D&T
Hyena returns for another good episode, one that solidifes these two lawyers as one of the best on-screen couples of the year when it comes to Korean dramas. Every encounter, every nuanced glance and deliberate line of dialogue between them is absolute gold and this helps to elevate some of the more formulaic law drama that surrounds this. Episode 6 of Hyena begins after the cupboard incident, as Geum-Ja tells Hee-Jae to get a grip and the two go their separate ways. It brings our male lead into a meeting with Song where he tells him he’ll continue to pursue the case on his own terms. Song is defiant though, telling him the harder he tries the more dirty his hands will become, going on to make it an official order that he team up with Geum-Ja for the D&T case. The meeting begins and Hee-Jae briefs his team on the case ahead. D&T is a company that have leaked personal information and the main culprit is Son Jin-Su. Midway through, Geum-Ja arrives and takes control of the meeting, going on to ask them all for the details they’ve gathered so far for this case. Geum-Ja then returns to her office to find big stacks of papers relating to D&T. Stewing in his own frustration, Hee-Jae sits and listens as Geum-Ja takes control of the follow-up meeting and begins discussing the intricate details of the case, including the fact that Jin-Su’s wife is still in the States. It’s something that immediately sparks Geum-Ja’s curiosity as she decides to try and figure out who leaked the details. Meanwhile, Hyeon-A takes Hee-Jae aside and asks just why he hates Geum-Ja so much, especially after his outburst earlier in the episode regarding Song&Kim being his home ground. After brushing aside the question, Hee-Jae leaves the room as Ki-Hyeok teases her about liking Hee-Jae, which she doesn’t deny but informs that she’ll “email him the details”. Meanwhile, Song and Seok-Gu come to blows regarding the latter’s attempt to hold a meeting with the attorneys to get rid of Geum-Ja. When no one turns up, he bemoans his luck until Song arrives, furious at what he’s trying to do and subsequently telling Seok-Gu to get rid of his “useless pride”. At D&T, Hee-Jae and Geum-Ja come to blows again as they both arrive to see Mr. Son at the same time. Hee-Jae is none too happy with this though but he puts on a smile and as they both stand to greet him; Geum-Ja is given a frosty reception. She stuffs her phone down the side of the sofa and, unbeknownst to the others, starts recording the entire coversation. The meeting begins and Geum-Ja immediately tries to get under Son’s skin, suggesting he could be the one who leaked the information in the first place and going on to ask him whether they can interview the employees. As he laughs at her aggression, she jumps right to the heart of the issue and asks him about the adult site he’s been linked to, Foxer. Hee-Jae tries to laugh off the uncomfortableness of the entire conversation before apologising on Geum-Ja’s behalf. Son admits to being sensitive though and as the two lawyers leave, Geum-Ja returns to grab her phone and insinuates that the case may be linked to his father, Chairman Son. Outside, Geum-Ja uses her contact Joo-Ho to find a witness and incriminating evidence to use in the case ahead. This also helps Hee-Jae as he prepares to shake up Prosecutor Park before the big trial. In his office, he tells him there’s not enough evidence to prosecute and mentions the 4.5 million cyrptocurrency, going on to suggest an indictment. As Park sits forward, Hee-Jae questions his practices and unsettles the lawyer before leaving. As he heads out, he meets Geum-Ja and they talk about the case. Inevitably, this leads them on to discuss the elephant in the room as they talk about Geum-Ja’s love of money and whether that’s all she really cares about. It’s their first honest conversation, and something Hee-Jae picks up on immediately. However, their conversation is cut short by Kim appearing in the street. Unfortunately he manages to get away from the two lawyers, leading both of them to enact Plan B – which involves meeting Kim’s Mother. It’s enough to bring Kim back out of hiding and he confronts Geum-Ja over what she wants. “The truth” is her sincere reply and it’s enough for him to open up to her. At the same time, Hee-Jae meets with Jin-Su again and what follows is a slick set of scenes that bounce back and forth between these two conversation as we learn more about this intricate case. Jin-Su believes he’s being set-up and he believes Kim is the one doing this. Kim however, has a different opinion on the matter and he tells Geum-Ja that it’s Jin-Su that’s responsible. As she sips her tea, Geum-Ja tells him the only thing the prosecution have is his testimony – which isn’t enough to prosecute. Midway through discussing the case however, police officers rush in and arrest Jin-Su, complete with an arrest warrant. Whatever evidence Kim has, it’s enough for the police to act immediately and cause a big mountain for our two lawyers to try and climb as the episode ends. With more of this case coming to the foreground, and seemingly insurmountable odds for the two lawyers to try and tackle from here on out, the midway point of this drama looks like these two are going to be forced to work together. In a round about way they actually complement one another perfectly, with ruthlessness and just the right amount of aggression to make prolific lawyers. The slick editing and back and forth conversations between the pair only accentuate that and all of this combines to make Hyena one of the stronger character-driven dramas of the year.
