Hyper Knife (2025) s01e06 Episode Script

[Dr. Song] Seok Jeong?
-[sighs] She's trouble.
-[Dr. Choi] Why?
[Dr. Song] She has no money, no home.
Showed up to school with only a backpack.
[chuckles] And listen to this.
She came to the entrance ceremony
with a social worker.
I was no different.
The head of my local community group
brought me.
Yeah, well, everyone was
struggling back then.
Things are way better now.
No one was struggling in my class.
They all drove Mercedes.
Their moms wore mink.
Well. She's still nothing like you.
Anyway, she's got some
serious mental health issues. Mmm.
What do you mean?
When I first saw her
at the entrance ceremony…
-Hello, Doctor.
-Hello.
I thought, "She's a smart kid in need,
so I'll try to help out."
[chuckles] She started
becoming very demanding.
Used getting into school
with a top score to her advantage.
The alumni association
gave her a scholarship and grants.
Her freshman year,
I bought her new clothes each season.
Wasn't that the understanding
you two had when you poached her?
-From Daeseo U?
-[sighs]
Well, sure it was.
But she can't have it all.
So if you look at the cross-section,
is it any more clear?
-[students] Yes.
-Seok Jeong. Are you here?
-Uh, what…
-Seok Jeong!
Uh, excuse me. Who are you?
[stammers] We're in the middle of a class!
[Dr. Song] While I was teaching,
some men burst in looking for her.
Do you know what she'd done?
The nutcase, she decided
to borrow money from loan sharks.
What's wrong with you?
Get a part-time job if you need money.
I don't have time
for something like that, though.
-Huh?
-I only have time to study.
I wanna learn absolutely everything.
Here it is. Seok Jeong's
residency application.
If you wanna know why
I absolutely can't stand that girl,
just read that and you'll understand.
[scoffs]
[sighs]
[phone buzzing]
Mr. Min.
What?
No, I'm listening. Please go on.
HYPER KNIFE
[horn blowing]
All right, for security reasons, I need
you all to hand over your phones, please.
[sighs]
Hey, come on.
What's with that scowl on your face?
Are you still pissed off or something?
Are you kidding?
You couldn't have gotten anyone else?
-Dr. Jeong.
-[sighs] Ms. Seok.
You had to pick him of all people.
Tell me why!
Will you please just calm down a bit?
It's not like I'm the one who asked
for him, it was the patient.
He said he wouldn't have the surgery
-unless I got him the best surgeon.
-What?
[sighs]
That's Dr. Choi.
And you? You're not the lead
on this operation, so simmer down.
Okay?
[sighs]
[keys jangle]
[sighs]
[sighs]
[knocks on door]
[door opens]
[door closes]
Whoa! Incredible.
No way. They even have
a portable CAT scan.
You still don't know
who the patient is, do you?
No idea, but I'm guessing he's loaded.
Why?
No reason.
We should start prepping things.
This is the first time I've ever seen
Ms. Seok not be the lead surgeon.
I'm worried.
There is no reason to worry.
Dr. Choi is excellent.
I know he's really good.
He was Ms. Seok's professor.
I'm not worried about him.
She's the one I'm scared about.
She might flip out on him.
-Dr. Jeong still holds a grudge?
-You have no idea.
She's just… [sighs]
[sighs]
RONDA
Oh.
Let's go.
Yeah.
[Dr. Choi sighs]
Min told you, right?
That I'm the lead surgeon?
You can enter
through the sinus endoscopically.
Why did you come here?
It's not like you need
the money or anything.
Given how full of yourself
you are these days,
I was a little curious.
I thought I might as well see it
firsthand, your criminal lifestyle.
[scoffs]
What are you talking about?
Are you still angry about the dogs?
I told you the authorities were onto you.
That was a careless mistake you made.
That's why I took care of your mess.
So be grateful.
I could've hidden them all away
somewhere, you know.
But you burned them alive.
It was just a few dogs.
Get over it.
[inhales deeply]
-[grunts]
-[groans]
-[grunting, breathing heavily]
-[groaning]
[grunting, shouting]
[Seo] Ms. Seok! Ms. Seok!
[groans] Ms. Seok!
[shouts]
-[Dr. Choi whimpers, groaning]
-Let go!
