Café Minamdang Episode 2 Recap (2022 Korean Drama)
**This Café Minamdang Episode 2 Recap contains spoilers**
Trigger Warning: Topics of suicide, murder, rape are a ongoing theme of this show. Please look after yourselves.
In an effort to obtain evidence, Lt. Han and her team of detectives head out to the scene of the Hit-and-Run. Upon reviewing traffic camera footage of the area, they come across an image of S&H Group Vice Chairman Shin’s car.
The detectives are all too familiar with Shin, even going so far as to call him a scumbag. Police suspected Shin of causing the death of a young woman among other criminal offenses. The evidence proving this seemed overwhelming. He however, due to his status and wealth, managed to make all crucial evidence disappear, resulting in his acquittal.
Café Minamdang Episode 2
Meanwhile, Han-Joon accompanies his client, S&H Group’s CEO Lee to see her husband, Shin. Under his usual ruse of being a powerful shaman, Han-Joon tells Shin that he senses the presence of a woman covered in blood around him. He then pretends to perform a ritual of exorcism.
Making use of all the info him and his team have dug up about Shin, he tries to have him confess to his old crimes as well as the recent Hit-and-Run. Both the Vice Chairman and his wife are unaware that Han-Joon does no possess any divine power. What he does have however, is a brilliant mind and excellent analyzing and profiling abilities. In addition to his own and his teams investigation skills.
Café Minamdang Episode 2
Hearing the narrative of what Han-Joon knows, Shin realizes he knows the truth of what happened and the gig is up. His wife brings up her concern about the negative effect that an arrest of her husband would inevitable have on their conglomerate and the opinion of the shareholders.
To their relief, Han-Joon reveals to them that he will be able to turn misfortune away from Shin for one last time. Under the condition that the Vice Chairman redeem himself by walking the straight and narrow and never again committing another transgression.
Encouraged by his wife, Shin readily agrees to do whatever necessary to stay out of jail. Han-Joon states that Shin needs to bring him the car he drove the night of the Hit-and-Run, including its dashcam. He urges the both of them to be quick about it as the police are closing in on Shin.
All the while the detectives at the Daeun Police Station are discussing the possibility of obtaining Shin’s vehicle but think it likely that he already destroyed it to get rid of any evidence. To their surprise they receive a call just then from a junkyard. They have Shin’s car with dashcam in their lot and are willing to drop both off at the station.
Café Minamdang Episode 2
The team knows they have to act quickly and obtain a search warrant for the items before they can lay a hand on them. But considering S&H Group’s ties with law enforcement, the chances of getting a prosecutor to sign off on said warrant are slim to none.
Then Lt. Han and Detective Jang remember one prosecutor who just might: Cha Do-Won. Prosecutor Cha Do-Won’s (Kwon Soo-Hyun) reputation as extremely knowledgeable and thorough in his job precedes him. Equally important to their case is the fact that he is not persuaded by money and/or status.
Prosecutor Cha agrees to sign off on a search warrant and fax it over promptly. Rookie detective Na stays at the station to receive the fax and advise the rest of the team as soon as it arrives.
As obviously orchestrated by Han-Joon’s team, the police is provided the with both the car and the dashcam by the towing company. The driver even makes sure to deliver the dashcam directly into Detective Na’s hands.
Detective Jang receives a call from the Chief of Police once the same becomes aware of the issued warrant. He starts to rebuke him for failing to keep the new lieutenant under control, as going up against S&H Group is certainly to have consequences. The detective however fakes that his phone is malfunctioning and disconnects the call.
Reviewing the received dashcam provides the detectives with the evidence of Shin running over the victim and then loading him into the trunk of his car. Warrant in hand, they immediately head out to the Vice Chairman’s residence to detain him.
Café Minamdang Episode 2
Han-Joon also shows up at the scene, warning Jae-Hui that her evidence could be lacking. She follows him as he walks away, arguing back and forth all the while.
Han-Joon is suspicious of Jae-Hui for being the recent stalker going through their trash. Furthermore he thinks that her motive for doing so was being infatuated with him. Enraged by his statement that she has a crush on him, she kicks him hard in his shin and walks away. Her actions however, do nothing to deter Han-Joon’s delusions of her interest in him being of a romantic nature.
While all this is happening, Han-Joon’s team continues to pull strings behind the scenes. Changing from her usually very relaxed way of dressing into formal secretary attire, Hye-Joon arranges a meeting with Jung Cheong-Gi (Kwon Hyuk). Cheong-Gi holds the position of Internal Inspector of the National Police Agency and was key in making Shin’s previous run ins with the law all go away. Hye-Joon proposes that Cheong-Gi, in exchange for generous financial profit of course, help out again. He agrees.
