Unification
The news of this reunification has created a frenzy of excitement in South Korea, and the country is in the process of welcoming North Koreans into the fold. But as soon as the two Koreas start to operate under their new system, they’ll be facing some unique challenges. For one, they’ll be using a new currency - the Korean won - which is different from any other in the world. And secondly, there will be no more fighting between South and North Korea.
But as they get closer to Seoul, they realize that their dreams of a better life are not going to be realized. The city is in a state of emergency and many people have been killed or injured in the violence. They are also worried about what will happen when the emergency ends.
Tokyo is thrust into a world of political and social upheaval as she tries to make a living and keep her family safe. She must navigate the dangerous waters of South Korea’s capitalist society while also trying to keep her head down in order to protect herself and her loved ones.
Tokyo feels unfulfilled in her new life and worse, she finds loan sharks taking advantage of vulnerable young women as a result. Tokyo is no stranger to this sort of hostility though, given she served in the army, and eventually kills them all. ..
She opens the safe and pulls out a few hundred dollars, before quickly stuffing it back in. She’s not going to let anyone know she’s got money, not even her own thief. She heads back to her room, feeling excited about the prospect of making some serious money.
Tokyo’s Wanted status has increased as a result of a spate of similar robberies targeting different loan sharks. The police are looking for her to help identify the criminals.
Tokyo, a woman who has lost her partner, finds herself alone outside and decides to end it all with a single bullet left. Luckily, she is saved by The Professor, who rocks up and recruits her to change the world. ..
In the new series, “The Professor,” we are introduced to the students who all name themselves after different cities. There is also a mixture of those from North and South Korea making up the team. And of course, the infamous Berlin, who actually happens to be the most wanted man in North Korea. ..
The Professor plans to steal 4 trillion won from the people who would see the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. His target is the Unified Korea Mint.
In the next five months, we’ll be seeing some commemorative coins circulating just as a summit is getting close. But that’s about to change soon because something much more important is about to happen. ..
As the Professor pulls the strings, a barricade is set up on a dam as a police escort is held up at gunpoint by our attackers. After thwarting the police, they take their clothes, don their disguises and prepare to storm the Mint.
Moscow forces everyone inside the Mint to the ground, holding them up at gunpoint. The security are stopped, Rio freezes the electrics while the Professor keeps this operation moving. ..
The group of people in the main atrium are blindfolded and kept at gunpoint. Berlin is in charge, convincing Misun, the woman whom the Mint Director is having an affair with, to pick up the phone from headquarters to make sure they don’t arouse any suspicions.
The Moscow police have found all the money they were looking for and are now planning to use it to finance their next operation. This plan involves retreating back into the basement and waiting for the police, who will then accidentally enter and enact their plan.
Rio, who had been shot in the skirmish, was grabbed by the group and taken back inside. With smoke grenades thrown to avoid gunfire, the group avoided getting shot and managed to get Rio back inside safely. ..
As a result of the talks, North and South Korea both discuss matters together and appoint a chief of JEA police, Yun Chansu, to oversee a task force made up of both North and South Korean soldiers.
Woojin comes up with a plan to get the hostages out without using force. She negotiates with the gunmen, and eventually comes up with a deal that allows them to leave in exchange for five hostages.
Woojin and Captain Cha Moohyuk have a tense relationship because the Professor from North Korea is trying to negotiate with them. However, Woojin communicates with the Professor in an attempt to start negotiations.
It’s a tricky situation though- something the Professor is exploiting. Given there are still tensions between North and South Korea, Captain Cha decides to go in with a full military force.
The professor was clever in that he knew who would be put in charge of the task force and that they would be aware of Woojin’s connection. This gave him time to deduce a full military raid would be incoming, pointing out five different locations they’d be breaking in from. ..
The hostage takers used all of the hostages to their advantage in order to get them dressed up and on-air pleading with the soldiers to keep negotiating. This allowed Captain Cha to call off the attack and return to their original plan.
The big twist in this story is that those inside the Mint actually intend to print their own money. They’re biding time and intend to disappear without a trace from authorities. But how long will they manage to hold out for? ..
The Episode Review
The first episode of Money Heist: Korea sets up a nice setup with essentially a beat-for-beat remake of the original La Casa De Papel. The team is able to take over a bank in Seoul and get away with millions of dollars in cash and jewels.
There are some key differences between the North and South Korean approaches to the Mint. The North is hostile to the South, and this conflict is set up in an intriguing light because of that. The South Koreans are trying to figure out how best to deal with the Mint, and that’s something that will be important to watch in future episodes. ..
This conflict has a unique perspective and it’s an interesting way of framing it. Of course, it also comes at the expense of everything else feeling very similar to the original. Given there’s been barely any time since the Spanish phenomenon first released (5 years to be precise!) this is going to be something fresh in many people’s minds.
The story is well developed and that bodes well for the rest of the series. ..
