Original subtitles

[sirens wailing]

The First Responders Season 2

[♪ thrilling rock music]

The First Responders Season 2

The characters, places, organizations, and events in this drama are fictitious

Child actors were filmed in safe situations

Scenes involving animals were staged

and filmed in compliance with applicable animal welfare guidelines

[Youngsoo] Detective Jin!

You're what?

You're rejecting the position as head of the NOI investigation team

and going back to Taewon Station?

- I don't like the color of the building. - [car horn honking]

I don't like that honking sound either.

By the way,

have you seen this?

Why are you asking about him again?

Something's suspicious about this.

Check on his condition for me, will you?

[Youngsoo mutters]

Hey, Detective Jin.

Have you been in contact with your father these days?

No, why?

[Youngsoo] This is a copy of the report containing everything about the case.

Thank you.

But why do you want to see the documents

for Assemblyman Ma's death when the case has been closed?

I won't put you in a difficult position.

[Chuljoong] Let's pretend we never had this meeting.

It's nothing. Go.

If you're not going to say anything, don't ask from now on.

[Hogae sighs]

- [♪ thrilling rock music] - [engine revving]

What a cool motorcycle. [chuckles]

Rapport Building: Process of establishing trust between suspects,

witnesses, and investigators during an investigation

Chundong

[elevator dings]

Auntie, are you home?

Why did you leave the door open when it's cold outside?

Auntie?

Are you here?

Auntie. Auntie.

[tense sting]

Auntie.

- Auntie! Auntie! - [♪ tense music]

Auntie, why... Wake up, Auntie!

Someone... Someone help me, please!

Auntie!

Auntie, please!

[Pil whimpering]

[camera shutter clicking]

[Samsoon sighs]

[Samsoon] I think the crime scene is a bit suspicious.

Someone died like this,

but the scene is too calm.

There isn't a drop of blood.

[Mr. Baek] Come to think of it, there isn't a drop of blood.

[investigator] There aren't any shoe prints, just sock prints.

But they're all partial prints.

What about the victim's cell phone? You should run forensics on it.

I looked everywhere...

but it's gone.

[Mr. Baek] What?

[resident 1] They're bringing her out.

- [resident 2] Gosh, how could this happen? - [resident 1] Oh, my.

- [resident 3] Oh, no. - [resident 4] She was fine last night.

I knew something was going to happen to her.

- [resident 5] How unfortunate. - [resident 6] Tell me about it.

- Are you smoking again? - Fine, I won't.

- [resident 2] Quit smoking. - [resident 1] Jeez.

[♪ tense music]

Did anyone see or hear anything strange last night?

I doubt they have the time to mind other people's business.

Are there any neighbors

who were close to the deceased?

I saw her from time to time, but I didn't know her well.

Excuse me, but I'm pretty busy too.

Oh, yes. Hello?

In my opinion, she died of stress and anger.

She turned the whole neighborhood upside down by picking fights.

[resident] As a result, she was shunned by everyone.

Everyone in this entire villa has had an altercation with her.

Including yourself?

[comical sting]

Honey, is that you?

[♪ quirky, emotional music]

Chul's father. [sobs]

No, I'm actually divorced.

Didn't I tell you life would be hard if you left?

Look at how your handsome face has aged.

[resident sobs] It's so wrinkly.

All you had was your looks. [sobbing]

Why is Chul not here to greet his father?

Chul!

Your father is here.

[resident] Chul. Chul! [sobbing]

May we see the recent entries

of the complaint ledgers and security logs?

They would be more accurate than interrogations in investigating grudges.

[sighs] Logs? There's nothing like that.

What do you mean? You record daily logs and keep complaints on file too.

Even if I do have them,

they contain the residents' personal information.

I can't just release that information.

[security guard] Even someone from management at Mijoong Apartments

was fired for releasing management logs.

You're being so guarded.

We're police officers.

Forget it! I don't care if you're the police.

There's nothing like that. So don't make a commotion and just leave.

- [Pil mutters] - [security guard grumbles]

Jeez, what's wrong with this neighborhood?

Hang on. Excuse me, sir!

[security guard] That's enough. I have nothing to share.

Jeez, stop it. Just leave.

[♪ calm music]

[whistle blows]

Why? What is it?

Why are you following me?

Are you a pervert or a thief?

[splutters] Not at all. I'm on my way home.

I'm fully aware of everything and everyone in Building 103.

I-I just moved in today.

I didn't see a moving truck though.

Oh, I see. But my place is right behind you.

Excuse me. No, please. Don't blow it.

Excuse me.

It's right here.

[beeping]

- [lock clicks, buzzes] - See?

[awkward chuckle] Have a nice evening.

I'm a police officer. [soft chuckle]

[sighs] He does live here.

[sighs]

[door chimes]

[sighs]

[Soonbok] Eat it before it spoils.

[♪ somber music]

Well, it's spoiled.

Hello, Auntie.

[soft chuckle]

Even a bowl of ramyeon should be eaten with kimchi.

Oh, but I won't be able to finish this by myself.

Aren't you running around trying to catch a serial arsonist or something?

I heard the top of Mijoong Apartments' septic tank was blown off.

My goodness, what a terrible bastard.

Eat this and get your wits about you.

Catch the bastard who's setting fires, okay?

- Got it? - Yes, I will. Thank you.

- Eat up, okay? - Okay, goodbye.

- Bye. - [Pil] Thank you!

[♪ somber music continues]

[coughs]

[sobs]

I'm sorry, Auntie.

[breathing shakily] I'll make sure...

[gulps]

...to catch the bastard who did this.

[sniffles]

[sighs]

[exhales deeply]

[phone tapping]

[Pil] There's an autopsy tomorrow.

I'm waiting for you, Detective Jin.

[door opens]

How does it feel to be thrown out of the organization?

[Chuljoong] You seem to have learned more jokes since rejecting a promotion

and returning to your previous position.

Do you really believe

Assemblyman Ma's death was a case of sudden death?

There were no visitors on the day he died.

The CCTVs, cell phone records,

and computer forensics came up clean.

[trunk closes]

There's no evidence to say it wasn't a sudden death,

so don't get involved.

What if it was done by someone skillful enough

to turn a suicide into an arson-homicide?

[♪ suspenseful music]

How much do you know about Ma Taehwa's mastermind?

I know one thing for sure.

It's not something someone like you can handle.

