The Good Bad Mother (2023) Episode 13

Episode 13 of The Good Bad Mother starts off with Kang-ho finding the restaurant owner, Mr. Cho. While he is happy to see him, the fisherman gets scared. But they catch up and Kang-ho finally learns what really happened. It cuts to that fateful night with a suspicious boat showing up. Cho tells Hwang to hide and tries to fight the men off but he is overpowered. With nowhere to go, Hwang jumps into the water and to her death.

At the hospital, Sam-sik despite his wig and sunglasses keeps trying to hide which just makes him more conspicuous. He and Mi-joo cannot find Ha-young but their luck gets worse as they are joined by a strange man in the elevator. Sam-sik sees his wrist tattoo and recognises him as Tae-soo’s assassin.

Pretending that Mi-joo is pregnant, they run out. They then find him outside a room with two bodyguards and deduce that it is Ha-young’s. Using a bobby pin, Sam-sik then unlocks the laundry room and gets ready for their next plan of action.

Meanwhile, the two detectives arrive at Jouri to question Kang-ho. Young-soon keeps them at bay with Andrea hiding under a blanket and pretending to be a panicking Kang-ho. After they leave, Andrea reveals that he wants to go back home and she is relieved that he will be able to escape before he gets caught up in their drama. 

As for Hoon-ah, his next song is a hit and he thanks Kang-ho for it. It turns out the song is ‘Intrusion Into My Heart’ which he started working on after they first met with Kang-ho reciting the trespassing act while searching for the twins’ ball. Chief Son, on the other hand, is getting a suit tailored for being commended as the chief of a village with no crime for 20 years.

But at that moment, the detectives ask him about Hwang’s murder and he goes into shock. They show him CCTV footage of Kang-ho throwing a fit at the station. They then show Son footage of him calmly filling in hospital forms for Young-soon. They ask which is the real Kang-ho and Son is equally confused but tries not to give anything away.

Elsewhere, Young-soon makes a meal for the twins and Mr. Bang, and is playing Go Stop with Sung-ae and Geum-ja despite not knowing the rules. Sung-ae offhandedly comments that people try strange things if they are dying which prompts an angry response from Geum-ja. Sung-ae takes it the wrong way and is offended.

She feels wronged that everyone looks down on her for having a thief of a son while all the attention falls on Kang-ho for being a good son, studious and a successful prosecutor. Geum-ja finally gives in and tells her and Bang that Young-soon has terminal cancer and they are shocked.

Sung-ae warns Young-soon not to leave her. She asks her to fight with her and be jealous of her when Sam-sik is finally successful. Young-soon hugs her and says she was always jealous that Sung-ae had a loving husband and cheery and healthy son which leads to everyone tearing up including the Sons who show up to warn them about the cops.

Meanwhile, Kang-ho asks his co-worker to run digital forensics on the hidden phone which happens to be Park Cheol-su’s, the innocent defendant who was framed for the Woobyeok construction case in episode 1. The co-worker is confused whether Kang-ho is an ally or enemy of the chaebol group.

He tells Kang-ho that he has always supported him but after seeing Young-soon defending him against Jung’s mother believing her son is a good prosecutor, it has been tough. Kang-ho promises to show his real side soon and the co-worker agrees to help. He also finally gets his hands on the footage he had asked for – it shows an innocent Jung finding the girl’s dead body after Song’s grandson kills her.

However, time is running out as Song orders So and Cha to kill Kang-ho before he regains his memories and before the baby’s dead body is found but the two minions are conflicted. 

In the hospital, Sam-sik makes a nervous Mi-joo dress up as a doctor and approach Ha-young’s room. She pretends to be a counsellor but the moment she says Kang-ho’s name, Ha-young tries to scream. Mi-joo stops her and shows her the video of her lacing Kang-ho’s drinks. Ha-young is still scared to go against her father and Mi-joo tells her that it is her only chance at redemption and to escape.

