Episode 5 of "Unmasked" kicks off with an eerie discovery: Cha Seung-wook's father stumbles upon graffiti on the exterior walls of their house, boldly proclaiming, "Cha Seung-wook lives." The scene then shifts to Oh So-ryong and Han Do, who find themselves in close proximity to a dilapidated structure, just as it succumbs to the force of its ongoing demolition, toppling over in a cloud of dust and debris. Just seconds before its collapse, a glimpse of a Chungdae Industries worker operating an excavator is caught.
As panic ensues, So-ryong and Han Do frantically search for each other amidst the chaos. A bus becomes entangled beneath the ruins, and So-ryong, driven by desperation, races to rescue the trapped driver. The arrival of paramedics and firefighters soon follows, and So-ryong, now suffering from a broken rib, is whisked away in an ambulance. Despite her injury, she instructs Han Do to remain behind and capture the unfolding scene on camera.
However, the arrival of fellow journalists soon renders Han Do's presence unnecessary. He decides to leave and heads to the hospital, where he receives a stern dressing-down from So-ryong. She scorns him for neglecting his duties as a reporter. Back at the office, Gi-ho breaks the news to the rest of the team. Meanwhile, a news report draws parallels between this incident and the tragic collapse of the Sun Plaza Mall in 2004.
A flashback transports us to a harrowing scene: a female bus driver, responsible for ferrying a school bus full of children home, appears visibly worried. At an intersection, she abruptly veers right, and moments later, the sound of a collision shatters the air.
Forced to spend the night in the hospital for recovery, So-ryong finds herself confined to her bed. Meanwhile, Han Do takes her car to the wash and stumbles upon a haunting list of casualties from the Sun Plaza Mall incident, hidden within. Upon his return to the hospital, he confronts her about the list, but her responses are evasive and cryptic. He recalls the eerie similarity between the two incidents: in the past, only the bus driver (Yeom Mi-jin) had survived, whereas in this case, it is the bus driver who has perished, miraculously sparing the students from harm.Determined to uncover the truth behind the building collapse, he defies So-ryong's advice to move past the incident and delves into the potential connection between the two cases. Coinciding with this resolution, Han Do receives an unexpected bouquet of flowers at the hospital, a gesture from none other than Cho Hae-won.
Within the office confines, intriguing news unfolds as it becomes apparent that Gi-ho is romantically involved with one of the Trigger team members. Separately, Na-hee, curious about Chief Park's relentless scrutiny of the case files, inquires about his intentions, only to be met with silence.
As dawn breaks, So-ryong regains her footing. She convenes with Detective Yu, who reveals that a company named GR was responsible for the collapsed building. The detective discloses that GR's contractor engaged Chungdae Industries, a minute operation helmed by No Chung-dae, the excavator operator involved in the disaster. Furthermore, he uncovers that GR and its chairman, Heo Geum-ran, have a history of rushed demolitions resulting in accidents and fatalities.
Elsewhere, Chung-dae engages in a conversation with the building site manager, who confidentially shares that GR is offering hush money to suppress the incident. Ironically, this revelation comes despite GR's earlier threats to expedite the work by morning. Simultaneously, Heo Geum-ran stages a press conference, publicly apologizing to the public. In a dramatic gesture, she kneels before the late driver's wife, tears streaming down her face.
When Han Do expresses his intention to cover the case, Na-hee cautions that the audience might find the death of one individual uncompelling. Though her concern stems from a desire to shield So-ryong, So-ryong herself intervenes, encouraging Han Do to pursue his lead. Subsequently, So-ryong requests the note that Cho Hae-won had entrusted to her.
This revised version aims to enhance the narrative's vividness and emotional depth, retaining the original meaning while infusing it with a more engaging and expressive tone.They even rummage through the trash in search of it. When So-ryong reveals her intention to compare the handwriting with the graffiti found on Cha Seung-wook’s father’s house, Han Do mentions that he has already snapped a picture of it. As they make their way to a bathhouse to freshen up, President Koo keeps a wary eye on them from a distance. Upon returning to the office, Han Do discovers a pile of Sun Plaza files awaiting him on his desk. He attempts to locate Yeom Mi-jin’s phone number, but to no avail. With GR officially shutting them out, Han Do resorts to donning his old deliveryman’s uniform and loiters around the GR building until he lands a delivery gig. Sneaking inside, he makes a beeline for Geum-ran’s office, only to be promptly ejected from the premises.