Do you still feel regret over losing your lifeline?

How long do you plan on lying, Father?

There's an old saying that goes,

"Don't grab a falling blade."

Stay out of it

while you still have the chance.

[♪ suspenseful music continues]

[engine starts, revs]

[♪ music intensifies, fades]

NFS National Forensic Service

[Mr. Baek] What time did they say the autopsy will begin?

- [engine revving] - [tires screeching]

[♪ thrilling rock music]

What time does the autopsy begin?

What brings you here, Mr. Head of NOI's Investigation Team?

Are you upset? And you.

Why do you keep texting me? Did you miss me that much?

You're here now. Let's go.

What's wrong with him? I'm here.

He knows the victim.

- [Hogae] Let's go. - [Mr. Baek] All right.

You can wait outside if you're uncomfortable.

I'm fine.

You said not to get emotionally involved when it comes to evidence.

Do you remember the cat carcass you autopsied last time?

[Pil] It was left in front of this person's home.

The two cases are related.

[Hong] I'll take it into consideration

- for now. - Okay.

[Hong] Let's do an external observation first.

[♪ tense music]

- [camera shutter clicks] - On the top of the forehead,

a circular depressed fracture about one inch in diameter, scalp laceration.

[Mr. Baek] Wasn't she hit with a hammer then?

Isn't a household hammer exactly one inch in diameter?

[Hong] Should I not perform the autopsy?

I think you've already come up with the answer.

No, we're sorry. Please, sir.

[Hong] White foreign substance on half of the face,

- centered around the depressed fracture. - [camera shutter clicking]

There's no moisture.

- Scrape it off to run a chemical analysis. - [pathologist 1] Yes, ma'am.

[Hong] Loupe, please.

[♪ suspenseful music]

[tools rattling]

There's redness of the skin.

There was no evidence of a fire at the scene, right?

Yes, that's right. Why? Is it a burn?

[Hong] I'll have a skin biopsy done.

It'll tell us what kind of damage it is.

[pathologist 1] I'll remove the skin tissue.

[♪ suspenseful music continues]

[Hong] Let's check for livor mortis.

Livor mortis: Purple discoloration of the skin after death

[Hong grunts]

There's livor mortis in the back side of the body,

centered around the back and buttocks,

so there was no change in position after death.

- No conjunctival hemorrhage. - [camera shutter clicks]

The oral and nasal cavities are all clean.

We'll have to open her up to find out.

Scalpel, please.

[suitcase wheels rattling]

[pathologist 2] What is this?

[Hong] Ribs two to five on the left

and ribs three to six on the right are fractured.

The third and fourth notches of the sternum are also fractured.

She looks fine on the outside, so why are so many bones broken?

[sighs heavily]

[pathologist 1] Goodness.

[pathologist 2] Ms. Yun.

[Hong sighs]

[♪ tense music]

[camera shutter clicking]

[pathologist 2] Blood volume of about nine fluid ounces.

Why is there no trauma if she bled so much?

[Hong] We'll have to figure that out from here on out.

[Hong inhales sharply] Let's start with the organs.

[♪ suspenseful music]

Left ventricular rupture.

The left ventricle is the weakest part of the heart.

There's multiple hemorrhaging observed

on both lung surfaces too.

[Mr. Baek] First the cat, now this. There must have been a lot of resentment.

The bigger the resentment, the more damage, right?

[Hong] Too early to make a conclusion. If it was a beating,

the skin would be covered with subcutaneous bleeding,

commonly known as bruises.

However, there's nothing like that at all.

On top of that, other organs such as the liver and kidneys are fine.

Only the heart and lungs were ruptured.

How can you cause the heart and lungs to rupture

without leaving a drop of blood behind?

[Hong] The heart and lungs have a unique characteristic.

They have empty spaces and are called hollow organs.

They have empty spaces?

[Hong] In the case of a living person, they're not empty.

The empty space within the heart is filled with blood,

and the empty space within the lungs contains the oxygen that we breathe.

But the fact that the damage was concentrated on those two organs

can only mean one thing.

Please prepare an otoscope to look into the eardrums.

[sighs]

[♪ suspenseful music]

[camera shutter clicking]

[pathologist 1] The eardrums in both ears are ruptured.

[Hong] This complicates matters.

This is getting a little frustrating. Can you explain what's going on?

[Hong] I'm going to send out an SOS.

Let's get a second opinion.

Second Opinion: Getting a new diagnosis from another expert

[phone ringing]

[Kang Doha] Hello, this is Kang Doha.

I haven't even unpacked my things yet.

All right, I'm on my way.

[Hong] He's probably running over with excitement.

[Mr. Baek] He shouldn't be excited. Someone passed away.

[Hong] I suppose that's what happens

when you overcome death about 100 times.

[Mr. Baek] 100 times?

Is he friends with the Grim Reaper or something?

[♪ dramatic music]

[Hong] You're here.

[Kang Doha] Why are you calling me on my first day on the job?

[Hong] All right, say hello.

This is Kang Doha,

the new head of the Department of Forensic Engineering at NFS.

We studied together in the US, and we were...

best friends.

These are the detectives in charge today.

- [Kang Doha] I know them. - [Hong] You know them?

- [Kang Doha] Somewhat. - [Mr. Baek] "Somewhat"?

There was a bomb and everything. It was a very meaningful encounter.

Let's not meet too often.

It's better that way, considering our line of work.

Weren't you with the EOD? Why are you at the NFS now?

[Hong] He's quite talented in the field of forensic engineering.

I had a hard time convincing him to come here.

[Kang Doha] I'm busy. Where should I start?

[Hong] There's no trauma at all.

Only the heart and lungs were ruptured, along with the eardrums.

[Kang Doha] Ruptured eardrums? This is interesting.

[Hong] And there was no blood at the scene.

[Kang Doha] The blood was likely all in the stomach.

[Hong] Bingo.

[Kang Doha] The blood doesn't have time to flow upon instant death.

If your heart doesn't beat, your blood won't eject.

Ejection: The release of blood as the heart contracts

[Kang Doha] Darn it.

This is starting to get really interesting.

[Pil] Excuse me.

That's enough. This is a murder case.

[Kang Doha] Did I do something wrong?

You should at least be sympathetic in front of--

[Kang Doha] The deceased didn't come to the NFS for sympathy, did she?

[♪ tense music]

Can you do a 3D bone reconstruction

of the fracture on the forehead?

