Summary
The Killing Vote slows down a little and engages in some questionable character decision-making, but these niggles aside it still remains an engaging thriller for now.
This recap of the Prime Video K-Drama The Killing Vote Season 1 Episode 3 contains spoilers.
The second episode of The Killing Vote had an explosive ending and a big “twist”, though obviously not one that the K-Drama was willing to commit to.
The illusion is enough, though, and that illusion actually becomes a plot point in the third episode, which picks up right after the fiery climax of Episode 2.
The Killing Vote Season 1 Episode 3 Recap
Is Mu-chan dead? No, of course not. Eun-gyeong was killed in the blast, but Joo Hyun was able to reach the car in time to help Mu-chan. The public doesn’t need to know that, though. What matters is making good on Mu-chan’s threat to damage Gaetal’s public standing by sharing that he detonated the bomb despite an ostensibly innocent man being in the car.
This massively sways public sentiment around Gaetal and the Killing Vote. There is, though, little suspense for the audience, as it’s clear the show wouldn’t kill off or even seriously injure Mu-chan so early on. It bogs down the pace of the early going a little bit, especially since Joo Hyun buys into the official line that he’s on death’s door and is angry to discover he isn’t.
What is Min-soo up to?
Lee Min-so, the school teacher son of Ji-young, witnesses two boys recording the chaos around the explosion and later pays them for the footage – an exchange that is recorded by Joo Min.
Later, Jo-dan spots Min-soo taking pictures of the scene and tells him to stop, referring to him by another name and seeming to recognize him, but Min-soo walks away without responding. He later sends a message to the Executor saying that he has a video. His mother, despite the press frenzy, seems to be in favor of Gaetal and wants him on side as she can sway public opinion.
Where was Gaetal’s test video shot?
Min, despite not having enrolled, sits in on Min-soo’s computer class and gets friendly with Ji-hoon, with whom she later hangs out with at home and shares the test video of Gaetal she transferred from Joo Hyun’s laptop. She wants to work with Ji-hoon to find Gaetal. Hyun comes home and interrupts them, furious, but then works with them to narrow down the potential locations of where the video was shot.
One of them is Seok-hoo’s house. Hyun heads there and inexplicably allows Min and Ji-hoon to come along. She does, though, tell Mu-chan where she’s going, so he causes a commotion to get himself out of the hospital and head there.
It’s clear immediately that the test video was indeed shot in Seok-joo’s house – case files are stuck to the wall close to drawings made by Seok-joo’s daughter, and the words “The 13th one was wrong” spray-painted on the wall.
Hyun is surprised and knocked out. By the time Mu-chan arrives, Min and Ji-hoon, whom Hyun instructed to remain outside, are about to try and rescue her themselves. Mu-chan enters and grabs a knife. He finds Hyun upstairs but is alerted by nearby footsteps and gives chase.
The assailant runs outside and straight into Min, who grabs him and is keen to hold on but is eventually persuaded by Ji-hoon to let go for her own safety. Mu-chan can’t catch the man.
While the police investigate Seok-joo’s house, finding a hidden router in the ceiling, Min-soo watches from afar.
What does the message on the wall mean?
Mu-chan and Hyun go to visit Seok-hoo, who explains that the message on the wall of his home – “The 13th one was wrong” – pertains to the manner of him stabbing his daughter’s killer to death. She was stabbed, so he intended to return the favour exactly, but a slip of the hand butchered the 13th strike.
Curiously, on the way to the prison, Hyun had confronted Mu-chan about knowing all along that the test video was filmed in Seok-joo’s home. Since he worked on his case originally, he would have seen the place and been able to recognize it. He neither confirms nor denies this.
Similarly, when Hyun presses Seok-joo about Gaetal possibly being someone who respected him and was close to his daughter, Seok-joo suggests Mu-chan fits that description.
The Killing Vote Season 1 Episode 3 Ending Explained
The episode ends with another death – that of Gi-chul’s wife, who is killed by a masked man right before she can text Mu-chan.
Gaetal also streams another live video exposing the truth about the extent of Mu-chan’s injuries. As he and Hyun are exiting the prison, the press are already there. However, Mu-chan has a message for Gaetal that he will catch him no matter what, though it remains to be seen how the deliberate deception of the police will sway public opinion back towards the Killing Vote.
You can stream the K-Drama The Killing Vote Season 1 Episode 3 exclusively on Prime Video.