Meanwhile, So-ryong consults with a handwriting analyst, who informs her that the graffiti does not tally with Hae-won’s handwriting. He does, however, suggest that it resembles a woman’s script. Interrupted by a call regarding Han Do, the scene shifts to GR’s lawyers conferring with Chief Park, So-ryong, and Han Do. They propose to keep Han Do’s actions under wraps if Trigger halts its investigation into the building collapse. Chief Park promptly dismisses any notion of a hush-hush deal.
Once outside, Han Do faces a stern lecture. Elsewhere, Heo Geum-ran meets with another woman, the wife of a minister. Geum-ran’s driver discreetly loads bags of cash into the woman’s car, and after exchanging politeries, the two women part ways.
At his residence, No Chung-dae signs a confidentiality agreement with GR. Subsequently, he attempts to hang himself from the ceiling, but Gi-ho and Han Do arrive simultaneously. Panicked by the sight of the rope, they are relieved when Chung-dae opens the door, despite his earlier attempt. Han Do persuades him that the Trigger team stands by his side and urges him to do the right thing and face his children with dignity.
Back at the office, Gi-ho and Han Do engage in a heated argument, with Gi-ho confessing his envy towards Han Do. So-ryong takes Gi-ho aside and explains that she chose Han Do over him because he is a full-time employee, whereas Gi-ho is a contractor. Should she be terminated, Han Do could seamlessly take over. Overhearing the conversation, Han Do becomes furious with So-ryong.Gi-ho endeavors to diffuse the tense atmosphere and leads them both to a cozy pub for a round of drinks. As the beverages flow, So-ryong's curiosity gets the better of her, prompting her to inquire about Han Do's pursuit of Yeom Mi-jin. Han Do confesses his desire to understand why she altered her route that fateful day. This revelation from So-ryong strikes like lightning—Yeom Mi-jin is her estranged mother.
A poignant flashback unfolds, revealing Mi-jin's decision to change course was sparked by a pregnant schoolteacher on the bus who went into labor. Desperate to get her to safety, Mi-jin took an alternate route to the hospital. Later, in the hospital's stark hallways, after So-ryong imparted the heart-wrenching news of the teacher's and children's demise, Mi-jin, unable to bear the sorrow, took her own life. Ironically, she passed away mere moments before So-ryong could offer a glimmer of hope—the teacher's baby had miraculously survived.
Han Do's phone buzzes, interrupting his thoughts. It's Song-i, informing him that a GR whistleblower yearns to meet him. He hurries to the designated spot and discovers Geum-ran's driver, battered and bruised, who hands over a flash drive containing incriminating evidence against Geum-ran. The drive holds videos documenting cash exchanges and Geum-ran's conversations about the minister's wife and the fatal building collapse. A surprising twist unfolds as we learn that Song-i is none other than the schoolteacher's baby who had defied the odds all those years ago.
Moved by the revelations, So-ryong vows to assist Han Do in his quest for justice. They stake out Geum-ran's office, cameras at the ready. As Geum-ran steps out, So-ryong braves her bodyguards to confront her. Simultaneously, Gi-ho decoys the minister's wife to the location under the guise of a lunch invitation orchestrated by Geum-ran.
With precision, So-ryong plays an audio clip of Geum-ran's scathing insults directed at the minister's wife, casually mentioning the building collapse amidst her vitriol. The minister's wife, furious, vows to convince her husband to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
The stakes have never been higher, and the web of deceit is beginning to unravel, one thread at a time.
The episode of "Trigger" airs, capturing Chung-dae's attention so intently that he promptly phones the Trigger team, his enthusiasm brimming with the desire to offer his personal testimony. Mere seconds later, Chief Park bursts into Han Do's presence, bringing with him the startling news—Geum-ran's chauffeur had been brutalized and dismissed for accepting a bribe. He grills Han Do, inquiring if he had verified the authenticity of the footage, to which Han Do responds in the negative.
Subsequently, the late bus driver's widow storms into the Trigger office, her words lashing out at both Han Do and So-ryong with venom. She declares her inability to support her children now, her plight shrouded in ambiguity but seemingly intertwined with a financial settlement previously offered by GR. This dramatic encounter is interspersed with scenes where So-ryongconfides in her therapist, expressing her unwavering faith in herself and her team, despite the grueling nature of their work.
In a mid-credit scene from Episode 5 of "Unmasked," the individual behind the Cha Seung-wook graffiti comes into view, bearing a striking resemblance to Baek Song-i.
