I cannot say enough about how much I love a righteously imposing figure, and Namgoog Min in Jin Hyuk is that and more. There is nothing more appealing than watching a fearless hero-life figure take down bad guys as ferociously as they are in committing their atrocious crimes. But what is even more alluring is that Jin Hyuk is always ten steps ahead and smart enough to know exactly what to say when something needs to be said. I doubt anyone other than Namgoong Min could sell this role the way he is, and he is intriguingly superb at it.
For someone who seems to hate Ji Hyuk, the way she does Soo Yeon's reaction to him almost choking her to death was unexpectedly calm. It was like she was more worried about him than what he did to her. I've had this nagging feeling that there is more to her emotions towards Ji Hyuk than simple hatred. It's like a maze of feelings, every time I think maybe I can trust at least one person in Ji Hyuk's current circle; they do something to make me doubt them even more than I already do. Everyone from Yoo Je Yi and Kang Pil Ho, the two who appear to be the friendliest to him, to Ha Dong Gyun and Do Jin Suk, the two least pleasant, and of course there is Soo Yeon.
For someone who seems to hate Ji Hyuk as much as she appears, Soo Yeon's reaction to him almost choking her to death was unexpectedly calm. It was like she was more worried about him than what he did to her. I've had this nagging feeling that there is more to her emotions than simple hatred. And I am sure that made Ji Hyuk even more skeptical about her. His secretly infiltrating her house and searching for clues makes sense, because she knows more than she's letting on. I am not sure if she was directly involved in what happened to him and the other agents in China, as much as she found out after the fact. The way she was acting with Ji Hyuk, though I knew something would happen to her.
Every time it's like a maze of feelings, I reckon maybe I can trust at least one person in Ji Hyuk's current circle; they do something to make me doubt them more than I already do. It's getting more complicated by the minute. Everyone from Yoo Je Yi and Kang Pil Ho, the two who appear to be the friendliest, to Ha Dong Gyun and Do Jin Suk, the two least pleasant, but Kang Pil Ho seems the most desperate. And now that we have a new dangerous and seemingly rogue unhinged player in deep-cover agent Jang Chun Woo (Jung Moon Sung), things are getting interesting. And for whatever reason, he is holding a grudge against Ji Hyuk; I wonder which side he's on.
I love this show for how detailed, yet ambiguous it is at the same time. It's clever storytelling when even the viewer suspects the hero alongside him and everyone around him. The best part is that despite doubting him, we still believe in him. I doubt there is anything worse than one mistrusting their mind. The way Ji Hyuk's so-called colleagues use him to hide their wrongdoings is definitely worse, and Ji Hyuk knows it. I can't say enough how excellent the writing is; Ji Hyuk using Seo Yeon as a deep fake, beyond brilliant.
Whatever Do Jin Suk is, I don't sense she's corrupt; on the contrary, I think she's the one helping him. And she either has something on Kang or knows his secret. I don't perceive her as the leak, but I am skeptical of the two most seemingly ambiguous desk agents, Cha Min Cheol (Park Jin-Woo) and Goo Hyo Eun (Kwon So Hyun). I love Jung Moon Sung in this as Jang Chun Woo. I thought his appearance would provide some clarity, but instead, it muddled the waters even more. I don't even know what to think anymore. But I sure trust Ji Ye even less now than I did before. Watch episodes 5 & 6 here.