Café Minamdang Episode 2
While Lt. Han’s team is interrogating Shin at the Daeun Police station, they are interrupted by Han-Joon walking in. He announces to the team that they have no right to hold Shin, as part of their evidence was obtained illegally. It turns out that Detective Na received the dashcam before the warrant came through. This was obviously carefully planned by Han-Joon’s team, but the detectives are none the wiser. Gritting their teeth at the clerical error committed by the rookie detective, they have no choice but to release Shin.
Vice Chairman Shin immediately starts acting his arrogant self again upon leaving the station. Han-Joon is repulsed by this behavior. Kicking Shin in the shin, he reminds him to keep quiet, stay low and to do away with his arrogant personality.
Shortly after, Shin drives away with his secretary. Obviously not having learned a thing, he pompously flips off Detective Jang and Kim as his car goes past them.
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Lt. Han catches up to Han-Joon in the police station parking lot, chiding him for involving himself in this matter. Among other things, she voices her suspicion that he was behind the dashcam fiasco. Without denying any of her accusations, he simply replies that he got involved for monetary gain.
Staring at him with a disappointed look on her face, Jae-Hui cannot help thinking back again to the past Han-Joon. When he was a police official who believed in upholding justice for all at all cost.
It is revealed that a young Jae-Hui first met officer Han-Joon when he volunteered as a judo instructor. She was caught up in some troubles but his teachings and influence got her to reconsider her past behavior.
Enraged at his current nonchalant attitude so contrary to his former self, Jae-Hui proceeds to flip Han-Joon unto his back in a over-the-shoulder judo move. She reminds him that a true cop protects everyone within the law and fights for justice for the victim instead of further hurting them. A fact he should know since he is a former cop.
Jae-Hui walks away after advising Han-Joon that she will promptly have him arrested if he ever dares to pull another similar stunt to today on her and her team.
Café Minamdang Episode 2
Upon her return inside the station, Jae-Hui is summoned by the Chief of Police and severely reprimanded. He calls her team of detectives incompetent, a fact that will likely cause them to be disbanded in the near future. He also warns her to seize any further attempts at going after Vice Chairman Shin.
However, the chief is interrupted in his rant by Detective Jang entering his office. The detective manages to convince the chief that arresting Shin is actually exactly what they should do. Not only would his arrest make the team look good but it would also reflect well on the chief.
Trusting in Detective Jang and easily swayed in his opinion, the chief promptly reverses his earlier order. He instead instructs them to go and make sure to arrest Shin and put him away for good.
Lt. Han and Detective Jang are both also resolved to get even with Shaman Nam [Han-Joon] for his scheming and to unmask him as a fraud.
Café Minamdang Episode 2
Despite feigning indifference about what Jae-Hui said to him, Han-Joon can’t help feeling uneasy. Recalling their latest encounter even keeps him awake at night.
Assembling the team, he insists they find new evidence to bring Shin to justice. They decide to direct their attention to his accomplices within the police force and select one of them as bait.
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It is late evening and Jae-Hui is keeping watch on Café Minamdang. She sees Han-Joon, Hye-Joon and Su-Cheol leaving. Shortly after the café staff member Jo Na-Dan [Jonathan] (Baek Seo-Hoo) closes for the night. Observing how he places the key under a flower pot afterwards, she decides to use it to access the building to investigate Han-Joon.
Once upstairs, she comes across boards with names and pictures on them, clearly part of an investigation being conducted. Especially one of the pictures immediately catches her attention. It is the picture of her now deceased brother, former Prosecutor Han Jae-Jeong (Song Jae-Rim).
Before Jae-Hui can make sense of anything further, she is surprised by the team’s unexpected early return. In her haste to find a hiding spot, she ends up in a cabinet inside Han-Joon’s walk-in closet. Holding her breath she sees him coming in for a change of clothes and then turn to leave again.
However, at this very moment, an incoming call to Jae-Hui’s cell phone causes it to emit audible buzzing noises.
Epilogue
A look into the past shows a teenaged Jae-Hui approach Han-Joon, who is wearing his police uniform. She hands him a card which states that her wish is to one day become a cop just like him. And when she does, she wants a rematch on an earlier judo fight that she lost.
The sad look on her face when Han-Joon’s girlfriend joins him, discloses the feelings she has for the young cop. As Jae-Hui turns and walks away, she is joined by a smiling Jae-Jeong.
Café Minamdang Episode 2 – END
Authors Note
What a episode!! So much has already happened and we are barely two episodes into this drama, which I’m already completely in love with. Han-Joon feels to me like a combination of all the characters interpreted by Seo In-Guk before. With his diverse acting skills, I’m looking forward to the character development to come for Han-Joon the most.
Also need to make a shout-out to Lee Si-Eon’s cameo as Yeo Chun-Pal in this episode. He remains one of my fave scene stealers.
Song Jae-Rim, another favorite of both R. and myself, finally made his appearance at the end of this episode. Can’t wait to see more of him going forward.
Drama away,
