I've been on pins and needles all week waiting on this show; boy, it does not disappoint—another intelligently penned episode. I've wondered what prompted Chief Han and Councilwoman Do to act so cruelly; were they bad people by nature, or did they get swayed by their authority position and were drunk with power.
As they say, those who become drunk with power and have enriched themselves unlawfully while serving will continue the same path while they remain in power. I am inclined to believe the latter, and in letting their pursuit of power overtake their humanity, they completely eroded the little good that might have been in them. And those inclined to do bad band together, all too often, evil is the result -- Chief Han, Councilwoman Do, Lee Chang-Jin, and all the others who knowingly either helped or blackmailed them for their personal gain.
Councilwoman Do has fascinated me with the choices she's made. To understand her better, I decided to comb the internet for a study or information that may have examined similar behavior and came across Research conducted in the United States that showed that most Americans reported their loved ones to the police, even if it meant their loved ones would most definitely end up in jail. While 76% of French would tell the truth; 48% of Chinese would tell the truth, and only 25% of South Korean would speak the truth; the majority remain silent to protect their loved ones. In no way did the research aim to show Americans were honest and Koreans liars, but rather that Americans value compliance with authority. At the same time, Koreans believe protecting family takes a higher priority. Both are important; it's just that people from different cultures have different values. And until one is in a similar situation, they can never understand the choices others make.
It's indeed a blessing to be a part of a family that's willing to do anything to protect their own, but when that protection turns against those they protect, breaking them in the process, what does that make the protector; family is supposed to be a haven. But very often, it's the place where people find the deepest heartache. I know I sound like a broken record, but I'm going to say it again; I beyond admire Shin Ha Kyun as Lee Dong Shik; he's a beast of an actor, but so are Yeo Jin Goo as Han Joo Won and Choi Dae Hoon as Park Jung Je. But a good actor is only as good as a well-written and directed script, in that sane kudos to the writer and director alike. Chief Han may have thought himself infallible, but then he hadn't had to deal with Dong Shik or his son for that matter, and in such a public manner, his worst fear comes true. They say to defeat a formidable enemy, strike them where it hurts the most. Evil never wins; I love it. Watch Episode 13 here and preview Episode 14 below.