SBS Drama 'Shin & Law Office' Nears Finale with Explosive Revelations

SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Shin & Law Office' is gearing up for its finale on the 2nd, as Yoo Yeon-seok and Choi Won-young's father-son duo ignite a pursuit of truth amidst a massive cover-up.

In the 15th episode aired on the 1st, Shin Yi-rang (played by Yoo Yeon-seok) and his father Shin Ki-jung (played by Choi Won-young), who has regained his memory, embark on a fierce battle to clear a 22-year-old false accusation. The episode saw a rise in viewership, recording 7.3% nationwide and in the metropolitan area, with a peak of 8%. The 2049 target audience rating averaged 2.2%, peaking at 2.49%, according to Nielsen Korea. Although it faced stiff competition from '21st Century Grand Lady' starring IU and Byun Woo-seok, which surpassed 10.0%, 'Shin & Law Office' saw an increase in ratings as it approaches its conclusion.

With the tearful confession, "You are my father," from his son Shin Yi-rang, Shin Ki-jung regained his memory. Overwhelmed with emotion at seeing his grown son, he reflected on his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. However, he postponed reuniting with his family until he could clear his name from the false accusations of being a corrupt prosecutor.

Shin Ki-jung's memory of the teacher Yoon Dae-myung incident was as follows: After Yoon expelled a student involved in school violence, he faced numerous lawsuits from parents, colleagues, and outsiders. Shin Ki-jung suspected a deliberate attempt to bring Yoon down. Yoon, having witnessed the student's father meeting a prosecutor, found a way to record their conversation and entrusted the location of the recorder to Shin Ki-jung. However, Shin Ki-jung's memory only went as far as retrieving the recorder. Believing his father was not the corrupt prosecutor the world accused him of being, Shin Yi-rang resolved to uncover the truth.

Taebaek Chairman Yang Byung-il (played by Choi Kwang-il) confided in his son Yang Do-kyung (played by Kim Do-kyung) about why he was concerned about Shin Ki-jung, who was presumed dead 20 years ago. He admitted to being the prosecutor who, under the student's father's influence, targeted Yoon with a biased investigation. He claimed it was the first and last time he compromised his principles for a secure future, as his position within the prosecution was weakening. However, he concealed the fact that he staged Yoon's death as a suicide and framed Shin Ki-jung with drug and corruption charges. Despite his father's confession, Yang Do-kyung remained skeptical but decided to follow his father's orders to prevent Shin Ki-jung from revealing the location of the recorder.

Unlike the father-son duo in the 'alliance of evil,' Shin Ki-jung found a notebook documenting the case in an old leather bag he had gifted his wife Park Kyung-hwa (played by Kim Mi-kyung) during their honeymoon, leading him to the recorder. He hesitated to pursue his vindication at the risk of endangering his son. It was Han Na-hyun (played by Lee Som) who changed his mind. She discovered issues with the initial investigation of the Yoon Dae-myung case and the witness statements regarding Shin Ki-jung's accident through materials obtained from Prosecutor Kim Hyun-woo (played by Yeon Je-hyung). She sincerely persuaded Shin Ki-jung, saying, "Your son is stronger than anyone. He has overcome many challenges on his own, and he will do so again."

Deciding to leave the decision to his son and join him in the process, Shin Ki-jung faced a crisis just before reaching the truth. Members of the Sa-ryong Society, including Lee Tae-gun (played by Ryu Sung-hyun), under Yang Do-kyung's orders, raided the Okcheon Building office. However, Shin Ki-jung, a kendo master whom Yang Byung-il never defeated, possessed Shin Yi-rang and swiftly subdued the intruders with a mop handle as if it were a wooden sword.

At that moment, Lee Tae-gun, aware of the deceased's secret, splashed water to forcibly break the possession and threatened to burn Shin Ki-jung's talisman, pressuring Shin Yi-rang. To protect his father, Shin Yi-rang cautiously revealed the recorder, his eyes reigniting with determination. With a steel pipe in hand, Shin Yi-rang rose again, his father Shin Ki-jung overlapping behind him. "This time, I won't lose it again," he roared, as the father-son duo moved as one in a 'synchronized kendo action,' delivering a thrilling cathartic blow.

Anticipation is at its peak to see if Shin Yi-rang can clear his father's name and reunite his family with dignity. The final episode of SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Shin & Law Office' airs on Saturday at 9:50 PM.

Reporter Lim Chae-ryung, TenAsia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr