Original subtitles

[music: "Villains" theme song]

(This drama is a work of fiction)

(Any similarity to real people, organizations, or events is coincidental)

(Scenes with child actors followed production guidelines)

(young Suhyun) Money can make my dad hear again.

Snow Fairy Sugar,

just like in the cartoon, please change this snow

into money.

Help me so that Dad can have surgery.

[sentimental music]

[in sign language] (boy) Stand on your own two feet if you want a chance.

Fairies are made up by adults.

This is the reality we're living in.

[whoosh sound]

[ominous music]

(Junghyuk) We've been walking from Cheonggye Plaza for seven kilometers.

Are we on a date or something?

I might actually start to like you!

(J) Stop whining. We're almost here.

[J laughs]

(Junghyuk) What do you think you're doing?

(J) You wanted to see an actual proposal.

[Junghyuk sighs]

Follow me, okay?

[J laughs]

(Junghyuk) That punk.

This better be good. I swear.

[Gitae sighs] [ominous music]

[Gitae exhales]

(Gitae) J began working

and started making supernotes all because of you.

Also,

you knew Dosik had

a fake hundred-dollar bill in his mouth.

It's true, you know too much.

That's why you were almost killed.

But then,

regarding the supernote distribution,

you don't know anything.

[door opens]

(Changsuk) I have a brief report for you.

(Gitae) If it's not urgent, come back later.

(Changsuk) The autopsy results came in

for the Incheon murder case.

(Gitae) Come out here.

(Episode 5: Plan A and Plan B; A Game of Deceit)

(Changsuk) From the thigh of the man who was killed in the basement,

we found a bullet. [man moaning]

It's a 9mm Major bullet.

It's used in Europe for commercial handguns.

It's a makeshift bullet.

[tense music]

[gunshot]

[Dosik groans]

[gunshot]

[call connecting]

- (Gitae) Chief Jung? - (Chief Jung) Yes.

It's stated in the autopsy result.

Just a second.

(Chief Jung) Hey, what was it?

The bullet that was found in Choi Dosik's body.

- What kind was it? - (detective) It was a 9mm Major.

(Chief Jung) Okay.

It's a 9mm Major.

This one is hard to find in Korea.

(Cheonggyecheon New Railway Bridge)

(J) During the Park Administration, in order to build the Cheonggye Overpass,

they covered the Cheonggyecheon stream with concrete.

In the early 2000s, the stream was uncovered again.

(Junghyuk) So?

(J) From the plaza we started from,

all the way to the new railway bridge you see there,

the whole thing was covered with concrete.

(Junghyuk) What does that have to do with your proposal?

(J) Seriously, you and your temper.

I can't believe how impatient you are.

(Junghyuk) You punk, I swear.

[J laughs]

Okay, I'm getting to the good part of my serious proposal.

Listen carefully.

[ominous music] In the 1960s in Seoul,

the government said they wanted to mitigate traffic

by building the Cheonggye Overpass.

But in reality, the higher-ups were preparing for the war.

To build a tunnel and a bunker that would provide an underground escape,

they covered the Cheonggyecheon.

(Junghyuk) Are you saying a tunnel exists under the stream?

(J) It's 30 meters underground.

[dramatic sound]

If you go 30m under, walk for 7km,

and come back up 30m, you'll find Cheonggye Road.

(KC Bank) Just 10m away is

the KC Bank Headquarters.

That's where we met two hours ago.

That's also our target.

Two weeks from today,

the KC Bank Headquarters will move to a new building.

First, they will move 2.25 trillion won,

as well as the VIP safes, to the new building.

The cash will be transported in three batches.

The first batch will be sent next Wednesday.

[ominous music]

(Junghyuk) The money we'll take.

How much is it?

(J) It's 500 billion won.

Before the cash transport,

we'll take the 500 billion won

and leave counterfeits instead.

(Junghyuk) Won't they notice the fake bills?

[Junghyuk scoffs]

(J) Here.

My team made that.

(Junghyuk) What the hell?

Is this really fake?

(J) It's a super-intricate counterfeit.

It's a supernote.

