3 Crucial Revelations From Episodes 5-6 Of "Namib"

As “Namib” reaches its halfway mark, the story is unfolding and secrets are being revealed, some darker than others. From Yoo Jin Woo (Ryeoun) practically ruining Kang Soo Hyun’s (Go Hyun Jung) career, to the seemingly evil CEO of Pandora Entertainment (played by Lee Seung Joon) turning out to be more complex, here are three important revelations from episodes five and six of “Namib.”

Trigger warning: a section of the following content discusses topics of sexual assault attempts and forceful drug use.

Warning: spoilers for episodes 5-6 ahead!

The catalyst of Soo Hyun’s misery

Two mysteries that have lingered in the minds of viewers since the first episode are, first: the identity of the person who recorded the video that ruined Soo Hyun’s career. And second, Yoo Jin Woo’s morals, as he was shown repeatedly recording the RAID members and possibly selling these videos. The disdain for Yoo Jin Woo’s actions, which might seem trivial to non-K-pop fans, stems from the prevalence of sasaeng (stalker fan) culture in the K-pop industry as well as real-life instances of unprofessional staff involved in selling idols’ information for a quick buck.

After Xpatch, a fictional news outlet, contacts Soo Hyun for her statement regarding the “power-tripping video tip-off,” she sneaks into Pandora Entertainment to uncover who recorded the video and retrieve the original footage to prove her innocence. To everyone’s surprise, the culprit is none other than Yoo Jin Woo.

Shortly after the revelation, the reason behind Yoo Jin Woo’s action is also revealed. It turns out, Yoo Jin Woo was instructed by Chris to record RAID for pocket money and was unaware of how these recordings would be used.

While his actions caused chaos in Soo Hyun’s life, they were unintentional. Fortunately, Soo Hyun forgives Yoo Jin Woo without hesitation. However, it is still unclear whether she forgives Yoo Jin Woo because she knows his intentions were not ill, or if she only forgives him because he is the ticket to her son’s better future.

Pandora Entertainment’s CEO is not evil

One thing “Namib” excels at is making viewers feel sympathy for its villains by humanizing them and presenting their side of the story. Episodes three and four made Chris’s character complex enough for viewers to question whether he was a villain of the story or a victim of Soo Hyun, and the recent episodes did the same for Jang Hyun Cheol, the current CEO of Pandora Entertainment.

While his actions in the premiere episodes seemed cartoonishly villainous, the latest episodes make it hard to hate him. Viewers already know that CEO Jang Hyun Cheol’s sister, Yoon Hee (Nam Kyu Hee), was once a trainee at Pandora Entertainment. However, episode six reveals the full extent of what happened to Yoon Hee, which radicalized Hyun Cheol.

In a heartbreaking flashback, we see Yoon Hee being sent to a club against her will with Pandora Entertainment’s potential investors. At the club, she is drugged, and while trying to escape from being sexually assaulted, she is hit by a car driven by one of the investors, right in front of Hyun Cheol’s eyes. Not only did Yoon Hee not survive, but the perpetrators were barely punished, spending only six months in jail. What makes the entire scene sequence that much more painful to watch is that the practice of sending trainees and even idols to investors’ private events is not entirely fictional, and neither is rich criminals getting a slap on their wrist for major crimes.

Although it is implied that this incident occurred while Soo Hyun was in the U.S. for Shim Jin Woo’s treatment and she had no involvement in the crime, the CEO claims she never took responsibility for what happened to a trainee under her own company and instead swept the matter under the rug. But the question remains: how can you hate a brother seeking justice for his sister?

Yoo Jin Woo finally found his family

Ever since viewers learned that Soo Hyun’s son was named “Shim Jin Woo,” one thing was clear: the trainee Yoo Jin Woo sharing the same name serves as a foreshadowing for Yoo Jin Woo and Soo Hyun’s future relationship. Since Yoo Jin Woo’s life has been devoid of parental love, it makes sense for him to find maternal care in the woman who is now responsible for his future. Although Soo Hyun still sees Yoo Jin Woo to some extent as a 1 billion won (approximately $678,000) cheque she can cash to secure her own son’s future, there have been hints and clear signs that Yoo Jin Woo fits right in with the Kang-Shim family.

The most obvious proof is the mirror-mounted toothbrush holder. In earlier episodes, it was specifically shown how Yoo Jin Woo struggled to feel at home with the Kang-Shim family, especially when he noticed that the parents and Shim Jin Woo had suction holders for their toothbrushes on the mirror while he did not. In the latest episode, a family member, likely one of the parents, placed a holder for Yoo Jin Woo’s toothbrush on the mirror. As small as this gesture is, it symbolizes that Yoo Jin Woo has finally found the home he never had.

Even though episodes five and six primarily focused on fleshing out the backstory of Pandora Entertainment’s CEO and Yoo Jin Woo’s journey in “Star Rise,” it’s refreshing to also see Shim Jin Woo’s character development. Not only is he no longer the frightened teenager he once was, now able to stand up to his bullies, but he is also on the verge of realizing his talent, garment design. Hopefully, in the later episodes, we’ll see more of Shim Jin Woo working as an artist and creating products that can bring smiles to others’ faces.

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Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of cliches are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres and stans the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You can talk to her on Instagram @javeriayousufs.

Currently watching: “Namib,” “Love Scout,” “Motel California,” and “Doom At Your Service.”
Looking forward to: “Reborn,” and “Weak Hero Class 2.”