[Drama 2024]Black Out/ Snow White Must Die, 백설공주에게 죽음을

[larus]

MBC's mystery thriller Black Out scored 5.7% (nationwide and metropolitan) for episode 7, rising to the highest ratings of its run so far. The K-drama, though being on a streak of single-digit viewership, has set new personal records every week. Black Out is now halfway through its course of airing. 

 

When and where to watch the K-drama Black Out?

Episode 8 of Black Out will air on September 7 (Saturday). The K-drama is available to stream on Hulu.

 

https://mydramalist.com/article/bad-memory-eraser-sees-ratings-improvement-good-partner-continues-with-double-digit-viewership

[larus]

Black Out: Episodes 7-8

by mistyisles

Things take an (even more) grim turn this week as long-buried evidence surfaces, causing certain people’s masks to slip and revealing just how horrible they’ve been all along. Our protagonist is slowly gaining allies, but the people who ruined his life haven’t come this far just to let him expose their atrocities without a fight.

 

EPISODES 7-8

 

According to Jung-woo’s old teacher, he and his friends were inseparable in high school. But they all split up just before his trial: Geon-oh to study abroad and Byung-mu and Min-soo to military service. Now that Geon-oh has returned, the reasons for that all-too-conveniently timed separation finally come to light.

It starts with him giving Jung-woo Bo-young’s backpack. They’re interrupted by Byung-mu and Min-soo’s fathers — sent by Chief Hyun to collect Geon-oh — but Jung-woo and Geon-oh manage to hide 1) Bo-young’s cell phone and 2) one of her old textbooks before being attacked. And I do mean attacked — in the end, both Jung-woo and Geon-oh are knocked unconscious, and the older men carry Geon-oh and the backpack away.

 

Fortunately, Sang-cheol happens to call Jung-woo not long after, and gets him taken to the hospital. Curiosity piqued, Sang-cheol spends all night searching the premises, where he discovers Bo-young’s cell phone. But don’t worry — this doesn’t lead straight into yet another cycle of him putting all the blame on Jung-woo, because the last video Bo-young took on that phone happened shortly before her death, and Jung-woo’s not in it. Bo-young, Byung-mu, Min-soo, and Geon-oh were all drinking at the warehouse that night, and when they ran out of alcohol, Geon-oh left to grab more.

The video alone doesn’t reveal what happened next. But remember that textbook Geon-oh frantically hid at Jung-woo’s house? Tucked inside is the only article of clothing missing from Bo-young’s skeletal remains — her underwear (yes, unfortunately this means exactly what it sounds like). Sang-cheol and Jung-woo work together to get DNA samples from each of the so-called “friends” for testing. Byung-mu is the hardest of the bunch to sneak a sample from (he didn’t become a cop for nothing), and when Sang-cheol picks up the results from the lab, Byung-mu follows and T-bones his car in an (ultimately futile) attempt to keep him from telling anyone. Why? Because both Byung-mu and Min-soo’s DNA match the DNA found on the underwear.

 

Elsewhere, Min-soo confesses (under threat of having his face smashed in by Jung-woo’s hammer) that a petty argument with Bo-young that night bruised Byung-mu’s fragile ego and the two took turns sexually assaulting her as revenge. Thanks to Sang-cheol’s quick thinking, Min-soo and Byung-mu are both swiftly arrested.

 

Byung-mu in particular is finally showing his true despicable colors. When Sang-cheol interrogates him, all he does is whine about how hard he worked to become a police officer. To Jung-woo’s face, Byung-mu admits scornfully that he always resented Jung-woo’s popularity and privilege, adding that Bo-young deserved what happened because she defended Jung-woo instead of him (hence the bruised ego).

 

But Min-soo maintains that they didn’t kill Bo-young, and that brings us back to Geon-oh. Geon-oh is too distraught to coherently explain everything that happened, but he does state, repeatedly, that Jung-woo went to prison in his place, that “it” (whatever it was) was a mistake, and that he wants to turn himself in. But Chief Hyun isn’t about to let that happen. He padlocks Geon-oh in his bedroom, and not for the first time, either (looks like Bo-young wasn’t the only one who grew up with an abusive father). After Jung-woo breaks him out and leaves him in Seol’s care, Geon-oh takes off on Seol’s scooter in search of more alcohol to numb his guilt. Jung-woo only finds him again because Geon-oh mistakes a random highschooler for Bo-young and falls at her feet sobbing and begging for forgiveness.

Chief Hyun, thinking his son is safely imprisoned contained at home, examines the evidence. To his relief (and mine, honestly), none of it points to Geon-oh — quite the contrary, in fact. So Chief Hyun gives Sang-cheol full rein to investigate and charge Byung-mu and Min-soo for their crimes. After their fathers grovel and pledge unconditional obedience, however, Chief Hyun and his lackey manage to spin the narrative into a neat little closed case that still names Jung-woo as the murderer.

