Episode 8 of "Unmasked" unfolds with Han Do and Cho Hae-won settled by a cozy storefront, sharing a bottle of wine and embarking on a poignant conversation. She stealthily snapshots Han Do and dispatches the image to So-ryong, playfully beckoning her to come to his "rescue." Han Do, catching a glimpse of mischief, accuses Hae-won of fabricating their previous tip about the woman with burgundy nails, an accusation she doesn't refute with a simple denial.
Curiosity piqued, Han Do inquiries about her unexpected return after two decades in hiding. Hae-won reveals a tale of financial hardship, her father's cessation of allowance, and her strategic use of Trigger to reclaim his attention—and the company's. In a shocking revelation, she abruptly confesses to a murder, claiming she poisoned a victim's wine. As Han Do reaches for tissues, a sense of foreboding envelops the scene; Hae-won vanishes into thin air. Meanwhile, So-ryong arrives breathless, summoned by Hae-won's cryptic text.
The narrative shifts to the KNS office, where President Koo and Manager Son engage in a hushed conversation. Koo's mention of Han Do prompts a忆回放: Han Do, resolute, requesting a transfer to the "Animal Kingdom" show upon the conclusion of the Cha Seong-wook case.
Over at the Trigger office, Gi-ho broods over a scoop stolen by a rival network. His peers egg him on to craft a sequel to the Choi Ho-seong saga, probing deeper into the prosecutor who orchestrated his release. As Na-hee tidies her desk, an old photograph from two decades past catches her eye, unlocking a floodgate of memories. Her mind drifts back to a pivotal moment when she spied a mysterious woman in Park Dae-young's office.
Han Do, now with fingers painted black, enlists Ji-yun in a whimsical experiment to disprove Hae-won's tale. In the shadows, he verifies that the dark polish renders his nails invisible—a subtle refutation of Hae-won's claim. Unfortunately, Ji-yun, misinterpreting the gesture, finds herself charmed by what she perceives as flirtatious behavior.Hae-won floods Han Do's inbox with additional messages, probing deeply into So-ryong's urgent dash to the store at the story's onset. Resolved to assist in the Cha Seong-wook case, he devises a plan to create an AI-generated composite of Cha Seong-wook's current facial appearance, drawing upon an old chewing gum commercial he once starred in.
In parallel, So-ryong, accompanied by Son-gi, confronts Cha Seong-wook's father, who offers an apology for the graffiti incident. Initially accepting his remorse, they witness an abrupt shift in his demeanor. So-ryongconfides in Son-gi that the elder man was diagnosed with dementia mere months ago.
Interrupting this somber encounter, So-ryong receives a call from Na-hee. Armed with the photograph, Na-hee embarked on an investigative spree. She reveals to So-ryong that she has recognized the main writer featured in the picture as the woman she once glimpsed in Park Dae-young's office. Reaching out to the writer, Na-hee uncovers that President Koo was once an integral member of the Trigger team until he mysteriously transferred to the news department, with Park Dae-young stepping into his shoes. She portrays their relationship as exceptionally close, also mentioning Park Dae-young's recent reunion with his former superior, Ma Seong-chun.
Driven by this newfound insight, So-ryong heads straight for Park Dae-young, who readily acknowledges his meeting with Ma Seong-chun. He confesses that President Koo was indeed involved in the case and had concealed the tape (Episode 890). However, Chief Park laments that Koo wields too much influence, leaving them powerless. He further unveils the heart-wrenching news of his father's lung cancer diagnosis, asserting that he cannot afford to consider moral dilemmas in his current plight. Although So-ryong empathizes with his predicament, she steadfastly refuses to abandon the case herself.Indeed, she had already orchestrated a confrontation with Ma Seong-chun, who harbored crucial updates eager to impart. Chief Park, despite his qualms, ultimately decided to attend as well. Seong-chun unveiled the bombshell—Koo had confidentially revealed the existence of a witness who had borne witness to Seong-wook's grisly demise. Yet, a vivid flashback transported us to a scene where the so-called witness was revealed to be none other than Seong-wook's loyal canine companion! A younger President Koo was depicted persuasively advocating to his supervisor for the engagement of an animal communicator, one capable of conversing with dogs.