-Dr. Jeong! Please stop!
-[Seok] Let go!
-[Seo] Please stop!
-Let go! [panting]
-[Dr. Choi groaning]
-[Dr. Han] Dr. Choi, are you all right?
[shouts, panting]
Dr. Choi.
My goodness.
Are you okay?
[Seo] Ms. Seok.
Ms. Seok!
[exhales deeply]
You can't beat him up. The man has cancer.
Come on. Let's just talk about it, okay?
[door slams, locks]
-[knocks on door]
-[Seo] Ms. Seok.
-[knocks on door]
-[Seo] Ms. Seok!
[shouts]
-[panting]
-[knocks on door]
[Seo] Come on,
will you please just open the door?
I'm really worried about you!
[screams]
[knocks on door]
Ms. Seok. Why don't you
just come out here and talk?
What the hell is going on? Huh?
Did she beat up Choi?
No, she didn't really exactly…
-Yeah, she sure did.
-[sighs]
The guy's doing surgery tomorrow.
Why's she beating him up?
How should I know?
-I didn't think she should've.
-[sighs]
-[door knob jiggling]
-[knocking on door]
[Min] Jeong.
Jeong, open the door.
Hey, Jeong!
Ah, shit.
Hey. You need to keep her
under control, huh?
If she botches this operation,
then no one's getting off this ship alive.
All of us will be finished.
Who are we operating on? Some criminal?
[scoffs] If only it were that simple.
If not that, then who?
God.
[groans]
I don't get why someone like you
is willing to work with Seok Jeong.
Look at what she did here, huh?
She clearly has severe mental issues.
I've never thought of her
as being unstable.
[chuckles]
That's only because
you don't really know her.
You could be the grown-up
in this situation.
Stop bullying her and leave her alone.
Hey, I was just assaulted.
But I should stop bullying her?
[Dr. Han sighs]
[inhales sharply]
I showed a friend your CT scans.
Seongtae Kwak at Daeseo Hospital.
I told him it was my cousin
and needed his help.
I never asked you to do that.
You should let Dr. Kwak operate on you.
He's more than capable of doing the job.
Seongtae Kwak.
I've heard of him. He's not bad.
But the best? That he isn't.
-Is Dr. Jeong truly the best?
-I made her that way.
So, yes. I instructed her. I trained her.
Every skill she displays
in the operating room,
all of it, every bit of knowledge
in her head, came from me.
And I'm bullying her? I'm not, actually.
She owes me everything
and insists on not repaying me.
The people that you teach
don't owe you anything.
[sighs]
You know what?
I'd like to get some rest now.
[smacks lips, sighs]
[Dr. Choi sighs]
[Dr. Song] Look at it.
This thing is a ticking time bomb.
You should page Dr. Choi.
Actually, Dr. Choi's taking time off.
Is he? Who'll do it? Should I?
-I'll do it.
-Very good, then.
Choi is taking time off? What's going on?
It's personal. That's all anyone knows.
Wait, what kind of personal reasons
could he have?
It's not like he has a family
to take care of.
No idea.
-[scoffs] If you don't know, who does?
-Why do you care?
-[passenger] Oh, yes. There you are!
-Hi!
-Good to see you! You're finally here!
-Oh, good to see you too!
Alan Kim, if I'm not mistaken?
-Yeah.
-[chuckles]
-For you.
-Oh.
If there's anything you need
or somewhere you want to go,
please reach out to me or Mr. Kim.
He's the butler here and happy to help.
So, uh, can I speak to Dr. Choi directly
or is that not possible?
Unfortunately, he can't answer his phone
where he is right now.
He told me to tell you,
"I'm sorry I can't greet you.
No need to be polite. My home is yours."
[inhales, exhales]
[groans]
Ugh, that little…
Hey there, Dr. Jeong,
did you get something to eat? Huh?
[sighs, scoffs]
[sighs]
Yeah, so, um, he's, uh…
Yeah, yeah. Good luck.
Hello, sir. I'm Deokhee Choi.
Oh, Dr. Choi. [chuckles]
It's nice to meet you.
I've heard so much about you.
Wait. What happened to your face?
It's nothing. A dispute, that's all.
[laughs]
Oh, you're still throwing punches
at your age?
Guess you're young at heart, huh?
