Summary
The Uncanny Counter episode 5 opens up more subplots as we learn more about Ha-na.
This recap of the Netflix K-drama series The Uncanny Counter Season 1 Episode 5 contains significant spoilers.
We will be recapping this weekly — check out the archive.
The opening
Episode 5 begins with Ga Mo-tak wondering why he contacted So Mun’s father So Gwon, but when he rings the contact number, So Mun answers it outside. There are emotions in the noodle cafe that So Mun is unaware of. What was the reason for So Gwon and Ga Mo-tak ringing each other — was So Mun’s family murdered? There’s a lot of stress in the room over this situation that So Mun doesn’t read at the time.
A peanut allergy
In the next scene, Ji Hyeong-u’s wife deliberately feeds him peanuts. He’s allergic, and she put peanut juice in his drink. She laughs, and moments later, he dies. She then uses his fingerprints to use his phone and transfers money to her account.
READ: K-Drama Shows like The Uncanny Counter
There are a few underlying plots in episode 5 involving a few evil spirits. The evil spirit inside the wife speaks to her in the mirror, which takes her by surprise. The spirit tells her that they killed her husband together. This isn’t the first husband she has killed.
So Mun’s ability with territories
Outside the noodle cafe, So Mun sees a territory, and he’s amazed by it. Ha-na sees him touch it with his hands and looks alarmed. Ga Mo-tak also sees, and he questions how he is touching the territory. The group ask him to come inside — they ask him how he touched and played with the territory; it’s not something they can usually do. Ha-na believes So Mun can summon Yung territories. When they ask him to do it again, he has no idea how to summon it. Afterwards, So Mun senses a demon in a department store — Ha-na confirms it’s a level three. Episode 5 sees So Mun having similar abilities to Ha-na — he is hypersensitive to demons.
An elevator fight
At the department store, So Mun tracks the spirit down and joins it in the elevator — it’s the same woman that killed her husband. The woman then speaks to So Mun and asks why he is following him. She attacks him and knocks So Mun out unconscious. When the elevator door opens Ha-na fights the evil spirit. Eventually, the spirit hurts Ha-na badly with her heels and then starts strangling her; she sees Ha-na’s past and how her whole family died. Visions flash before Ha-na’s eyes.
So Mun then wakes up, but then Ga Mo-tak enters the elevator and punches her square in the head to knock her out. At this point security and the police show up and arrest the woman.
Ha-na is not coping well
Afterwards, So Mun is worried that they never managed to summon the evil spirit, but Ga Mo-tak explains it occasionally happens where the police arrest the host first. Ha-na is not doing okay since her confrontation with the spirit and seeing visions of her family die. As So Mun saw what happened, he tries comforting Ha-na by grilling some food. After a brief emotional moment between the pair, they spar. The best way to comfort Ha-na is by fighting her it seems.
The private investigation continues
Ga Mo-tak meets Kim Jeong-yeong about his investigation. They talk about Kim Yeong-nim and the possibility that she might be alive. After talking shop, Ga Mo-tak wants to talk about their past. As they continue investigating, Ga Mo-tak apologises for not remembering her which impacts Kim Jeong-yeong a little. They check out the scene where Kim Yeong-nim died and take photos of blood splatter on the walls, and they take samples.
Visiting an old home
Ha-na visits her old home in the night, and So Mun follows behind her — she’s unaware he’s spying on her. As she enters the house, she remembers what things used to look like, including photos and happy moments with her family. So Mun enters the house, and they find two young girls who have been living alone in the house; they don’t want to be returned to their father.
Chairman Jeon is dead
While reading to a class, Mr Shin learns that Chairman Jeon is dead. Sang-pil is asked why he killed their second boss. Mr Shin is not interested in talking to him. Sang-pil is furious that Cheong-sin made mistakes. Chief Choi then visits, and he wants to talk to Sang-pil. Meanwhile, Mr Shin wants to make sure that Chief Choi knows they are doing everything smoothly. There’s some deep corruption revealed in episode 5 — it reeks of it.
The ending
Late in the night, Kim Jeong-yeong’s assistant Han-ul finds the murder scene of Chairman Jeon and shows her. Suddenly Chief Choi’s men turn up, and Han-ul will not let them in the house. The forensic team are already doing their work, and Kim Jeong-yeong is already buying time.
As the episode nears the end, Ga Mo-tak joins Ha-na and So Mun at her old house to check out the situation with the young girls. Suddenly, a group of men try to capture the girls, but Ha-na fights them. So Mun and Ga Mo-tak help out. Ga Mo-tak approaches a man that recognises him from the past — Noh Chang-yu — the man is shaken and tries to drive off; he thought Ga Mo-tak was dead. Flashbacks show Noh Chang-yu stabbing Ga Mo-tak repeatedly. This is where Ga Mo-tak launched himself off a building and subsequently ended up in a coma.
The Uncanny Counter episode 5 opens up more subplots as we learn more about Ha-na. The series is starting to unravel the corruption and So Mun slowly becoming accustomed to the life of a Counter.
There are still many questions; is Ha-na’s sister alive? What happens when an evil spirit reaches level 4? When will we learn about Ms Chu’s past?
