In a thrilling chase to capture a psychopath, the hero of The First Responders confronts harsh realities about his job challenging the meaning of his work.
After seven years, Ho-gae gets a chance to redeem himself and make peace with his detective mistake in one of the early cases he handled. However, burying the hatchet is not easy as it seems especially when he confronts the direct blame from the victim.
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The First Responders Episode 11 Highlights
Ho-gae’s career life’s biggest disappointment gets reignited when Hyun-seo appears but was again abducted. Discovering the basement room where the victim was kept, unfortunately, the culprit already escaped.
“She was locked up in a place like this for seven years.”
All along, Hyun-seo was held captive by Kyung-jun, a hospital nurse, whom Taewon police and firefighters have casually interacted with. He has damaged Hyun-seo’s vocal cords so she can’t ask for help.
Determined to catch the culprit, Ho-gae is being held down by his father who charged him with assault from a previous case involving a courtroom judge’s children. Knowing his right, he asserts to join the investigation and promises to turn himself in after an hour.
Getting details that can help where Kyung-jun headed with Hyun-seo, Ho-gae found an address of where the psycho worked previously. They reach the place but Kyung-jun is ready to drop a pile of metal bars if Ho-gae and Pil do something.
From Kyung-jun’s perspective, he narrates how he abducted Hyun-seo whom he harbors affection. Unhappy about why she seems to be hero-worshipping Ho-gae, he made a move to abduct her and kept her in his house beside Ho-gae’s.
For years, they live a routine life until Ho-gae returns again. Hyun-seo attempted to kill herself so Kyung-jun has left with no choice but to bring her to the ER. When she was revived, he abducted him again.
Offering himself in place of Hyun-seo, the psycho agreed but his mercurial temperament released the trigger when Hyun-seo hasn’t reached a safe place yet. Thankfully, Seol is there and Ho-gae also evaded the metal pile drop.
“Why didn’t you answer the phone call? This is all your fault.”
Running after Kyung-jun, Ho-gae finally subdued him. On the brink of doing a deadly blow, Do-jin arrives to remind him that he is a police officer.
Fortunately, Hyun-seo can still regain her voice but the trauma made her forget who her grandmother is. She recognizes Ho-gae though but she painfully tells him that if he answered her call back then, she would have not suffered.
Signs of mental damage also arise as her abductor seemingly made her believe that he is her father. Strangling the culprit, Ho-gae learns how he fed her with illusion.
Venting out his frustration, Ho-gae almost killed the psycho but stops remembering Do-jin’s words that it’s not worth becoming a criminal for that kind of person.
“I don’t think I’m worthy of being a detective. Just indict me or send me to prison if you want. You won, father.”
Visiting his father, Ho-gae humbly acknowledged that he was right about the reality of fighting for justice. That even when he caught the culprit, the irreversible damage it gave Hyun-seo can’t be erased.
Deciding to resign from his job, Ho-gae visits Hyun-seo and looks back on his fond memory with her. His paper cranes apparently came from Hyun-seo’s promise of giving him a paper crane whenever he catches a criminal.
Sharing Pil’s unhappy mood, Seol decides to look for a man “specially related” to her. She finds him at his house burning the paper cranes he collected to seal his decision of ending his detective career.
Seol invites him to a place where she goes when she’s emotionally struggling. She brings her to the NICU of the hospital where her mom is working and lets him experience kangaroo care.
Pushing a pep talk to make Ho-gae stay focused on the rewarding side of his career, and not quit, Ho-gae seems firm in leaving.
The First Responders Episode 11 Musings
Ho-gae’s and Hyun-seo’s story reminds us to pay attention when someone directly asks us for help. There’s a reason why it could be desperate and why it worries that person. Carrying the weight of an error he inadvertently made which damaged the life of an innocent inevitably took a toll on Ho-gae.
To aggravate his situation, the aftermath screams right to his face haunting him and will continue to bother him for the rest of his life. He needs a career-affirming moment to let go of that unsettling feeling. Hopefully, Seol’s intentional coaxing would at least encourage him to realize that he’s more than that one mistake he unintentionally made.
Still clueless about Do-jin’s special affection for her, Seol is primed to face a dilemma as she has this “special connection” established with Ho-gae. With or without a love line, this series can hold its charm just the same.
Something to gripe about the series as a whole is how Chief Prosecutor Jin’s and Assemblyman Ma’s end game remains vague. Approaching the final episode of the first season, their purpose in the story is still disconnected.
Will Ho-gae really leave for good? Can Do-jin verbalize his feelings for Seol?
Be enthralled at how the police and firefighter cooperate to save lives in dire situations in The First Responders on SBS. International fans can watch it on Disney+!
Photos: SC Prime Video | SBS Drama
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