Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Season 1 Episode 4 Recap – Episode 4

This episode started by showing the Professor teaching the others how to apply first aid. Rio didn’t take the lesson seriously and thought the others would mess it up. He left and decided he would no longer participate.

He came home to his parents, and it was obvious he didn’t have a good relationship with his father. He told his father he’s been drinking and using drugs and only came home when he ran out of money. Rio’s father said he would contact the school again and Rio should re-apply. Rio is a med school dropout and came from a long line of doctors in his family.

The Professor and Tokyo followed him. Tokyo saw where Rio lives and wonders why Rio decided to join them when he obviously came from a rich family. They followed Rio to a club and found him drunk. The Professor told him that if he keeps on running away from his problems, it will soon become a habit. 

At present, the police quickly identify that the person they shot is the director of the Mint. News immediately spread that the police shot a hostage. Denver and the others carry the director back inside the Mint, closing the main door behind them.

Woojin makes a call to know if the director is still alive. The Professor knows that if the director dies, it’s not good for both him and the authorities. Woojin says they will send medics to operate on the director to save his life.

The Professor tells Berlin he plans to let the medics in to save the director. Berlin is against it, but he follows the order.

Woojin blames herself because she was the one who told the police to take the shot. Captain Cha Moohyuk tells her not to blame herself. Then he says he will go into the Mint with the medics to check on the hostages. They also plan to use it as a diversion to get more police inside the mint while all the robbers are distracted.

Moscow is relieved to see that Misun is still alive. However, she looks like she’s already losing a lot of blood. Rio refuses to help them. So, Denver says he will do the operation himself after stealing some equipment from the medics.

While the director is bleeding from his wounds, he is permitted to talk to his wife. Denver plans to give the director the letter Misun made. But, after hearing the director talk to his wife on the phone, he crumples the letter and hides it in his pocket.

Rio watches through the security camera as the main door opens to let the medics in. They check all the equipment in the scanner. The Professor sees from the monitor that one of the medics is a cop. He remembers seeing his face when he barged into the tent of the police. He tells Berlin about it.

When the scanner makes a sound, they think it’s only because of the glasses the cop is wearing. During the operation, Berlin notices that the doctor is shaking. He walks toward the medics and tells Captain Cha Moohyuk to do the operation since he’s the only one who doesn’t seem nervous. Even when a gun is pointed at him, Captain Cha Moohyuk remains calm.

Berlin recognizes his accent and asks him who he is. So, Captain Cha Moohyuk admits he’s a police officer, and that their superiors wanted him to go in with the medics. Before going inside the Mint, Captain Cha Moohyuk already devised a plan to send in his soldiers wearing red jumpsuits and masks the same as the ones the robbers are wearing.

While they’re doing the operation, the soldiers are already making their way through the vent and into the cafeteria. But, the Professor realizes that Captain Cha Moohyuk is wearing a different pair of glasses. He realizes there could be a camera in there, and quickly figures out the operation is also a way to distract them.

Rio keeps on checking the cameras but can’t find anyone who tried to get in the Mint aside from the medics.

When the operation is over, Captain Cha Moohyuk is surprised to see that everyone already changed the masks they are wearing. They are all in the lobby and everyone gives them a round of applause for a successful operation. Through the cameras in Captain Cha Moohyuk’s glasses, Woojin sees the situation and tells the soldiers to retreat.

The robbers search the place, but the soldiers have already retreated. The Professor has already planned for a situation like that. While the operation was happening, Rio took Captain Cha Moohyuk’s phone and hacks it so they can hear whatever is going on on the other side. 

Denver goes back to Misun, carrying the equipment he stole.

Tokyo knows that they need Rio to do the operation, so she goes looking for him. However, Berlin already has Rio. He threatens Rio that he will take Tokyo outside if he refuses to tell him what they are hiding. Misun is so close to dying, but all she talks about is the director. Denver doesn’t have any choice but to lie to her to make her feel better.

To his surprise, Berlin walks into the room, pointing a gun at him. Berlin wants to kill Misun but Denver covers her. They argue whether or not Misun should be killed, but no one wants to lose the argument. Nairobi walks in and points the gun at Berlin. She says she can’t let him kill someone who managed to survive.

Rio and Tokyo are there too after being released. Rio operates on Misun and manages to save her life. He says he’s scared of blood but his father still wants him to become a doctor, that’s why he is rebelling. Afterward, Denver sits beside Misun in a room, donating blood. Misun admits she knew Denver was only lying when he said the director was thinking about her.

The Professor finds out that Misun is alive and tells Tokyo that she will take charge from now on.

They put duct tape on Berlin as he sits on a chair. Then, he is left alone in a room.

Woojin’s mistake is all over the news and she comes home only to see her mom suffering from dementia again. She goes back to the cafe to let the Professor comfort her. That night, they sleep together.

While everyone in the Mint is back on their usual routine, they don’t notice that one soldier chose to stay behind. He comes out of his hiding place and blends in with the other hostages. 

Our Thoughts:

We thought that Captain Cha Moohyuk and Woojin would never get along. Because that’s how they were the first time they met. But after some time, they realize they both share the same goal. Captain Cha Moohyuk’s idea was brilliant. However, the Professor is always one step ahead.

The biggest advantage the robbers have over Woojin and his team is that the Professor is so close to the negotiator. Woojin doesn’t even think that maybe there is a mole or someone who is so close to them that gives out information. That was very tricky. If Woojin finds out that she’s been dating the leader of the robbers, she’d get really angry with herself. 

Even though the Professor has a very detailed plan, and other plans just in case the main plans failed, he could never predict how people would act based on their emotions. Getting close to Woojin was the best thing he did to be in control of the situation. Berlin is the unpredictable one. They all know that he doesn’t really care about the hostages, but they can’t tell what he’s planning. We doubt the rest would really go against him if they don’t have their weapons with them.