The Big Delivery
Kang and Pastor Yo-hwan continue their business meeting at the start of episode 3 of Narco-Saints. Kang is adamant that he came back to Suriname to make money and recover from his losses. Soon the discussion turns to the business and whether or not Chen Zhen is capable of delivering the cocaine to Kang.
I found it fascinating how Pastor Yo-hwan unashamedly twists and turns the Bible to fit his religious propaganda when making a drug deal.
The discussion between Kang and Pastor Yo-hwan is clear that Kang will need Pastor Yo-hwan’s cocaine network to make money. The entrapment plan is now in full swing and Pastor Yo-hwan has taken the bait. Let the cat and mouse games begin!
Kang introduces Pastor Yo-hwan to Agent Chang-ho who is acting undercover as Kang’s contact in Korea named Sangman. Sangman tries to ease Pastor Yo-hwan’s anxiety by answering his questions but the pastor wants an in-person meeting. Agent Chang-ho invites the pastor to meet him in Brazil but the pastor claims he is tied up with church duties. This forces the agent to make an impromptu decision and arrange to visit Suriname.
The pastor and his men greet Yo-hwan, who appears to be a drug dealer, with suspicion. Yo-hwan requests to see the pastor’s passport to verify that he has not visited Suriname in the past two years. The pastor and his men are hesitant but eventually allow him to see the document. Yo-hwan is suspicious and wants to know more about the deal before proceeding. ..
He sends one of his men, David, to check if Sangman’s story holds up. The verification process takes longer than expected and the pastor gives an order to kill Sangman and Kang. Luckily just as the hit is about to go down, the verification comes through and Kang and Sangman live to see another day. Yo-hwan invites them back to his house and they discuss the shipments. Yo-hwan will supply two tons of Columbian cocaine in 30 days to the agreed destination. Sangman will go back to Brazil and Kang will remain in Suriname. ..
Yo-hwan invites the agents to a celebratory dinner. At the dinner, Kang asks Agent Chang-ho to introduce him to the other undercover agent in Suriname, but Chang-ho declines. Yo-hwan also insists that Kang should stay at his house until the transaction is done. Kang is not happy about this idea but Yo-hwan leaves him no choice.
Kang tells the story of how his skate shipment was inspected without a tip-off, and how he is angry that he got caught in the middle and was sacrificed for “national interests.” His trust in the National Intelligence Service is shaken and he is sick of being exploited.
Kang moves into Yo-hwan’s house, and sees how they deal with a traitor in their midst. Chen keeps calling Kang and this leaves him in a dilemma over how to handle him, and Chang-ho advises him to not go see him alone. A piece of advice he ignores and pays the price when they beat him up and kidnap him. Being a charming negotiator, Kang smoothly talks his way out of the tricky situation by getting into a deal with Chen to kill the pastor and take his drug empire.
Yo-hwan meets with his Columbian suppliers to secure the large shipment of cocaine. Once Kang sees the shipment, he sends a picture to Chang-ho and he in turn sends the money for the drugs. The only thing left is to deliver the drugs to the planned destination near the border of Brazil. The drugs are delivered on time at the delivery point but the exchange doesn’t go as smoothly as Yo-hwan had hoped.
The Episode Review
Yo-hwan is in a tight spot. He’s been caught with cocaine and now he has to explain why he’s eating at this diner. It seems like the undercover agent is actually in Yo-hwan’s inner circle, and it seems like the two of them are close. I wonder who the agent is and what his plan is for Yo-hwan.
As the episode ends with such a nail-biting climax, I can’t wait to see what will happen at the delivery point. Will it be a bloodbath or a sweet surrender?
