Café Minamdang Episode 11 Recap (2022 Korean Drama)
**This Café Minamdang Episode 11 Recap contains spoilers**
Trigger Warning: Topics of suicide, murder, rape are a ongoing theme of this show. Please look after yourselves.
Café Minamdang Episode 11
Jae-Hui finally reveals to Han-Joon that she is Han Jae-Jeong’s sister. Han-Joon counters that Jae-Jeong’s sister is called Jang-Mi and moved to the States as a child. But Jae-Hui tells him that she moved back and proves her identity with a photograph. It is a copy of one he saw before at Jae-Jeong’s house of their family.
Finding out she is his friends sister, Han-Joon doesn’t want her to work with him even more. She threatens to disclose the truth behind Minamdang and proceeds to lead him away cuffed to her. After not getting any help from his three teammates, Han-Joon has no choice but to agree and let her join.
Subsequently the team also finds out Jae-Hui’s real identity. Meanwhile Han-Joon voices his thoughts about how a cute kid like Jang-Mi ended up becoming the violent Jae-Hui. His reference to Jae-Hui being cute earns him some teasing from his sister and Su-Cheol.
However, they soon move on to discussing their next step in finding the killer. Han-Joon states that they need to take a closer look at Park Dong-Gi, Jin-Sang’s father. Park might be the one who hired Gu Tae-Su.
Jae-Hui takes her leave, but not before warning the team to do anything behind her back.
Han-Joon tells Hye-Joon and Su-Cheol that he cannot in actuality let Jae-Hui help with catching Gopuri. How is he going to face Jae-Jeong if something happens to her?! He then goes to his room and reminisces about the past and his encounters with Jang-Mi. He continues denying having any feelings for her, despite his thoughts and facial expressions indicating the contrary.
Café Minamdang Episode 11
Meanwhile Jae-Hui is also at home thinking about past events when she punched Han-Joon. She gets all shy recalling their accidental kiss, and holding his hand during the hypnotic session.
Time for some product placement as Jae-Hui checks her appearance before leaving the office to go see Han-Joon. This results in teasing from the detectives in her team. (A/N: Everyone’s such an avid shipper in this drama. HaHaHa. I love it!!)
Upon arriving at Café Minamdang, Han-Joon greets her at the door. Cha is also there wanting to join the team and is backed by Jae-Hui. Initially completely opposed to the idea, Han-Joon relents when Cha offers up a exchange. He has the list of Joyce Entertainment’s secret investors and will share if they let him join.
Park Jin-Sang is sitting in his office wondering why he has not heard from Shaman Nam for a while despite sending him several texts. A reply from Nam comes in at that very moment, much to the delight of the director.
When he goes to see Shaman Nam, the same tells him that a evil spirit is haunting his father due to someone around him. Jin-Sang guesses this to be Gu. Nam confirms that the master leading both Gu and Park Dong-Gi is not human. This prompts Jin-Sang to reveal the name Auntie Im (Auntie M). He describes her as a powerful fortune teller well known among society’s upper 1%. Shaman Nam accepts to help get rid of the evil surrounding Park’s father. The director offers’ up a large sum of money as repayment and tearfully thanks the shaman.
Café Minamdang Episode 11
Han-Joon and his team celebrate in anticipation of their payment from Park. Though hearing Hye-Joon’s subsequent statement that she cannot find anything about Auntie Im anywhere, has Su-Cheol wondering if maybe they celebrated too soon. However, after a brief moment, Han-Joon seems to have come up with a plan.
At the police station Jae-Hui and the detectives continue investigating Gu and his associations. They find that five years ago, he testified as a witness in the case of a accidentally discharged firearm. A eager detective Kim and Na together wit Jae-Hui and Jang go to see the victim who runs a lodge in the mountains.
Prosecutor Cha and his team are looking into all the businesses associated with Joyce Entertainment. When Jae-Hui updates him about their trip to the mountain he rushes out to join them. This causes his team to venture if perhaps he is dating Lieutenant Han.
They arrive at the lodge and ask the owner if he remembers the name Gu Tae-Su. His answer is not at all what they expected. The owner tells them that Gu Tae-Su went missing on the mountain 5 years ago. Human remains recently discovered were unable to be identified due to their advanced state of decomposition. Based on some items on the remains though, it is believed to have been Gu. Showing them a group photo, he points out Gu Tae-Su to the team. However, the person they know as Gu is identified by the owner as Gu’s friend, Lim Yeong-Ju. A stunned and somber team drives back discussing the fact that Lim likely stole his friend Gu’s identity.