[Junghyuk scoffs]

(Junghyuk) This is incredible.

[Junghyuk laughs]

I'll take this as a welcome gift.

But the distance from here to KC Bank

is at least 20 or 30 meters.

(J) I hired a Chinese mining team with 30 years of experience

to start digging a month ago.

We already secured a path.

(Junghyuk) Let's go there.

(J) Don't you trust me?

(Junghyuk) Me...

trust you?

It's better to be safe than sorry

with you.

[upbeat music]

[drilling]

(J) Be careful.

What do you think?

(Junghyuk) You crazy bastard.

[J laughs] (Junghyuk) This is

a serious freaking business proposal!

[J and Junghyuk laughing]

You're one mad, crazy bastard!

[Junghyuk laughing]

(Junghyuk) You're not bad at all! [J laughs]

Damn!

You're such a lovable bastard!

Yes!

[Junghyuk shouts]

(Gitae) Did J kill Choi Dosik?

(Suhyun) I don't know.

(Gitae) We know J took counterfeits

and contacted Choi Dosik.

(Suhyun) Yes, he left with 25 billion fake won,

but returned with nothing to show for it.

[ominous music] It was before I called the NIS.

About five days before,

J and I went out for the first time in a while.

[whoosh sound]

(Five days before reporting to the NIS)

[phone vibrating]

(Dosik) This punk hasn't shown. It's been two hours.

(gangster) He called to reschedule the meeting for tomorrow.

This asshole has no intention of doing business!

- That's hot! - (Suhyun) Gosh...

- (Suhyun) I'm sorry. - That's hot.

- (Suhyun) I'm sorry. - (Dosik) Are you freaking blind?

(Suhyun) What's it going to be?

(Dosik) What?

(Suhyun) A cop is tailing you.

Listen carefully.

Go outside and take the taxi with plate number 8508.

Say you're going to Jangchung Arena.

(Fixer) We've made contact with Choi Dosik.

[in elderly voice] (J) Goodness, it took me two hours

to finally get a customer.

[J laughs] (Dosik) To Jangchung Arena, please.

(J) Goodness.

I waited until my neck was sore for a customer.

Two hours isn't exactly short.

You could have come out earlier.

How could you make me wait for two hours?

[normal tone] Let's be real now, sir.

(Dosik) J?

(J) The 97% pure crystal meth you want to buy is

Jang Junghyuk's masterpiece.

(Dosik) How did you...

(J) I know Jang Junghyuk really well.

He's getting cockier by the day.

He screws up what little work ethic is left in this field.

That bastard.

(Dosik) I came because you wanted to invest 50 billion won,

not to listen to you trash-talk someone.

[J laughs]

(J) That's true.

We should talk business.

[tense music]

The crystal meth lab is in Incheon.

From production to shipment, the lab is so secure that

even a surveillance camera can't spot it, let alone the human eye.

The lab is

sitting on 100 billion won worth of product.

If you take it all,

you take 50 billion won as promised.

We'll go half and half with the product.

[Dosik scoffs]

(Dosik) Do you really think that's possible?

(J) Now, listen carefully.

[ominous music]

Jang Junghyuk enters the drug lab

through an underground path.

The production emits

formaldehyde, which requires daily ventilation.

So from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m.,

the lab stops working. [Junghyuk exhales]

The tunnel is six meters underground.

It's a drain that prevents flooding due to heavy rain.

Only a street rat or cat knows about it. It's a very safe route.

That's why when it comes to the underground tunnel,

Junghyuk is less guarded.

You're the best dealer in Korea.

Methamphetamine is a hot commodity,

a piece of cake for you to sell.

You would also get the 50 billion won I promised.

[Dosik sighs]

(J) How long are you going to let Junghyuk get ahead?

(Dosik) I'm in.

Let's do it.

[tense music]

[ominous music]

(Suhyun) But Dosik ran away with the drugs.

The day J was supposed to meet Dosik,

he told Jang Junghyuk that Dosik stole the drugs.

[ominous sound]

[tense music]

(passerby) What the...

What the...

