Oasis 2023 Recap Episode 5

Episode 5 of Oasis begins with the Lees working on a farm while Du-hak is an infant. In response to Mr. Lee’s callousness of working the whole farm alone with a baby, Mrs. Lee ends up confessing that she is pregnant again. Later, in the middle of the night, we finally see the legendary Choi freedom fighter and Cheol-woong’s grandfather.

He is on his deathbed and as he is dying, he asks Lee of something shocking. He reveals that Yeo-jin cannot have children and if Mrs. Lee has a second son, to let the Chois adopt him. While Lee agrees, calling it a blessing, Mrs. Lee is in tears.  

It cuts back to the present time with Yeo-jin smirking alone in her shop while Hwang is deep in thought about her confession that Cheol-woong is his son. Elsewhere, Du-hak is tasked with finding a protest leader, the same man who had suggested Jung-ok go to night school. In the photos he is shown, Du-hak sees her with the leader and is worried.

As Kwang-tak’s men beat up the protestors hiding in an abandoned place, Du-hak finds his sister and the protest leader running. Before Young-pil can get to them, the scalpers stop him while Du-hak beats up the protest leader much to Jung-ok’s dismay. While the leader is arrested, Jung-ok is let go because of her connection to Du-hak.

She is furious with him on the ride back home and scolds him for being a thug. He says that she could be arrested and she says only those who are criminals should be scared of prison. He slaps her and she tells their parents that he is a gangster and goes inside. The Lees are shocked and Mr. Lee tries to slap him.

Du-hak points out that this is the outcome of his father’s orders, who told him to stop studying and go to prison. As an ex-convict with no education, he can be nothing but a gangster and Mr. Lee ends up crying while Du-hak leaves.  

Meanwhile, a cheery Cheol-woong gets ready for his first day as a prosecutor trainee only for the others to whisper aloud that he was a mole. He is upset and as he hides in the washroom, Captain Oh pays him a visit. He tells him to take up a student union case and Cheol-woong tries to refuse.

Oh first threatens him and then says that he can do whatever he likes once he joins hands with the NSA. Cheol-woong doesn’t understand why he has been picked and Oh says he doesn’t either but it is the wish of his boss. Outside Hwang looks proudly as Cheol-woong takes the case file and follows Oh.

As Cheol-woong presents the case of the Three Min Protest Committee to a bunch of officers and lawyers, he is shaken when he recognizes one of the protest leaders being targeted, Kwong Dong-hwi. He was the same guy who had accused him of being a mole before Du-hak had saved him.

Angry that Dong-hwi’s accusations may come true now, Cheol-woong runs out. He ends up running into Hwang who like a corrupted Yoda tells him that it is okay to be nervous but that it is an honour to serve the country which confuses Cheol-woong.

Elsewhere, Jung-shin, Geum-ok and Director Go are having a meal together. Boss lady congratulates Jung-shin for expanding the business and in return, she says that she has bought back Namhae Theatre. Jung-shin is over the moon but as she leaves, Geum-ok gives the Namhae title deed to Hyung-joo who gives her some money. She says she is in his debt and he tells her that he considers it an investment as he would like to help.

While Du-hak and the rest of the scalpers wait for him, Seon-woo reveals that a lot of factory workers who are unhappy with the conditions are protesting. It must be the same for Du-hak’s sister and the cops probably mistook her group as communists. Gil-su mocks him for knowing so much and they start bickering. Through it, it is revealed that Du-hak got his GED while he was in prison.

As Hyung-joo arrives, he notices that two men in a car are following them. He goes in and tells the group that Young-pil is planning on coming up with a fake accusation of Du-hak stealing from one of the liquor businesses. It will happen in less than a week and the scalpers should act as bodyguards in case Young-pil also tries to physically hurt Du-hak.

An upset Cheol-woong calls up Jung-shin for a lunch date and while talking she mishears him and thinks he is talking about love. He takes his chance and says that he likes her and wants to date her. She says he cannot handle her and she will just make him suffer. He asks if that is the only reason and she leaves while he sadly looks at her uneaten plate.

She goes home and takes a swig from a soju bottle, surprising Yang-ja. She tells her that out of the two boys, she keeps thinking about the one who is ill-fated. As Yang-ja tries to cheer her up with a song, Jung-shin remembers the time Du-hak had told her that she was the only thing making prison bearable. It had been to celebrate his GED exam and they had kissed. Unfortunately, at that moment, some men barge into the apartment and kidnap Jung-shin.

Meanwhile, Geum-ok pays Hyung-joo the first instalment of his investment. She asks to meet his boss and he deflects by saying that he is from Japan but will be visiting soon. At that moment, Yang-ja tells Geum-ok about Jung-shin’s kidnapping. They get a call from President Byun of a distributing company Star Entertainment.

He tells Geum-ok to stop doing business with the Gyeonggang theatres or he will kill Jung-shin. Geum-ok tells him to go ahead as she feels that he will want to negotiate if he thinks he has no leverage. Hyung-joo overhears and informs Du-hak who tells all of his men to look for Jung-shin. At the same time, Young-pil decides to get rid of Du-hak and tells his men to go after him.

And as luck would have it, Jung-ok runs away at that moment. While looking for her, Du-hak is surrounded by Young-pil’s men. Since all of his men are searching for Jung-shin, he only has two bodyguards. Young-pil’s men beat them all up and are about to kill Du-hak when Hyung-joo brings Kwang-tak to the scene.

Turns out that it was part of Du-hak’s plan as he knew he was being followed and had told Hyung-joo to bring Kwang-tak right when Young-pil corners him. While Du-hak gets treated in the hospital, Young-pil shows the fake ledger and tries to save his skin. Kwang-tak almost falls for it, but at that moment, Du-hak shows up with the forgers who analyse the ledger and show evidence that it is fake.

After almost everything is solved, Du-hak is still worried as he can’t find Jung-shin. He finally goes to Cheol-woong and tells him to get the NSA’s help in tracking her. Cheol-woong is unwilling as he is scared of Captain Oh but Du-hak drops him an offer. If Cheol-woong helps, Du-hak will consider half of the life debt paid.

The Episode Review

No way, no absolute way! But then with the way Mr. Lee has always bent over backwards to do the Choi’s bidding, it wouldn’t have been too much of a stress to believe that Cheol-woong is actually the son he gave away. It also makes a little sense as to why Lee dotes over him while always brushing Du-hak aside.

And honestly, with Yeo-jin being so calm and collected so far, her sudden spilling that Cheol-woong is Hwang’s son felt like a lie she couldn’t really sell. And while this show has mostly been about how awful family can be and how much happier Du-hak is with his prison family, the fact that he and Cheol-woong are brothers has just complicated their relationship so much more. He hates that he always instinctively ends up looking after Cheol-woong.

Meanwhile, our favourite grey character just declared war on his only brother over a girl even if Jung-shin is least interested in Cheol-woong. As for the episode in general, it was an adrenaline rush with so much happening, forget about us, poor Du-hak could barely keep up. Seems like it is time for Cheol-woong to finally pull his weight and get some things done.