Inspector Koo or Gukyeongi is a Korean drama TV series directed by Lee Jung-Heum and starring Lee Young-ae, Kim Hye-jun, and Kim Hae-sook, alongside other cast members. The series has 12 episodes. Inspector Koo episode 1 is 72 minutes long.
Netflix describes the show as:
A reclusive ex-cop reenters the game as an insurance investigator, searching for clues in crime scenes perfectly staged by a serial killer in her midst.
– Inspector Koo episode 1 recap contains major spoilers –
Inspector Koo episode 1 starts off with promise – a young woman is experimenting with a red liquid in a beaker. She notices some kittens in the room and picks them up. We then see her cutting cardboard with a saw. The first question in your mind – are the cats dead?! We then see another woman in her very dirty home playing video games and constantly repeating “let’s kill them all”. After she wins the game, she’s absolutely ecstatic.
At the NT Life Insurance company, Na Je-hui takes up an impossible investigation, but one that can make or break her career, and decides to recruit a mercenary. And who other than Koo Kyung-yi? When they go to her place though, they are shocked at the mess around her and turn off the power at her home. She is devastated and tries to hurt Je-hui, but the latter overpowers her and takes her to a restaurant to feed her and get her on her team.
At the restaurant in Inspector Koo episode 1, although Kyung-yi is at first too tired to get up, she is enticed by the food being prepared around her and is instantly rejuvenated. While she gulps down beer, Je-hui tells her about the case which the former doesn’t seem like she’s listening to. However, her genius comes to the forefront at the next minute when it is made evident that she has, in fact, been listening and has also been analysing.
Although Kyung-yi does not want to take up the case, however, a new computer kind of changes her mind. And also that her former computer had cockroaches in it. Oh, and also also, her new computer’s CPU has RGB lights, so that’s also cool. It is made clear in this sequence that Kyung-yi is forgetful, doesn’t care about what everyone else does. She also loves playing video games and is extremely intelligent and intuitive. She’s just… very messy.
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Also, Kyung-yi really doesn’t want to work with Gyeong-su though and thus hires her gaming buddy as a part-timer. Je-hui likes him and is shocked at how good of a judge of character Kyung-yi is. Kyung-yi is, however, not sure whether he really is “Santa”. Je-hui describes something that he said in the meeting and that, finally, convinces her and she accepts to take up the case and work with him.
In the car in Inspector Koo episode 1, she falls asleep, asking Santa to wake her up when they reach. Meanwhile, the girl from before, Kyung, surprises her friends with kittens in a box – it’s the story from the first. So, no. No cats were harmed.
Later, Kyung-yi and Santa work the case, take some pictures of Kim Min-gyu’s home and steal their mail. They also follow the widow around and realise that she’s might just be a nice person.
However, talking to locals in Inspector Koo episode 1, she realises that the plant that he worked at had workers die one after another mysteriously. Her way of investigation is hilarious and the church scene is pretty funny. After the church service, the minister helps her meet Yoon Jae-yeong.
Meanwhile, the friends, including Kyung, try to find out who’d kill the cats.
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However, in spite of investigating thoroughly and getting a fishy smell, Kyung-yi is unable to find any believable answers. Although all of Yoo’s colleagues died after 3 or 4 months, none of the circumstances match and neither do they seem to be connected. Regardless, after much thought and deliberation, she comes to a shocking conclusion.
It is extremely funny that she is such a drama queen yet makes Santa do all the dirty work. Poor thing doesn’t even say anything to her. Anyway, all of her breaking and entering does Kyung-yi no good, she is still unable to find the not-so-deceased Kim Min-gyu. However, a baby monitor and some plain old-fashioned searching using a (phone) flashlight do the trick. A long chase sequence helps her catch up with him, while Kyung catches the cat killer and then kills him.
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Turns out, Kyung-yi and Kyung came face to face when the former was still a cop. After Kyung killed the caretaker, a police investigation ensued and Kyung-yi was the one who was in charge of it.
Back in the forest, Min-gyu kills himself, sure that he will be caught and that his family won’t get his insurance payout. Meanwhile, Kyung-yi comes face-to-face with someone dangerous.
Final Thoughts: Inspector Koo episode 1
Inspector Koo has a very interesting premise. The description on Netflix is so clickbaity – there’s nothing you’d want more like a true-crime lover than to watch something that sounds so devastating. The starting of Inspector Koo episode 1 is reminiscent of Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer, and every episode will have a different puzzle to solve. However, there will be one common storyline that will be followed throughout.
I honestly enjoyed the first episode. It feels interesting, there will be crimes to solve and the protagonist is eccentric and interesting. She has a past that will come into play in her life, it seems. But at this point, all of this is speculation. However, if the first episode is any indication, then there’s something to be seen here. Let’s hope the following episodes are as interesting.
Inspector Koo is streaming on Netflix.
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