[tires screech]

- (Dosik) Damn it! - (Junggi) Gosh, it's Dosik.

- (Dosik) Damn! - (Junggi) Pinching pennies, are you?

[Junggi laughs] (Dosik) Damn it.

(Junggi) Give me that, you bastard!

You asshole...

That crazy bastard.

[Junggi pants]

(Gitae) So,

Junghyuk followed Dosik, and bang!

Is that it?

(Suhyun) I'm only stating what happened.

You have to find the evidence.

(Gitae) It's true that Jang Junghyuk shot him,

but what about the hundred-dollar bill?

(Suhyun) Why are you asking me?

(Gitae) Don't you remember what you said yourself?

[tense music] (Gitae) You said it's the guy

who put the hundred-dollar bill in his mouth.

(Gitae) It was J, wasn't it?

[Suhyun sighs]

(Gitae) What the hell is that asshole up to?

[ominous sound]

(Gitae) There's no surveillance footage.

Everything is dumped on a local detective.

The killer is framing a junkie.

Some punk is insisting

the illegal den is his.

It all comes down to Junghyuk being wiped clean from this case.

Why aren't they investigating the bullet from the victim's thigh?

(Yongsan) He was killed with a knife.

It also had the killer's fingerprints.

They must be focusing on getting a confession.

(Gitae) A confession is one thing,

but it only takes a couple of detectives

to find out how the bullet was purchased.

(Yongsan) That's the police's job.

We only need to worry about the supernote case.

[Gitae sighs]

(Gitae) Jang Junghyuk, that bastard.

I can feel him slipping away again.

[Gitae sighs]

Damn it!

(Yongsan) You haven't reported where you're going!

(Gitae) I'm interrogating Suhyun!

Spit it out.

Aren't you here to spill the beans?

[ominous music]

(Suhyun) The third member.

(Fixer) The doctor is here.

[emphatic sound] A woman in her 30s.

J called her Dr. Choi.

(Gitae) Dr. Choi?

(Suhyun) That woman

was a mole J planted on Junghyuk's team.

J asked her

to create some kind of chemical,

in order to prepare for Plan B.

(Gitae) Shit.

I don't even know what Plan A is, and there's Plan B?

What's this chemical business?

(Dr. Choi) Materials are oxidized and corroded

by chemical reactions.

We need to figure out the formula

that will create the reaction we need for our plan to work.

(Fixer) Here.

It's the NaCIO3 formula.

In acidic solutions,

it causes strong oxidation and corrosion.

[camera shutter]

[tense music]

(Gitae) Bring Han Suhyun's phone.

You really don't know anything else?

(Suhyun) No.

(Gitae) Good.

If you don't even know about Plan A, how would you know about Plan B?

A chemical that oxidizes and corrodes materials...

Why?

Right? For what?

[Gitae sighs]

(J) What do you think?

(Junghyuk) Well...

Goodness.

This is...

five hundred billion won worth of fake bills, right?

[Junghyuk laughs]

[plastic creasing]

Wow.

It's rough on the outside. [Junghyuk laughs]

Right?

Wow.

It's flawless.

It's incredible. [lighter flicks]

[burning sound]

[Junghyuk exhales]

Tastes good.

[J laughs]

(J) Chief Jang,

I need your help.

(Junghyuk) Ask me anything.

(Junghyuk) I heard KC Bank's cash transport

is being outsourced to B&A.

Your banks outsource work

to B&A Security for security stuff as well.

(Chairman Bang) Yes, so?

(Junghyuk) From now on, give B&A all the work.

(Chairman Bang) My group has eight savings banks.

B&A's staff is nowhere near enough.

KC Bank alone overwhelms them.

(Junghyuk) J is taking advantage of that.

(Chairman Bang) Who?

(Junghyuk) J prepared this in advance.

Take a look.

They're former and current cash movers.

They're also malicious defaulters.

He bought them out for $500,000 each.

(Chairman Bang) First, we use

the same security company as KC Bank.

Then, we naturally lead them to hire

extra movers to be our moles?

(Junghyuk) Your job is

to keep an eye on the B&A acquirers.