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/09/black-out-episodes-7-8/

[lilyphenix]

On 9/7/2024 at 7:53 PM, lebeaucouple said:

 

@lilyphenix Welcome you to join us and share your views if you are still watching this drama 🥰 

Thanks for the tag! I have been really enjoying the drama, though it is crazy how everyone except his mom and the new police officer in town, seem like they could be the culprit. For sure, they all have something to hide, from the parents to the kids...

I am watching episode 8 now, will have more to share at some point.

[lebeaucouple]

@joccu  very frustrated to see these two police officers, the chief one and his subordinate, Kim Hee-Do, always twisted their words. 😡

 

Currently there are still missing pieces that need to fill up the gaps. I am eagerly waiting for them to reveal more - 5 more EP to go. Surprisingly Choi Na-Kyeom was there in the warehouse that night shown at the end. I thought it was Jian woo's father.

 

I can understand why Choi Na-Kyum could be the mastermind because she was a very quiet and reserved person who had always acted like an "observer" during her school days. Under normal circumstances, when an accident or quarrel occurs, someone must stand up to stop the fight and provide opinions and suggestions. Obviously she did not give good suggestions to those guys, she probably offered to help drive Jung-Woo's car to move the body. Let's see.

 

I must say that all of Jung Woo's old friends and their parents are cruel and selfish and typically showcase the dark side of human beings. I am sure all of them would pay for their price eventually....Very sad for Jung Woo....

 

Did you watch the drama, "Your Honor"?

 

 

 

[larus]

Byun Yo Han's "Black Out" Rises to Its Highest Ratings

by Lily Alice, September 14, 2024

3 4

 

MBC's mystery thriller Black Out rose to its highest ratings of 6.5% (nationwide) and 6.4% (metropolitan) for episode 9. However, despite consistently setting new personal records each week, the K-drama continues to maintain its streak of single-digit ratings.

 

 

When and where to watch the K-drama Black Out?

Episode 10 of Black Out will air on September 14 (Saturday). The K-drama is available to stream on Hulu.

 

https://mydramalist.com/article/byun-yo-han-s-black-out-rises-to-its-highest-ratings

[larus]

Black Out: Episode 9

by mistyisles

 

In the wake of a new tragedy, everyone scrambles to find someone to blame. The good news is that decade-old lies are being exposed one by one; the bad news is that each truth unearthed reveals yet another person complicit in the horrible events that were once blamed on our poor protagonist. But the best news? He’s not alone anymore, and his new ally isn’t one to let any criminal, no matter how well-defended, off the hook.

 

 
EPISODE 9

 

Thanks to Chief Hyun’s selfishness, Geon-oh is dead, and his suicide note (plus a partial confession that Chief Hyun throttles out of Byung-mu) reveals a few more crucial keys to the puzzle. Geon-oh had returned to the warehouse just after Byung-mu and Min-soo assaulted Bo-young. In his panic over realizing what his “friends” had just done, he’d startled her. She fled down the stairs, tripped, and hit her head. When Geon-oh tried to call for help, the other two stopped him. They were all interrupted by a fourth person, but we don’t get to see that part just yet — though we do get a few more clues sprinkled throughout the episode. Not least of which is that Chief Hyun made an appearance at the warehouse sometime during that night’s events, and that Geon-oh’s note urges him to tell the truth for once.

While Chief Hyun stews on the tragic consequences of his choices, Na-kyeom tells Bo-young’s parents about Byung-mu and Min-soo. Interestingly, she tells them that evidence was found to convict both men of assault and murder. Even more interestingly, once Dong-min and Jae-hee rush off in tears to confirm her words, Na-kyeom’s own tears give way to a satisfied smirk.

 

The police are rushing to the warehouse when Bo-young’s parents arrive at the station, but Chief Hyun’s right-hand man KIM HEE-DO (Jang Won-young) stays behind to “set the record straight.” I’ve gone back and forth on what to think about this guy, but now I’m fully convinced he knows what really happened and is actively covering for Chief Hyun. Not only does he bend over backwards to pin the murder on Jung-woo and insist there’s no need to reopen the case, but he also has the gall to claim the sexual assault was somehow consensual. Bo-young’s parents handle that about as well as they handle hearing a similar argument from Byung-mu and Min-soo’s fathers (read: not well at all), and for once I don’t blame them one bit.

Speaking of those two fathers, they continue to spend a lot of time groveling. Even at Geon-oh’s funeral, they beg Chief Hyun to go easy on their sons and plead with Dong-min to accept monetary compensation in lieu of further investigation (Dong-min eventually accepts, and takes out his rage on Jae-hee when she accuses him of profiting off their daughter’s death).

