A Stalker's Guide to Shin Ha Kyun
Episode 6
Recap
Eun Ok, the "feral" child, aggressively keeps the residents at bay. None are brave enough to approach after the two wicked bites she already doled out.
Do Han soon arrives on the scene, delightfully nonchalant as always. He chides his team for not being able to handle one little girl and, after briefly assessing the situation, orders them to surround and subdue her. All but Shi On move to obey. The trembling way they creep forward clashes amusingly with Do Han's rigid, just-so-done demeanor.
Before the residents get far, Eun Ok begins launching everything in reach at them. This is the last straw for Do Han; he orders use of the sedative lorazepam to temper her. Both Shi On and Yoon Seo disagree due to its potency, but Do Han is unrelenting as always. He prepares the drug for application.
Shi On takes to the floor, mimicking canine submission patterns. Though it's a strange display, it appears to work wonders. Our hero offers his "paw" to the newly docile Eun Ok; she moves to accept with tentative interest.
Do Han refuses to take any chances. He sees the breakthrough as an opening and sends in his residents. These charge past Shi On, pinning down the child's limbs so Do Han can administer the lorazepam without risk.
Notably, Yoon Seo stands back; the gentle method put forth by Shi On better suited her palate.
Our team gets cracking once Eun Ok falls unconscious -- and there's certainly work to be done. Since the poor girl is incapable of proper communication, the previous hospital could not examine her thoroughly. They sent her on to Sung Won after finding rubefaction (reddening) around her navel.
Do Han has a look for himself and it isn't pretty. Whatever redness found is eclipsed by filth and what appears to be a yellow fluid or pus. When he turns to consult the guardian, we find it isn't a relative but a representative from child welfare.
It's clear Eun Ok has been badly abused. Do Han listens to a snippet of her story, but delays hearing details for the time being. He orders antibiotics and the necessary tests.
Yoon Seo takes time out to treat Shi On's arm. Can a human mouth really produce such a severe bite? The wound looks horrific.
Once she has him bandaged, Yoon Seo engages our hero on his earlier behavior. The explanation Shi On offers is complicated and seems borderline pseudo-science. Basically, he built rapport with Eun Ok using "animal communication." Getting on the same level was of utmost importance, so he behaved in a way she could identify with.
Yoon Seo halts the info gush; she apparently understands. It's just Do Han and the rest of their colleagues won't. She advises him not to try the same trick twice, especially in their presence.
Shi on starts to clam up, so Yoon Seo lightens the mood; she grasps his arm and teases him about his lack of muscle. This prompts a fresh fit of hiccups. It's cute that Yoon Seo notices the correlation between them and her presence.
Having lost staunch corporate support in Woo Myung group, the administration meets to address the hospital's mounting financial woes. The boardroom sees the department heads clamoring over internal measures to alleviate the situation. Since surgical pediatrics gushes money, it's suggested that the section be transferred to another branch. It will be more desired and profitable in Ulsan, apparently.
Doctor Ko tries to bring up the Shi On petition without naming any names. Not even trying for subtlety today, Dr. Acula? Choi stakes him as this isn't the time or place to discuss such matters.
Seconds later, they learn yet another backer has abandoned them.
Do Han and Yoon Seo discuss their difficult new patient with her guardian. Eun Ok has an urachus defect, which has led to the severe inflammation present in her umbilicus. Basically, she has retained the opening between bladder and belly button which typically closes before birth. Once antibiotics take hold, they should be able to perform the patent urachus repair.
We learn from the child welfare representative that Eun Ok has no parents. She is an orphan in the custody of a monstrous aunt. The woman owns a kennel, and instead of taking responsibility for her niece, threw her into the cages to live among dogs. When he came onto the site, even the seasoned representative was shocked. Both doctors seem to be as well, though to varying degrees.
Shi On stands vigil over the sleeping Eun Ok. He strokes her unkempt hair, recalling his beloved bunny from so long ago.
Yoon Seo reports to Do Han's office with the results of the psychiatric evaluation. Eun Ok suffers from reactive attachment disorder. Since her primary interactions only included dogs, she developed their mannerisms.
