In the Nine Puzzles episode 3, it dives deeper into I-na’s memory and the ongoing murder investigation. It starts with a quick flashback. Ten years ago, I-na remembered someone closing the door behind her. That moment stuck in her mind. The next morning, she arrived at the police station. She had now been officially assigned to the Lee Mi-young case.
Han-sam wasn’t happy to see her. He confronted her, asking why she was there. He seemed worried. Maybe he feared she might expose something from the past. But I-na stayed calm. She said if he starts doubting himself, it might help them find the real killer. Then she said something shocking. She believed she was in the same room as the killer that night. Han-sam thought that was ridiculous. He didn’t understand how she could take 10 years to remember that.
Later, I-na visited her therapist. She admitted she was profiling Han-sam by staying close to him during the case. She also wondered why she didn’t remember what had happened all these years. Her therapist gave her a theory. Maybe she felt guilty, and that guilt stopped her from turning around and seeing the killer’s face.
Meanwhile, Han-sam was also looking deeper into the murder. He figured out that the killer entered Mi-young’s car first. Then, he strangled her in the parking lot. What puzzled him was why the killer waited before striking. I-na gave him an answer. She said the killer was a perfectionist. He likely chose the location carefully. She mentioned the killer waited 35 minutes in the car before I-na even arrived to park.
There was another clue. The puzzle piece had a whispering sound. I-na said the killer might have whispered something in Mi-young’s ear. That detail added a chilling element. Something about it felt personal.
Digging Deeper Into the Past
I-na decided to visit Han-sam’s mother. It was something she had avoided doing. All three of them had dinner together. During the meal, Han-sam realized I-na was analyzing him again. His mother gave some insight. She said Han-sam never brought women home. But once, in high school, he brought a male friend.
Later, I-na questioned Han-sam directly. She asked why he had once given confusing directions just to meet his friend. She figured out he did that to protect someone. It made her think more about the killer. She said she might have received the puzzle piece because she had a personal link to the killer.
While profiling, I-na told other officers about her theory. She said the killer was someone with a deep grudge. She explained the pattern. The killer waited for each victim in their personal space. The murders were done quickly and with minimal force. That meant it wasn’t for fun—it was planned, and possibly revenge-driven. The other officers didn’t agree. They ignored her theory. But Han-sam believed her. He was convinced the killer held some personal anger.
To find more answers, Han-sam and I-na went to see Mi-young’s father. He wasn’t home, so they asked around. A neighbor told them he was now in a nursing home. He had dementia. The visit wasn’t going well. The father couldn’t recognize them or speak clearly. Then I-na did something unexpected. She wore a school uniform. It helped jog the man’s memory. He thought she was Mi-young. Mi-young’s father asked if she had broken up with a boy he didn’t like. He said the boy gave him a strange feeling.
Kang Chi-muk: The Primary Suspect Emerges
Next, Han-sam spoke to the man who had placed Mi-young’s father in the nursing home. That man shared more details. Mi-young had left home in middle school. She only returned seven years later. At that time, she brought an expensive gift and said she was about to get married. The man she mentioned was a businessman.
Han-sam and I-na returned to Mi-young’s old house. She was already there when he arrived. They started looking for clues. I-na found a photo of a man in a wallet. That became their next lead. They took the picture to a local bartender. She recognized the man right away. His name was Kang Chi-muk. He owned a Chinese restaurant. She said he once celebrated at her bar by buying the most expensive drink. But something changed. A month ago, he came back. He looked different and desperate. He even begged for money and caused a big scene.
The story took a turn when they discovered something big. Kang Chi-muk’s fingerprints were found inside Mi-young’s car, in the backseat. That linked him directly to the murder. But when they tried to find him, he was gone. His restaurant was closed. He wasn’t home either.
The episode ended on a haunting note. A red suitcase was shown underwater. That final shot hinted at something terrible.
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.