[pathologist 2] Yes, we can.

3D Bone Reconstruction: Reconstruction of a bone CT scan into three dimensions

[♪ suspenseful music]

[pathologist 1] Starting 3D bone reconstruction.

Please step to the side.

DATA SCANNING

[Hong] First of all, a depressed fracture in the face,

multiple rib fractures,

and the rupture of vital organs, such as the lungs and the heart,

are all damages that can be the cause of death.

But we'll have to work

with the Department of Forensic Engineering to find the exact cause.

[pathologist 2] The reconstruction is done.

[Kang Doha] Good work.

As I expected.

In most cases, circular depressed fractures

tend to break in the middle because of the concentrated force,

but this is a bit different.

Do you see the octagonal shape here?

What kind of weapon causes this kind of damage?

Whatever it is,

it isn't a regular claw hammer or other type of hammer.

Let's go to the scene of the crime.

We'll have to check for ourselves to know.

Suit yourself.

I suggest... [sighs]

...that you don't come for fun.

[♪ thrilling rock music]

You're an interesting man.

Why do they keep leaving first?

- [door closes] - [Kang Doha scoffs]

Let's get that temper under control.

And put a filter on that mouth of yours.

I did.

- Yun Hong. - What?

It's really fun here.

- Jeez. Let's go. - [Kang Doha] Hey!

Case information

The victim is Yong Soonbok, 58 years old.

She is better known

- as the Spring Lady in the complex. - Spring Lady?

She got the nickname from springing into a fight

whenever anything happens.

[in angry voice] You have to put a sticker on big scraps.

How can you just throw it away like this?

- I don't know anything about stickers. - It's because of shameless people like you

that our complex looks like a pile of garbage!

[shouts] What did you say? "Shameless"?

- How dare you talk to me like that! - Did I say something wrong?

- [resident] Yes, you did! - [Pil] What's going on?

[resident] What about this table? And this refrigerator?

- This is smaller! - [Soonbok] There's no sticker!

- Why do you want a sticker on it? - And what of it?

Why are you parking in the disabled parking area?

Move your car immediately!

[Pil] Garbage dumping, parking disputes, smoking,

public property damage, and noise complaint issues.

- She was there for all of it. - [Mr. Baek sucks teeth]

So it's highly likely that this case is related

to the cat carcass case.

Did you get anything from the cat case?

Ms. Yong was a cat mom who fed stray cats,

so quite a few people didn't like her.

I just received a reply from the NFS.

There was car antifreeze

among the stomach contents of the dead cat.

So someone fed the cat antifreeze to kill it?

That's the cause of death for now.

Is she Anna's replacement?

What? Oh, right. You haven't been properly introduced.

This is Woo Samsoon, head of the forensics team.

- And this is-- - I know all about him.

Jindo... I mean, Detective Jin Hogae.

- I've heard a lot about you. - I look forward to working with you.

Did we get anything about her whereabouts on the day of the incident?

If you look at the records of Ms. Yong's missing cell phone

and CCTV footage from the store next to the complex,

Ms. Yong bought groceries from the supermarket

-and got home around 6:30 p.m. - [♪ suspenseful music]

Did she have any visitors that day?

The front door was open and there were only sock prints,

so there's a high chance the culprit was an acquaintance of hers.

[Samsoon] The CCTVs are only installed

at the entrance and parking lot of the complex.

We can't check if there were any visitors to her unit that day.

Let's look into what happened in Building 103 from 18:00,

which was when she was last confirmed alive,

until the day of the incident,

including the CCTV footage and dashcam footage.

The most entertaining TV to watch is a CCTV,

and the best camera footage is that of a dashcam.

I'll look through everything thoroughly.

We'll need to thoroughly investigate the residents of Chundong Villa.

Around 70 people live in Building 103, the same building as the victim.

That's about 700 residents in total.

They're all suspects in this case.

How are we supposed to investigate all of them?

We'll have to narrow it down to the suspicious ones.

I'm telling you that it's impossible.

The people in that complex are pretty cold.

They say she deserved to die for being such a rude person.

What do you mean by "rude person"?

Don't join in with them, Mr. Baek.

- I didn't say that. The residents did. - [door opens]

[door closes]

Hey.

I heard you were close to the victim. [sighs]

I can't even attend the meeting.

I get angry and irritated the more I think about all of this.

How do you hold it in when you feel this way?

[puffs] Who says I hold it in?

[Hogae sighs] Get angry.

Just get angry and let it out

so that the investigation goes smoothly.

But you should sit this one out.

- Sit this one out? - Why are you surprised?

People of special relations are excluded from investigative personnel.

[♪ uneasy music]

- [soft grunt] - [door opens]

- [door closes] - [sighs]

The safest Taewon, respected and beloved Taewon Police

[♪ suspenseful music]

[Mr. Baek groans]

What? You didn't go home yet?

I heard you gave Myeongpil

a pyramid scheme case with 318 witnesses.

[Mr. Baek] Everyone in that complex has decided to keep their mouths shut.

How do you plan to investigate without a partner?

Chundong Villa management recruitment

Investigation is a comprehensive art. [sighs]

Let's make this case a movie.

What are you talking about?

I get nervous every time you say something like that.

I'll be working offsite starting tomorrow so don't look for me.

- [phone vibrating] - [Mr. Baek] Wait...

- Yes? - [Youngsoo over phone] I found Ma Taehwa.

Jindo Dog,

I think you're wrong this time.

That bastard...

-may actually be on his deathbed. - [monitor beeping]

That would be a relief,

- but have someone watch him just in case. - [♪ tense music]

Chundong

- Follow me. - [new security guard] Okay.

- Goodness. - [♪ quirky music]

You just need to do what Mr. Kim did before he quit,

so it won't be difficult.

You need only ask and I can do the grunt work as well.

But why is a young man like you trying to do this kind of work?

I'm not cut out for an office job. [chuckles]

I want to keep this job for a long time.

Speaking of which,

I'll need to stay informed about the residents,

so do you have any documents I can look at?

Look at you trying to get a head start on your first day.

You'll get that information after three months of probation

and once you're a full-time employee.

Do a lap around the area and come back.

- Go on. - Yes, sir.

- [security guard clears throat] - Ah.

[security guard clears throat]

He's so uptight.

[resident 1] Hello.

[Hogae] Hello.