(Note: Reactive attachment disorder occurs when a child fails to socialize properly with primary caregivers within the first three years of its life. Various factors can contribute to RAD, but abuse and severe neglect seem to be the most likely in Eun Ok's case.)
As they consider an isolation room for the patient, Shi On enters uninvited. Do Han gets shouty, but after a short apology, our hero asks to be made Eun Ok's attending doctor. He references the evils of continuous lorazepam application and his unique ability to communicate with her as well.
Do Han listens in exasperated silence. At first, he doesn't seem wholly opposed. Shi On obliterates his own chances, first by considering the patient an animal, then by citing extensive experience in childhood bunny chats. You can pinpoint the exact second Do Han tunes out; soon he interrupts Shi On's theta wave theory to put Hong Gil Nam in charge.
Our leads protest, but this only causes Do Han to kick both out of his office.
An angry Yoon Seo, inspired by her boss, follows Shi On to put boot to buns.
She snaps that he ignored her earlier warning not to refer to Eun Ok as an animal. Thinking he must not understand her condition, Yoon Seo starts to explain.
There's no need. Shi On knows well enough, even offering famous examples of the disorder. Yoon Seo believes if Shi On knows, he should treat the patient as he learned. But our hero disagrees, since "an illness of the heart can't be treated with knowledge from books."
Doctor Choi never played by the books in treating Shi On either, after all.
Thankfully, the two are called from their circular exchange to see to another patient. It's Ye Eun, the pig-tailed cutie. Unfortunately, her pain persists and there's still nobody that understands what her descriptive sound effects actually mean.
Nobody except for Shi On. He seems to speak her language; after an unintelligible conversation, our hero determines the pain stems from the healing process. Everyone is overjoyed to hear the good news.
In an effort to thank him, Ye Eun later catches up with our hero. She expresses her gratitude at being understood with snacks. One is for Shi On and the other for his girlfriend. Are they sausage or cheese? Both? Somehow identifying food is harder than describing surgery.
The cafeteria ahjumma watches the scene unfold with tears in her eyes. To this point I had trouble recognizing her, but she must be Shi On's mother after all. Why else would she silently thank him for growing up so well?
Vice Director Kang swoops down on Doctor Ko with news that his scheme failed. The petition against Shi On was dropped in order to protect the hospital's image. Furthermore, he warns against future bungling; if Dr. Acula wants to scheme, he needs to do better work.
Do Han meets with Chae Kyung for updates from the latest board meeting. She reiterates the juicy details, including the fact he is now a target alongside Doctor Choi. Although he accepts the information with interest, Do Han only shows desire in doing his job.
Chae Kyung insists that her fiancee should follow the career path she envisioned for him. She knows how this irritates him, but gleefully does it every single time they interact. What a fabulous prospect for married life.
Do Han's posture freezes, edge creeping throughout his body language. He firmly replies that he alone will determine the measure of his own success. Why Chae Kyung can't take the hint and pushes further is beyond me, but Do Han interjects: "If only once, can't you take pride in what I do? That's how I live. Not through ego, but pride."
Nurse Nam takes on the task of bathing Eun Ok, since none of her staff has enough courage. She learns their fears are justified when she finds herself holding the door shut from the other side, screaming for help. Cheesy slowed audio detracts from the laughs unfortunately.
Doctor Ko rends his copy of the now-useless petition. It doesn't take long before his rotten little brain remembers how easily Eun Ok could be used to stir up trouble.
[Note: Somehow I misconstrued the relationship between Doctor Choi and Chae Kyung in a previous recap. I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize for the error and any inconvenience caused. Whether the subtitles were confusing or it's just her personal life in general, I made the mistake.]
Chae Kyung links up with Doctor Choi, and the two chat once more about how she resents everyone involved in her father's second marriage.
For an adult of her position and age, this sort of concern is preposterous. There are no readily available explanations which absolve her current mindset; she even admits to having thought of President Lee as a second mother. This all stems from a sense of entitlement, since she believes Lee limits her influence by existing. Notably, like Do Han, Chae Kyung cites pride as a motivating factor.
