Evillive (2023) Episode 4

Episode 4 of Evillive starts with Dong-soo arriving at an isolated warehouse to meet with Seo Do-young. He asks where Dong-soo went during the crackdown, and he says he escaped so they will not be arrested together.

Dong-so asks about what happened, and in a flashback, the staff and the casino customers cooperate to turn the occasion into a tour with food and drinks. Do-young says whoever brought the police through they were an easy target and asks Dong-soo to join him in cleaning up. 

Do-young brings out a list of suspects, and among them is Beom-jae. Do-young says that Beom-jae does not have an alibi. He starts torturing the suspects and chops off the fingers of the first one.

When Dong-soo objects, Do-young informs him that what they do is part of their manual. Next on the chopping board is Beom-jae, and Dong-soo rushes in to help. He gets his palm hurt in the process.

Do-young says it is either Dong-soo or Beom-jae, which makes Dong-soo start laughing hysterically. He bravely confronts Do-young and tells him that they say they are running a business, but their actions show they are nothing more than neighbourhood thugs.

He asks what he gets from cutting off his fingers. It is a reputation of a gangster or influence because it certainly is not money. Cutting off fingers does not solve the fundamental problem: their operation is faulty. They need a fundamental operation to make the casinos a sustainable business. Dong-soo suggests an idea to solve the problem with crackdowns, introducing online gambling. 

Chul-jin discusses with a colleague about the report on illegal gambling. He asks about the presence of gangs in the neighbourhood, including the Family Gang and Yuseong Gang, and suggests that illegal gambling might involve them. The colleague suggests he stays out of the gang business since the gangs try not to fight and attract the attention of the police. 

Meanwhile, Do-young’s superior tells him that the gambling sites are attracting the attention of the police and asks him to stop running the casinos for a while and focus on other businesses. Do-young says his superior alerted the police by planting a spy in the organisation.

The leader knew Heo Yang-ho betrayed Do-young. In exchange for looking the other way, he was promised more shares in the gambling business. The leader tells him he has become arrogant and does not listen to his superiors. Hence, he is fired, and the leader will look for a replacement. 

Beom-jae tells Dong-soo that he dreams of Park Je-yi and is afraid they might end up like her. Afterwards, Dong-soo picks up Hye-young from the supermarket and overhears some of her colleagues saying that his wife seduced the store manager. She went to his house, knowing he lived alone.

Dong-soo walks to confront them, but Hye-young arrives and stops him. Dong-soo learns that the store manager did not resign but took a sick leave. She filed a report and got a summon.

Do-young asks his assistant what he thinks of Dong-soo’s idea. His assistant thinks highly of Dong-soo’s competence. He was the youngest senior manager of Moon Law Firm and was supposedly better than any lawyer. He had a good reputation among clients for handling his work meticulously. He is also more competitive than he seems, considering his win rate. Most importantly, he keeps his promises.

Do-young wonders why, given his abilities, he looks for prison clients. His assistant hands him Dong-soo’s disciplinary report but thinks something seems suspicious about the report. The disciplinary action starts with a client filing a complaint to the bar association.

The client lacked settlement money, so he borrowed some from Dong-soo and got out on probation. However, he did not pay him back and ran. He found the client and got his money back but got disciplinary action for failing to uphold the dignity of lawyers.

Dong-soo asks about the disciplinary committee and learns it was the senior partner of Moon Law Firm, Chairman Moon. The assistant thinks Dong-soo would not join them, no matter how much they offer to pay him. Do-young has a different idea, provoking his vengeful spirit. 

Dong-soo drives to the store manager’s house and chases him up a flight of stairs. The summon letter to Hye-young was for a defamation suit filed by the manager. The security intervenes, and Dong-soo is arrested. The following day, he learns that the store manager’s representative is Attorney Moon. He files a restraining order and starts taunting Dong-soo. Hye-young arrives in time and tells Attorney Moon she is filing a sexual assault charge against the store manager. 

Dong-soo talks to his wife about the trial. He says it will not be easy, and they might lose. Hye-young tells him they must give it their best shot, especially now that it involves Moon Law Firm. She urges him to use any means necessary and get Moon Law Firm back for what they did to them.

