Recap "Jirisan” Episode 9

Nov 22, 2021

Slowly mounting the story’s peak, this chapter can be considered a rest point. Despite an unfortunate event, the clarity and significance of the details featured in this episode would most likely be realized in the subsequent chapters.

“She must be new but she’s a ranger. She might have left a sign.”

Recognizing the man chasing after her, Da-won smiles and asks why the man was there. Yi-gang’s woes, unfortunately, turn real as Haedong rangers and the police search for the missing Da-won.

Feeling frantic, Yi-gang advises to look for a tree in the area the rangers are searching. It gives the Goo-young the idea that her mission per Hyun-jo’s lead was what lead Da-won to be on the mountain on her rest day.

Arguing how they found the missing hikers through Hyun-jo’s signals, Yi-gang insists on checking on the dead tree. They were led to another part of the mountain and find Da-won’s bloodied mobile phone. Still no sign of Da-won, the police arrive at the ranger station and relays a voice recording of Da-won meeting Do Jae-jin.

In the recording, Da-won declines going back together with Jae-jin. Perplex at why Da-won recorded and sounded terrified, Yi-gang hints her suspicion that Chief Do might be involved. But he suddenly appears in the office. Just then, the rangers also found Da-won’s lifeless body.

“The deceased was holding this when she was found.”

Furious at knowing Da-won was holding Chief Do’s glove, Yi-gang rants and condemns her superior if he has really done it and all the other things, too. But Goo-young shuts her up blaming Yi-gang for sending Da-won to the mountain. The police bring in Chief Do for questioning.

Back on the mountain, spirit Hyun-jo wakes up hearing the agonizing sobs of Yi-gang.

At the station, Goo-young bombards Yi-gang about the accident with Hyun-jo, her suspicions with Chief Do and the errands she asked Da-won to do. He also blames her for all the mess that happened and hoped she had never come back.

Mulling over Da-won’s unfortunate fate, Yi-gang’s reverie gets interrupted by the mountain peddler who revealed a message from spirit Hyun-jo. That he did not leave any sign for her. Yi-gang checks on the camera situated at the supposed sign left for her. but there was no camera. Even Da-won’s notebook is missing.

“Hyun-jo, are you there? Answer me if you’re there! Tell me what you saw. Tell me what you know.”

Thinking aimlessly, Yi-gang goes to the mountain without regard to her non-functioning legs in the hopes of meeting Hyun-jo. Spouting her yearnings to be with him, she sadly weeps, overwhelmed with emotions. She inwardly pleads for him to reveal what she needs to know.

A flashback in the 2019 timeline revealed how the rookie and star rangers have since become the best and trusted partners. The concept of mountain spirit and the evil spirit is also introduced along with the local shamanic traditions done to pay respect to the mountain spirit.

Yi-gang shares a video streamer’s live broadcast about an unfortunate village near the mountain, that has since been dubbed as haunted to Hyun-jo. Its villagers suddenly vanished along with cryptic deaths.

We officially entered a more confusing “who’s the culprit game” in the newest episodes of Jirisan. This episode also introduces us to the concept of sanshin, (mountain spirit) that protects the mountain. Accordingly, the evil counterpart was also introduced.

I felt episode 9 was a bit disconnected and messy and even Da-won’s demise was not given a proper emotion. We weren’t even given time to grieve as viewers. Yi-gang’s helplessness and her plight of going through a point of blaming herself were well imparted. Hopefully, her sincere prayer will be answered.

The narrative appears to focus on transitioning to the events that would befall at Black Ridge village. Thereafter, the poignant accident that separated Hyun-jo and Yi-gang is also on the horizon.

At this point, there’s an inkling that we might have been suspecting Chief Do since pieces connect to him. But anyone from Team Haedong can be the real culprit. Thus, the narration is also leading us to various options.

Looks like the next episode would have our main leads explore the forbidden village after the accident of the video streamer. An apt choice because this episode was supposed to be emotional, but the delivery was quite bland.

Jirisan