Oh, have some.
As you know, the patient can't eat,
but the doctor should.
Right.
Hey, c-can I have one sip? M-m-maybe?
[chuckles]
[patient sighs]
[sighs]
The surgery is this evening, right?
Yes.
[breathes deeply]
It could be the very last day I get
to spend among the living, I guess.
I might die in the OR.
Could be that's how it ends.
[sighs] That view.
I should enjoy it while I can.
Save my life. You have no choice.
Got it?
You're gonna live forever anyway.
-You've got no reason to worry.
-[chuckles]
Well, that's what
all my followers believe.
That's why I can't even go
to the hospital when I have cancer,
and I'm doing this with you
in the middle of the ocean.
Looking back on it all,
I believe I've had a pretty good life,
doing whatever I wanted.
But now that death has
caught up to me, maybe not.
Do you believe in God?
Not really.
Someone at your age,
you gotta believe in something, you know?
Well, you could always join us.
Never too late. [laughs]
[grunts]
Miss Seok. Hot stuff fresh from the oven.
[sniffs] Mmm! It smells so good.
Wanna split this one?
No, you can have it all.
Have you seen Dr. Choi anywhere?
No, I haven't. Why?
I was just wondering how he was doing.
If he was okay.
Those injuries looked like they hurt.
Well, sorry. I don't really
feel like talking about that.
All right. We can talk about it
at a later time if you want to.
[door opens, closes]
Ah, I'm good, I'm good.
[sighs] You know, you shouldn't
have beaten him up like that.
The man is your teacher after all. Right?
You totally messed up his face.
What are you going to do, huh?
I heard that the surgery starts at night.
Why are we doing it so late?
Because night is when
our patient wants it done.
[sighs] That forces us
to stay up til morning though.
Well, that's what the client
wants us to do, okay?
He wants to feel like he's going to sleep
when you put him under.
He's the one in charge
so take it up with him.
Pretty demanding
for a guy getting black market surgery.
It's not like we have a choice.
We have to honor his wishes. Don't we?
Hey, Han, tell me. Am I wrong here?
Thanks for the assist.
[grunts]
All right, you should all eat something
and rest up while you still can, okay?
I'll call you
when it's time for the surgery.
Enjoy.
-Yongryeol.
-Yes, sir.
[scoffs] Since when has he ever
cared about the patient's wishes?
When Euntae Kim is the patient, he does.
-Euntae Kim?
-The cult leader?
[whispers] Ah, shit.
It's incredible.
How the heck can he afford this?
His cult has over 200,000 followers.
That's a lot of weirdos. Who knew?
[groans] Min really screwed us over.
Okay, look, I'm really worried here.
This is my first time assisting,
and I feel like if I mess up,
they'll literally kill me.
It's all right.
Just remember what you learned
in class, okay? Hmm?
Dr. Han, can we talk for a minute?
It's Dr. Choi.
He's having trouble with his hands.
I thought I should let you know.
Oh, yeah.
I've got the endoscopy to handle.
So I need you to do me a favor.
Keep an eye on him.
It's bound to be an issue
during the surgery.
But if it was that bad,
he would've said something.
He would have stepped away
from doing the procedure.
With an ego like his?
He only ever cares about himself.
[sighs]
[driver]
Why are you headed there at this hour?
It's supposed to be
a great eel restaurant.
I'm meeting someone for a drink.
I think that place closed down
a while ago.
Did they reopen?
[scoffs] He was right.
[sighs]
-[phone dialing]
-[car approaching]
[police chief] What was he doing
all the way out there?
What we've gathered so far is that he was
gonna meet someone but we don't know who.
[police chief] He's been missing
for two weeks now,
and there's still no sign of him.
What are you going to do, huh?
Are you going to sit around
until his body turns up?
A fellow officer has gone missing
in the middle of a case!
What's your plan here?
Well, we have one theory.
[sighs] Lee had discovered
something important,
and the culprit kidnapped him to stop him
and slow the investigation, I think.
-Maybe.
-I agree with that theory.
Then find them already.
It sounds like you don't have
any leads yet.
Are you that incompetent?
-No, sir. I'll find Min.
-You said you lost him.
If you can't handle this, let Seong
take over and get the fuck off the case.
Just give me a week, please.