[resident 2] I know I shouldn't say this,

but the whole complex has gotten quiet without Spring Lady around.

- The cats are all gone too. - [rustling]

[resident 3] Did the police come by again?

The resident of Unit 404 is a detective at Taewon Police Station.

He seemed to be close to Spring Lady.

Oh, is that so?

At least the neighborhood is going to be quiet.

- [resident 2] That's what I'm saying. - [resident 2 and resident 4 chuckle]

- [resident 3] I'll be on my way now. - [resident 2] Okay.

All right, go ahead.

What the heck?

You must be new here.

- Yes, I am. - [sighs]

They're so giddy now that Spring Lady isn't around.

Why?

[child] That old man smokes every night and throws cigarette butts everywhere.

Spring Lady would scold him if she were here.

[child sighs] There will be

a mountain of cigarette butts now.

So Mr. Cigarette and Spring Lady weren't on good terms, right?

No one here was on good terms with Spring Lady.

- I see. - [cart wheels rattling]

[♪ playful music]

[gasps] Gosh, she startled me.

[rustling, clattering]

- [Hogae] What is that lady doing? - [child] Leave her be.

No one can stop Princess Granny.

She's not sane.

It seems that way.

[child] She collects the trash left by everyone in the complex

and keeps it at her place.

No trash is safe from Princess Granny.

The complex is done for now that Spring Lady isn't around.

Is it really that serious?

Gosh, how frustrating. Follow me.

[sighs] See? I knew she would park there.

She parks there despite not having a disability parking permit.

She hasn't learned her lesson even after Spring Lady scolded her.

[annoyed sigh]

- [unit owner] Hey! - [car door closes]

Why can't I park wherever I want when I own so many units here?

You still haven't learned your lesson despite paying so many fines.

All right. Since you want to keep adding to the national budget,

I'll go ahead and report you then.

- What are you doing? Hey! - All right.

- [security guard] Wait! No, no. - [unit owner] Stop taking photos!

- Goodness, ma'am. - Move!

- [unit owner] Stop taking photos! - Get out of the way!

- I'll take care of it, so move your car. - [unit owner] Stop taking photos!

- [security guard] Stop taking photos. - Hey.

[security guard] Move your car.

- You'll get a ticket. - I'll move, okay?

How do you know all of this?

You'll need to know all this if you want to be a part of management.

[teasing exhale]

Hey, do you want something to drink?

Witness statements Festival CCTV records

Taewon Fire Station

Excuse me. [chuckles]

[firefighters] Hello.

There's something I'd like to ask.

Sure, go ahead.

[birds chirping]

Who do you think hated the Spring Lady the most?

That would be...

Unit 301, the something enemy.

Sworn enemy.

Anyway, it's the unit right below Spring Lady's.

There he is now.

[eerie sting]

[child] The student in Unit 301

was retaking his college entrance exam last year

and Spring Lady started

doing laundry at 2 a.m., the morning of the exam.

- [metal clanking] - Come out.

[Unit 301's resident shouts] Come out! Come out!

My son failed his exam because of you!

How is that my fault?

[Soonbok] He's just stupid because he takes after his parents.

[Unit 301's resident] You watch your mouth!

Did I or did I not tell you to keep quiet after 6 p.m.?

Move out if you're not going to!

[Soonbok] I put my everything into this place, including a loan,

so I have no money to move out!

You move out!

- Oh, my goodness. - [residents clamoring]

- Goodness, I'm going to die. - [security guard] Over here. This way.

- [siren wailing] - Goodness, I'm going to die.

Yujung, it's late. Go home.

- [Soonbok] Goodness me. - [resident] What are you all doing?

- One moment, please. Excuse me. - [ambulance staff 1] Excuse me.

- Yes, yes. Hold on. - [ambulance staff 1] Excuse me.

My goodness. Call the police, not an ambulance!

- Come arrest this murderer! - [♪ comical music]

[splutters] Murderer? You're the murderer!

- You cause us trouble every night! - [ambulance staff 2] Sir, please.

Someone save me!

Please stop.

[Unit 301's resident] I think I'm bleeding a lot.

- I'm hurting everywhere. - [Unit 301's resident] I can't see either.

[Dongwoo sighs]

- It was an absolute mess. - Seriously.

Why weren't the police called? There were no records.

The person in the lower unit wanted to let it go

since they had a student studying for his exams.

[♪ tense music]

Okay, thanks.

- Continue what you were doing. - [Seoha] Okay, bye.

- [Pil] You can stay seated. - [Dongwoo] Bye.

The security logs would have details of what happened.

But he failed to get into college,

and now he's trying for a third time.

Is that so?

The entrance exams aren't far off,

so he's just been studying at home.

He's probably very sensitive right now.

Unit 301 may have killed the cat too, Mister.

Why do you keep calling me that?

Then what do I call you?

I guess there aren't many options.

Call me "Uncle." [sighs]

How can I have an uncle when I don't have a mom?

Fine, just call me "Mister."

Hey, I'll keep buying you these, so do you want to meet up?

I'm not interested in older guys.

[♪ comical music]

[Hogae sighs]

Hey, Jindo Dog.

You said you were making art.

Why are you messing around in the alley?

What are you doing with a little kid?

She's an informant. My spy.

She's my partner.

- Goodness. Just what are you doing? - [car doors closing]

Looks like he's here.

[cart wheels rattling]

[♪ thrilling rock music]

Is he trying to be funny or what?

He has a long way to go to become a civilian.

Are you not going to go check?

I have to go on patrol.

Why is he method-acting when he's working undercover?

What's wrong with him?

[Mr. Baek sighs]

[Mr. Baek] What are you doing?

Why? Did you not collect footprints yet?

What?

Of course we did. [awkward chuckle]

[Mr. Baek] Go ahead and kick whatever you want.

He only recently became a civilian. Please try to be understanding.

I'm not sure if I can.

[unit owner] It's this house. This way, please.

[bailiff 1] Right. Chundong Villa, Building 103 Unit 403.

I'll start enforcing the eviction warrant.

- [bailiff 1] Go ahead. - [bailiff 2] Yes, sir.

Wait a second. What are you doing?

[unit owner] The tenant here

was behind on rent and kept holding out even after confiscating the deposit.

I barely managed to get through the eviction suit.

The new tenant is going to move in tomorrow,

so everything has to be cleared out by tonight.

