Summary
Syringed with moments of humor, episode 10 is a fun installment punctuated by a thrilling end.
This recap of the Netflix K-Drama series Cafe Minamdang season 1, episode 10 contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
Cafe Minamdang season 1, episode 10 recap
At the police station, Tae-su attempts to make Han-joon a suspect, accusing the former profiler of attacking him during a visit to Gyeong-cheol. With tricks up his sleeve, the smarmy criminal avoids his burn scars being used against him, causing the shaman to lose his cool completely and throw a punch. Naturally, this results in Han-joon being put in a holding cell, but we do find out his real motive behind the dig here, as it has allowed for the obtaining of Tae-su’s DNA for investigation. With orders to give the cloth to Su-cheol, Jae-hui decides to trust her former rival, albeit somewhat hesitantly.
Next, Tae-su is questioned over his links to Gyeong-cheol and Eun-hye, though is unmoved by the tactics of the police. After attempting to justify himself, the businessman even agrees to give a sample of his DNA, smugly believing that it will work out for him in some way. Elsewhere, we see that the wheels of corruption are already in motion, with Anti-corruption Chief Nam Pil-gu one of many willing to help out when needed. Believing that they are untouchable with Auntie Im on their side, the upperclassmen raise a toast, but the shaman does appear to have a sinister edge to her when passing over a gift.
After Do-won hears of the “filthy cartel built on nepotism” that has invested in Joyce Entertainment, leading to the company’s large dividends, we move forward to see Han-joon effectively solve a gang leader’s hunt to discover who killed his brother. It’s done out of a wish for peace and quiet in his holding cell, though it can’t hurt the shaman’s ego to see that the police were also amazed at his skills. Meanwhile, Chul-geun receives a call asking him to deal with something, before he rips into Jae-hui’s team, threatening disciplinary action when discovering that Tae-su’s DNA did not match the sample found in the Yeong-seop case. Suspending Lt. Han, as well as ordering the release of both Han-joon and Tae-su, the police chief angrily expresses his desire for a solution.
Upon his release, Tae-su’s lawyer threatens to sue should his client be accused again without evidence. Deflated, the police wonder if anything could’ve went wrong with the DNA test, prior to Jae-hui’s potential solution of a discreet tailing of their suspect. However, the first thing they see is a conversation between the target and Do-won, flaring up suspicions that the prosecutor has been lying. Elsewhere, Han-joon is informed by Jae-hui about the DNA samples not matching, with the pairing in agreement over their doubts of the test results. Then, the suspended detective asks for trust so that the killer can be caught alongside the shaman, only to hear back that there will be no such deal because her sense of justice gets in the way of catching the criminal. “Leave the exciting stuff to me like bending and breaking the rules, and just keep being a good cop as you always have,” Han-joon adds, upsetting the receiver of such harsh sentiments.
Outside, Su-cheol arrives with his own results, exclaiming that Tae-su is Gopuri. His DNA test came up as a match to the Yeong-seop case, definitively proving that someone had again tampered with evidence. Later on, Han-joon explains that the police chief has ties to the higher-ups too, understanding that someone had pressured Chul-geun to swiftly close the case. Following that, the former profiler deduces that the person behind Tae-su, who has the power to pull all these strings, must be the real Gopuri.
Hacking the police chief’s computer, Hye-jun gets ready to see why the cash-strapped man is as involved in proceedings as he is. Nevertheless, this mission is soon interrupted by her mother, who arrives at the house with backup to conduct an exorcism on Han-joon. What follows is an admission of truth to the Father as to why this shaman façade is being used, along with an approved request that these deeds are kept secret for now. Concurrently, Jae-hui finds herself interrupted by Do-won when Du-jin seems set to bring forward a revelation, with both claiming that they have found something worth discussing.
When taken inside, Du-jin details that the forensic specialist who had testified that he was bribed in Han-joon’s trial has recently admitted to giving a false testimony, claiming that Cheong-gi was the real orchestrator. Knowing what this means in terms of the shaman’s pursuits of criminals, Jae-hui adds that the results from the DNA test he had requested will start to sure things up. However, Do-won is on hand with results of his own, as the supposedly dubious meeting he had with Tae-su was in fact a ploy to collect the suspect’s DNA. Confirming that this means Han-joon was correct from the start, Jae-hui talks about wanting to keep this information between those in her house until the case is over, just to be on the safe side.
In time, we discover that Chul-geun is being blackmailed over his son’s gambling debt, before we see the police chief threatened by a gang. At that point, Han-joon dramatically intervenes, causing the cash-strapped man to essentially beg for help. Of course, the shaman does wish to solve the problem, interrupting the fraudulent activities by cheating his own way to victory in the shady games played. Then, he clears the area to be left with Dae-tong and his men, ready to bargain for Chul-geun’s son. What follows is a tense battle of wits, won by Han-joon as he clears the police chief’s son’s debts.
Later on, Chul-geun thanks Han-joon for his services, only to be shocked when he is told that he has three disasters coming this year. “They’re life-or-death situations,” the former profiler adds, wishing for a human sacrifice to ward off misfortune. This turns out to be returning Jae-hui to the case she was removed from, something the scared police chief seems willing to do to protect himself. Elsewhere, the man who admitted to giving a false testimony gives the details over to the detective and Do-won, including a statement that the prosecution are in on the bad deeds too. So the two investigating head to prison so they can attempt to find out more, but Cheong-gi is unwilling to speak out of fear that he will end up dead.
Back at the station, Jae-hui is officially put back on the case by the police chief, much to the confusion of the suspended worker who wonders why the investigation is to be done secretly. Subsequent actions from Chul-geun show Jae-hui Han-joon’s involvement in her reinstation, however. Outside, the detective opens up about her understanding of the shaman she once resented to Do-won, confessing that she wants to be there for him. Reinvigorated, Jae-hui gets ready to head to Han-joon, even if Do-won attempts to stop her, wanting to fight alongside her former adversary from now on.
The ending
At Minamdang, Hye-jun mentions that everyone who could hold information is dead, with Su-cheol wondering what the next move could possibly be. As it turns out, Han-joon does have a plan, with the former profiler expressing his desire to use Jin-sang to get to Chairman Dong-gi of Choekang Insurance. Yet they are soon interrupted by a prying Jae-hui, who has recorded the conversation to use as a vehicle to explain her want to join his team, without rules or procedures. Revealing the fact that she is Jae-jeong’s sister, the mood shifts, and the pairing look set to finally join hands to work together. Following that moment is the epilogue, which shows the considered reveal of someone who is perhaps the main higher-up of the whole case.
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