Chief Hyun is disgusted by their audacity, but he has Assemblywoman Ye breathing down his neck, warning him not to let the case garner widespread attention all over again. Turns out, this isn’t the first time they’ve had this conversation — she was the one who ordered Chief Hyun to close Jung-woo’s case as quickly and quietly as possible. So, after Byung-mu and Min-soo are released from custody, Chief Hyun drives Min-soo out to the middle of nowhere and threatens him into throwing Byung-mu under the bus.

 

So where is Jung-woo while all this is going on? Well, he spends a good part of the episode unconscious in the hospital, having been hit by a car while chasing Geon-oh down for answers. As a result, Sang-cheol has to break the news to him about Geon-oh’s death a few days after the fact. He tries to do it gently (though he’s not very good at gentleness), and it’s a good thing he does it in person, because he then has to stop Jung-woo from running off and doing something rash. And oof, Byun Yo-han’s portrayal of being hit by a wave of shock turning to grief turning to rage is just masterfully done.

Sang-cheol also lets Jung-woo stay with him for the time being, pays his hospital bill, and lends him a change of clothes, and the two (finally!) put their heads together to re-examine the rushed investigation of eleven years ago. Right away, they identify three important scraps of information. The first is that none of the three boys present at the warehouse that night could drive, which means someone else must have helped them move Bo-young’s body to the abandoned school. The second is that whoever the driver was, they crashed Jung-woo’s car into a light pole in the process, and no photos of the damage were included in the investigation files. And finally, two shovels were included among the crime scene photos — but they weren’t in the car earlier that day, and they were removed not long after.

 

Jung-woo is in the middle of confronting Byung-mu about the matter of the driver when the police arrive to arrest Byung-mu due to Min-soo’s “confession.” As they drag him away, Byung-mu yells that Na-kyeom was the real mastermind. And there might just be some truth to that claim, because when Jung-woo questions her about it, she turns on the waterworks and tells him Byung-mu has been blackmailing her all this time… but a flashback shows us that she’s lying about going straight home that night. She was right there in the warehouse when Bo-young died.

I’m all for Byung-mu being punished — unlike Jung-woo, he deserves the betrayal and vilification — but it’s quite horrifying how quick these people are to identify a scapegoat and run with it rather than root out all the parties involved. Jung-woo was an easy target eleven years ago because of his memory blackout, and Byung-mu is an easy target now because he’s shown himself to be an undeniably awful person; meanwhile, all the other less-obviously-awful people carry on looking out for themselves and pretending to care about justice.

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/09/black-out-episode-9/

[joccu]

@lebeaucouple  finally able to catch up the last two episodes.  

there are so many people I just hate.

 

Jung woo was so unlucky with friends. Jeolousy is powerful thing. 

 

I have not yet seen Your honor. Did you watch it.

 

[lebeaucouple]

Yes me too. I dislike the most is his bunch of close friends, none of them are kind to him, they are dishonest and indespicable. Their parents are not rational enough to educate their children - the biggest root cause is "Selfish".

 

Waiting for last 3 more ep to go 😁 

 

Yes I watched "Your Honor" only EP 10 , not bad, you should watch it too.

Currently no other good drama to watch...

[joccu]

@lebeaucouple  so true.  
luckily Jung woo has found also nice people. His mother letters. She did care. 😍

[larus]

Black Out: Episodes 10-11

by mistyisles

 

Just when you think these people can’t possibly sink any lower, they find a way to prove you wrong. Seriously, it would be impressive if it weren’t so horrifying. We finally get the full picture of that fateful night in the warehouse, and while some of it plays out exactly like we’d guessed, there are still some devastating surprises in store.

EPISODE 10-11

 

Now that Jung-woo and Sang-cheol (plus Seol) are working as a team, they begin investigating who crashed Jung-woo’s car while moving Bo-young’s body. See, during Jung-woo’s interrogation eleven years ago, Hee-do let slip that someone witnessed the crash. So if they can find the car, they may find additional clues inside, and if they can find the witness, they may get a description of the driver.

The problem, of course, is that Chief Hyun and Hee-do are also scrambling to find the car and witness so they can shut the investigation down. Chief Hyun was under the impression that the car was scrapped immediately following Jung-woo’s conviction, but thanks to a bit of miscommunication, Hee-do returned it to Jung-woo’s father, who put it in a storage container instead. Aww, no matter how hard Chief Hyun tried to convince him Jung-woo was guilty, Dad never quite believed it. It’s a touching discovery for Jung-woo; doubly so because he finds the storage container documents in a box full of letters his mom wrote to him but never sent while he was in prison.