This is an active crime scene. We can't empty the house right now.

[unit owner] If the new tenants can't move in,

are you going to compensate me?

Me?

- Hello, ma'am. - [♪ exciting music]

In that case,

can you let us take the kitchen with us for a bit?

[in annoyed voice] What are you saying?

The new tenants are moving in tomorrow!

It'll only take about 30 minutes.

[arm taps]

What are you going to do?

We're about to lose the crime scene, so let's just take it with us.

You're going to move a kitchen in 30 minutes?

[whispers] I have a plan, so just stay put.

Please, ma'am.

My goodness. [clicks tongue]

- [insects chirping] - [dog barking in distance]

[security guard] My goodness, I'm the last one here.

[security guard sucks teeth] Gosh, it's cold.

Management office

[rattling]

[♪ suspenseful music]

[Hogae] You bastard.

[Hogae and intruder grunting]

[clanking]

[intruder panting]

[Hogae] What the heck?

[panting, whimpering]

Are you kidding me? What are you doing?

[whimpers, sniffles] What are you doing here?

The most effective interrogation strategy is to become one with the organization.

- What are you doing? - What are you saying? Move.

[Pil grunts] Look at this.

[Hogae groans]

I was looking for this!

Complaint Ledger

- [♪ exciting music] - The residents' information. Uncuff these.

[Pil] That hurts. [sucks teeth, pants]

I don't have the key.

- What? - I don't have it.

Earlier, when you hit me... I don't have it. [whimpers]

[panting, groaning]

[Pil groaning]

[beeping]

[scanner whirring]

[unit owner in annoyed voice] You said you would be done in 30 minutes.

What are you doing?

- [whirring continues] - You hear that sound, right?

[Kang Doha] We're rendering a 3D image

of the kitchen by scanning...

You won't understand even if I explain it.

[unit owner sighs]

That woman causes me trouble even in death.

How annoying!

- Oh, I'm sorry. - No, it's okay.

- [unit owner sighs] - [Mr. Baek mutters]

By the way...

[bailiff and unit owner sigh]

...you must be having a hard time with the eviction suit and everything.

I deal with many shameless tenants. [annoyed sigh]

What's the difference between the lease and sale price?

[Mr. Baek] I bet the demand for lease is high

since the means of transportation isn't too bad.

It's about 30 million won.

30 million won?

[Mr. Baek sucks teeth] That's not bad.

[clears throat]

[Mr. Baek] Come with me.

Goodness!

[♪ comical music]

[door opens]

- [door closes] - [sighs]

[door lock beeps]

Management office

[Hogae] Here it is, Unit 301.

"Frequent complaints, violent, abusive language."

"Not a high school senior, first and second exams failed."

"Possibility of third and fourth retakes." Something's suspicious.

Unit 301 moved in four years ago,

and they've made various complaints against Spring Lady ever since.

[inhales sharply, sighs] A total of 476 complaints.

[Yujung] The entrance exams aren't far off,

so he's just been studying at home.

Unit 301 may have killed the cat too, Mister.

Kim Youngju, Building 103 Unit 202.

She complained about Spring Lady being a cat mom.

[Pil] She filed 68 malicious complaints

over the past year through the management office.

[Hogae] Mr. Cigarette,

Building 103 Unit 104, Gong Dooeon.

Foreign car, license plate number 4885, Unit 503.

-Princess Granny, Unit 305. - [blows air]

Kwak Soonja was reported 29 times for disability parking area violations.

If she was fined 100,000 won each time, that's about 3 million won.

This is the log for the day of the incident.

[Pil] And it says,

"The cats were crying a lot," and that was during a patrol at 9:15 p.m.

Unit 202's complaint states that Spring Lady left food for the cats

every night around 8:30 p.m.

So she didn't leave any food that night.

We're narrowing down the time of the crime,

from 6:30 to 9:15 p.m.

The key suspects so far.

[Pil] Unit 301, noise complaints.

Unit 202, complaints about cats.

Unit 104, complaints about cigarettes.

Unit 503, parking disputes.

Unit 305, trash disposal disputes.

These five people in Building 103 gain something from the victim's death.

That's right, so we should investigate them one by one.

Where are you going?

Are you not going on patrol?

[hisses] Find the key first, you bastard.

- Make a copy. - Right, copy.

Hold on, this... [groans]

Are you setting up a restaurant?

Is today your first day as a couple?

We have our reasons.

[Pil clears throat]

[Dongwoo] Detective Jin and Detective Gong!

You need us to remove the handcuffs?

[Dongwoo] Please don't move.

- [♪ comical music] - [Kang Doha] They said not to move.

You look good together. Get closer.

If the boyfriend could smile for the camera.

[camera shutter clicks]

Let's go.

What a jerk.

[Kisoo grunts]

[whirs]

- [Kisoo] Dongwoo, get a good grip. - [Dongwoo] One moment, please.

- No. - It's okay. Come here, please.

- No. - [Dongwoo] Please stay put for a second.

Do it quickly. It'll only take five seconds.

- [whirring] - [Pil] Wait, no. Stop it. Don't!

[both whimper]

[Pil whimpering]

That's enough.

Stay still.

- [doorbell dings] - Why would you ring the doorbell

- at this hour? - [Unit 301's resident] Who is it?

We're from the management office.

[mouths] You're from the management office.

What has become of you?

You wanted to come.

What...

What brings you here?

Oh, right.

[awkward chuckle] Hello.

We're here for a home visit. You know the detective here, right?

I heard your son was studying for his exams.

Yes, he's studying right now. Is something wrong?

We'd like to ask for your cooperation. We'd like to take some DNA.

What? DNA?

Are you suspecting me?

[Unit 301's resident's son] Dad, be quiet!

- [sighs] - No, I'm not.

- No. - But I will start to suspect you

if you don't let us take your DNA.

I heard you fought a lot with the upper unit over noise complaints.

Well... [sighs]

I'll go in then.

Apologies for how late it is.

[♪ exciting music]

[announcer] In order to create a harmonious complex,

we must make common living etiquette a daily routine.

Please use slippers indoors and walk lightly.

Running washing machines, showers, and dishwashers late at night

-may disturb neighbors. - [washing machine whirring]

Look, Detective.

You don't understand, because you don't live in this unit.

[Unit 301's resident] We heard her footsteps every night.

She took six showers every night

and flushed the toilet over 100 times.

