Pandora Beneath the Paradise (판도라: 조작된 낙원) is a Korean thriller action drama that brings the story of a woman who has to be reach the top to protect her family. Directed by Choi Young-hoon, the drama stars Lee Ji-ah, Lee Sang-yoon, Jang Hee-jin, Park Ki-woong, Bong Tae-kyu, and Shim So-young, alongside other cast members.
The show will have 16 episodes and takes over tvN’s Saturday-Sunday 9:10 PM KST timeslot previously held by Crash Course in Romance. Pandora Beneath the Paradise episode 1 has a run time of 62 minutes.
Disney+ synopsis of the show reads:
Hong Taera leads a life envied by all, with a perfect husband and a lovely daughter. However, her life takes a turn when repressed memories resurface.
-Pandora Beneath the Paradise Episode 1 Recap Contains Spoilers-
Pandora Beneath the Paradise episode 1 begins with the Chairman of Hatch Pyo Jae-hyun, the CEO Jang Do-jin and the Director Koo Sung-chan introducing their newest product which is a chip that can insert new skills and memories into anyone. As they test it on the chimpanzee Red in front of the press, Hong Tae-ra watched the live broadcast of the same and wishes her husband good luck.
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However, she soon gets into an accident and meets a mysterious woman who is going towards Hanwool Mental Hospital; but with this incident come memories of a person she never knew about. Shaking this feeling off, she heads off to her sister’s boutique where she helps with the opening, but once again gets into an accident which brings her to the hospital.
There, her sister Hong Yoo-ra’s actions seem suspicious as she is the one behind her accident in the boutique and now speaks to the doctor about stopping her medicines which kept her memories locked up till now. Elsewhere, Hatch’s newest chip release is a huge success as Red beats a shooting game champion in front of everyone.
This shoots the company’s stocks up and brings offers of candidacy to Pyo Jae-hyun from the political parties; however, he refuses their offers and aims for a single candidacy. Later that day, the three from Hatch get together for a little celebration along with Tae-ra and Do-jin’s wife Ko Hae-soo who is a news anchor.
While at the news station, she gets an unknown mail which contains a photograph of a young girl with a message behind it that tells her that the picture is of the person who killed her father.
Elsewhere her husband has an extramarital affair with Tae-ra’s sister Yoo-ra and it doesn’t take long for her to know about this as that very night, Yoo-ra leaves behind her earring as a mark to let her know about their affair. Shocked by her husband’s betrayal, Hae-soo is unable to bring her focus onto the celebration and ends up showing her annoyance in front of everyone.
The celebrations soon come to an end and later Hae-soo and Do-jin end up in a heated argument where the latter shows his annoyance after being asked about her wife’s father’s murder. Hae-soo’s father Ko Tae-seon was the ex-president who was assassinated on the day of his oath-taking ceremony.
Do-jin soon walks out and Hae-soo tries to follow him but he makes sure she loses him; he then goes to meet Yoo-ra and continues their affair. Meanwhile, Tae-ra and Jae-hyun share their promises of being together and spending a warm night, but Tae-ra later wakes up and sees Hae-soo returning.
She then walks in on Hae-soo trying to harm herself and stops before the latter could do anything. Elsewhere, someone kills Red with a hammer in the middle of the night.
Pandora Beneath the Paradise Episode 1 Ending
Pandora Beneath the Paradise episode 1 ends the next day when Jae-hyun is spending time with the other two men when they get notified of what has happened and rush to Hatch. Sung-chan is heartbroken by this as he was the one who spent the most time with Red, while the other two begin their investigation of the case.
Meanwhile, Hae-soo is investigating the picture that she had received when Tae-ra walks in and recognises the picture. She then asks about what Hae-soo is up to is finds out that someone sent her this picture that is of the person who killed her father. She further lets her know that this girl is called No. 50 and is linked to Hanwool Mental Hospital where she will go next.
Tae-ra asks to go with her and soon the two reach their destination which has something waiting for them. Hae-soo tries to find out about No. 50 but gets nothing while Tae-ra soon separates from Hae-soo at the hospital and reaches a secret room. There she finds a flood of unknown memories hitting her while the image of a young No. 50 faces her.
She soon realises that No. 50 is none other than Tae-ra herself.
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Pandora Beneath the Paradise Episode 1 Review
The box of mysteries that have been closed for quite a long time in Tae-ra’s life has begun to open up and has brought a fabulous start to the show. It was just the first episode but the number of theories that have come up to me are already quite a lot and has got me excited for what more is to come from this show.
I am already loving the cinematography, the cast and the plot of the show and there is no doubt that this is a show to stick to till the end because this one will definitely leave us all speechless.
Now coming to some of the questions that are already here, who is Tae-ra really? Are the memories of No. 50 really hers of does this have something to do with the chip that has been shown right at the beginning of the show? What does her sister have to do with her lost memories?
The questions are many and the only way to find our answers is through the 8 weeks that we will be spending on this thriller, because this is really Pandora’s box right under the beautiful paradise.
What do you think of episode 1 of the show? Let us know in the comments below!
Watch Pandora Beneath the Paradise on Disney+.
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