This was a sorry excuse for a penultimate episode of a drama as it comes. Episode 15 of Two Weeks, a well-written and nicely paced drama that has delivered on creating the compelling journey of a broken man’s quest for redemption and salvation, pretty much took a turn towards sillyville. The final resolution seems to be premised on convenience and flying leaps of logic and consistency. Tae San spent this episode sauntering all around Seoul – talking in broad daylight with Jae Kyung on the street, in and out of Soo Jin’s hospital, and all of this done with any attempt to disguise or hide himself as if the writer plain forget that he’s still a wanted fugitive with a nation-wide manhunt out for him. Yes, Seung Woo and Jae Kyung and the particular band of detectives on his case are giving him space to exonerate himself and hang Moon Il Suk, but that’s all on the down low and I doubt a release has gone out saying Jang Tae San is no longer a fugitive. Furthermore, Tae San also manages to figure out Moon Il Suk and his minions itinerary and twice manages to catch each for a chitchat in the parking garage. I could accept the quickly healing wounds, the bouts of superhuman strength and endurance, and the luck of running into people who would help him. But this lazy way of tripping up the bad guys so that they turn against each other turns this drama dull and predictable.

I was quite bored watching this episode which is such a shame since my adrenaline ought to be pumping now that we’re so close to the end. I almost forgot Soo Jin’s life is still on the line until the surgery is successfully completed, not to mention Tae San could still get offed. Instead of digging deep for the final burst of energy with the finish line so close, Two Weeks just became the marathon runner who sees the finish line and all the strength seeps out with the relief in sight. There were of course moments of well delivered emotional pay offs, from Tae San and Seung Woo’s reluctant acceptance of each other and candid conversation to Soo Jin’s choice of a rock and hard place when it comes to having only one mom but a dad and an ahjusshi that adores her as much as she does them. I thought the Chairman Han lost son bit was well-thought out in advance but the execution was inadequately done likely due to time constraints. Killer Kim’s character never came to life even if he was deadly and dangerous, and knowing Moon Il Suk’s depths of evil in snatching up an enemy’s kid to turn into a killing machine didn’t quite have the visceral gut punch reaction because not enough time was spent on those characters. I’m so close to the ending that I don’t think this whimper of an episode will effectively destroy my affection for this drama as a whole, but tomorrow’s finale can either tip it into the just okay bin or restore my good graces once more.

Episode 15 recap:

Tae San makes a deal with Congresswoman Jo Seo Hee – he’ll use his evidence to clear his name and implicate Moon Il Suk, and all Jo Seo Hee needs to do is not interfere afterwards. Then Tae San won’t release the picture of her enjoying the high life. She agrees and he asks to hand shake on it, giving her his best earnest puppy eyes. Jae Kyung is parked on a nearby rooftop with a high powered camera and snaps pictures of the handshake.

When Tae San walks out, he meets up with Jae Kyung and they talk in broad daylight, leaving me wondering if his picture wasn’t just plastered all over Seoul. Oh wells, let’s assume the passerby pedestrians are all blind.

A flashback to their discussion the night before, Tae San says the best way to capture Moon Il Suk is to push Hwang Dae Joon to the edge of the cliff. He’s so loyal that he wouldn’t betray Moon Il Suk, so they need to force Moon Il Suk to betray Hwang Dae Joon first and frame him. Turns out the same real estate holding company owns the house that Jo Seo Hee lives in as well as the building with the photo studio that In Hye was kept at.

Tae San’s plan is to create another set of incriminating photos, this time of him meeting with Jo Seo Hee. She won’t be able to make up an excuse for why she is meeting with a fugitive and didn’t turn him in. Jae Kyung is impressed with his idea and wonders why someone with his brains lived so pathetically for so long. Tae San tells Jae Kyung to narrow her investigation on Jo Seo Hee once the pictures are leaked because she will be trying to get out of that mess.

Jo Seo Hee calls Moon Il Suk and they meet to discuss Tae San coming to her to make a deal. She wants him to cancel the charity auction and lay low. Or else find someone else to bid on the items. Moon Il Suk wants to know what Tae San wanted to do with the evidence and Jo Seo Hee says Tae San appears sincere that all he wants is to save his daughter. She tells Moon Il Suk to cancel the ship as well.

When Moon Il Suk is leaving, Tae San casually greets him in the parking garage and taunts him to go call the cops. He knows Moon Il Suk is scared now, not knowing what Tae San will do with the evidence against him next. Moon Il Suk knows Tae San is trying to drive a wedge between him and Dae Joon and Jo Seo Hee. Tae San knows what Moon Il Suk will do next – frame Dae Joon but sadly Tae San has the recording where Dae Joon said he didn’t do it. Tae San leaves him with that and saunters off.

Moon Il Suk goes back to his offer and hears from his secretary that the ship is waiting and ready at port. He wonders if Tae San and Jae Kyung is orchestrating another plot together but his secretary says Jae Kyung hasn’t left her apartment. Moon Il Suk wonders why Tae San went to see Jo Seo Hee and thinks Tae San is cautioning him not to try and frame Dae Joon because Tae San has already shake him a little.