This can drive you crazy, you know?

So I asked her several times to refrain from making all the noise,

but are you really going to suspect me for that?

You can make your statement at the police station.

[Unit 301's resident sighs] This is insane. Look here.

Look at my wife. She looks sick, doesn't she?

She suffers from neurosis

and has to take medication for panic attacks.

My son's ears are constantly ringing,

and he's losing his hearing because of the noise upstairs.

[shouts] Dad! I can't study because it's so noisy.

Sorry, we disturbed your studying, didn't we?

No, it's not that.

I hear heavy footsteps from upstairs again.

Jeez.

I don't hear anything from here.

- [muffled stomping] - [Unit 301's resident sighs]

[Unit 301's resident] They're so inconsiderate.

Is the NFS not done yet?

What are they doing...

[Unit 301's resident] What are you doing? Go up there and do something!

Excuse me, please go take a look.

Okay, I'll go check it out since I'm from management.

[door opens]

- He'll take care of it. - Jeez.

[door lock clicks, beeps]

[Hogae] Hey! Are you guys breaking the house?

[door lock clicks, beeps]

[♪ ominous music rising]

[muffled stomping]

What's going on up there? Is someone exercising up there?

[breathes heavily] There's nobody up here in Unit 401.

- Ask when they're going to be done. - Right, okay.

Then what's this sound?

There's no one here.

What? But they're flushing the toilet right now.

- [toilet flushing] - But...

[Hogae over phone] See?

[muffled stomping]

[Pil] What...

[splutters] What is going on?

I really thought Spring Lady was lying.

Hey, lady! Listen here.

You're doing it on purpose, right?

You only choose days when my kid has his mock exams.

What are you saying?

I was doing needlework by myself yesterday.

What are you on about?

Don't try to get away by lying! You were making noise all night!

[scoffs] You're a crazy man.

Where are you going? Come here!

[muffled stomping]

Where is the sound coming from?

[♪ tense music]

- [muffled stomping] - [toilet flushing]

My gosh, this is going to drive me insane.

I'll get a sound sample to submit for analysis.

Be quiet, please.

[beeps]

[Unit 301's resident sighs]

[♪ ominous music]

[muffled stomping on recording]

The sound you heard in Unit 301 of Chundong Villa isn't from another unit.

Then what is it?

[Samsoon] Bang, bang, bang, bang.

All the wavelengths are exactly the same, right?

There's no way someone's footsteps can be this consistent.

They're not a robot.

[toilet flushing on recording]

- [Samsoon] Play it. - [mouse clicks]

And the flushing.

The amplitude, frequency, and wavelength are all the same.

Aren't they usually the same?

Not everything that gets flushed sounds the same.

[Hogae clicks tongue]

So I looked into it,

and I found that it was a sound sample of noises.

- A sound sample of noises? - What is that?

- Play it. - [mouse clicking]

[soft rumbling on video]

- The vibration you hear in between... - [thudding on video]

...that's the sound of an air conditioner's condenser unit...

- [thudding on video] - ...a golf ball, a bowling ball,

- a vacuum cleaner... - [whirring on video]

- [ghostly squealing on video] - ...and the sound of a ghost.

Gosh, they went to great lengths.

Darn it.

Then can we figure out where the sounds are coming from?

In a villa with these walls,

the walls absorb the sound energy from all sides and distribute it.

In truth, it's almost impossible to find the source.

[Samsoon] But they're normally set up in bathrooms.

All the pipes are connected, so it's easier for the sound to spread.

Bathrooms?

- Thank you. - Where are you going?

- [♪ exciting music] - [sighs]

[Hogae] Good job, Ms. Samsoon.

[exclaims, inhales sharply]

Whoever it is, they started a conflict over noises, right?

What terrible people.

It can be anyone besides Unit 301.

[Hogae] We've only expanded the pool of suspects.

[Mr. Baek] Ms. Yong must have been so frustrated for being falsely accused.

Look into Kwak Soonja, the one with the tenants.

Getting an eviction warrant immediately after the victim's death

is very strange.

[Hogae] We already identified her as the lady

who illegally parks in the disability parking area.

You probably didn't get her DNA.

Here's a present from me.

- [♪ soft music] - This coffee shop...

has a nice atmosphere.

- Yes, it does. - [both chuckle softly]

Go ahead.

- Go on. - Okay.

- Excuse me. - Cheers?

- Thank you for buying me a drink. - [both chuckle softly]

- [♪ suspenseful music] - [Hogae] Okay.

[Pil] Here, look at this.

- Why? - [Mr. Baek] What is it?

Remember how the student in Unit 301 is supposedly losing his hearing?

Normal noise can't cause that.

So I looked into it and found this.

[Pil] A "bone-shaking" bone conduction speaker.

It shakes everything, including the bones.

It's "bone-shaking."

"A speaker to multiply inter-floor noise."

So the culprit must have gotten rid of the evidence already.

[Mr. Baek] The police have been in and out of the place.

Darn it. I thought we finally got something.

Get rid of the evidence.

That's right, they must have thrown it away.

[Yujung] No trash is safe from Princess Granny.

All right!

Investigation is mindless legwork.

- [Hogae] Get the equipment. - Okay, let's go.

[♪ upbeat music playing, Crying Nut "The Hero"]

Those two. Wait up.

-♪ I'm a crazy hero ♪ -♪ Ha! ♪

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na ♪

[tires screech]

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na ♪

♪ I am a hero ♪

♪ Hu-ha, hu-ha! ♪

♪ I'm the greatest hero ♪

♪ Hu-ha, hu-ha! ♪

♪ I am a hero ♪

♪ Hey! Hey! ♪

♪ I'm master, hero ♪

♪ Hey! I'm your master ♪

[resident] They're so cool.

What are you talking about?

[all murmuring, exclaiming]

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na ♪

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na, na ♪

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na ♪

♪ I am a hero ♪

[Hogae sighs]

- [Hogae] Come in. - [Pil] Okay.

[Princess Granny] Be careful!

- Don't step on that. - [Hogae] Hello, ma'am.

- [Princess Granny] Don't step on anything! - All right.

- All right. - Watch it.

- Don't touch anything! - What is all this?

It'll break! It's going to break! No, stop!

- No, don't touch anything. - My goodness.

- Hold on, follow the path. The path. - [trash rustling]

Oh, child. You're here. [chuckles softly, gasps]

Honey.