[Chairman Bang scoffs]

Even after your 10% cut of the 300 billion won profit,

Eulsa Club gets 270 billion won.

(Chairman Bang) It's big enough to fund

the election and next year's budget.

[Chairman Bang laughs]

(Junghyuk) Did you say 270 billion won?

Eulsa Club gets 500 billion won.

(Chairman Bang) You said J gets half.

(Junghyuk) My goodness.

I feel bad.

After hanging with classy guys,

you're no longer a wild man.

My 10% cut.

We should grow it to 50 billion won.

[tense music]

[Chairman Bang scoffs]

[Junghyuk exclaims] [Chairman Bang laughing]

(Chairman Bang) Fifty billion won.

Good. I like that.

You're right.

(Dr. Choi) Jang Junghyuk ordered the local lab to halt operation.

Instead,

he asked me to make an aerosol bomb.

(J) An aerosol bomb?

(Dr. Choi) It's called toluene.

It releases a massive amount of toxic gas when it explodes.

The gas can melt human lungs in ten seconds.

That's how toxic it is.

(J) That's what Junghyuk would do.

It's to be expected.

When we have 500 billion won in real cash,

he'll snatch it right from under our noses.

Is that how he wants to play?

[rhythmic music]

Plan A and Plan B.

We operate them both.

(Kkangsuni) Boss.

What is the target of Plan B?

Korea Bank. [escalating sound]

(Yeonchae) The chemical symbols on Suhyun's phone.

It's a list of chemical reactions

that occur when fiber is oxidized or corroded.

(Gitae) Okay, you can go.

[door closing]

(Gitae) Fiber?

A chemical that oxidizes and corrodes fiber?

[ominous music] [Suhyun snaps]

(Suhyun) Bills aren't paper.

They're fiber. Short fibers.

(Gitae) Damaged bills.

Is J going to damage the counterfeits?

(Suhyun) Right before distribution? Why?

(Gitae) You're right.

Isn't it weird?

It makes no sense.

[Gitae sighs]

[Gitae groans]

[door closes]

(Yongsan) Come on.

(Gitae) Damaged bills.

Why would he?

(Yongsan) Gosh.

You're so sloppy, it's embarrassing.

(Gitae) Why would he damage the bills?

[intriguing music]

Right.

(Gitae) Damaged bill exchange!

(Yongsan) You scared me.

Did you say "Damaged bill exchange?"

(Gitae) Bills get burned, dirty, ripped, and old.

People ask Korea Bank to discard cash.

They request 100 five-ton trucks a year.

J, that weasel.

After damaging 500 billion won in supernotes,

he'll ask Korea Bank to replace them.

The bank will shred and burn the fakes

before replacing them with freshly made bills.

[Gitae and Yongsan scoff]

(Gitae) Without leaving a single trace of evidence,

he can launder the fakes into real money.

He immediately secures 500 billion won.

[Yongsan snaps]

[call connecting]

(Yongsan) It's me.

Call Korea Bank to see

if any bank has requested to replace 500 billion won.

(Yeonchae) Myungsung Savings Bank requested

to replace 500 billion won.

(Yongsan) When was it approved for?

(Yeonchae) Next Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

(Yongsan) Call Myungsung and tell them to cancel the replacement.

Right now.

(Gitae) Hold on.

What about J?

Your dog can't come home if the flap door is blocked.

Listen up.

We have enough time until next Thursday.

We're going to catch J according to his plan

when he shows up at Korea Bank.

Remember that.

[Gitae sighs] [Yongsan clears throat]

[comical music] (Gitae) Come on, Chief.

We're professionals here. Don't be inflexible.

You're making people uncomfortable.

Lighten up.

I might be sowing,

but you're the chief.

You reap the benefits of me catching J.

(Yongsan) I didn't say anything.

[quietly] And regarding J,

I'll catch him myself.

(Yongsan) Okay, to the meeting room.

[Gitae sighs]

(Gitae) I hate everything about that asshole,

especially how sneaky he is.