Dae Joon meets with Moon Il Suk who reminds him to get rid of any evidence. He asks about the other pawn shop minion and hears the guy is in hiding after accidently slipping up about Moon Il Suk being the killer. The minion gets a text from Moon Il Suk.

Seung Woo and Jae Kyung look at the surveillance footage from the hospital and then Seung Woo goes to the night club run by Dae Joon to interview all the girls. He makes one girl remove her make up and confirms from the hospital surveillance tapes that she was the one who delivered the drinks that knocked everyone out.

He drags her back to the precinct and she outs Dae Joon as telling her to dress like a college student and deliver some drinks.

Moon Il Suk has arranged for the other pawn shop minion to take the fall for Mi Sook’s murder now and tells Dae Joon that he’s summoned him back to meet. He tells Dae Joon to say that the murder weapon was a present from him to the little minion and then to compensate his family well.

The minion calls Dae Joon and says he’s headed to the pawn shop. Dae Joon is about to drive there when Tae San gets into his car. He asks Dae Joon if he thinks the minion will be at the pawn shop, or cops will be waiting for Dae Joon there? He warns Dae Joon not to kill him now because he’s screwed already. Dae Joon says he didn’t kill anyone but Tae San points out he’s abetted a murder and obstructed an investigation. Plus he had In Hye kidnapped and tried to kidnap Soo Jin.

Tae San tells Dae Joon to turn in Moon Il Suk and he’ll be a witness that Dae Joon was acting on orders. He tells Dae Joon to confirm for at the pawn shop to see who is there. Dae Joon drives off with Tae San in the car and goes to the pawn shop. He sees the minion outside and calls him to meet elsewhere. After the call ends, he sees Seung Woo and Il Do walk out from inside, clearly there working to capture Dae Joon. Tae San leaves Dae Joon with the understanding that Moon Il Suk just threw him to the wolves.

Jae Kyung goes to see her boss and asks for two days to work on her case, and then afterwards she’ll resign. Her boss can’t lose his job because of her, he has a middle schooler to raise. But if he was in the loop on what she was planning, he would have helped her as well. Jae Kyung wants to buy Tae San two more days until the surgery and her boss makes her promise that she has the confidence to catch Moon Il Suk before then. He tells her to go do it and she thanks him for the trust.

Tae San calls Jae Kyung to say that Dae Joon has caught the bait. Jae Kyung calls the cops to prepare. Dae Joon goes back to his office and takes out Moon Il Suk’s bloody clothes from the murder, which he did not dispose of. It even has Moon Il Suk’s name conveniently monogrammed on the sleeve. Ha!

In Hye is with Soo Jin in the hospital when she gets a text from Tae San. He wants to tell Soo Jin that he’s almost able to come see her. In Hye passes on his greeting and asks if Soo Jin wants to talk with her dad. Soo Jin declines and say to tell her dad that she is well. In Hye then gets a text from Seung Woo asking about Soo Jin.

Soo Jin flashes back to a school trip to the park to draw. The kids were all accompanied by their dads while Soo Jin sits under a tree and looks at Seung Woo. She draws a picture of her with both Seung Woo and her real dad.

He asks why she did that and Soo Jin explains that he’s taking care of her for her dad. Seung Woo wants to be her dad for real. Soo Jin says he likes her mom but Seung Woo says because he likes her mom he also likes Soo Jin. She doesn’t feel the same way, she likes Seung Woo because he is good to her, not because her mom likes him.

Back to the present, Soo Jin sighs and says she’s got worries on her mind. Her mom wonders what a little thing like her can be worried about. Soo Jin asks if the Big Mountain, the Sun, and the Moon can all be together. Mom says it can’t be and Soo Jin asks if the Big Mountain needs only the Sun. In Hye can’t bring herself to answer and Soo Jin says that she really loves her dad. Even if Seung Woo is nice and good, but her dad is her dad….

Seung Woo gets a text from Soo Jin that she’s fine and her fever is gone. Tae San also gets a text that she’s fine, a little bit feverish but she can endure it. The two guys all smile to read her text.

Tae San and Seung Woo run into each other in the hospital and sit down to talk. Tae San really is walking around everyone without a worry these days. Seung Woo says that even if Moon Il Suk is arrested, Tae San still needs to be questioned. He knows that and will do it after Soo Jin’s surgery. Seung Woo says he’ll also turn himself in for questioning after the surgery, confessing that he was the one who tipped off Moon Il Suk about the camera.

Tae San knew that already and Seung Woo asks if In Hye told him. Tae San says In Hye would never tell him, he guessed it himself when Seung Woo chased him down at the factory after the Killer Kim shooting.

Flashback to the factory where Seung Woo apologizes to Tae San for shooting him on the cliff. Tae San tells him to protect In Hye and Soo Jin well until the day of the surgery. He’s sorry for getting In Hye involved and Seung Woo apologizes as well and tells him to call if he needs anything. He will re-open the investigation and capture Moon Il Suk before the surgery.

In the present, Tae San tells Seung Woo that he guessed it from his apologetic attitude and his desire to protect In Hye and Soo Jin. Seung Woo asks why he didn’t tell In Hye earlier and Tae San sees no reason to do so since it would only make her sadder. Awwww, these two are both such good dudes.