 

Jung-woo and Sang-cheol find the car first, and Hee-do can’t do much more than sputter and fume about it, because Sang-cheol came prepared. He may not have permission to reinvestigate the murder charges against Jung-woo, but he is in charge of the sexual assault case against Byung-mu and Min-soo, and the car was in fact present at the scene of that crime. Plus, he’s already called in forensics teams (local AND national), so not even Chief Hyun can interfere without a valid reason. (Chief Hyun does, however, ask a friend in forensics to report all findings to him first.)

Interestingly, Hee-do starts to waver the more Sang-cheol and Jung-woo keep digging. He wins the race to find the car crash witness and tries to convince the guy that helping Jung-woo out will be a hassle at best. But the witness has already been silenced once, and only wants to get the truth off his chest: he couldn’t see the driver’s face because of the rain, but he knows it wasn’t Jung-woo — it was two middle-aged men. Last week I was convinced Hee-do was in on the conspiracy to scapegoat Jung-woo, but now it looks like Chief Hyun just did that good a job of lying to him. Although Hee-do doubles down on his mantra — “Jung-woo was the murderer, Chief Hyun said so!” — doubt is slowly creeping in.

 

And for good reason. Over the course of these two episodes, we finally get the full story of what happened in the warehouse that night. Na-kyeom was the first to arrive on the scene just after Bo-young fell to her death. We’ll come back to Na-kyeom in a bit, but while she ran for cleaning supplies and the other two tried to figure out how to move Bo-young’s body, Geon-oh seized his chance to call his father for help. Chief Hyun brought Byung-mu and Min-soo’s fathers with him and sent the three boys home. But since he had an urgent meeting with Assemblywoman Ye, Chief Hyun made the two dads finish hiding the body.

But the story gets even worse from there. When they pulled over at the abandoned school and opened the trunk, the men realized that Bo-young was still alive. Rather than risk her exposing their sons’ crimes, Min-soo’s dad killed her with a shovel. And let me tell you, friends, I did NOT see this coming. My jaw is still on the floor.

 

Even Chief Hyun is appalled when Byung-mu’s dad confesses it to him. And since he’s already twisted the whole situation around in his mind such that he blames Byung-mu and Min-soo — and not himself — for Geon-oh’s death, he decides this is good enough reason to get rid of one of those pesky thorns in his side. He sends Byung-mu’s father to tell Dong-min the truth, knowing full well that Dong-min 1) has a gun and 2) is already emotionally compromised because Jae-hee finally worked up the courage to leave him. Like clockwork, Dong-min grabs his gun and goes straight over to avenge Bo-young. Jung-woo tries to talk him down, but he shoots Min-soo’s father anyway.

That’s where the episode ends, but now let’s go back to Na-kyeom and her role in the murder cover-ups. In private, she says she helped Byung-mu and Min-soo out of pity. But now that Byung-mu is pointing fingers at her, she turns on him. In a frightening display of manipulation (even if it is aimed at someone as awful as Byung-mu) she visits him at the police station so she can taunt him into yelling at her and then cry and shrink away as though he’s the one manipulating her.

 

But that’s not all. Rewinding once again to the night of the murders, Na-kyeom was still there cleaning when Hyung-shik and Da-eun arrived looking for somewhere to be alone. As a result, Na-kyeom was watching when Hyung-shik killed Da-eun for the simple offense of throwing his wedding ring away. All those threatening messages Hyung-shik has received? Those were Na-kyeom’s doing. When Assemblywoman Ye eventually puts two and two together and asks what she wants, Na-kyeom’s answer is also simple: “Jung-woo.”

 

There’s been a growing theme about how various people respond when presented with things they’ve done or believed that are wrong, and it’s especially prominent this week. Chief Hyun doubles down on blaming everyone other than himself, even when his son’s suicide note throws his wrongdoings in his face. Hee-do starts to question (but also doubles down, at least for now) his blind belief in his superior. Byung-mu and Min-soo, in their own ways, claim they’re being treated unfairly and don’t deserve the consequences of their actions. But Sang-cheol? Sang-cheol surprises me.

 

While investigating the car crash, Sang-cheol and Jung-woo have a conversation about Sang-cheol’s late wife, who was murdered on their wedding day. Somewhere along the way, Sang-cheol has gained some self-awareness and now understands that he was blaming every criminal (and alleged criminal) for what happened instead of facing his own feelings of guilt over putting her in harm’s way and dismissing her concerns. I do wish this had been a more pronounced part of his story all along so we could see his attitude changing. But I’m glad we at least got it now, because it makes him a much more understandable and sympathetic character.

Another thing I appreciated even more this week is the nuance with which both the writing and the cast depict abusers. Byung-mu appears every bit the handsome, friendly, good-natured public servant… until he drops the façade and you realize he’s rotten to the core. Dong-min has his moments of clarity and even, dare I say, tenderness towards his family… but he also beats them within an inch of their lives.

