Coupang Play’s drama “Decoy: Part 1” Aka “Bait” has concluded its 1st part, here is a recap of its finale.
“Bait” episode 6 recap
The episode begins with Jung Jae-Hwang committing suicide.
Then we go back to 2007.
The gang is discussing a CEO of an entertainment company who can become their angel investor. Because he needs to get his sales up so he can make the company IPO, he needs to invest in something that would increase his sales. If they become a subsidiary, they can sell even more and pocket even more money so its win-win situation. Jung So-Ram warns them the guy is shady by he’s being introduced to them via assemblyman Kim. They don’t listen.
No Sang-Cheon and Song Young-Jin then go to meet him and he agrees to invest on the spot after hearing about the 10 billion profit margin. It takes off, he has his idols promote this phone and sales skyrocket.
assemblyman Kim is told by his secretary that Jung So-Ram wants to return but he refuses, he wants her to keep an eye on No Sang-Cheon.
While one day they’re counting the money, they get calls that they’ve been exposed and the phone is faulty, they panic.
Back to the present day
Gu Do-Han and Jeon Na-Yeon investigate the location of Jung Jae-Hwang and find his body, they also find his phone and once its charged, they see a suicide note.
Deputy Head Kang is also found, he’s in shambles, scruffy and seems to have been through hell. Gu Do-Han escorts him back and while he rides in his car, he’s told Jung Jae-Hwang has died. The thing is, he doesn’t ask how he’s died. He’s hiding something. He then leaves with his car.
Jung Jae-Hwang mother sees his body and breaks down in tears while police decide to close the investigation with him in mind.
Lee Byung-Jun is also released from prison and is welcomed back by the group.
Meanwhile, Deputy Head Kang goes to see head prosecutor Park asking him again if No Sang-Cheon is truly dead. He says he doesn’t honestly know if he’s dead but he suspects the real killer was not Jung Jae-Hwang.
At the morgue, the Dr. says its suicide and aside from some injuries likely due to a beating he’s gotten, he seems to have actually committed suicide. Gu Do-Han tells this to the deputy head, he’s told to wrap it up but Gu Do-Han questions him if this is right.
Later, he gets a call from Jeon Na-Yeon who tells him she’s going to see Han Da-Jung. He accompanies her fearing she’d do something bad.
He then is triggered by her presence, she lies saying she didn’t meet him but then admits to it saying she tried to help him out by hiring him for her crypto coin scheme. Gu Do-Han gets unusually angry and shatters some of her precious vases.
She screams at him to leave.
After they leave, Jeon Na-Yeon tells him after being scammed she became a scammer and built her way up. She then asks why he was agitated, he says she’s connected to the person who killed his sister 7 years ago. When asked for more info, he declines to answer. They talk about how the address written on the package was similar to the way the killer operated wondering if its true that Jung Jae-Hwang truly died by suicide.
Back to year 2011
Assemblyman Kim meets with Kang Jong-Hoon who was then a police officer while Song Young-Jin hides in the closet. He asks about Jung So-Ram and he becomes angry and yells at him saying he has nothing to say despite call records connecting them to her. Once he leaves, Song Young-Jin emerges again and talks about how No Sang-Cheon is laundering money by turning it into gold bars suggesting to the assemblyman they should steal it because he won’t be able to take everything with him. He beats him up again until he takes out a knife, Song Young-Jin ends up leaving empty handed.
Jung So-Ram finally talks to the assemblyman on the phone, he tells her to remain by No Sang-Cheon’s side, turns out No Sang-Cheon himself was listening in on the conversation. A man then comes to escort her from the place where she’s hiding after being nearly caught by police. However, Han Da-Jung and Lee Byung-Jun stumbles upon him and a scuffle ensues, he beats them up relentlessly. Then, Jung Jae-Hwang shows up seeing Jung So-Ram going down from the building he told her to hide in. he sees the man beating both up badly and interferes, he also gets beaten up badly and sees the bodyguard is still beating Byung-Jun, so he takes a knife from the ground and kills that man. This is why he went to jail.
Back to 2023
Gu Do-Han sees the head because he asked for an extension on the case. Kang Jong-Hoon is against it and says he regrets bringing him back. Then when Gu Do-Han is eating with his team, people from HR show up to take him out as the way he was brought back in was against the rules. The entire squad is furious.
how does “Bait” end?
Meanwhile, the entire support group gets another message from the killer of another time, he’s taking out another man. Jeon Na-Yeon decides to go to the location and see for herself.
Deputy head Kang Jong-Hoon appears to be heading somewhere far away when he sees a car on the road that appears to have crashed, he stops, gets outside of car and knocks on the car, then another car pulls up with men who brought rods with them wearing masks. He takes out his gun asking the dude to show himself when the supposed woman takes off his wig, a man then steps out of the vehicle, Kang Jong-Hoon is stunned.
The end.
Does “Bait” part 1 have a happy ending?
No, it does not.
When will “Bait” part 2 air?
According to Coupang Play, “Bait” part 2 will air in the 1st half of 2023. however, the premiere date is yet to be set. Stay tuned for more updates!
Is there a second season of “Bait”?
Yes, there is. The 2nd part will also have 6 episodes and will air some time in 2023. the exact release date is yet to be confirmed.
“Bait” episode 6 review
That was very interesting, super fun and INTENSEeee. I am really liking the content Coupany Play is putting out. Its not on the same scale as Netflix in term of size but its definitely interesting.
I really like the plot, I said in the premiere review that I don’t know how to feel about the timeline jumps but now I do know how I feel, I like it a lot. I think its done tastefully and really well.
There is no moment to breath watching this drama, its all very gripping and fast-paced. There is no dull moment and it feels like we’re chasing after something but we’re not quite hateful towards it but rather curious, curious about why it happened.
I don’t know if I believe No Sang-Cheon is alive or not, considering the writing for this drama, it might actually be that he’s truly dead but since it turned out that Jung So-Ram was alive, I don’t know anymore.
I would guess whoever started this killing spree has enough justifiable suspicion that he’s alive considering how that person managed to kill all those people so meticulously while avoiding getting caught.
I have a feeling it goes even deeper than the assemblyman as it seems someone is still pulling the strings from above.
I kinda feel bad for Kang Jong-Hoon but it seems there is more to why he did not really help out those victims for real.
As to who the killer identity is… I am quite puzzled. I have an inkling that its not one person and that they’re part of the same support group that go scammed by No Sang-Cheon. But again, that would be a bit too obvious and on the nose considering how we already know they wouldn’t kill someone because if they could they would have probably done it a while back.
But it could be that they’re still victims of No Sang-Cheon’s crimes but outside of that group. I also think there is an imposter among them, I am sure of it.
Regardless, I’d say “Bait” has seriously been the most enjoyable kdrama I’ve seen in 2023 thus far, we only just started and you guys know around this time there aren’t many good projects out as per usual, but besides this one crash course in romance is cute as well.
But as a script and execution. Based on the 1st part, I’d say “Bait” has been quite the fun ride. Its tightly written and aside from some minor conveniences for the sake of advancing the plot, it was still so much fun to watch.
I like being teased and tested, I found myself immersed in the story too. It was a lot of fun. I can’t wait for part 2.
What did you think of the ending?
Who is jang jae-hwang the actor? Name please