Seung Woo gets a call from Dae Joon who is at the police station ready to turn Moon Il Suk in. He tells Tae San and hurries off, while Tae San’s face lights up to know he’s about to be exonerated.

Jae Kyung hands the evidence to the Captain to submit to the forensics.

In Hye gets a call from Tae San with the good news. She rushes out to meet him outside the hospital. He asks why she’s coming out and she congratulates him and worries that he’s endured so much. He doesn’t care and only wants to tell Soo Jin that there are no more bad things around her dad anymore. Can you two get back together already and start making a baby sibling for Soo Jin.

Killer Kim is in his lair and gets a text from Chairman Han. The Chairman attached a picture of himself with his son and tells Killer Kim that the pen wasn’t mean for him to use as a knife.

Tae San comes back to Chairman Han’s apartment and he’s worried about the lost son situation. Chairman Han can’t let Moon Il Suk know that he knows, then Moon Il Suk will order his son to come kill him. Tae San wonders why he can be so calm, if Moon Il Suk did that to Tae San’s son, the would kill him immediately. Chairman Han says that Tae San let go of many chances to kill Moon Il Suk despite what he did to Tae San and his daughter. The reason is that they are parents and cannot kill another.

Tae Son wonders if maybe his dad had some unknown reason for abandoning him. Chairman Han says that could be the case. Tae San reveals that Moon Il Suk is about to be arrested tonight.

Moon Il Suk is in his house and calls the pawn shop minion and hears that Dae Joon postponed their meeting and changed the location, That naturally raises his alarm.

Seung Woo and Jae Kyung lead the cops to arrest Moon Il Suk but by the time they storm his compound he’s escaped through a secret passageway.

Moon Il Suk drives and curses the betraying bastard Hwang Dae Joon. He hears from the secretary that Dae Joon kept the bloody incriminating clothes and has now turned it over to the cops. He tells his secretary to contact Jo Seo Hee and find a way to get him out of the country. Moon Il Suk releases this was Tae San’s plan all along to have Dae Joon learn that he was being betrayed.

Tae San gets a call that Moon Il Suk eluded their arrest. When the incompetent cops are chasing after Tae San we cheer on their continued incompetence, but now we all want them to suddenly grow a brain and skillz. STAT.

Jo Seo Hee finds Moon Il Suk in her house and asks how dare he come. He reminds her that he arranged this house for her, of course he has a key. She asks if he wants the money they are both going to keep an eye on each other until they each get their share of the proceeds at tomorrow’s auction.

Moon Il Suk is in hiding with his secretary and Killer Kim while the TV blares the breaking news that the real killer is Moon Il Suk while Jang Tae San was framed. Moon Il Suk is pissed his life here is over because of that nothing Jang Tae San. Even if he leaves, he’ll going to drag Tae San down with him. He knows tomorrow is the surgery and he will not allow Tae San to have that surgery even if he dies.

Tae San remembers Chairman Han telling him how vindictive Moon Il Suk is – he is a poisonous snake that once he bites on he will never let go. If he’s stepped on once, he’ll return it hundred-fold. Tae San goes to see Soo Jin’s doctor and asks if the surgery can be moved up one day earlier.

Tae San talks with Jae Kyung and both realize Moon Il Suk will not take this lying down. Jae Kyung assures him that the security will be heightened at the surgery. Tae San thinks it’s safer to move the surgery date.

The internet is abuzz once the picture of Congresswoman Jo Seo Hee meeting and shaking hands with former fugitive Jang Tae San is leaked online. The media descends on her office and she says the matter has been handed to the cops for investigation as to whether the picture is real or a fake.

Tae San meets with In Hye at the hospital and he assures her that he will make sure the surgery happens safely. Their conversation is overheard by the junior scruffy faced cop.

Moon Il Suk is upset his team hasn’t found a way for him to kill Tae San. The traitor cop calls and asks to make a deal with info Moon Il Suk will want. Moon Il Suk agrees to deal and arranges for all his money to be transferred out of the country and he plans to leave right after he kills Tae San.

The secretary goes to meet with the mole cop and hands him a box of money. He returns with the information that the surgery has been moved up to 10 pm tonight. There are two surgery rooms so Moon Il Suk and his secretary will each take a room. His secretary suggests sending Killer Kim but Moon Il Suk wants to kill Tae San personally.

Tae San and In Hye get pre-ops details from the doctor. Later Tae San is wearing a surgical gown and he’s wheeled into surgery.

As they are preparing to head out to kill Tae San, Killer Kim asks his “father” Moon Il Suk who he really is? Was it true that they met for the first time in Colombia? Or did they meet before? Moon Il Suk wonders why he’s asking? Does he want to look for his real parents? Didn’t he always say he didn’t want to look? Killer Kim apologizes and goes to prepare.

The cops have the entire hospital on lockdown and under surveillance. But Moon Il Suk and Killer Kim have disguised themselves as clean linen delivery men and sneak in.

Moon Il Suk manages to get into the pre-ops room and sees someone laying on the gurney under a blanket. He takes out a knife and walks over.