It goes to show that, as Sang-cheol is finally learning, people are much more than one personality trait. And while sometimes that means you shouldn’t jump to conclusions about the person the entire town shuns, other times it means the person you thought was your best friend secretly resented you all along and won’t hesitate to ruin your son’s life to “protect” his.

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/09/black-out-episodes-10-11/

[larus]

MBC's mystery thriller Black Out scored 7.9% for episode 12, up from 6.1% (episode 10). However, this was a drop from episode 11's rating of 8.7%. Black Out has only two episodes left to air. 

 

 

When and where to watch the K-drama Black Out?

Episode 13 of Black Out will air on September 28 (Saturday). The K-drama is available to stream on Hulu.

 

https://mydramalist.com/article/park-shin-hye-led-the-judge-from-hell-trends-on-disney

[ddeokbokkii]

The first episode start out a bit slow and dragging. But, the suspend start right at the ending of the first episode.

Spoiler alert, please don't read further if you have not watched this drama yet.

Spoiler

How should I start?. I just don't get it. Why did the Chief of police, Koo Tak, sided with the other two families
to throw Jung Woo and his family under the bus. Koo Tak covered up for the sons of the other 2 families who raped
a girl, and framed Jung Woo causing him to spend 10 years of his young life in prison. What exactly Koo Tak has
against Jung Woo and his family?. I'm trying to walk my brain back to the beginning to see, if I can find a clue
or a hint to justify what Koo Tak did to Jung Woo. But, nothing, I can't seem to find a thing or a reason. I though
it may be because Koo Tak involved with the congresswoman and her husband murdered of Da Eun. But, Da Eun murdered has nothing to do with the raped and murdered of Bo Young. These were two separate incidents, But Koo Tak pin both murders on Jung Woo, why?. I'm already at 13th episode, if I'm not mistaken this drama has only 14 episodes. That mean the writer has only one episode left to explain everything in this drama. I hope the writer can come up with a satisfactory ending, and not another let down ending. So far, this is one of the best mystery crime thriller suspend drama this year, that is if the writer can end thing right. 
I will have to wait for the last episode to come out.

 

[larus]

Black Out: Episodes 12-13

by mistyisles

 

We’re nearing the finish line, which means some characters are finally uncovering the truth while others are finally facing down the consequences of their choices. But the real masterminds who kept the truth buried all these years are determined to wash themselves of culpability — and they’re very good at it.

 

 
EPISODE 12-13

 

After fatally shooting Min-soo’s father, Dong-min runs home and barricades himself inside with his gun. When the police arrive, he agrees to let Chief Hyun come in — but only if he comes alone and unarmed. Though Sang-cheol slips in through a back door to intervene if things go south, there’s no need. Chief Hyun plays on Dong-min’s guilt towards Bo-young and successfully convinces him to drop the gun.

At the police station, Dong-min expresses no remorse for avenging Bo-young. But he does feel immense regret and shame for how he treated Jung-woo’s family. He practically begs to be punished for pushing Geum-hee off the overpass. Later, at Bo-young’s funeral, Dong-min bows out early to relieve Jae-hee of the burden of his presence. Perhaps some people can change after all?

In stark contrast, Byung-mu’s dad shamelessly asks Jung-woo to write an appeal to spare Byung-mu from prison. Jung-woo looks him straight in the eye and delivers a supremely satisfying rejection to the tune of: “I also had a father who loved me.” Byung-mu can rot, thank you very much.

 

Speaking of shamelessness, Chief Hyun has found a new scapegoat in Hee-do (by which I mean he set up this backup plan from day 1). As more of the truth comes to light and it becomes impossible to deny that Jung-woo was innocent all along, Chief Hyun blames Hee-do for botching the initial investigation. Playing the part of a magnanimous superior looking out for his wayward underling, he advises Hee-do to resign honorably while he still can and let Chief Hyun clean up his mess.

Eleven years ago, Chief Hyun had used circumstantial evidence to convince Hee-do that Jung-woo must be guilty, and that if they couldn’t prove it, they’d be letting a murderer walk free. So Hee-do planted blood from the crime scene on Jung-woo’s shoes, sealing Jung-woo’s fate. Now, Hee-do realizes that Chief Hyun played him. He doesn’t dare tell Sang-cheol everything on record, but he leaves the shoes and a written explanation for Sang-cheol to find.

 

As for Chief Hyun, he continues to throw everyone but himself under the bus while making it sound like he’s humbly shouldering responsibility. When Assemblywoman Ye threatens him with Su-oh’s painting of him at the warehouse, he threatens her right back with Su-oh’s other painting of Hyung-shik murdering Da-eun — plus photo proof that Hyung-shik groomed Da-eun prior to the murder. They land in a stalemate: He agrees to wrap up the case (with the promise of a promotion once she’s elected governor) and she returns her “hostage” (Su-oh).