Café Minamdang Episode 11
Meanwhile Han-Joon and the team are holding an event for shamans, in a attempt to find out about Auntie Im. Several people present tell them not to mention Auntie Im, calling her a quack and a scum. One woman seems especially angry and reveals they were under the tutelage of the same godmother. She believes Im killed the godmother after a disagreement disguising the murder as a accidental fire.
A heated discussion between two guests turns the entire room into chaos. Thanks to Na-Dan’s quick thinking and some impromptu karaoke the team manages to calm the crowd down.
Unbeknownst to the team, one of their guests was Auntie Im’s informant in disguise. He took a picture of Han-Joon and the team to show to her, confirming they have been looking into her.
Café Minamdang Episode 11
Prosecutor Cha invites Jae-Hui to join him for a party held for the signing of a construction agreement between Mayor Lee and Choekang Construction. He was invited due to his family connections. Initially wanting to include Han-Joon, Cha dissuades her from this and instead they decide to have her police team on stand-by. The event is being held on the grounds of a traditional historical Korean site
As planned earlier, Han-Joon and Su-Cheol have infiltrated the party under the guise of waiters. Of course without informing neither Jae-Hui or Cha. Hye-Joon is able to do surveillance thanks to a hidden camera worn by her brother. All three are surprised when they notice Jae-Hui enter the premises. After at first not recognizing her due to her glamorous appearance, the two men quickly try to hide when realization strikes.
It is too late however and they have already been detected by Jae-Hui. Luckily for them, CEO Lee of the S&H Group tries to save them by presenting Han-Joon as her fiancé. But he reminds her that he refused her proposal.
This prompts a stare down between Jae-Hui and Lee, with the former taunting her about being rejected. Park Jin-Sang, who arrived with CEO Lee, stands by looking confused. While he is trying to pull away Lee, a call-out for all the waiters to line up at the entrance has Han-Joon and Su-Cheol scrambling away.
Café Minamdang Episode 11
The commotion is all due to the arrival of Cha Seung-Won, CEO of Choekang Construction. Han-Joon and Su-Cheol recall him from Lim’s funeral and proceed to observe his interactions with the other guests. Prosecutor Cha approaches with Jae-Hui and introduces Seung-Won to her as his brother. Han-Joon interrupts the interaction by ‘accidentally’ spilling a drink on the prosecutor.
When Han-Joon follows him to get cleaned up, Cha calls him out for spilling the drink out of jealousy. Han-Joon denies this, claiming he cares for Jae-Hui like his younger sister and as such wants her kept away from Cha Seung-Won. Who although being Cha’s brother, he deems a psychopath and dangerous.
Café Minamdang Episode 11
Murmurs start going around event participants in anticipation of the appearance of Auntie Im. Han-Joon secretly relays this to Cha and Jae-Hui before continuing his disguise of waiter. Right after he leaves, Jae-Hui spots Gu Tae-Soo walking by one of the open gates nearby.
Gu meets up with Auntie Im to accompany her to the event. He informs her of Han-Joon being present, having donned the disguise of a waiter, and inquiring how to proceed. She had guessed he would make an appearance and ominously replies they should make sure it is his last day on earth.
Han-Joon and Su-Cheol meanwhile subdue two chefs and take their uniforms. After placing a recording device underneath one of the food plates, they go to serve them to the VIP table. This table is off to one side under a tent-like shade and surrounded by privacy screens. Among other VIP guests, Auntie Im can also be found seated at said table.
Looking at Han-Joon, Auntie Im warns him not to mess with the spirits or he might find his life cut unexpectedly short. Others at the table jokingly say she will scare him with her sudden revelations, not realizing who Han-Joon really is. He pretends to be shaken and joins in their laughter, while continuing to serve them.
Café Minamdang Episode 11
Han-Joon and Su-Cheol hide nearby while listening in on the conversation at the table. Talks revolve around Kang Eun-Hye’s murder and Gu Tae-Su. They are then joined by Cha Seung-Won. Before he can say anything though, Auntie Im silently instructs them to be quiet and reveals to them the listening device.
Hye-Joon warns her brother and Su-Cheol that someone is heading their way, but it is too late. Gu and his gang have snuck up on the two men from behind and render them unconscious by beating them over the head.
Epilogue
Prosecutor Cha observes from afar how his brother Seung-Won joins the VIP table. What he sees puts a troubled look on his face.