Summary
The Uncanny Counter episode 4 manages to stay fast-paced while keeping the story moving slowly — it’s a fine balance that will work well in the coming weeks.
This recap of the Netflix K-drama series The Uncanny Counter Season 1 Episode 4 contains significant spoilers.
We will be recapping this weekly — check out the archive.
The opening
The episode begins with one of the bullied slapping Ju-yeon to the floor, and she’s instantly unconscious, which feels highly dramatic but equally entertaining. When So Mun finds out his friends are in trouble, he asks the lead bully where they are and heads over to a broken-down building. The bullies threaten to kill and bury them all. So Mun gets emotional, and territories activate; Wi-gen senses he is in danger and drops her tea — she feels So Mun is going to kill someone. Ha-na looks outside her window and sees territories activated in the distance. Ms Chu has never seen anything like it before. Episode 4 sees a vengeful So Mun — his anger is out of control.
So Mun wants to kill
Gi-ran tells Ga Mo-tak to find So Mun. The noodle gang head over to the territories. The bullies all surround So Mun, and he starts beating them up — the cameras give a first-person view of the choreography which is a nice touch.
READ: K-Drama Shows like The Uncanny Counter
He then reaches Shin Hyeok-u, the leading bully and beats him repeatedly but then Ga Mo-tak stops him, warning that he’ll be in trouble if he kills one of them. Ms Chu then lectures So Mun as she sees all the hurt boys on the floor. But it’s hardly a surprise that So Mun had to fight them — they were genuinely threatening to kill them.
Taking the punishment
The police arrive, and So Mun offers to get punished for it. He wants it all to end and thinks punishment will stop the war. He appreciates his friends for helping him through his disabilities before he got powerful. Ga Mo-tak doesn’t feel he deserves punishment. Ms Chu offers to sort it out, but So Mun refuses their help. The police arrive, and So Mun asks for an ambulance and the noodle gang leave.
How did So Mun do this on his own?
Shin Hyeok-u is the mayor’s son, so this is not a good look for So Mun at the school. The parents are surprised that So Mun did all this damage on his own. Shin Hyeok-u’s father punches So Mun in the face and calls him a beggar. Suddenly, the financier of the noodle gang and Ha-na arrive; the financier defends So Mun and tells them all that he saved his friends. The financier shows them all the metal pipes and states the bullies are accused of attempted murder and then punches one of the fathers; there’s a lot commotion. He asks for the mayor’s son to be reprimanded. It looks like legally, So Mun has gotten out of a lot of trouble due to his powerful acquaintances. The perks of being a Counter.
The miracle
When So Mun gets home, he shows his grandparents that he can walk. There’s an air of shock at the revelation. They will obviously feel it is a miracle. Emotions run high, and the grandmother almost collapses to her knees at the moment. The family all embrace and cry with happiness.
Ga Mo-tak’s secret
Ga Mo-tak tells Ms Chu about his connection with So Mun and that he could have possibly known his father years ago; he wonders about the mysterious accident. Ms Chu doesn’t feel that this was an accident. He reckons the person who nearly killed him could have killed So Mun’s parents as well. The scene then flits to Ga Mo-tak speaking to Kim Jeong-yeong, and she gets emotional, wondering why he’s turning up now. She wanted him to stay away with his memory loss, but Ga Mo-tak refuses to give it up.
A recruit
Kang Han-ul introduces himself to Kim Jeong-yeong; he’s on probation at the station. She will be his supervisor in the Violent Crimes Unit. Later on, Kim Jeong-yeong complains to the chief that they have let thugs like Lim Hae-cheol go and wonders why he’s allowing this to happen. It seems there’s a lot of corruption in the police station. She hates how there are loads of cover-ups, including Ga Mo-tak’s case. Thugs run the station. Flashbacks show Kim Jeong-yeong outside the operating room when Go Mo-tak went to the hospital. They had a close relationship.
We were a couple
And episode 4 reveals how close they actually were…
In the present, Kim Jeong-yeong gives Ga Mo-tak his old phone back and asks him not to revisit the station. Ga Mo-tak explains how he wants to revisit his past and wonders who he can talk to. She gives him a number so he can contact the forensic expert. Ga Mo-tak is confused by the investigator, but then she reveals that they were a couple which shocks him. This will change everything for him. He won’t let this go, especially with all the corruption that reeks in this chapter that’s slowly bubbling underneath.
Gi-ran believes So Mun needs to be punished
Gi-ran tells Wi-gen that they must get rid of So Mun as he’s too emotionally unstable as a Counter. She’s worried about the lives of innocent people. He’s violated a rule. Ga Mo-tak believes it’s wrong as So Mun was about to be beaten up by steel pipes. So Mun doesn’t want to be fired. So Mun goes to talk to Wi-gen directly, and the others join him for support.
Ms Chu defends So Mun valiantly
While Gi-ran believes So Mun should be fired, Ms Chu defends his case and explains how he’s saved lives already. She clearly believes he’s brave and adaptable. It’s a passionate speech given by Ms Chu, and everyone listens. There are some similarities to Mystic Pop-Up Bar here — how the young character has found himself a whole family who support him with love.
Looking into Kim Yeong-nim
After looking through a database with an acquaintance, Ga Mo-tak rings Kim Jeong-yeong and asks her to look into Kim Yeong-nim. When she looks, there’s no case found. The station must have deleted it. When she looks into it deeper, they learn she’s supposedly deceased.
So Mun is off the hook
Wi-gen has decided to give So Mun another chance despite the reservations from Gi-ran. She asks one of her companions to look into something for her, even though it’s against the rules.
The ending
Ga Mo-tak asks Ha-na to look at his phone, so she can unearth his past and find out who whacked him, but Ha-na reveals it won’t work as his memory was erased. Ms Chu tells Ga Mo-tak to stop looking into his past and hand it over to the cops as it’s against the rules to meddle in human affairs. Ga Mo-tak believes these people who hurt him are worse than evil spirits and wants to sort it out. This was a stand-out moment in episode 4 — Ga Mo-tak has found an enemy outside his usual purpose — one that isn’t demonic.
Despite Ms Chu’s warnings, Ga Mo-tak vows to go alone on his personal mission. He then reveals the last phone call he received was from So Gwon before he died. He rings the number, and So Mun answers it who happens to be outside.
The Uncanny Counter episode 4 manages to stay fast-paced while keeping the story moving slowly — it’s a fine balance that will work well in the coming weeks if they keep that balance.
