In Phantom Lawyer episode 15, one of the most emotional and revealing chapters so far, long-hidden secrets about Shin Gi-jung’s death begin to come out.
I-rang Reunites Gi-jung and His Family
I-rang tells his father his full name and date of birth, and this episode starts with this, which brings back memories to Shin Gi-jung . Gi-jung is overcome with emotion when he realizes that the little boy he once knew is now grown into an adult.
But he stays away, worried that Gi-jung might suddenly take him over again, and takes him to see Kyung-hwa and Sa-rang. It is an emotional experience for Gi-jung to see his family after so long, particularly when he learns that he has a granddaughter.
Later Gi-jung finds I-rang at the office and asks why his son thought he cheated people and lived dishonorably.
Gi-jung finds out the truth about his death
Gi-jung says he doesn’t remember dying. His last memory is of driving to get critical evidence about the Yoon Dae-myeong case.
I-rang fills in the gaps and we find out that Gi-jung had an accident and died on the way to the ER.
Gi-jung is determined to find out the truth and tells everything he remembers about Yoon Dae-myeong’s case.
Plotting against Yoon Dae-myeong
Gi-jung remembers when he met Yoon Dae-myeong for the first time, when he was accused of using excessive force to protect a student from a bully.
A thorough investigation convinced Gi-jung that Yoon had behaved fairly and ethically. He had no grounds for prosecution, so he closed the case.
But what seemed a routine decision soon spun out of control.
A flood of lawsuits, complaints, and accusations from parents, colleagues and outsiders started to flow. Gi-jung continued his investigation and it was clear that Yoon was being deliberately targeted.
He learned that the complaints had been made up by someone who wanted to destroy Yoon’s reputation.
The Recording That Changed Everything
Three months later, Yoon called Gi-jung with some shocking news.
Yoon was attempting to make peace with the bully’s family when he noticed that the father was a prosecutor he had seen at the office before. He was suspicious of the connection and investigated further.
He eventually got a recording that proved corruption and contacted Gi-jung, saying he was the only person he trusted.
On his way to get that evidence, Gi-jung is tragically killed.
Revealing the Tragedy in I-rang Full
Later Yoon killed himself, I-rang says to Gi-jung.
Gi-jung can’t believe it, remembering Yoon’s hopeful tone in their last conversation.
But then he learns something even more shocking: he and Yoon died on the same day.
Official reports showed that Gi-jung had taken narcotics, and documents proving his corruption were found on his desk.
Gi-jung is shocked to find out he was set-up.
I-rang apologizes for believing the lies and condemning his father for 20 years, guilt-stricken. He promises to clear his father’s name.
Chairman Yang’s Secret Dark
Do-gyeong confronts his father, Chairman Yang, at Taebaek over his obsession with Gi-jung.
The truth is out.
Before he died, Gi-jung called Chairman Yang and told him he had evidence that a senior prosecutor was harassing Yoon.
That evidence pointed to Chairman Yang himself.
Yang confesses he sold his principles to secure his future years ago. He was stripped of political protection and traded an offer from a powerful prosecutor at Daehun Law Firm for handling his daughter’s case.
That decision ultimately allowed him to be the owner of Taebaek.
But Yang’s confession is not over.
It is disclosed that he hired a member of the Four Dragons to assassinate Gi-jung. Worse, after Gi-jung briefly revived after the accident, Yang personally injected him with narcotics and planted fake evidence.
Na-hyun Starts Her Investigation
Elsewhere, Na-hyun’s suspicions grow over both Gi-jung’s death and Yoon’s case.
She enlists Prosecutor Kim to help her investigate, and hopes to discover what happened twenty years ago.
Later, Kim divulges a crucial piece of information: the first witness in Gi-jung’s case was a member of the Four Dragons gang, and it was Gi-jung himself who managed to dismantle the gang two decades earlier.
I-rang Finally Finds the Lost Recording
From the clues Yoon left, I-rang finds the recording Gi-jung had been looking for all those years.
When he sees the evidence, Gi-jung immediately has I-rang.
Later, outside their office, Na-hyun finds I-rang in a strange condition.
Gi-jung warns her not to wake him, fearing the recording might put his son in danger.
But Na-hyun reminds him that I-rang is a capable and determined attorney who should have the right to make his own choices.
Gi-jung Fights Back
Back in the office, I-rang and Na-hyun are ready to listen to the recording.
But before they can, the Four Dragons gang, sent by Do-gyeong, ambushes them and ransacks the office.
I-rang pretends to surrender and waits for the right moment.
Under Gi-jung’s tutelage, he takes up a mop stick and fights back.
Gi-jung was a former Kendo master and has I-rang and has a fierce battle to protect Na-hyun, the talisman, and the recording.
Recap of Episode 15
Episode 15 raises the stakes to the sky, as the true story behind Gi-jung’s death finally comes into view.
The emotional core of this episode is I-rang’s journey. For twenty years he lived with the shame of thinking that his father was crooked. It’s heartbreaking, but also so cathartic to find out that Gi-jung was innocent all along.
It also demonstrates how manipulated truths can destroy lives and how forgiveness can open the door to justice.
There’s only one episode left and it looks like we’re in for a strong finale as I-rang sets out to clear his father’s name once and for all.