Meanwhile, Na-kyeom seethes with jealousy over Jung-woo’s growing friendship with Seol. When the CEO of her entertainment company confirms that Jung-woo doesn’t and has never returned Na-kyeom’s feelings, Na-kyeom throws an absolute screaming fit and refuses to go back to Seoul. Instead, she devises a scheme to turn things back to the good old days when she was the only person Jung-woo could rely on.

 

After luring him to her place with the promise of definitive evidence (the video she took of Da-eun’s murder), she tries once more to convince him to leave the past behind and come away with her. When that doesn’t work, she drugs him and enlists her unwitting manager to help carry him to Seol’s apartment. That’s right — she thinks that if she kills Seol and frames Jung-woo, she can put him “back into the bird cage” and have him all to herself again. Which, it turns out, was the reason she didn’t tell him the truth eleven years ago — because she was jealous of his feelings for Da-eun.

Thankfully, Sang-cheol has already discovered the tracking app Na-kyeom installed on Jung-woo’s phone. He reverse-tracks her location, beats Seol to the door, and grabs the knife out of Na-kyeom’s hands before she can hurt anyone else. Then it’s just a matter of finding where Na-kyeom hid her old phone’s SD card (in an old yearbook that she plastered with Jung-woo’s pictures like the creepy stalker she is) and turning the video in as evidence against Hyung-shik.

 

This is bad news for Assemblywoman Ye, who has been working round the clock to cover up her husband’s mistakes. Honestly, it’s almost comical how badly he keeps screwing up and how she keeps having to tell him to stay put, shut up, and let her do the thinking for him. Finally, when the news breaks that Hyung-shik killed Da-eun, she orders him to turn himself in. She has no intention of actually letting him go to prison, but he’s so distraught by the idea of her abandoning him that he decides to take matters into his own hands.

He’s nowhere near as good at strategy as she is, though, so his plan consists of having a former patient sneak money out of his office for him so he can, presumably, make a run for it. Jung-woo interrupts and promises to hand over the money in exchange for answers, but Assemblywoman Ye’s minion gets there first. But the time Jung-woo identifies Hyung-shik’s car, it’s full of toxic gas and Hyung-shik has passed out from whatever the minion injected him with. Jung-woo smashes the car window and drags Hyung-shik out, but we’ll have to wait until next week to find out whether Hyung-shik lives to face proper punishment for his crimes.

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/09/black-out-episodes-12-13/

[ddeokbokkii]

Here's my take on the last episode.

Spoiler alert.

Spoiler

This is not the ending I was hoping for, instead the last episode did not address the big
question I had for the chief of police as why he did to Jung Woo. The reasons were weak
at best. Gu Tak said that he wanted to save his own son(Geon Oh). His sons at best are
just witnesses to the crime, they did not take part in the crime. If Gu Tak wants to cover
up for the murder of Da Eum, he could have frame the two sons who responsible for Bo Young
death instead. I'm not saying it's the right thing for him to do, but at least, it's still
better than dragging an innocent man into the crime to save the two actual criminals. 
Basically, Gu Tak covered up Da Eum death for Congresswoman by saving the two real criminals
and stick both murders on Jung Woo. Does that make any sense?. Not to mention Jung Woo is
the only friend Gu Tak's sons had that protect and stick up to bully for his sons. He
should thanks Jung Woo instead. Gu Tak also said that 'because he wanted to protect himself'?.
Protect himself from what/who exactly?. Nobody forcing him to cover up for the congresswoman,
nobody's forcing him to cover up for the two rapists. I don't even know what he's talking
about. This drama has so much potential, unfortunately, the ending does not make a lot
of senses. 

 

[Almost Vaal]

4 hours ago, ddeokbokkii said:

Here's my take on the last episode.

Spoiler alert.

  Reveal hidden contents

This is not the ending I was hoping for, instead the last episode did not address the big
question I had for the chief of police as why he did to Jung Woo. The reasons were weak
at best. Gu Tak said that he wanted to save his own son(Geon Oh). His sons at best are
just witnesses to the crime, they did not take part in the crime. If Gu Tak wants to cover
up for the murder of Da Eum, he could have frame the two sons who responsible for Bo Young
death instead. I'm not saying it's the right thing for him to do, but at least, it's still
better than dragging an innocent man into the crime to save the two actual criminals. 
Basically, Gu Tak covered up Da Eum death for Congresswoman by saving the two real criminals
and stick both murders on Jung Woo. Does that make any sense?. Not to mention Jung Woo is
the only friend Gu Tak's sons had that protect and stick up to bully for his sons. He
should thanks Jung Woo instead. Gu Tak also said that 'because he wanted to protect himself'?.
Protect himself from what/who exactly?. Nobody forcing him to cover up for the congresswoman,
nobody's forcing him to cover up for the two rapists. I don't even know what he's talking
about. This drama has so much potential, unfortunately, the ending does not make a lot
of senses. 