Later, So-ryong clutched the tape labeled Episode 890 and marched straight to Koo's office, confronting him head-on. She granted him a final opportunity to unravel the truth. He dared her to uncover it, while subtly warning that she was digging her own grave. In the solitude of her office, Han Do informed her that the AI composite was prohibitively expensive. So-ryong cleverly suggested that he approach a chewing gum company for sponsorship, aligning it with their corporate social responsibility.
Chief Park then arrived, bearing the contact details of the elusive animal communicator—the very individual who had initially introduced Koo to this unique resource. Han Do's curiosity piqued at the mention of the canine witness, and he eagerly volunteered to meet the communicator.
Scene then shifts to Han Do and Gi-ho in a car. Gi-ho was intent on interviewing the prosecutor involved in the Choi Ho-seong case, while Han Do's destination happened to lie along the same route. They encountered the animal communicator, a Japanese woman fluent in Korean. She revealed that she didn't possess any footage from her session with the dog from years past. However, she recognized a picture of Koo.
She recounted that the dog had communicated that Seong-wook hadn't merely been killed but had suffered a beheading. She deduced this from the dog's description of Seong-wook resembling a ball. In a past encounter, when Koo had shown her a photograph, the dog had positively identified the individual depicted as the murderer. Regrettably, the woman's memory of the killer's face had faded, and she failed to recognize Cho Hae-won.Subsequently, Han Do and Gi-ho confront the prosecutor involved in the Ho-seong case head-on. Gi-ho attempts to interrogate him, but the prosecutor responds with insults and even issues a hollow threat of imprisonment. This prompts Han Do to recite the pertinent laws concerning intimidation with precision, causing the prosecutor to fly into a rage. He grabs his camera and storms out, clutching the memory card tightly. However, once he's gone, Han Do reveals that he had a backup camera rolling the entire time, capturing every moment.
Returning to their office, Gi-ho proposes an innovative idea - a new episode that delves into how a nefarious ring of prosecutors and lawyers allowed the stalker incident to recur. To Gi-ho's delight, So-ryong enthusiastically endorses the concept. At that very moment, Han Do receives a call from the gum company, informing him that they have agreed to fund the AI composite sketch of Cha Seong-wook.
Elsewhere, President Koo pays a visit to a physician he met two decades ago during the Cha Seong-wook case. As a gesture of gratitude, Koo presents the doctor with flight tickets and hotel reservations for Macau, urging him to take a well-deserved break. The doctor, who recalls providing Koo with euthanasia materials for a dog, happily accepts these 'gifts' with a smile.
Back in the office, Na-hee discovers Ji-yun asleep at her desk, exhausted from her relentless efforts on the Choi Ho-seong case. Na-hee encourages her to take credit for her hard work as the episode's main writer and presents her with a personalized pen engraved with her initials. Shortly after, Na-hee meets with Chief Park, who is already aware of her transfer to the drama department. She confesses her desire to finally establish her name in the industry as a writer.
The following day, So-ryong arrives at work well before the dawn, the weight of Na-hee's departure heavy on the team's collective heart. As So-ryong casts a longing gaze at Na-hee's now-vacant chair, she assures Gi-ho with a determined spirit that she will bring her back. With resolve solidified, So-ryong, accompanied by Han Do and Seong-wook's father, ventures outside, where the town's central square prepares to unveil a monumental moment.
A large screen dominates the town's hub, soon to reveal the AI-constructed visage of Seong-wook. The familiar chewing gum commercial resurfaces, yet this iteration features a 43-year-old rendition of Seong-wook, his eyes pleading with the masses to persist in their search for him. The poignant video quickly viruses across social media platforms, capturing the nation's attention.
Meanwhile, in a secluded corner, Cho Hae-won is immersed in her sculpting artistry when a message from So-ryong interrupts her workflow. The link So-ryong shares leads to the poignant video, and with a request to meet, Hae-won readily agrees. Her agreement, however, is swiftly followed by an explosion of emotion as she savagely slashes the sculpture's head with a knife, her voice echoing with fury as she declares her arrival to ignite a change.
During the mid-credits scene of Unmasked Episode 8, an intriguing twist unfolds: Koo retrieves a flash drive containing crucial footage related to the Seong-wook case. With anticipation building, he clicks play, unveiling an interview with Cho Hae-won, setting the stage for more revelations to come.
