Highlights: "Liar Game," Episode 6

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We're at the halfway point of "Liar Game" now, and if I had to choose a favorite episode so far, this would have been it. It's a breath of fresh air to finally see Nam Da Jung stepping up her game, and although she couldn't have done it without Ha Woo Jin, at least she's getting somewhere now. As with all previous episodes, the thrills and surprises were aplenty, as was the humor. Let's take a look at five of the most noteworthy scenes of the latest "Liar Game" episode.

1. The truth behind the 50/50 chance game.

The cliffhanger of Episode 5 was when Nam Da Jung peeked at the card in her hand and came to the heart-sinking realization that she had lost the game against Jamie. We were left to wonder what Nam Da Jung would do now that all hope was lost. After all, she had no choice but to hand over $150k. If it had been at all possible to be at negative stars, Nam Da Jung surely would have been there, but lucky for her, it was with zero stars and only half her game money left that Ha Woo Jin finally found her. I got a serious laugh out of Ha Woo Jin's greeting, "I heard you're losing. Spectacularly." HA! As usual, Ha Woo Jin dissected the 50/50 chance game immediately and revealed to Nam Da Jung that, due to the rules they had implemented for the game, Nam Da Jung did not have a 50% chance of winning, but rather only a 25% chance. As if that wasn't bad enough, the chances of Nam Da Jung winning 10 rounds was only at a mere 10% chance, so the odds were definitely not in her favor. But fear not, because Ha Woo Jin has a plan to win and it's time for Nam Da Jung to pull off some decent lies for once.

2. From 0 to 75.

I knew that Ha Woo Jin could bail Nam Da Jung out of the mess she created for herself, but I never expected it to happen with such a bang. I couldn't quite figure out his scheme, so I watched with much anticipation, overworking my brain and wringing my hands all the while. When the updated star count during the ninth evaluation was revealed, I'm almost 100% certain my face mirrored the other eight contestants. Talk about an exciting and shocking instant game-changer! Once again, I was awed speechless by Ha Woo Jin's abilities. Now that Nam Da Jung has the lead and everyone else is tied for second place, no one, except for our leading lady, is safe. "Who will be eliminated now?" is the question burning in everyone's mind. Who indeed?

3. Ha Woo Jin's dramatic entrance.

As the other eight contestants were getting riled up about being tricked by Nam Da Jung, Ha Woo Jin swooped in and caused an even bigger commotion. Cries of how he wasn't allowed to be there was met with a nonchalant shrug and a sassy, "You can bring anything in here." When that only escalated the complaints, Ha Woo Jin further elaborated, "I'm only this participant, Nam Da Jung's, personal belonging. I'm a dog. Nam Da Jung's faithful and vicious dog. I'll show you what happens when you mess with my owner." Um, excuse me, but where can I get a dog like him?! His appearance caused the show to be put on hold for a few moments as Kang Do Young and Lee PD quickly discussed how to handle the situation. I haven't seen anything faze Kang Do Young in the slightest, so it didn't come as a surprise when they eventually reached the decision to approve of Ha Woo Jin's surprise appearance. To further prove his brilliance, Ha Woo Jin gives an additional piece of advice while smirking. "The number of stars equals power. To repeat, whether you live or die, is up to Nam Da Jung."  He then proposes an auction for Nam Da Jung's extra stars.

4. Nam Da Jung's elimination choice.

Moments before the tenth and last evaluation, almost everyone began pleading with Nam Da Jung to save them, citing reasons why they can't be eliminated. For the first time, Nam Da Jung was firm in stating that the choice had already been made. Unsurprisingly, Nam Da Jung retained first place, and six of the seven people tied for second place was also revealed. With the two remaining contestants as Jamie and Director Jang, I had a little trouble guessing who would really get eliminated. On one hand, the obvious choice would be Jamie, especially since Director Jang has been nothing but kind to Nam Da Jung. On the other, it would be too simple to eliminate Jamie here when she's obviously the most manipulative contestant to go up against the Ha Woo Jin and Nam Da Jung duo. In the end, it turned out Director Jang was, indeed, the one eliminated, much to the shock of everyone. Director Jang didn't know why he was the one who got the axe and Nam Da Jung responded by thanking him for talking to her when others ignored her. Again, he asked why and her answer was... amazing. "So I could help you. On medical expenses, you spent much of the prize money, right? With the money I earned in this round, I'll make up for that. What you need right now isn't prize money. Don't worry about repaying your debt. Return to your family." Wow. I admit I was so touched by this scene, I cried a little. Other than using her earned prize money of $2.7 million to pay Director Jang's game debt of $700k, Nam Da Jung also chose not to forfeit with the remaining $2 million. Instead, she gave each of the other seven contestants $250k in order to cover most of their debt from the layoff round.

5. "Is it so wrong for one person to believe another?"

I singled out this very question back in the Episode 2 highlight, but in this episode, it definitely deserved additional attention. In episode 2, Nam Da Jung was the one who asked this question and it affected Ha Woo Jin to the point where he decided to help her. This time, Kang Do Young was the one who uttered this sentence to Ha Woo Jin, but with an entirely different purpose. It was a gloat, a button that he knew he could push, and Ha Woo Jin's reaction was instantaneous. "You know me, don't you?"

My Thoughts

I shouldn't be surprised that "Liar Game" decided to leave us at another cliffhanger. I really shouldn't. But it's still frustrating just thinking about having to wait an entire week to see what happens next. I have plenty of good things to say about this episode and I could dissect all the details to bits and pieces. I'm really loving, loving, this drama. Nam Da Jung slightly redeemed herself in my eyes with this episode with her flawlessly acting out the schemes Ha Woo Jin planned and the touching reason why she eliminated Director Jang melted my heart. Since she's made her decision to stay in the game, albeit with a peculiar goal in mind, I hope this means that she'll be more intelligent about how to play. It was starting to get tiresome watching her getting betrayed over and over again, so it was nice seeing her manipulating for once. Ha Woo Jin is still absolutely smoldering and brilliant. He's the character I'm enjoying the most right now and I love attempting to peel back his layers. There were scenes from the orphanage and Ha Woo Jin sharing, for the first time, his thoughts on his mother. These are all important aspects of the drama that I'm sure will come into play later. Kang Do Young is also a mastermind in his own right and it's great that Lee PD is realizing with more conviction that there's something not so sane about him. Jo Dal Goo is still kicking up the comedy factor and it's handled with just the right balance. Overall, this big mystery is slowly being revealed in such a teasing manner and it's got me craving for more. We're left with plenty of hints, but even more questions and theories. For instance, why does the orphanage seem familiar to Nam Da Jung? Is it possible that she and Ha Woo Jin were acquainted with each other as young children? How far will Kang Do Young go and just how much does he know Ha Woo Jin? What is his purpose? How will Lee PD handle Liar Game and Kang Do Young? In Episode 5, what was the significance of that painting in Kang Do Young's house? My mind is spinning with potential scenarios and I'm loving every moment of it. Kim So Eun and Lee Sang Yoon still have off the charts chemistry with each other, so while their characters aren't developing romantically - as they shouldn't, because who has the time for that when they're busy trying to unravel mysteries and winning big money? - I can still see the possibilities. All I can say is, if they continue down this path of partnership, then I hope, at least, Ha Woo Jin can come out of this with a friend in Nam Da Jung. It would be a shame regarding their chemistry, but that's all the more reason to put them in a romance drama together in the future, right? Right? So what did you think about Episode 6? Just how hooked are you? Let us know in the comments below! [tv]Watch episode 6 of "Liar Game" on SoompiTV! [/tv]

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