-[crew member] Thank you, sir.
-[boss] All right.
[crew member] See you later.
[boss grunts]
-[crew member 2] See you later, Boss.
-[sighs]
Mr. Pyo,
we're Special Investigations Unit.
[Pyo sighs]
Let's get you in the operating room.
All right.
This way, please.
[door opens]
[Euntae sighs]
[Min clears throat]
This is the anesthesiologist,
Dr. Hyeonho Han.
And this young lady is Dr. Choi's
finest student, Dr. Seok Jeong.
Hey, I knew it was a lady doctor.
What I didn't know was
that she was just a kid.
[chuckles]
Aw.
I knew you had to be old,
-but I didn't know you were this old.
-[sighs]
You look like you're over a hundred.
Are you sure you want to do this?
-[inhales sharply]
-[chuckles] The kid's got some nerve.
-And I'm tired too, Grandpa.
-I don't care.
What are you going to do in my head?
Explain it to me.
-Well, Dr. Jeong and I are going to--
-No.
Choi, not you.
-You.
-[sighs]
[sighs]
-This is your brain here.
-Mmm.
This is your tumor.
-You see it?
-Mm-hmm.
Given its shape,
it's very difficult to remove.
So Dr. Choi will approach it from up here,
and I'll access it endoscopically
through your sinus here.
In other words,
we're removing it from both sides.
-Mm-hmm.
-But based on what we see here,
there's a very strong chance
the tumor has hardened.
So we're gonna remove it
by breaking it up.
Are you getting all that?
-Mmm. Mmm.
-[scoffs]
[sighs]
[sighs]
What?
During surgery,
if you think you can't finish…
I don't think that'll happen.
Your hands are shaky.
We can switch positions
if something happens in there, okay?
So don't be a stubborn old man.
[Dr. Choi inhales sharply]
I'm getting changed.
You gonna watch?
[sighs]
[tense music playing]
[apparatus whirring]
That's not enough.
You need to remove more.
Well, that's what you think.
If you've got a problem with
what I'm thinking, then let me rephrase.
Do as you're told. Remove more.
[sighs]
Yes, that's better.
I'll be assisting you today, Dr. Choi.
Okay, let's go.
[tense music playing]
[detective] Inguk Pyo, please be advised
that this interview is being recorded.
[papers rustling]
[inhales sharply]
Should I call you Captain or something?
You own at least ten boats.
Money's not an issue for you,
so why'd you get into smuggling instead
of just fishing for squids or something?
[sighs]
[Yang] The organ trafficker Hyeonju Min.
Smuggling him into China.
That's what you were trying to do.
I have no idea who this Min guy is,
-and I've never done that.
-[sighs]
Your navigator told us
it was your idea to call it off.
You learned that day
the coast guard was on patrol.
I thought we had an understanding here.
I'm the one who gave you Min's number.
[coughs, clears throat]
[button clicks]
[inhales sharply] Yes, you did,
-and now he's off the grid again.
-What do you expect me to do?
A detective is missing right now.
Please believe we take this seriously.
Tell me where he is.
[sighs]
[inhales deeply, sighs]
[Min] Oh, hi.
Funny, I've been meaning
to give you a call actually. [chuckles]
How's it going?
Oh, you know.
I have been feeling kinda stuck,
like life was one big fog,
but things turn around, yeah?
Found a few new scores,
new connections too. [chuckles]
MIN
Hello? Inguk?
Min, it's Yang here.
Ah, Inspector Yang, huh?
[chuckles]
Hey… [clears throat] …sorry,
can't really talk right now.
Got a few things cooking.
If you hang up on me, I'm gonna assume
you killed Detective Wanil Lee.
[sighs]
[vacuum drain sucking]
[monitors beeping]
[suction stops]
[breathing deeply]
[sighs]
Do you wanna switch positions?
[inhales sharply]
Just keep doing what you're doing.
[sighs]
[exhales sharply]
[sighs]
[suction continues]
[Seok] Through-cut forceps.
Will you focus?
[sighs]
[Dr. Choi] What's on your mind?
[Seok] Nothing's on my mind, Doctor.
Just keep working.
[Dr. Choi] As I recall, your
first operation as a lead surgeon was--
Absolutely perfect.
[Dr. Choi]
Oh, is that how you remember it?
