Q: Is the stalker/killer Sungmo’s dad?
A: We don’t know. That’s still a mystery. However, Episode 8 sets up a nice contrast between Sungmo and the rest of the main characters.
In yet another flashback on Dec 3rd, Time: 4 pm, a precocious Lee Ahn bragged to Jaein’s dad that his father had caught many criminals. He was proud of his dad’s work as policeman. Hence, he brought his dad’s badge and handcuffs with him on their way to a pet shelter that fateful night.
When Lee Ahn proudly showed off his dad’s badge to young Sungmo, the latter curtly answered, “So what?”
They hadn’t left the scene when Jaein came bounding in to hug her dad. She was enthusiastically greeted by her dad, too.
See? While young Sungmo was sitting all by himself, seemingly without parent or guardian, Lee Ahn and Jaein were both doted on by their fathers.
So was Jisoo.
Despite her non-stop complaining about her father, Jisoo must have had a special relationship with him to endure his constant interference in her ADULT life. And her father loved her as well since the corporate baddie of YSS Construction threatened him with his known Achilles’ heel, his daughter.
Given these three instances of “fatherly love,” it’s not surprising then that the takeaway of many viewers from Episode 8 is that Sungmo’s dad must be the killer/stalker. He was the only main character without a dad in attendance, AND since the killer intended to ruin him and kill his loved ones in order to get to his mother, then the killer must be his father. See how the mind works?
After Darth Vader, people are quick to conflate absentee fathers and murderers.
The scene with Jisoo at the opening of Episode 8 also fostered the idea that Sungmo’s dad was the stalker/killer.
She was amazed that her dad, Commissioner Eun, had sent many officers after vetoing their request for back-up police. “How did you convince him to send so many officer?” Then she excused her dad’s earlier refusal to provide manpower, saying “Dad’s putting safety first because he’s getting old. He was too eager when he was young.”
Beside her, Sungmo sighed, “Appa…appa.”
Of course, the instant impression of many viewers was that he was brooding because HE had an evil stalker/killer for a dad. He wasn’t as fortunate as Jisoo to have a dad to watch her back. Instead he had a dad who’d stabbed his back — or his right-side abdomen. lol.
Jisoo herself thought that Sungmo was offended for her unprofessional chit-chat and for “crossing the line between work and family” so she apologized. She asked about his father to make up for her gaffe. “Your father died early, right? What was he like?”
We didn’t hear his answer because the camera conveniently shifted to the scene with Lee Ahn and Jisoo on the rooftop.
But you know, there are other ways of interpreting Sungmo’s sighing, “Appa…appa.” Offhand, I can think of two:
For one, he could be tired of Jisoo’s hero-worshipping her dad. He knew that the commissioner was in hot waters with the crime syndicate after this raid on their enterprise. Unlike Jisoo, Sungmo was under no illusions about the commissioner’s involvement with YSS Construction. That’s why he warned him, “A pitcher that goes too often to the well not only breaks but also kills the owner.” He meant that there was an end to a winning streak, that even a thief would eventually be caught, and that the long-term impunity enjoyed by crooks would soon meet justice.
For another, Sungmo could be mocking her with “Appa…appa” because she was giving all the credit to her father and she forgot to thank HIM for getting her the necessary manpower she wanted. lol. Just say that his male ego was pricked because enough credit wasn’t given to him. lol.
See that? There are other ways to interpret Sungmo’s reaction that night.
So, although I understand the popular opinion that Sungmo’s father is the killer/stalker, I’m willing to wait this out. I’m going to hold off on naming the killer/stalker as his father until the script says so.
Besides, it would be more interesting if there was no blood relation between the stalker/killer and Sungmo, because, like Lee Ahn, I would like to see a psychopath and a sociopath duke it out. The killer/stalker would be considered a psychopath, while the Hyung could be a sociopath.
Both a psychopath and a sociopath are capable of committing heinous crimes but a sociopath is said to be less likely to commit them when he has formed personal attachments, and his antisocial behaviors are treated, managed and monitored.
To me, Sungmo’s being genetically linked to a psychopathic father would muddle up my rigid dichotomy between a psychopath and a sociopath. lol. If his father is the killer/stalker, then Sungmo is a half psychopath and full sociopath. See what I mean that it messes up my division?
From Episode 7, “If a psychopath and a sociopath get in a fight, who will win?”
Okay, I’ll continue with my Episode 8 ramblings later.
I can be with you on not saying definitely that it is Sungmo’s Dad who’s the stalker because after all we don’t ever wish that a Father do those things to their children. But I’m doubting too because when LA saw that vision when he was going over the hurt word in the dictionary, we can clearly see his Mom saying ‘don’t hurt him because it will hurt me too’. Am I right? Something like that.
Maybe it was just his Mother’s boyfriend or something. But he was creepy with the way he spoke to JaeIn when they first met and when she gave him the band aid.
Your right about the sequences of scenes like Memories of Alhambra and we even have Director Park as the stalker here. LOL!
Yes!!! I saw Director Park and I had memories of “Memories of Alhambra.” lol.