Do Han interrupts more animal communication with a freshly clean Eun Ok, delivering harsh orders from the psychiatric department. The patient should be physically restrained until her surgery. Shi On protests and is ordered out mid-explanation.
Before anyone can so much as bat an eyelash, Do Han answers a call from Doctor Ko. You can almost taste the budding plot as he orders Shi On be placed in charge of Eun Ok. Apparently, our hero is the best man for the job because his condition is somewhat similar. Right....
Do Han confronts Doctor Ko, attacking his sincerity. He all but accuses him of devious scheming, but this villain has the audacity to hold Doctor Choi over him. If Do Han continues to push, he'll only cause trouble for both Choi and the department as a whole. Eventually, Do Han knows his only choice is to comply.
Shi On is delighted. Yoon Seo joins him in the break room for a pep talk, urging focus and caution. She takes his face between her hands and promises her faith in him. He hiccups and eventually offers her one of the couple's snacks he earned from Ye Eun.
Nurse Jo and Shi On try to feed Eun Ok and their initial attempts fail as she isn't acclimated to proper food. Eventually, our hero shuffles over to the cafeteria and returns with a bowl of scraps. Eun Ok barks her interest in the new offering and, once her hands are unbound, chows down.
Doctor Choi stops Yoon Seo from confronting Shi On after she witnesses the whole event. He leads her to his office and shares the origin of one of his most famous lectures: Shi On and his bunny. When he witnessed their intuitive communication, unaided by common language, he understood it was much the same between children and adults.
Yoon Seo asks for a copy of the lecture and Choi directs her to his desk. She stumbles across a childhood photo of Shi On, which she finds positively adorable.
Do Han leads a routine surgery, during which he displays double doses of vexation. Yoon Seo notices and challenges his moodiness. He takes this time to explain that nothing can be done about Shi On. Surely Yoon Seo knows our hero is nothing more than a pawn in the war against Doctor Choi.
She balks. Hospital politics are nothing in the face of saving lives. Why should only Doctor Choi matter? When Do Han refuses the necessity to communicate with others humanely, Yoon Seo makes her disappointment clear. "When I see the way you treat Shi On, you're like a different person."
Her candid words strike every retort from his tongue. After staring at Yoon Seo in stunned silence, Do Han retreats to the rooftops. There he mulls over the painful memory of his brother's funeral.
In the ensuing flashback Do Han sits alone, wan and vulnerable. His downcast expression wavers as a single tear escapes.
Eun Ok and Shi On converse wordlessly, their voices presented in narration. Our hero reassures her and gently pushes her to fall asleep. As Eun Ok closes her eyes, he murmurs aloud, "You're pretty. I love you."
Chae Kyung prepares dinner for two, sporting nothing but one of Do Han's shirts. Her make-up ploy is soon thwarted by the man himself; Do Han cancels via text, citing an emergency surgery.
Only he's lying. Do Han drowns his woes alone at a pojangmacha.
He eventually calls Yoon Seo to meet him there and, sure enough, she does. Do Han wonders whether she honestly finds him so heartless and cold. Yoon Seo hesitates briefly, prompting bitter laughter. "Of course you do."
She sits down and refutes him, stating she understands better than anyone how caring he can be. Unless Shi On is involved.
Do Han answers with a sad smile, slowly disclosing that he once had a younger brother: Soo Han. The existence of this sibling led him down the path of medicine. As many viewers have speculated, Soo Han suffered from a mental disability (though not autism).
In a flashback sequence, Do Han celebrates his birthday with Soo Han and their parents. We see Soo Han give his hyung a medical text (children's edition); surprisingly gentle, Do Han guarantees the gift will aid him in becoming a doctor. These words prompt Soo Han to ask his hyung to cure him once that day comes. Do Han ruffles his hair, making the promise with ease.
He directs the party babble towards talk of expanding Soo Han's freedoms. Though worry marks the faces of both parents, Do Han believes its time Soo Han went to school alone. Gaining as much independence as possible would benefit him in the long run.