You're so self-absorbed.
That's why no one likes you.
Dr. Han, let me ask you.
What do you think her problem is?
I have to say, I've never heard you
talk so much, Dr. Choi.
[Dr. Choi] She's dangerously impulsive,
completely selfish,
and ungrateful as well. [scoffs]
And who exactly
am I supposed to be grateful to?
So, you're not grateful to me at all.
I'm grateful to you.
You didn't know that, did you? Hmm?
[inhales sharply]
Those times when we worked together were
the most exciting and fulfilling
moments of my life.
So of course I'm grateful to you.
Very much so. I hope you believe that.
[inhales sharply] I never realized
that teaching could be so exciting,
until you came along.
I didn't even think it was possible.
[chuckles]
Ah, I see it.
[chuckles] That you?
[sighs, chuckles]
[sighs]
[exhales deeply]
[door closes]
[panting]
[inhales deeply] Why are you here?
You should go rest.
You seem to be in a good mood.
Hmm, first time in a while. [chuckles]
[inhales sharply]
If you have something to say, just say it.
It's no secret you hate me.
I don't hate you.
It's the other way around.
Back then…
working with you at the hospital…
I felt the same way.
It was the happiest time in my life.
I really loved working there.
More than anything.
But thinking back on all those days now…
it feels like torture.
All of it's in the past. It's a bit sad.
[sighs]
I know.
This was it.
Our last surgery together.
I'm right about that, aren't I?
If you're saying it's the last one,
then maybe it really is.
[sighs]
Thank you for everything.
[door closes]
Good to see you, Dr. Ha.
-Hi.
-Oh.
I thought Dr. Choi might be sick.
Sorry, but he's actually
out of town for a few days.
Oh, really?
While you're here,
why don't you have a cup of tea?
[chuckles] Sure, thank you.
So, you work with Dr. Choi
at Yeonshin University.
How did I not know about this?
Mmm.
So, Dr. Jeong, you know her as well?
Yeah, I do. How do you know Seok?
Well, there's this thing I was planning
on doing, and I wanna do it with her.
Do what with her exactly?
A challenge.
Brainstem glioma case I have.
The tumor has grown.
We can't operate due to that.
Therefore, this whole section…
This whole section, from here to
over here, is the area we're cutting out.
-It's tricky.
-Hmm.
[inhales sharply]
Hold on.
Dr. Han is gonna stick around to observe?
One of us has to stay here.
[sighs]
Yeah, but it doesn't feel right
to leave him behind on this ship.
[car door opens]
[sighs]
[breathes deeply, sighs]
-I feel bad leaving you here all alone.
-It's all right.
You did well. Good work, Doctor.
-See you later, then.
-Okay.
Man, there's so much to do.
I'm all over the place.
Han, I'll see you next week, then. Yeah?
-See you later, Boss.
-Yeah, see ya.
Dr. Choi isn't here?
Oh, he already left.
Yeah, he's long gone.
Let's go, hmm?
Come on! I made a reservation.
Can't be late.
[phone dialing]
[Min] Ah, hi, Dr. Choi.
Well… [chuckles] …sorry
we didn't even get a chance
to say a proper goodbye, yeah? [chuckles]
You know, you really helped me out
a lot back there.
I wanted to thank you.
Yeah, we should.
I'll take you out
for a night on the town then, on me.
[chuckles] Yeah.
[Dr. Choi] All right.
Doctor, do you know Hoirangak
at Sinpo Market?
We're all having dinner there later.
-Why don't you join us?
-No, no.
You must be exhausted. You should rest.
Next time we get together,
I'll be sure to invite you.
-All right, bye.
-[phone disconnects]
[Dr. Choi sighs]
[Dr. Choi sighs]
So, what did Min say?
He's going to use Seok Jeong
as leverage, you know?
He'll force you to perform surgery.
Are you okay with that?
[inhales sharply]
Do you mind a slight detour?
[sighs]
[Seok] Dear Dr. Jinu Song.
I hope this is all just
a misunderstanding,
but I've heard that you strongly opposed
my residency
in the neurosurgery department.
You've hated me
for a long time now, haven't you?
I'd like to think
you're not so petty a person
that you can't admit to feeling that way.
You wanna know why I'm bringing this up?