Yes, I’m ignoring the Dad-guessing-game. tvN always does these guessing games to start fanwars. It’s so tiresome.
If it’s not the husband guessing game (like in the Reply series), then it’s the boyfriend guessing game (e.g., A Poem/Crap a Day) and now we have the dad guessing game.
Whatever. I’m not going to dwell on it.
I agree. He sounded creepy when trying to get know Jaein. To me, he was carefully choosing his words so he was speaking toooooo slowly.
If a conversation is like a super-highway, I felt like he was driving 25 miles an hour when the speed limit was 70. I wanted to honk at him to speed up with his thoughts. lol.
All good! Let’s wait and see who the stalker really is 🙂
I’m not familiar with those other dramas that you mentioned but I’m just grateful for TVN for this show at least. I’m really liking our couple here. 🙂
That would be it, the way he spoke was creepy and yes he was choosing his words.
That scene where stalker was looking at Hyung then JaeIn was scary. OT, how did Hyung know where the stalker was hiding when he found the mobile phone?
I’m not a techie, but I assumed that he traced the signal on the spycam.
edit to add this: he did say that he was going to check the IP address and he was sure it was linked to the burner phone (or disposable cell phone).
Oh right! Thanks. 😊
What about that usb that one of the workers gave to him? He asked why does he need it every time? Hyung was about to enter that authorised personnel only room. I wonder what it is. 🤔
The USB? You’re really asking the wrong person here. hahaha.
But let me take a stab here. I think the USB has the info on the CCTVs.
Sungmo probably gets regular data on CCTV to check the whereabouts of the stalker. I’m not sure if he’s accessing the CCTV of the whole metropolitan area or just certain spots or just certain facilities (like the subways). That “Restricted Area” is probably the control room for the CCTV monitors of a building/subway/quadrant in Seoul or something.
That’s how he was able to tell Jisoo that the stalker is especially good. He mentioned something about 300,000 CCTVs nationwide but no picture of the guy. I think he checked those CCTVs himself.
I think he realized belatedly that the stalker/killer KNEW how to disable the CCTVs and where the CCTVs were located in the metropolitan area. That was why he couldn’t find the stalker all this time. 🙂
Awesome! Thanks! 🙂
That makes sense so that’s why as soon as he went to JaeIn’s Police station area he was looking at the cctv wiring outside and it was cut already.
Sorry about the questions hehehe I will watch it again this weekend just to refresh my mind especially because I love episode 7. LOL!
lol. don’t kill me though if i get the answers wrong. I’m really lousy with techie stuff and I’m spoiled because I have all these gadgets that I don’t have to program. They work because other people pre-programmed the gadgets to work to my needs before handing them over to me.
I love Ep 8, too. I’m working on the dialogues right now.
Nah! I think you’re spot on. I’m the one whose concentrating too much on the romance side so the thriller side, I’m lazy in catching on. 🤣
Me too! Episode 8 is nice especially their conversation leading up to the second kiss. The reason I wanted Hyung to see their kiss was because of the scene where he fully smiled when he talked of JaeIn and LA noticed it big time. I don’t want him to crush on JaeIn. He’s good together with Jisoo 🙂
When it comes to being techie, I’m the last one in being it, believe me. 🙂
Haven’t had a chance to watch – may not at this rate coz I am traveling and streaming videos is expensive. Wiki has people around SungMo listed…and one of them is his dad (spoiler alert) – and I looked at the actor playing his dad…and I think he has the same smile as stalker man with cap 😂… to be confirmed of course
People around Kang Sung-mo
Lee Seung-joon as Kang Geun-taek[14]
Kang Sung-mo’s father.
Jeon Mi-seon as Jo Eun-joo[14]
Kang Sung-mo’s mother.
@nrllee
(Spoiler alert)
tvN did release relationship tree of the characters before the drama aired, the stalker is really is Soengmo’s dad (played by Lee Seung Joon). Thats why i really dont know, or can’t guess tbh, what the director/writers wants by giving away all those informations. Meanwhile they threw many hints and signs throughout the drama that obviously keep us guessing.
But after watching episode 8, there are sooo many things messing up with my brain esp on the WHY the stalker is so obsessed with Seongmo/ his mom. All the things Soengmo said about the stalker tickles my brain. ugh can’t wait for episode 9. Monday come faster please..
hahaha. So he’s the DAD?
That’s good because the mystery is solved. But that’s also bad because of the message, “The apple doesn’t fall from the tree.”
Sungmo canNOT kill because that means he’s like his father. “Evil is in his blood” and lol. There’s really “bad blood” between them (ha!) as Lee Ahn said.
As an idiom, bad blood = a long-standing hatred, anger, and other hostile feelings.
But literally, bad blood = there’s bad genes in the father and son.
lol. Thanks for the heads-up. I can post my notes on Sungmo’s DAD, then. I kept them because I didn’t want to “prejudice” people here with dad theories. But I guess, I can write them up now.
Like the book “Trinity” and the rubik’s cube…
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