It’s wacky Wednesday so here’s my wacky theory on Shin Sung Rok’s character, Gi Taeung.

What do I have so far on Gi Taeung?

1. I think Gi Taeung was the interviewer.

2006/08/05 Interview

Interviewer: Why do you want to join NIS?
HR: My father was a colonel in the Marine Corps. A fire broke out during a training exercise, and he died saving eight of his men. I want to follow in his noble footsteps and serve my country—
Interviewer: Boring. Most applicants give me the same answer.
HR: I’m the daughter of a national hero. Doubting my patriotism is an insult to my father–
Interviewer: He was worried about you. Colonel Go Gang-cheol, chief of Division One of the Marine Corps.
HR: Did you know my father personally?
Interviewer: I’m one of the eight people that the colonel saved.
HR: Oh. What a coincidence. (pulling her chair closer) I wasn’t going to bring this up, but my mom got scammed recently while trying to buy a shopping complex. And our house is about to be auctioned off. And my brother failed the college entrance exam, and decided—
Interviewer: We’re done here.
HR: I’m the sole earner for my family. You said my father saved your life. If I don’t get this job, my family will become homeless—

This is so like him. He terminates the conversation which he finds a waste of time.

Noteworthy: This interview was done 13 years ago. Presuming that Haeri was hired after this interview, why is she still called a “rookie” agent by the NIS Director?

Gi Taeung didn’t confirm or deny it though.

Hmmm…

Perhaps then the film editor simply forgot to change the timelog on the camera? That wouldn’t be the first time this kind of oversight happened. Cha Daegun’s passport had mistakes, too.

Date of issue: 16 Feb 2008
Date of expiry: 15 Feb 2018

He was travelling on an expired passport.

The exit date stamp had the wrong year, 2012.

Or did we travel back in time? 😂

2. He bears grudges.

He ordered a sweep of Director Min’s staff’s office on the death anniversary of his colleague.

GTU: Seven years ago today my colleague died. I believe you know him. Code name: Blaise Pascal.
Min: When there’s a security sweep, your predecessors always gave a heads-up. That’s how things work, courtesy to your superiors.
GTU: The operation was a success and he had time to escape but – Do you know why he died? Because the operation command violated a small rule.
Min: Hey, that’s why—
GTU: That’s why my friend died for nothing. I’ll get rid of wrong traditions, and stick to the rules. (bows and leaves)

Noteworthy: He called the deceased field agent by his code name.

3. “Elsa”

I suspect he was the one on the phone with Haeri when Haeri identified herself as “Elsa.”

He’s the only one who’s a stickler for rules and regulations on missions. Plus, he called his colleague by his code name, too, “Blaise Pascal”.

4. Is he really Haeri’s type?

Haeri seemed to be describing him when she told Daegun the features of her ideal man. She said, “I like tall, intelligent, fair-skinned men.”

That makes sense because when she was drunk, she claimed him as hers.

But according to the relationship chart, her girlfriend/unnie/colleague likes Taeung and Taeung likes Haeri. Maybe this chart is futuristic.

5. His personality matches Shadow’s personality, oddly enough. 

I know this idea is a ludicrous but, as of Episode 4, he’s the only character with a brusque personality like Shadow’s.

In the same way that Hae-ri was behaving unprofessionally when Taeung walked out on her interview, Jessica was flirting with Shadow on the phone when he hung up on her. Jessica didn’t think he was rude, though.

Jessica merely said, “Shadow. I made it but it’s a good nickname. The way Shadow works is just like a stealth jet. Silent and precise.”

Jessica is the type to drool over men who appear upright and incorruptible, like Gi Taeung. I would have thought that the Minister of Defense was one such fine fellow but he was bribed with military secrets.

According to @katakwasabi, the actor Shin Sung Rok found his character “weird.”

Even during the press conference SSR said ‘I’m the NIS team lead. I’m a bit strange about my role. I think it was weird. I was told not to spoil it. I think it was weird. I’m sorry. Anyways my role is a righteous man’…..his description was not helpful at all. hahahahaha!

The world of espionage is a wacky world. Alliances are created, broken and mended as needs require. You know how it goes: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours. Keep your friends close, enemies closer. And so on. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Jessica was able to work out a limited deal with Taeung in exchange for some intel that he urgently needed at one point in time.

There you have it. My puny “files” on Gi Taeung.