This ensured that there is no doubt as to when the statute of limitations would expire, and this is exactly why he circled Feb 20, 2015 on his calendar, because after that date, the law could no longer touch him.

[40somethingahjumma]

@liddiDuh... of course you're right... why didn't I think of that... I'm not usually that slow... But thanks for clearing that up.
@valsavaEach time I watch those episodes, I see something I miss the first time or second time. I think it's really good once the whole thing is done to go back and see how the different pieces of the puzzle all fit together. 
______________
I can't wait for everyone else to watch Ep. 3 so we can chat about that. Watching the RAW didn't help me at all... and left me largely confusedThis one seems slightly less convoluted. But again, nothing is quite what it seems.

[liddi]

@40somethingahjummaAm watching C-subbed version now. Less shock factor in this arc... so language literacy is very much needed to understand what is going on, otherwise it's purely wild stabs in the dark @-)

[40somethingahjumma]

@liddi   I quite liked it actually but yes, understanding the twist in this one does require understanding of dialogue because the man gone missing in this does a VERY odd thing. Well, he does many odd things until you realise why he's doing them. 
If anyone else can't wait for the Eng subs and don't mind being spoiled, I'm quite happy to oblige.

[liddi]

Finished watching Ep3 C-subbed... some preliminary thoughts while waiting for better clarification with English subs...
The pacing for this case is a total departure from that of the first arc. Buildup is slower, motivations of purported suspects are revealed pretty early on, with far less twists than I had come (perhaps unreasonably) to expect. The case is cast in a different light by the end of the episode... and certain characters are called into question, but assuming my assumptions are correct, this arc reveals its hand (whether deliberately or another red herring) far too soon. While I appreciate that it sets a much different tone from its predecessor, I am less impressed and intrigued than I expected or hoped... which leaves me feeling a little underwhelmed for now, especially after the very strong first case. In any case, fingers crossed that I will be wowed and surprised by the 2nd half of the arc.
On a positive note, love the humour interjected by the very entertaining Detective Oh, and the camaraderie within the team. The partnership between Gil Soo Hyun and Detective Oh is a joy to watch, as each bring their own flavour to the table and I look forward to seeing more of them together. For now, Jin Seo Joon is far less interesting, but I expect that to change as the drama unfolds.
Now... where are the English subs?

[bebebisous33]

liddi said: Finished watching Ep3 C-subbed... some preliminary thoughts while waiting for better clarification with English subs...
The pacing for this case is a total departure from that of the first arc. Buildup is slower, motivations of purported suspects are revealed pretty early on, with far less twists than I had come (perhaps unreasonably) to expect. The case is cast in a different light by the end of the episode... and certain characters are called into question, but assuming my assumptions are correct, this arc reveals its hand (whether deliberately or another red herring) far too soon. While I appreciate that it sets a much different tone from its predecessor, I am less impressed and intrigued than I expected or hoped... which leaves me feeling a little underwhelmed for now, especially after the very strong first case. In any case, fingers crossed that I will be wowed and surprised by the 2nd half of the arc.
On a positive note, love the humour interjected by the very entertaining Detective Oh, and the camaraderie within the team. The partnership between Gil Soo Hyun and Detective Oh is a joy to watch, as each bring their own flavour to the table and I look forward to seeing more of them together. For now, Jin Seo Joon is far less interesting, but I expect that to change as the drama unfolds.
Now... where are the English subs?

[40somethingahjumma]

bebebisous33  I have just finished watching the episode 3 (with english subtitles on dramabay) and I must say that it was more predictable. Nevertheless, I liked it. The dialogues were well written and it was well acted.

The moment the detective meet the missing person's wife, I knew that their child had been abducted when she mentioned, she didn't want the police to get involved! 

Nonetheless, I was surprised that it was a revenge act, I had thought, it has something to do with the IR and the billions offer!!! For me, the prime suspect is the LS, the secretary's CEO who visited HTS at the motel. She was the only one who knew where he was. She could have caught the boy easily.

 

[evie7]

liddi said: Finished watching Ep3 C-subbed... some preliminary thoughts while waiting for better clarification with English subs...
The pacing for this case is a total departure from that of the first arc. Buildup is slower, motivations of purported suspects are revealed pretty early on, with far less twists than I had come (perhaps unreasonably) to expect. The case is cast in a different light by the end of the episode... and certain characters are called into question, but assuming my assumptions are correct, this arc reveals its hand (whether deliberately or another red herring) far too soon. While I appreciate that it sets a much different tone from its predecessor, I am less impressed and intrigued than I expected or hoped... which leaves me feeling a little underwhelmed for now, especially after the very strong first case. In any case, fingers crossed that I will be wowed and surprised by the 2nd half of the arc.
On a positive note, love the humour interjected by the very entertaining Detective Oh, and the camaraderie within the team. The partnership between Gil Soo Hyun and Detective Oh is a joy to watch, as each bring their own flavour to the table and I look forward to seeing more of them together. For now, Jin Seo Joon is far less interesting, but I expect that to change as the drama unfolds.
Now... where are the English subs? 

[icemaid]

@evie7 thank you!

Same here I am supposed to watch ep 2 but something crop up. I absolutely can't get distracted when I am watching OCN crime dramas.

I need full concentration even with sub, otherwise I will get lost somehow.  :\"> )

But I love them. Will find a good time this weekend & catch both ep 2 & 3.

[czakhareina]

Video Clips | Episode 1

Video Clips | Episode 2

[czakhareina]

Video Clips | Episode 3

Preview | Episode 4

[eunsuhae]

@evie7 thank you for the heads up! I was going to start Hwajung tonight and catch up on Falling For Innocence but I guess I will make a change of plans, Missing is absolutely on top of my list currently, the rest can wait

[Sunset]

The best thing of well written criminal dramas is the lack of loopholes. 
No space for the "dramatic" drama elements. Hot, racy, crazy moments for us to devour )

[eunsuhae]

Just finished ep3 and I agree with all of you about this one being rather on the lighter side compared to the first arc but it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment while watching. We got to see more of Detective Oh's funny personality (does anyone else love his "느낌" mantra? where he's always describing his "feeling" about the situation? I love it ) and that quick but informative glance at his personal life. It was also very cleverly placed considering the current case is revolving around parents and the importance of their children in their lives. 
There were no gruesome scenes and the twists were predictable for most of them but I'm keeping my hopes high for the next part because as @40somethingahjumma said nothing is as it seems in this show so let's wait and see. What I particularly appreicated about this episode is how the main character for this arc went from being a missing person to a suspicious individual to a confirmed kidnapper (and unfaithful husband) then back to a victim when we discovered his motive then by the end of the episode and the revelation of his probable involvment in what happened 8 years ago to that girl, we are left scratching our heads, who's the real culprit? where did things go wrong? when did everything really start and how will all this end? 
I like this about the drama, more than just solving crimes and cases, it raises questions on a more fundamental level and it's great