 

He thought geon oh was the one that killed her. So protecting his 'killer' son means protecting his career. He was also  jealous of Jung woo's successful father. Basically he was already a bad guy, saw an opportunity, took it, framed Jung woo, 'protected' his son, protected his job, got promoted, got connections, got money. He saw everything as win win.

[lebeaucouple]

57 minutes ago, Almost Vaal said:

He thought geon oh was the one that killed her. So protecting his 'killer' son means protecting his career. He was also  jealous of Jung woo's successful father. Basically he was already a bad guy, saw an opportunity, took it, framed Jung woo, 'protected' his son, protected his job, got promoted, got connections, got money. He saw everything as win win.

Totally agreed.

 

Man's greatest enemies are jealousy and selfishness.

He was jealous of Jung-woo's father because he could buy a new car for his son, Jun-woo (they were a wealthy family in the small town back then), but he couldn't buy a new car for his two sons because he hadn't yet promoted back then (This was shown on early days during drinking session with Bo-young's father, they almost got into a fight).

 

Gu-Tak protected himself and his son out of selfishness, not just only for his desire for promotion that year, but also to protect his sons.

 

The drama is well-made and has a gripping storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The direction, and character development are all top-notch, the actors are all well performed, especially, Bo Young's father, a veteran actor performed the best, his angry and crying expressions, anxiety, impulsive act and timing are spot-on, capturing both the seriousness and complexity of the role, a lousy dad and abusive husband.  He was successfully carried out this role and made the audience hate him a lot at the beginning.

 

Although the pace of some scenes is slow, it still does not ruin the entire storyline full of mystery, suspense, and sadness. It is one of the most enjoyable Kdrama series I have watched recently.

 

The last thing I would like to point out that a innocent man who wasted for 10 years in a jail, Who can repay him for the ten years of suffering? He lost his father, his betrayal friends, but the ending wrap up gives a positive outlook :

He let go of the past, started a new life to stay with his mom and Su-O, and strive to gain back the years he could have spent studying in college... 😊

 

 

[confusedheart]

NEW EVENT 

 

 

Hello!

 

This is the MIA member who has woken up from hibernation and is now back with a new event- a bit of chit chat. Do drop in a line or two, and let's catch up. 

 

 

Your friendly neighbourhood EO Team 

 

@confusedheart @partyon @agenth and @Sleepy Owl

[larus]

"The Judge from Hell" Maintains Consistent Ratings, "Black Out" Concludes with Highest Viewership

by Lily Alice, October 5, 2024

13 29

 

MBC's mystery thriller Black Out concluded on October 4 with a nationwide rating of 8.8%, its highest of all time. The K-drama started with 2.8% and climbed to 6.4% by episode 8. Subsequent episodes garnered ratings between 6% and 8%. Black Out set a new personal record every week. 

Where to watch the K-drama Black Out?

All the episodes of Black Out are available to stream on Hulu.

 

https://mydramalist.com/article/the-judge-from-hell-maintains-consistent-ratings-black-out-concludes-with-highest-viewership

 

[larus]

Black Out: Episode 14 (Final)

by mistyisles

 

It’s been a long, dark journey for our protagonist and the few people he can now confidently call friends. But while Black Out serves as a cautionary tale about the terrible lengths some people will go to absolve themselves of any semblance of guilt, it also offers a ray of hope that, sometimes, justice can and does win out in the end.

 

EPISODE 14

 

Despite Jung-woo’s desperate attempts at resuscitating him, Hyung-shik is dead. And, of course, Assemblywoman Ye set it all up in advance to look like suicide. Like the polished, manipulative politician she is, she carefully words her public speeches — replete with fake tears — to make herself look as innocent, grief-stricken, and honorable as possible. In other words, she “takes full responsibility” for her late husband’s crimes without actually admitting complicity.

Just as calculating is Chief Hyun, who makes a show of taking questions from reporters — but when someone points out his close relationship with the guilty parties, he acts like he’s the one being falsely accused here. After all, if he has a habit of letting his friends get off easy, why on earth would he make his best friend’s son pay for someone else’s crime? (Much later, he’ll admit he resented Jung-woo’s father all along, but not publicly and not with any intention of changing.) Perhaps sensing a sinking boat, Chief Hyun is already in process of bailing on Assemblywoman Ye and cozying up to a different politician in hopes of securing that ever-elusive promotion.

