Summary
Episode 2 is another impressive chapter as the heist moves in an intense direction.
We recap the Netflix K-Drama series Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, episode 2, which contains spoilers.
Recaps, reviews, and news for Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area.
So far, it appears that this Money Heist remake is following similar plot lines as the original. Character backgrounds are different, and the way The Professor (Yoo Ji-tae) has a connection with the negotiator is not familiar, but the order of events is the same. For some viewers, this may feel offputting, but so far, the Korean remake is a brilliant production with top performances.
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, episode 2 recap
Episode 2 opens up with Tokyo narrating about the dangers of defecting from North Korea in the past and the brutal labor that follows. Berlin was one of those defects that went through a traumatizing experience after he was caught crossing the border. His experiences shape the character he is in the present; he’s a cold and chilling leader.
In the present day, The Professor tells Berlin that keeping the hostages under control is important. It’s somewhat orderly at the start of the episode, with the hostages working on their shifts to keep the heist running smoothly.
Seon Woojin returns to work and takes control of the narrative with the journalists, stating the raid of the Mint is “fake news.” She asks Captain Cha Moohyuk to team up with her to get the best result. She rings The Professor to start a new relationship so they can negotiate. The Professor asks her, “when was the last time you had an orgasm?” It’s at this moment that Seon Woojin realizes she is dealing with a skilled negotiator. You can also tell she is intrigued by him. Little does she know that The Professor is a close acquaintance.
Unable to help himself, Cho Youngmin conspires with the other hostages to try and undermine the heist team. One of the hostages causes a distraction by injuring himself with a shovel as Cho Youngmin sneaks off. However, he is caught but then acts like he was trying to help his colleague with his injury. Of course, the heist team does not buy it for one second; they know he is a liability. They know he is a clown.
Berlin decides to split the hostages into North and South Koreans after Cho Youngmin’s actions, and he sets a new rule — if a South Korean hostage makes a bad decision, a North Korean hostage will be punished, and if a North Korean hostage makes a bad decision, a South Korean hostage will be punished. A flashback reveals this is The Professor’s plan to divide and make the hostages create enemies with each other. Tokyo is not comfortable with this plan, but focusing on the North/South Korean divide is an intriguing political play within the storyline.
Cho Youngmin continues plotting and asks Youn Misun to get his smartwatch so they can make a call. She doesn’t believe his intentions, causing a commotion between them. When this draws attention, Cho Youngmin tells Denver that Youn Misun is pregnant and that she needs to take a break.
Youn Misun is placed in the same room as Anne Kim (the ambassador’s daughter), who suspects something is up and catches Rio’s attention; Anne tells Rio she needs the bathroom due to her period. Youn Misun uses this as an opportunity to get the smartwatch. And then, Anne Kim kisses Rio in the bathroom but then takes his gun. Rio dares her to shoot him, but the safety is on. He immediately takes the gun back off her.
Seon Woojin is alerted by a signal from the smartwatch and tries to speak to Youn Misun, but Denver walks through the door. Youn Misun tells Denver she is hungry, and he’s very understanding of her needs and provides food. Denver asks if Cho Youngmin hits her, but she clarifies that he is married, confirming their affair. It’s transparent at this point that Denver already cares for her. Meanwhile, Seon Woojin rings The Professor and tells him the last time she had an orgasm was two months ago. She then asks about the hostages’ phones. The Professor is feeling suspicious due to the phone call with the negotiator, so he calls the heist team to check in.
Afterward, Denver confronts Cho Youngmin about impregnating Youn Misun. Youn Misun sneaks the smartwatch into Cho Youngmin’s pocket during this confrontation.
In the evening, The Professor enjoys dinner with Seon Woojin; she tells him she has made a break in the heist situation. However, as the evening wears on, The Professor almost slips up by being too nosy. Seon Woojin asks The Professor why he was eavesdropping on her work call and gets the cuffs out to arrest him. The Professor manages to blag the situation and tells her he wanted to get to know her better and suspects she’s involved with another man. Seon Woojin appears emotional at The Professor’s confessed feelings and apologizes to him. She states she cannot be in a relationship.
But by spending the evening with Seon Woojin, The Professor has gained the necessary information. The Professor tells the heist team that one of the hostages has a smartwatch, so Berlin rounds up the hostages. Cho Youngmin clicks on a link on a text on the smartwatch so the task force team can listen in.
Berlin asks Cho Youngmin to step forward, so he sneaks the smartwatch back to Youn Misun. Berlin tells Cho Youngmin to find out who has the smartwatch by scanning them with a metal detector. The bank vice director tries to pretend to scan Youn Misun, but then Berlin helps him. In a tense moment, the smartwatch drops to the floor in front of Youn Musin. Berlin smashes the smartwatch, leaving Seon Woojin and her team fearing for the hostages’ lives.
Seon Woojin tries to act like she knows nothing of the smartwatch when she receives a call from The Professor, but The Professor doesn’t fool around with the conversation. She warns him that if he hurts any of the hostages, it will hurt his negotiations. The Professor tells her she has no more chances.
The ending
Episode 2 ends in dramatic circumstances.
Berlin demands that Youn Musin is executed, but Denver and Rio try to step in. Berlin tells Denver to kill her and passes him the gun. Denver takes the pregnant woman somewhere private to execute her. Meanwhile, Berlin wants to know who gave Youn Musin the smartwatch. Another hostage immediately accuses Cho Youngmin.
Denver is emotionally stricken that he has been ordered to kill Youn Musin. He makes the shot before anyone can intervene, and the hostages hear it. Berlin tells Cho Youngmin that he isn’t going to punish him directly because Youn Musin’s death is his punishment in a chilling last scene.
But it’s improbable that Youn Musin is dead unless the story, especially when we know what happens in the original. Episode 2 is another impressive chapter as the heist moves in an intense direction.
Additional plot points worthy of noting
- Seon Woojin worries about her mother, believing she needs to go to the hospital.
- Denver argues with his father, Moscow, about how he references his mother. Denver does not recognize the relationship with his mother.
- Anne Kim flirts with Rio.
- Berling tells Denver he is naive because his emotions make him weak — he assures him the heist plan will work.
- Seon Woojin suspects that the heist team may tap their phones, so she tells her colleagues to turn off all communication devices.
What did you think of the Netflix K-Drama series Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, episode 2? Comment below.
You can watch this series with a subscription to Netflix.
More Stories
- Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, part 1 review
- Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, episode 1 recap
- Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, episode 3 recap
- Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, part 1 – do Rio and Tokyo get together?
- Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, part 1 – do Denver and Youn Misun get together?
- Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 1, part 1 – do Seon Woojin and The Professor get together?
- Best and Highest Rated Korean Dramas
