Murders tangled in multiple arson cases hype up the first four episodes of The First Responders 2.
Action-packed and emotionally intense, the series laments the loss of a well-loved character.
abbyinhallyuland watches The First Responders 2 on Disney+
The First Responders 2 Opening Episodes Rating:
*First Look covers episodes 1 to 4
K-Drama Review: “The First Responders” Galvanizes With Compelling Joint Response Crime Solving Story
The First Responders 2 Episodes 1 to 4 Highlights
Jin Ho-gae is back with the police and firefighter forces. In the opening chapters of the second season, complicated cases have to be dealt with by the joint team.
Cryptic murders have been discovered in fires initiated by a serial arsonist.
Getting needed information for the unfathomable situation they have, Ho-gae visited a notorious arsonist to get useful information on the direction of the investigation.
The tool used to cut a tube in the previous arson case was determined. Ho-gae also gets possible suspects in mind.
“If there ever comes a day when I don’t make it out of fire and you end up reading this, I’d just be relieved by the fact that you weren’t caught in the fire with me.”
While Ho-gae and Do-jin investigate with their team members, two reported fires simultaneously happened.
Seol who bravely rescued a citizen eventually lost consciousness after giving him initial medical treatment. Fortunately, the noise tracking device used by the firefighters locates them. However, Ho-gae has to crawl to the collapsed area to bring Seol and the survivor out.
At the other burning building, Do-jin rescues a young boy. When he sees a pentagram light up in the room, he tries to check it out leading to his demise.
In an epiphany, Seol who is still unconscious bids goodbye to the sunbae who doted and wanted a future with her.
Grief overwhelms the firefighters and police officers but they are determined to catch the arsonist.
Going full force into his investigation, Ho-gae interrogated Chief Dokko who gave a solid alibi. Simultaneously, Seol, Anna and Yoon Hong lead the investigation on the cause of the fire.
Seol deduces the candles Do-jin swallowed are meant to protect the evidence. He also sacrificed himself to protect his fellow firefighters when he discovered the paraffin candles positioned to drop into a container that would cause a lethal blast.
“Can you live like this? After burying your colleagues into your heart?
Chief Dokko as a suspect was also ruled out. While fixing Do-jin’s things, Seol discovers a picture of Do-jin and Chief Dokko and a man who seems familiar to her.
That same man she sees face to face after getting out of Do-jin’s apartment. Recognizing Seol, the man opens the elevator door and smashes Seol with a metal hammer.
Ho-gae and Pil track the manufacturer of the candles used in the arson cases and they finally get the address and identify the culprit.
He turns out to be Chief Dokko’s ex-husband, Yang Sang-man, who also used to be the leader of Taewon firefighters. After losing team members because of a redevelopment plan that went wrong, the trauma led him to meticulously plan the series of enormous fires.
Reaching the pinnacle of his plan, Sang-man places Seol in the elevator which would spark a fire for the whole building to collapse. Kang Do-ha, Do-jin’s friend who also works for Korea’s Airforce Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) join the teams as they are also in search of the theft who stole dangerous explosives.
You asked what was left after Do-jin died, right? A young boy survived. “
In the nick of time, Ho-gae rescues Chief Dokko and together with Pil stops the remaining explosives he wanted to detonate. Do-ha also stops the bomb inside the elevator where Seol is.
Serving the prison sentence befitting of the crimes he committed, Sang-man’s ill intentions, unfortunately, cannot return the lives lost because of his sick belief.
Talking in private, Ho-gae tries to appease Seol’s grieving heart. He also confesses his feelings to her but it’s too bad that she’s crying because of a man that he also misses a lot. He promises her that he will come back to Taewon soon.
The First Responders 2 Episodes 1 to 4 Musings
Tracking and subduing an elusive and clever arsonist, The First Responders 2 dropped unexpected surprises and mind-boggling scenarios in its preliminary episodes. Like the urgency innate to the situations underlined in the story, the series was unapologetic to all the heartbreaking bombs dropped on unprepared viewers.
There was no time to process and feel the death of Do-jin as the story keeps its intensified momentum until the culprit was finally arrested. On the horizon, the issues surrounding Ma Tae-hwa and Chief Prosecutor Jin are still at an impasse.
Although hinted at in the first season, The First Responders 2 detonated such a surprising development. We love how the trio works together and the bromance of Jin-dog and Bulldozer as well. Viewers saw it coming but not this early, that’s why it is normal to gripe a little.
If this is a normal love story, we can see a “love future” for Do-jin and Hong as well as the apparent pairing of Ho-gae and Seol. However, since this is a crime drama, our feelings as hopeless romantics can be invalidated
Nevertheless, since this season closes in four weeks, it would be interesting how the narrative shapes up following the characters that leave and new characters we will meet.
Be enthralled at how the police and firefighter cooperate to save lives in dire situations in The First Responders on SBS every Friday and Saturday. International fans can watch it on Disney+!
Photos/Videos: SBS Drama