Ha-young agrees and Mi-joo rushes out with her claiming she has gone into a shock. Sam-sik meets them halfway and the guards realise it is an escape. They chase them but outside the hospital, Kang-ho arrives. They drive off in Sam-sik’s parent’s minivan as he boasts that he has disguised the license plate. But in big letters, the window reads ‘Sam-sik’s Mill’. Unable to go back to the village now, he takes them to the gambling den owner’s motel.

Sam-sik is confused why he is helping Kang-ho as he let him rot in prison, but the moment the owner confronts him, he hides behind Kang-ho. On learning that Kang-ho is a prosecutor, the owner is all smiles and tries to deny his illegal gambling operations. Kang-ho is not interested in his business as he just asks for a room and warns them not to hurt Sam-sik as they are best friends.

As the staff secretly burn their ledgers, Mi-joo and Sam-sik watch them from the terrace and laugh. Suddenly, fireworks go off and they enjoy the sight. Mi-joo feels cold but says she is giving Ha-young and Kang-ho space. In the room, Kang-ho apologises for dragging Ha-young into his revenge. She is sad that he never loved her and asks if it is Mi-joo.

At that moment, Mi-joo enters to get a jacket and overhears Kang-ho agreeing that he is in love with Mi-joo. Sam-sik too enters the room and the spell is broken. Kang-ho bids them all farewell as he says there is hope for one surviving piece of evidence against Song. He calls Sam-sik his friend sincerely and tells him to keep the girls safe.

As he leaves, Mi-joo follows him and tells him to come back soon and live together with their children. He kisses her forehead and turns to go but she is annoyed. She asks him if it is hard for him to kiss her on the lips. He is amused but kisses her before leaving.

In Jouri, Son feels guilty for not being there for Young-soon. He is sad that he had to hear from the cops that she has cancer while they are investigating a murder case. He knows Kang-ho is not the culprit but needs to know what is going on to help. Inside, everyone is crying and seeing them, even the twins start crying. Geum-ja calls her daughter to get them but is surprised to learn that she won’t be coming home for some time.

Mi-joo pretends that she is at a wake but Sam-sik ruins it by asking her about dinner. Before any misunderstanding can occur, Mi-joo tells her that she is helping Kang-ho. Geum-ja is annoyed that she is still helping someone who abandoned her and Mi-joo says she takes after her mother who stayed with her father only because she loved him. Geum-ja is bitter and cries out loud at her predicament only for So and Cha to hear it. 

The Woobyeok minions also see someone following them and decide to lure them. They hide in Yang’s farm and as the assassins come out, it is revealed that they have been sent by Song to kill the two men after they get rid of Kang-ho. So and Cha easily take down the assassins with a tractor before Yang calls the cops.

The next morning, Young-soon wakes up to see that everyone has slept over at her place while Kang-ho calls her to check in on her. She says she is being protected by the Avengers of Jouri and chuckles. Elsewhere, Tae-soo is at a marine event and as he greets everyone, Kang-ho arrives, shocking the presidential candidate.

The Episode Review

Lee Do-hyun has done so well as 7-year-old Kang-ho that viewers never even thought about shipping him with Mi-joo. So, it is a shame that we haven’t gotten much of that electrifying chemistry we finally see in episode 13 of The Good Bad Mother (the flashbacks don’t count, okay!).

It feels like a completely different show, a little darker and grittier with adult Kang-ho going about his business, still being his cutthroat self. But the little moments with Mi-joo and Sam-sik, even if laced with sarcasm for his former nemesis have been heartwarming.

There are a few loopholes, sure. How does Kang-ho learn that Cho’s boat is called Gwangmyeongho and why is it important enough to be emphasized? And how does he end up at the hospital when Mi-joo and Sam-sik are escaping with Ha-young? But this episode has been such a thrill ride that we actually can let it pass.

And are the Woobyeok minions finally going to let their conscience get the better of them and show loyalty to the Jouri locals who have been nothing but kind to them? This is one predictable plot twist we actually were glad for as the set-up has been more than fun and chaotic with them going from reluctant spies to supportive neighbours.