(D-5)

[call connecting]

(Unknown caller) [phone ringing]

[Junghyuk sighs]

(J) Did you ditch your day job

to run off at the crack of dawn?

(Junghyuk) We're five days out, and you have time to chat?

(J) You've been doing a shoddy job.

I made time to nag you.

(Junghyuk) You little punk.

I pat you on the back a few times,

and now you're cocky.

So cocky. [J laughs]

(J) Since I'm cocky, why don't I become cockier?

[Junghyuk scoffs] (J) D-Day,

I'm changing it to the last day

of the KC Bank cash transport plan.

[tense music] (Junghyuk) Listen, asshole.

[Junghyuk sighs]

Hey!

Are you joking?

(J) Outsourcing the cash movement,

hiring the experienced B&A guards...

A perfect alibi will keep Chairman Bang out of the picture.

You can also dodge a bullet.

But Chairman Bang is doing such a terrible job

that I'm changing the D-Day to the last day.

I'll break it down for you from the beginning.

If you're a little slow, you had better write it down.

As you know,

everything is possible with money in Korea.

Grease the palm of the B&A owner. Make it slick.

Lower the hurdle.

Make it look like my mole cash mover

was hired three months ago.

Put it in writing.

Do I have to act like your nosy mother-in-law

constantly nagging you?

Do I? [ominous music]

[Junghyuk sighs]

[J laughs]

(J) Chairman Bang, the guy whose boots you lick,

is in charge of funding the Eulsa Club, a secret organization.

He dreams big,

but in this huge deal,

you don't invest. You try to freeload.

Why are you all so petty?

(Junghyuk) You...

How do you know about the Eulsa Club?

[J laughs]

(J) Of course, I know everything.

You know,

I'm not like you.

I don't use a gun in an emergency.

This brain.

I use my brain.

I get to know the cast before starting any project.

It's Con Artistry 101.

[Junghyuk scoffs] (J) That's why, in an emergency,

I tackle the weakness and plan my escape.

With D-Day pushed back,

get it right.

You bastard!

[Junghyuk panting]

(J) I have another surprise.

I had an unhappy member.

She turned herself in to the NIS.

By the way, [ominous music]

she made the supernotes.

Who knows what and how much she'll say?

Even I can't guess.

So,

in case of emergency,

I came up with a Plan B.

(Junghyuk) What?

(J) Depending on how things are on D-1,

I'll decide between Plan A and Plan B.

I'll tell you about Plan B too. Don't get carried away with your thoughts

and be so sensitive. [gun clanks]

[tense music]

(Junghyuk) Stop bullshitting, and tell me what Plan B is now.

[J laughing]

(J) You love a proposal,

so I'm writing it now.

Give me two hours.

Preparing for Plan B is [Junghyuk sighs]

so much simpler than Plan A.

It will be ready by D-1.

Don't worry about a thing.

(Junghyuk) People say

I have a pyramid network.

When you pitched that proposal,

don't you think I tapped into my network?

Isn't her name Han Suhyun?

[tense music]

[Junghyuk scoffs]

The bitch who turned herself in. The NIS is treating her well.

When I heard the report about her babbling,

I thought to myself...

If you two teamed up,

that technician cow...

could be misleading the NIS's investigation.

And the mastermind

could be screwing over me and the NIS.

If I'm right to worry,

which is a bluff?

Which is real?

Your Plan A.

It was very specific and realistic.

You presented it perfectly. [ominous music]

However, when I think about it,

it's too risky and complicated.

Your Plan B is simple.

[forklift operating]

So, are you holding

Plan B as your card?

You hired dozens of expert diggers.

For Plan A,

you spent a lot on the operation.

After all your hard work,

would you really use it as a bluff?

[J laughs]

(J) Didn't I tell you?

Depending on how things go the day before,

I'll decide between the two plans.

I knew you had a thick head, but...

[Junghyuk scoffs]

(J) I know I told you

to use your brain.

I must have ticked you off.

I kept going on and on about being smart.

I rubbed it in.

Fine, I admit it.

You're not a simpleton, Mr. Jang.

You're smart.

Why did I put you down?

That's just

me being a paranoid partner.