On his first day alone, Soo Han becomes overstimulated and fearful. He hesitates over crossing the street until its too late. Ears covered, Soo Han rushes head long into traffic where he is mowed down by a truck.
Present Do Han can scarcely lift his eyes for the shame. He still blames himself for what happened to his little brother.
Yoon Seo assures he did the right thing for Soo Han's sake. She would have done the same.
Do Han insists his good intentions were the weapon that killed his brother. Had he not pushed him toward progress, Soo Han would still be safely cloistered with their parents. This is the reason he offers for his treatment of Shi On. Seeing him reminds Do Han so much of Soo Han, all he wants to do is push our hero back into his old world.
In some convoluted way, his cruelty has become the only method he has of protecting both himself and Shi On.
Yoon Seo rests her hand over Do Han's own as he falls silent. She provides comfort in the fact he has saved many lives and provided comfort to others. That's why she respects him so much, after all.
Since he can't go home, Do Han drunkenly trudges into the hospital. He steals Han Jin Wook's bed, much to the resident's chagrin.
Morning sees Chae Kyung sweeping the staff room for her fiancee, only to catch him in a lie. She chats with Han Jin Wook and learns there was no surgery the evening before. Chae Kyung does eventually meet with Do Han, but never confronts him; instead, she coolly rebuffs his attempts to make up for his absence.
Eun Ok barks at the dozing Shi On. Yoon Seo notices with amusement and steps in, advising him to feed the patient. It turns out the only growling stomach in the room belongs to our hero, so they hustle off to the cafeteria together.
Watching her son and Yoon Seo banter over their meal, Shi On's mother smiles. A sharp sudden pain ends her viewing; it becomes so unbearable she can no longer stand. Luckily, help arrives fast since Mother works in a hospital. Shi On attends to her personally, but doesn't seem to recognize her.
Nothing serious is wrong with Mother, Yoon Seo reports. All she needs is bed rest. Prompted by his colleague, Shi On thanks the kindly ahjumma for the soup. He mentions someone in his hometown made it the same way, but can't remember whom.
Definitely doesn't remember Mother, then.
Having returned to Eun Ok, Shi On allows the troublemaker quartet to finally meet her. They've been hovering curiously outside the door all this time. He teaches them how to pet and socialize with her; its easier for them, since Eun Ok prefers children to adults.
Resident Jerk Woo Il Kyu replaces the cute spectators outside the door. Guess what he's planning?
Yoon Seo promises to fill out the hospital forms for Mother, since she claims to have no one. Our heroine goes to her work locker for details, where a family photo including young Shi On comes to her attention. The pieces all fall into place.
Vice Chief Kang chats with his boss, who promises both the board and pediatrics department will crumble soon.
A strange turn has Chae Kyung meeting with this man almost simultaneously. She wants him to get rid of Kang, whom he pretends not to know. Stranger yet, Chae Kyung is responsible for the financial pressure bearing down on her own hospital.
She still hates her stepmother.
Shi On is called away to do some stitching. He leaves Eun Ok in good spirits, safe and sound in her isolation room. Sadly, there's absolutely nothing he can do against sabotage. Woo Il Kyu uses his ID card to release the electronic locks.
Nurse Nam inspects the slightly ajar door on her way past, but Eun Ok launches toward her aggressively. She begins rampaging through the hospital, knocking over nearly everyone, ill or hale, she comes across.
Do Han goes over Eun Ok's upcoming surgery with his team. They've barely covered the details when news of her escape sends them sprinting to the lobby. Security has their patient cornered there.
The group arrives and though none of them are allowed to approach, Do Han repeatedly warns the guards not to manhandle Eun Ok. She struggles as they grasp her; thankfully, she doesn't start biting right away.
Shi On finally makes his appearance in the lobby; he was blissfully unaware of the situation, since he stopped for treats. Unthinking, he rushes forward to free his charge. The exchange looks much more violent than it is.
In the tumult, he accidentally strikes a security guard. Do Han and Yoon Seo intercede when the man drops to the ground. It looked deliberate from that angle, didn't it?