To make it clear to you that I know.
I know you don't like me.
[chuckles]
[Seok] Neurosurgery has always been
my only option.
I have to become a neurosurgeon,
no matter what.
You may not understand
how important it is to me,
or why I've dedicated my life to it,
but here's the reason why I'm applying
for a residency in neurosurgery.
Sir, can you wake up?
Sir, are you all right?
Doctor!
-[doctor] All right, ready?
-[all] One, two, three!
-[paramedic] All right.
-[doctor] All right. Okay…
[Seok] Ever since I was little,
my mind would never stop racing.
I was constantly thinking,
and that kept me from doing
anything at all.
I couldn't eat or sleep,
all because of my mind.
It just wouldn't stop.
No matter what I did or how hard I tried,
I couldn't get away
from all the thoughts in my head.
Every minute of every hour was like that,
and before I knew it,
the days would be over.
It felt like there were
these tiny explosions.
They were going off
in my brain every moment.
I enjoyed the feeling,
but it was actually painful.
My teachers would say I was very bright,
but also overly distracted.
I thought that was unfair,
because it wasn't my fault.
I was convinced there was
a tiny worm living inside my brain.
This worm was very busy,
crawling through all the wrinkles
and folds of my brain,
poking around,
making me think.
That's why I had headaches,
why I couldn't sleep at night,
why I couldn't focus on anything.
I wished I could slice open my head
and catch that worm in my brain.
But that was impossible.
Of course, there was nothing I could do.
FIGHTING FOR LIFE…
PROTEST AGAINST REGIME…
[protesters, officers shouting]
[screaming, clamoring]
[Seok] I knew it was a ridiculous idea
to begin with.
As you know yourself,
the human brain isn't meant to be opened.
In the end, I never got to
open up my own head.
-[apparatus whirring]
-[monitors beeping]
But when I walked into the operating room
for the very first time,
I finally saw a live human brain.
When they removed the dura mater
and revealed everything
that was hidden underneath it,
I felt the artistry of whoever it was
who had designed that maze.
It was an intricately woven maze
of winding paths,
so delicate, yet at the same time,
incredibly detailed.
Right then,
my mind finally stopped racing,
and for the first time,
I wasn't distracted.
In the operating room,
I was stepping into uncharted territory,
areas that no other human
had ever explored.
I was the only one in the whole world
who had come to see this brain,
this maze,
this universe.
[dramatic music playing]
[Min] Wow, I'm just walking on air today,
you know?
[chuckles]
Seo, my man, you did good, huh?
The three of us make a good team.
[scoffs] Team? Sure.
Ah, come on.
We're in the same boat now, so we gotta
stick together till the end, okay?
We even got Dr. Choi on board.
Gotta milk him
for everything he's worth, am I right?
Hey, Jeong,
I know you must be starving, huh?
Yeah, we're almost there.
Come on, yeah.
[Yang] You know, if I put my mind to it,
I can very easily take you down.
What are my options then?
What can I do
to make you feel better, Inspector?
[Yang] Tell me what you know.
What if I gave you the surgeon?
Would that be enough for you?
[groans]
-What's wrong?
-[inhales sharply]
Ugh, bad headache.
Can you go get me some painkillers?
I'll be right back. Hang on.
[sighs]
[exhales sharply]
Ah, shit.
Where'd she go? [groans]
-Mr. Min.
-Holy…
Hey, I was looking for you just now.
Where were you?
Before we sit down,
I wanted to have a little talk.
Let's go somewhere quiet.
Wait, uh, can't…
Can't we just talk over dinner?
And hang on. Where did Seo go?
Where are you taking me?
-Anywhere the two of us can be alone.
-[phone buzzing]
Yeah?
It's me, Uyeong.
Why are you calling?
Listen to me.
Are you with Dr. Choi right now?
It's none of your business.
If you are, tell him to answer the phone.
[Seok] Maybe he doesn't want
to talk to you. I have to go.
-Do you even know how sick he is?
-Yeah, brainstem glioma.
You don't know.
What? Just quit being
so annoying and spit it out!
He doesn't have much time left.
[no audible dialogue]
He's going to die soon.
So tell him to come to the hospital now.
[tense music playing]
-[music intensifies]
-[choral singing]
[slow music playing]