 

Chief Hyun is so busy covering his own backside that it takes him a while to realize Su-oh has been in the greenhouse basement for an awfully long time. Upon investigating, he discovers the secret room, where Su-oh is talking to Da-eun’s rotting corpse like she’s a coma patient. The gruesome sight sends Chief Hyun straight into a panic cycle. After failing to shield the corpse from his father’s view, Su-oh runs away to find Jung-woo and beg him to “help save Da-eun.”

Having just learned from Min-soo about Chief Hyun’s role in the cover-up, all Jung-woo has to hear is “Da-eun” and “at my house” to put two and two together. Back at the greenhouse, he confronts Chief Hyun, who thinks “I believed Geon-oh killed Bo-young, and I just wanted to protect him” is good enough justification for scapegoating Jung-woo. Worse, he claims the only thing he has to be sorry for is that he hoped Jung-woo really did kill Da-eun (so some of the punishment would be warranted). Now, he says, they need to protect Su-oh by cremating Da-eun’s remains.

And yes, he means that literally. Before Jung-woo or Su-oh can stop him, he sets fire to the corpse and locks himself in the secret room. He’s ready to face the despicable truth about himself, and seems to think the noble thing to do is pay for it by dying here, but really he’s too cowardly to face public condemnation. You know, the thing he was more than willing to make pretty much anyone else face instead. But Jung-woo’s not about to let him take the easy way out. After getting Su-oh to safety, he breaks down the door and carries Chief Hyun out of the smoke.

 

From there, Black Out takes the time to see justice served all around. Assemblywoman Ye not only loses her election, but is arrested, and cries alone in her office as her empire crumbles around her. Chief Hyun survives (though the episode lets us wonder about his fate for quite a while) and ends up in prison where he belongs. Dong-hee visits after being discharged from his own prison term, but can’t think of a single thing to say to the man who manipulated him into framing an innocent person. And Na-kyeom? The last we see of her, she’s in a mental hospital telling Jung-woo over the phone that she loves him. (Though something tells me he’s not actually on the other end of that line…)

Dong-min also serves time in prison, but unlike the others, he demonstrates true remorse for his actions. It’s very striking that the one person who was painted explicitly as a bad guy from the start is one of the few to be somewhat redeemed in the end — not because his wrongs were excused or explained away as misunderstandings (far from it), but because he had the decency to reflect, acknowledge that how he treated people was wrong, and willingly face the consequences.

I’d nearly forgotten Seol’s backstory, but we get a quick refresher about how she got in trouble for speaking up in the operating room when a patient died on the table due to malpractice. At the time, she caved to pressure from higher-ups and didn’t say anything else. Now, she’s ready to advocate for victims of malpractice, even if it makes her a social outcast and a target for vindictive faculty. But not to worry, because she has a new friend in the department: Jung-woo, who finally gets to pursue higher education.

 

After eleven years of hardship, Jung-woo’s life takes a turn for the better. His mother wakes up from her coma, and he stays by her side throughout her slow but steady recovery. He also tells his (true) side of the story before a judge, who overturns the original ruling and declares him, at long last, not guilty. Sang-cheol accompanies him for the entire re-trial process, and afterwards Jung-woo addresses him as “hyung” and thanks him with a giant hug (aww). Once Geum-hee has sufficiently regained her strength, she and Jung-woo move away from that hateful little town, and she opens up a new restaurant. And my favorite part of this ending? Su-oh goes with them, and finally gets the loving, supportive family he deserves.

We close with Jung-woo scattering flowers in the water for his father, Bo-young, Da-eun, and Geon-oh, asking them to watch how he lives from now on. As Geum-hee puts it, they’ll never forget all the terrible things they’ve endured, but they can move on with their lives.

 

I honestly don’t think I could have imagined a more satisfying, hopeful ending than this one. And for a drama that examines such a dark side of human nature, I’m both impressed and thankful that it did end this way. Even the plotlines I’d consider the weakest parts of the story — Seol’s and Sang-cheol’s backstories — served the conclusion well enough that I can appreciate what the show was trying to do with them. Seol went from hesitating to speak against her superiors to refusing to keep quiet despite the negative repercussions of doing the right thing. And Sang-cheol went from blindly condemning every person labeled a criminal to no longer making excuses for the ways in which his own oversight contributed to his wife’s murder.

While both transformations could have been better developed, they still tie right in with the contrast between Chief Hyun (who tried to protect his sons by hiding the truth) and Jung-woo (who actually protected them by fighting off bullies, never letting his “friends” get away with ridiculing Su-oh behind his back, and ultimately exposing the truth about Bo-young and Da-eun’s murders). Because you don’t protect people by sweeping their bad behavior under the rug. You do it by calling out injustice whenever and wherever you see it — including within yourself — and making the world a safer, kinder place for everyone.

 

 

more https://dramabeans.com/2024/10/black-out-episode-14-final/