On the way to Shinnam Complex Two, he remembers the events that happened three years ago. Dong-soo stood in the rain outside Chairman Moon’s house, asking for help. His mother collapsed, and he had no money left after he opened up his law firm.

He says that the dead woman, Park Ji-eum, did not commit suicide. Chairman Moon says she stole five billion won from their company. Dong-soo tells Chairman Moon that the money was not from the company but illegal political funds. Chairman Moon uses Park Ji-eum as his carrier. Chairman Moon tells him that the truth does not matter, but power does, and no one will believe his story. 

Seon-kyo, Attorney Moon Hae-jun’s assistant, calls Dong-soo out for a drink. He asks to talk to the firm about a settlement and asks Dong-soo to ignore the issue since he will not win against the law firm.

Seon-kyo says Dong-soo’s predicament is because he chose to help Park Ji-eum. He would be a partner at Moon Law Firm if he never got involved with her. Dong-soo says he will not endure anymore, and when he gets home, he starts preparing for the trial.

The doorbell rings, and Dong-soo opens it, thinking it is Beom-jae, but is surprised to find Do-young. He tells Dong-soo he will help him win the trial. Dong-soo has already been stepped on twice by Moon Law Firm, and Do-young thinks it would be embarrassing if it happened the third time. 

He tells Dong-soo that Attorney Moon Hae-jun is a simple person. He will break easily once Dong-soo scratches his surface. He stomps on weak opponents and crumbles when the opponent is strong.

Do-young tells Dong-soo that Attorney Moon will not make it to trial but will drive carelessly due to anger and get into an accident. As Do-young narrates, the incident happens, and Hae-jun gets into an accident. Dong-soo does not believe it, but Do-young shows him a photo.

Do-young asks if they can start a sustainable business together. He will give him 300 million won to start the site and a month after-sales service. 

Dong-soo asks Do-young to leave since his family will arrive any moment. He is hesitant to accept the offer. Do-young wonders whether Dong-soo wants to win. Does he not want to stomp on someone without restraint?

Dong-soo says he does not want to win like that, and Do-young tells him that losing has become a habit, too. Do-young tells him he can take away the humiliation he has endured and the sense of inferiority deep in Dong-soo’s heart. 

Dong-soo asks what Do-young will do with Attorney Moon, and Do-young tells him whether they should release him before or after the trial is his call. He gives Dong-soo a choice between fighting fairly and losing or fighting without restraint and winning. Do-young leaves just as Beom-jae and Min-hee arrive. 

Dong-soo arrives at the courthouse and is about to tell Do-young to release Hae-jun when he overhears a conversation among other lawyers. They say that associates from Moon Law Firm are at the courthouse; they think the trial is an easy victory and a lesson to Dong-soo never to mess with Moon Law Firm.

His wife arrives and tells him to do his best. She believes in him. Dong-soo makes a call to DO-young. He tells him to detain Moon Hae-jun and ensure he not only loses the trial but also never runs for office during the elections. 

Attorney Moon does not attend court, so another associate replaces him. He wakes up in a hotel room with police banging at his door. They barge in and ask about a girl. There is a lady in the bathroom who seems beaten up and abused.

Meanwhile, the court dismiss the store manager’s defamation claim, and Dong-soo wins. He meets Do-young outside waiting, and he invites him out for sashimi. 

The Episode Review

Has Dong-soo finally crossed the line? At the end of the episode, he is no longer terrified when he sees Do-young, but he smiles. Has he finally decided to give in to the dark side?

There is a limit to the humiliation a person can endure, and Dong-soo might have reached his limit. The episode delved into the mystery of the past and the conflicts between Dong-soo and Moon Law Firm. The revenge plot has finally started, and I cannot wait to see the lengths Dong-soo is willing to go.

Will he begin exposing the corrupt deeds of Moon Law Firm, including their possible involvement in Park Ji-eum’s death and illegal political funds? His knowledge of the political funds might have led to his disciplinary action. Do-young’s assistant said that Dong-soo is meticulous and intelligent.

Will he help Do-young build his new gang since he was kicked out of the Yuseong Gang? In the following episodes, conflicts might arise between Dong-soo, Moon Law Firm, Do-young, and Yuseong Gang.