A Minnow Among Sharks
Yo-Han is taken outside and beaten by the gangsters. He’s then left to die in the cold. However, with the Dean en-route, he’s saved and brought back inside. The gangsters are now questioning Yo-Han about what he knows about the Dean and his plans. They want to know if Yo-Han is a traitor or if he’s just trying to help out his friend.
Yo-Han heads out into the yard after, trying to find Lee Tae-Gwang. Unfortunately, he’s taken away by one of the crooked guards who takes him straight to the kitchen where a whole bunch of inmates corner him.
The workers at the den are under orders from their boss, Jo Hae-Do, to gain compensation for their losses. They want 1 million won per week, as well as further compensation for what’s happened to the den. If not, then his grandmother is going to be killed.
The scene is well-shot and provides a great insight into the characters’ thoughts and feelings. However, I found it difficult to follow the story because there are so many switches between Yo-han and his grandmother.
Yo-Han is beaten down, but he’s quelled slightly by Song Doo-Chul, the man in charge of the gang in his cell. He learns of Yo=-Han’s debts and decides to throw him a bone, offering him a chance to win 1 million won. Doo-Chul reveals that the prison is like a gambling house; you can either be broke or win big. If he stays by Doo-Chul’s side and helps him out, Doo-Chul promises to take care of Hae-Do for him. ..
Jin-Hyung is surrounded by sharks at the prosecutors’ office. Byung-Wook continues to show off the power he has, as Jin-Hyung is told to make sure the Yo-Han situation doesn’t get out of hand.
It seems that Jin-Hyung, Yo-Han’s grandmother, and Hae-Do are all in trouble. The men who try to scare them out of giving up the deed to their house seem to be targeting Yo-Han’s grandmother specifically.
Thankfully, Soo-Yeon shows up and offers a lifeline to her. This comes in the form of organizing a call to Yo-Han, who reassures his grandmother that everything is okay and he’s being treated well inside.
Doo-Chul and Hae-Do come to an agreement, which is all about gambling now. Yo-Han is right in the thick of it. His target is Jang Sun-Oh, who is actually the crazy guy Yo-Han met during the room inspection earlier in the episode.
The first league is for the most violent offenders, who are kept in solitary confinement and have little contact with the other inmates. The second league is for those who have committed less serious crimes, and are allowed to live in groups of around 20. The third league is for those who have shown good behavior and are given privileges such as access to education and work programs. The whole prison is being run like a gambling house, which is explained to Yo-Han through some slick animations and cutaway shots of the prison. With the security manager there serving as the house manager, the prison is essentially divided up into three leagues based on their criminal history. ..
Sun-Oh is a prison where cigarettes are used as chips. If you play well, you advance up to the staff lounge where cash is used. Here, the staff also bet, even waging stakes on different prisoners, sponsoring them or sharing the winnings that the players make. If you stand out there? Well, it goes up to the big leagues and this is where Sun-Oh is currently operating.
The other inmates in the prison are trying to figure out what is going on. They’re not sure if the man is bluffing or if he has a real hand. But they all seem to fold when he gets a good hand.
Yo-Han is in a tough spot when he has a pair of nines and his opponent has two kings. Yo-Han has some bad luck and seems to be in trouble.
The cycle continues each day; clean the prison room, continue the day to day grind and play cards. Yo-Han has more guts than skills though, and he eventually loses all of Doo-Chul’s money. Surprisingly, the gang leader doesn’t hurt Yo-Han, instead deciding that he can try again and win back all the money he’s lost.
Doo-Chul, an inmate at Hae-Do Prison, is not happy with the way his debt is being handled by the gang led by Hae-Do’s son Yo-Han. On one occasion, they catch Doo-Chul while he’s out farming and begin beating him down. Fortunately, Yo-Han manages to get away. However, on the next day, guards show up and immediately throw Yo-Han into solitary confinement for 20 days for leaving the area. At the same time, Yo-Han’s grandmother is approached by a strange masked man in an alleyway. ..
Yo-Han’s problems turn into a blessing though when he talks to the guy next to him. He knows about playing cards and asks whether Yo-Han wants to learn. Yo-Han refuses, but there are bigger problems afoot.
Yo-Han’s grandmother is killed and in her mouth happens to be the ownership deed for her house. This is a clear message sent from Hong Jae-Sun. He’s actually in cahoots with Chairman Yang, who happens to be his uncle. Catching wind of Yo-Han messing with the gambling den, Hong sneers and claims this is revenge while Yo-Han is out, mourning the death of his grandmother.
Yo-Han is just in time as Jin-Hyung arrives to help him take care of the guy. Yo-Han admits he doesn’t have anything left but to continue with his official duties. However, Jin-Hyung is backing off given there’s been a setback in the operation.
Yo-Han returns to prison after serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. He decides that he’ll take up the offer of learning Texas Hold ’em Poker to gain revenge on the man who sent him to prison.
The Episode Review
The second episode of Insider shows how Yo-Han is in over his head. He is beaten down by the other inmates, and he is also reckless while gambling. This helps to show a foundation for the level of progression we are undoubtedly going to get across the weeks ahead. The show has done a very good job characterizing Yo-Han in this way.
Yo-Han has overcome incredible odds to become a champion in the world of competitive gaming. After years of struggling to make a name for himself, he finally found his calling when he was invited to compete in the world’s most prestigious gaming tournament – the International. Yo-Han’s story is an inspiring one, as he shows that anyone can achieve their dreams if they have the determination and courage to fight for what they believe in. His story is a testament to the power of hard work and perseverance, and it will inspire others to follow their own path in life. ..
It’s interesting to see Doo-Chul recognize the heart in this kid and he’s clearly understood that Yo-Han could be a good tool to use going forward. Of course, every action has a reaction, which comes in the form of Yo-Han’s grandmother being killed because of Yo-Han’s inability to pay back his debts.
This week’s double bill of Korean dramas features some of the most promising new shows in years. Yo-Han is one of the lucky few who will be able to see them, and he can’t wait to see what happens next.
