In the Nine Puzzles episode 1, Yoon I-na walked home from school in heavy rain. It was dark. She looked tired. As she reached home, she called out to her uncle, Yoon Dong-hoon. He used to be a police station chief. The house was quiet. Something felt wrong.
As I-na stepped inside, she noticed a puzzle piece on the floor. Then, her foot touched blood. Her eyes followed the trail. Her uncle was lying on the ground. There was an awl stabbed behind his neck. She couldn’t move. She was frozen with shock.
Detective Kim Han-sam took charge of the case. From the start, he looked at I-na with suspicion. He searched the house and found strange paintings on the walls. He also saw more awls. They were the same kind of tool used to kill Dong-hoon.
The investigation moved fast. I-na was questioned. Her story was simple. She left school at 8 PM, took the bus, and reached home around 9. But there was a 13-minute gap. The detective pointed this out. He thought she could have taken a shortcut. He pressed her with more questions.
Han-sam accused her directly. He said she had a motive. There had been a fight. It was about her moving into a dorm. Some said it was also about her uncle’s inheritance. She admitted to the dorm argument. But denied any talk about money. When asked if she killed her uncle, she simply said, “I don’t know.” Then she walked out.
That night, disturbing thoughts entered her mind. She imagined herself smiling with blood on her face. It scared her. The next day, she gave a puzzle piece to Han-sam and asked him to find the real killer.
10 Years Later: Old Wounds and New Clues
A decade passed. I-na had grown up. She was now working as a crime analyst. I-na had a rare memory. She could recall the smallest things—coffee types, building layouts, even random details about people. But there was one thing she still couldn’t remember—what really happened that night.
She had started seeing a therapist. I-na mentioned her fear of being around people. She also talked about bungee jumping. The therapist said it might be a sign of regression. I-na wasn’t sure. Her past still haunted her.
Meanwhile, Han-sam tracked down Ms. Yeom. She had returned to Korea after years. She once shared a room with I-na. When asked why she came back, she replied coldly. She said she missed Korea but didn’t explain much. It was also the 10th death anniversary of Dong-hoon. Something about the timing felt odd.
Back at work, I-na was sent to review an old murder case. It involved two brothers. The younger one had died. The older one claimed he didn’t remember anything. Just like I-na. She visited the scene with her team. Her sharp mind noticed many clues. She quietly concluded that the older brother was jealous. The younger one had always been better at everything.
During the interrogation, I-na tried a new approach. She asked the older brother to recall events one line at a time. He hesitated at first. But slowly, things came out. He broke down. He said his brother was still alive when he arrived home. Then, he confessed.
Han-sam was watching everything closely. Later, he visited the school where I-na used to study. He tried to recreate the scene from 10 years ago. He walked every step she might have taken. Han-sam noted every minute. He was desperate to find something everyone had missed.
The Puzzle Reappears
Back at home, I-na received a package. It was another puzzle piece. Her heart raced. She joined it with the one from before. It matched. Something had started again. She called Han-sam right away. She was scared. The episode ended there.
This first episode sets the tone. It’s not about flashy drama. It’s more about deep mystery, memory loss, and doubt. Yoon I-na is not sure if she is a victim or a suspect. Han-sam is not sure if he’s helping her or chasing her. And the puzzle pieces? They’re more than just toys. They’re keys to the past.
Kavita Mishra is a dynamic writer and passionate Korean entertainment enthusiast, combining her love for K-pop and K-drama with a flair for storytelling. With a keen eye for the latest trends, Kavita crafts articles that capture the pulse of K-pop idols, chart-topping hits, and the most buzz-worthy dramas taking over screens worldwide.