Chul, your father is here.

[dramatic sting]

Father. [sobs]

You shouldn't live like that, Mister.

[♪ quirky, emotional music]

[dramatic sting]

[soft chuckle]

- [awkward chuckle] - [Princess Granny giggles]

[sighs]

Head of Department of Forensic Engineering Kang Doha

- [keyboard keys clacking] - [door opens, closes]

[Hong] The analysis of the substance on Ms. Yong Soonbok's face detected

starch, dextrin, sugar, and pentosan.

In other words, cooked rice.

Cooked rice?

To be exact, scorched rice.

I doubt someone hit her with a rice paddle.

Why did she have rice on her face?

[Kang Doha scoffs]

I'm sure that wasn't the case. [sighs]

Cooked rice...

Cooked rice.

Are you getting something?

All this talk about scorched rice...

makes me want to eat nurungji samgyetang now.

- [door opens] - [footsteps receding]

- [door closes] - [sighs]

Let's go together.

[door closes]

That sounds good.

[♪ suspenseful music]

[Pil] There's something long over there.

- Get it, you punk. - Get it, you punk.

Don't copy me.

- [Pil] Can you reach it? - [detective] Yes.

[detective grunts] Here you go.

[exclaims]

This is a bone conduction speaker. When did you pick this up?

[in exciting voice] Oh, that? I nabbed it last night!

See? I told you they would throw it away immediately.

We're going to take this. It could be an important piece of evidence--

Says who? Who says you can take it?

- How dare you? - Wait, ma'am.

- Hey, don't let her touch it. - Put that down!

- [Mr. Baek] Honey. - [comical sting]

What are you going to do with that?

[♪ quirky, emotional music]

I'll clean everything up,

so let's just throw that thing away, okay?

I think we need to discuss some things.

You were cherishing those as well.

[Princess Granny] You were cherishing them.

[trash rustling]

Honey...

[whispers] Come on.

[♪ exciting music]

[Pil] Ah. [sighs]

Thank you for your cooperation.

You're a great young man.

- You're welcome. - All right then.

The police will take their leave now.

- Have a nice day. - Thank you.

[car door opens, closes]

[engine starts, revs]

Did you come out of a forest? Look at your hair.

What is this?

Goodness. [sighs]

[Hogae sighs]

How can a girl's hair look like this? You should wash your hair.

Okay?

I'm going to cut it now.

Gosh, what is this?

All right.

What's wrong?

Is it because I cut your hair?

I miss Spring Lady. [sobs]

I miss her a lot.

[sobs]

[♪ soft music]

Oh, that's cold. [chuckles]

A woman's hair must always be pretty. [giggles]

You want to take a look?

[Soonbok] Go ahead and eat up. [soft chuckle]

- Don't cry. I understand how you feel. - [sniffles]

You're just saying that because I'm a kid.

There's someone I miss too.

Can you not see them again?

It's not that,

but it's similar. [sighs]

- [crowd clamoring] - [gasps]

Was there an accident?

- [girlfriend] Honey! - [passerby 1] Someone call an ambulance.

- [girlfriend] Honey. - [clamoring continues]

- Wake up! - [passerby 2] What should we do?

- Someone call an ambulance first! - [girlfriend] Anyone!

[♪ somber music]

- [paramedic 1] Move out of the way! - [paramedic 2] Please move!

[paramedic 1] One, two, three!

[Seol's mom] Seol?

[Seol] Yes?

[Seol's mom] Do you want some tea?

Sure.

- Seol. - Yes?

Should I tell you a story from my past?

There was a time

when it was really tough being a nurse.

I was going to give it all up and quit.

I decided to stay one more day,

and that's the day you came.

[♪ soft music]

I held...

this tiny baby in my arms...

and just like that, all my worries vanished.

You're a strong baby.

You made it.

Since you came here on a snowy day, I should call you "Seol."

Song Seol.

I made it this far

with that strength.

And that's how my daughter, Seol,

is able to sit across from me right now.

Mom.

It's okay to quit

if it's too hard and painful.

When your mind is unstable,

you don't have to do anything.

Don't try so hard.

For me...

and...

Dojin,

what we want to protect the most...

is always you, Seol.

[sniffles]

Okay. Thank you, Mom.

Think of it as taking a break. A very brief one.

After you wait a bit,

you might be able to go back one day.

Gosh, I wanted to do something for you as a mom.

But right now,

it may be better for you to have some time to yourself.

[♪ uplifting music]

Dear Seol...

NFS National Forensic Service

[♪ suspenseful music]

[mouse clicking]

Wow.

[Pil] We got it.

[inhales deeply] I see they grabbed it like this.

[Samsoon] Just like this.

The radial loop of the fingerprints,

the composite vortex.

This is the sexiest line of the human body.

Sure, whatever you say. [clears throat]

Can you rule out Princess...

I mean Gong Jusoon's fingerprints and analyze it?

Please find out who it belongs to as soon as possible.

Okay.

We'll make you regret everything...

once we catch you.

♪ Whose prints are going to match? ♪

♪ Can you take a guess? ♪

- Gambling is not allowed. -♪ Our wish is a fingerprint ♪

-♪ Even in our dreams ♪ - Nor is singing.

That's how desperate we are.

Exactly.

Gosh, the smell of bleach.

I put in some work yesterday, didn't I?

Your bone density must have gone up after all that exercise.

[Hogae] Have some of this.

What is this?

[Mr. Baek] Are you trying to make me feel better?

[Mr. Baek chuckles]

[satisfied groan]

I feel more energized now.

- [phone vibrating] - [Mr. Baek chuckles]

Yes, Ms. Yun?

[Hong over phone] I think you should come to the NFS right now.

- We're kind of busy right now. - [Kang Doha over phone] We're busier.

There's nothing more urgent than this. Bye.

[phone beeps]

[♪ exciting music]

- I really don't like this bastard. - Let's go first.

We have to analyze the DNA too.

I need to scold this bastard.

Why did he have to call us while AFIS is running?

[Pil] I really don't like him.

NFS National Forensic Service

Where is it?

- [Hogae] Is it here? - [Pil] Yes.

It seems like you prepared a lot. Let's hear it.

- [door closes] - What's with this?

All right.

I've seen a corpse like this that had no trauma

but had a stomach full of blood.

Where did you see it?

At the Agency for Defense Development's Explosive Prototype Laboratory.