Yes, think of me as a paranoid partner.

I hope you understand. Okay?

[tense music]

(Junghyuk) Fine.

I'll wait.

But when the day comes,

if the plan is to stab me in the back,

your team...

I'll hunt you all down.

(J) Suit yourself.

[J laughs]

[end call sound]

[Junghyuk sighs]

[call connecting]

[phone vibrating]

[door opens]

- (Changsuk) Yes? - Did you find out?

About Han Suhyun?

(Junghyuk) J and Han Suhyun, that cow.

I can sense they're up to something.

They're probably hooking up.

(Changsuk) I told you everything about what happened eight years ago.

(Junghyuk) Dig deeper! Deeper!

[tense music] Twelve years ago,

when you first met me,

you were a junkie who had sex parties.

(Changsuk) Okay.

I'll start with Han Suhyun's family

to find any connection to J.

I just need to find something, right?

(Junghyuk) You asshole.

You're an asshole for making me say more.

There's not much time.

[end call sound]

[Junghyuk panting]

[Junggi inhaling]

Damn, the air feels nice. [door clanks]

(Junggi) Detective Choi, where are you going?

(Dongwoo) The illegal den.

It's been handled nicely.

Your replacement was freed

with a nicely drafted report.

I found out that you

have been aiding the Eulsa Club.

(Junghyuk) How did you know?

(Dongwoo) I mean,

I come from an eligible family,

but I haven't received an invitation.

Goodness, I'll be 60 soon.

Shouldn't I run for the national agency at least once?

(Junghyuk) I'll set up a meeting.

[Dongwoo laughs]

(Junghyuk) Come visit Seoul.

(Dongwoo) Are you leaving already?

- (Junghyuk) Yes. - (Dongwoo) Come on.

I was going to buy you a big dinner.

Hey, can't you cancel your thing?

(Junghyuk) I'm busy. We'll have a drink later.

(Dongwoo) Junghyuk, promise me we'll have a drink later, okay?

(gangsters) Congratulations!

(gangsters) Sir!

(Junggi) Big Boss told us not to look like thugs.

Cigarette.

[Junggi sighs]

[Junggi exhales]

Can't you dress casually?

Why do you all dress exactly the same?

- (gangster) I'm sorry, sir. - Did you shop at the same place?

You freaking bastards.

Big Boss will go mad if he sees you.

[car honking]

(Junggi) Don't honk at me, you...

(gangster) Where are you going, sir?

(Junggi) You're here, sir.

(Junghyuk) Wow, looking like a thug.

Get in.

(Junggi) It's good to see you, but what's going on?

(Junghyuk) I know the state lunch sucks.

Treat yourself.

Thank you, Boss.

(Junghyuk) You have work next Thursday.

It might be a rough job.

[tense music]

For our meeting,

come to the place in Songdo tonight.

(Junggi) Yes, boss.

Ta-da! [spark]

[J laughs]

(J) Okay, it's not too late to change your mind.

You can put down the $50,000 and leave.

(mover) There's no way we'll change our minds.

Don't worry. [J laughs]

(J) Then, let's go!

[Kkangsuni exhales]

[solemn classical music playing]

(D-Day)

[tense music]

(KC Bank)

[intense music]

(Korea Bank)

(Myungsung Savings Bank)

(agent) The dog is on the move.

[in English] (Gitae) Okay.

[end call sound]

[walkie-talkie] The dog went for a walk.

It will take about 13 minutes.

It's a damn suspicious dog.

Before it enters the cage to eat,

stand by.

(Korea Bank)

(Cheonggyecheon New Railway Bridge)

(Changsuk) I have eyes on the dog.

[tense music]

(Gitae) The dog is entering the cage.

Wait until the signal.

[exciting music]

(Gitae) Get them when the elevator comes up.

Wait.

[forklift beeping]

(Gitae) Get them!

[urgent music]

[tense music]

(Gitae) Don't move. Stay still.

Turn around.

[escalating music]

[Gitae screams]

[music: "Villains" theme song]

(KC Bank)

[J sighs]

[music: "Villains" theme song continues]