A case of death during an impact test for pressure waves.

Did you say explosives?

The damage suffered by the victim is typical of a blast injury.

And since there is no trauma, it was caused by a type of air blast.

The lungs and heart are hollow organs most affected by pressure.

Excuse me, but can you explain it simply, so we can--

Hold on. Continue.

We're talking about air with strong pressure.

- Like energy blasts. - [scoffs]

[Hogae] So what you're saying

is that a person was killed by an energy blast

in a regular household kitchen?

[Kang Doha] It was destructive enough to rupture organs,

but there was no trauma, so there was no blood at the scene.

And the eardrums were ruptured.

What about the wound on her forehead?

[Pil] That was caused by a blunt weapon, wasn't it?

[sighs]

He's a bit impatient, isn't he?

Please wait.

That's why we went to the scene.

To find what caused the energy blast.

Remember the redness that was observed on the victim's face?

[Hong] Biopsy showed thermal denaturation of epidermal cells.

All right.

[♪ soft suspenseful music]

This is normal skin tissue.

But if you look here,

the epidermis is all burnt, right?

In other words, the skin came into contact with heat.

And according to the chemical analysis,

the white foreign substance on the face

was rice that was boiled with water.

Rice that was boiled with water?

Are you talking about cooked rice?

[Kang Doha] In other words, there was an incident

involving cooked rice when the victim died.

I mean, it did happen around dinnertime, but--

Exactly. It was around the time when dinner was being prepared.

Now, in our daily lives,

we're safe as long as the things we need stay in place.

If all the parts are in place, they won't explode.

However, if even one small thing moves out of place, boom!

There was one item that was out of place in this victim's kitchen.

Hurry up and tell us.

All right, this way.

[♪ suspenseful music]

The victim was in this position at the moment of her death.

[Kang Doha] Since the corpse wasn't moved...

she was in this position just before she fell.

Also...

the pressure cooker in this photo.

This is the pressure cooker from the victim's home.

However, there's one thing out of place. What could it be?

Can you hurry up and tell us?

[grunts] All right.

We bought a similar model to double-check.

It's this.

A circular, octagonal shape.

You remember, right?

[Kang Doha] One inch in diameter.

It's the same size as the victim's depressed fracture.

The structural damage shaped like an octagon

shown in the 3D bone reconstruction was a perfect match as well.

So this thing... [sighs]

...was the murder weapon that was used to kill Ms. Yong Soonbok.

What did you say?

So you can't understand even with audio-visual data to explain it.

Ms. Yong Soonbok passed away while cooking rice in the kitchen.

[Kang Doha] Cause of death.

Multiple organ damage and frontal depressed fracture

caused by a blast injury due to a pressure cooker explosion.

Manner of death.

The possibility of accidental death cannot be ruled out.

[sighs]

- [♪ uneasy music] - A-accidental death?

[Pil scoffs]

So you're saying...

that her ribs broke

and her heart and lungs ruptured due to a pressure cooker?

When water becomes water vapor,

it expands to over 1,300 times in volume.

[Kang Doha] A cooking tool that uses that force is a pressure cooker.

An explosion of air that has expanded over 1,300 times?

Even an energy blast wouldn't compare.

[Hong] Though there aren't many deaths,

about 10 pressure cooker explosions

are reported in the country every year.

[phone vibrating]

One moment, please.

- Yes, Ms. Woo? - Remember how we were looking into

everything that happened in Building 103 on the day of Ms. Yong's death?

Something unusual came up.

That's a relief. The NFS people are listening as well, so please go ahead.

[Samsoon over phone] A high school student in Unit 505

of the same building as the victim

streams a "Study With Me" live on YouTube every night,

and she went live the night of the victim's death.

- [loud thump on video] - [student gasps on video]

[student on video] I'm sorry.

The noise between floors in this villa is no joke.

An explosion of air that has expanded over 1,300 times

would sound exactly like this.

It shows the time of death too, 19:23.

The DNA of Park Yongsoo and Kwak Soonja do not match the DNA

of the perpetrator's epidermal cells detected from the cat's claws.

[Hong] Good work.

- [door opens] - What do we do?

- This isn't it either. - [door closes]

[soft scoff]

[phone vibrating]

[vibrating continues]

You should answer it. It seems to be important.

- Yes, Ms. Woo? - We found the owner of the speakers.

They belong to Kim Youngju in Chundong Villa Building 103 Unit 202.

[Samsoon] When are we going to film the montage? Should we get ready?

Okay, I got it. I'll call you back later.

[laughs]

Jeez.

Sorry.

[Kang Doha] You seem to be scouring the complex to catch the murderer,

but that's not what you should be doing.

You should find this first.

[♪ tense music]

This is the murderer.

Do you think we're playing around?

No, it seems like you're wasting your time

trying to find a murderer who doesn't exist.

Are you done?

Shouldn't you thank us for closing the case for you?

You bastard.

[Pil] What do you know, you bastard?

You stay in an office all day, so what do you know, bastard?

Hey!

Stop it.

[Hogae] Why are you overreacting?

[♪ tense music continues]

The laws of physics don't lie.

The NFS and police work together, but that's it.

The police decide when to close an investigation.

Special thanks to Lee Jiha, Hwang Younghee, and Hwang Jungmin

for their special appearance

[♪ upbeat music playing, Jeon Woong, Lee Daehwi "Fire"]

♪ That's why I'm rolling into fire ♪

♪ That's why I'm rolling on the road ♪

♪ That's why I'm rolling through the night ♪

♪ That's why I'm rolling into fire ♪

♪ That's why I'm rolling on the road ♪

[siren wailing]

[wailing continues]

The First Responders Season 2

Are you intimidated by what the NFS said?

[Pil] Or do you think this case isn't serious either?

- Hold on a second. - What? A friend?

You said you're his friend. I'm his friend too.

If we're both friends with him, then you and I are friends too.

Do you understand? [soft chuckle]

Are you hungry?

- Put them in there. - Jackpot.

I'm here to officially request an appraisal.

Why are you so obsessed?

The moment I give up, the criminal goes to sleep comfortably.

Yujung.

[Yujung] If I eat a lot on an empty stomach,

my intestines will twist and I'll die.

Do you know which unit she lives in?

- She doesn't live here. - Sorry?

[shouts] Medical team! Hurry!

Translated by Rebekah Hyonha Kim