‘Trolley’ Episodes 3 And 4: Recap And Ending, Explained: What Is Hye Joo’s Agenda?

It’s the last week of the year, but also a week for new episodes of the thriller K-drama “Trolley.” The Park Hee Son starrer drama premiered last week and introduced the audience to a seemingly honest politician and his seemingly reserved wife. As the story progressed, the audience found that there was a lot to uncover that was hidden behind the facade of honesty and privacy. Episodes three and four of “Trolley” take the narrative ahead from where it paused last week. Nam Joong Do makes a strong statement against digital sexual offenses, and his statement creates a stir in the media. Ji Seung Kyu, the student held responsible for Gwi Soon’s granddaughter’s suicide, also commits suicide after facing a lot of threats and negativity.

Spoilers Ahead


Episode 3 ‘The Blame’ Recap And Ending Explained: What Are The Secrets Of Hye Joo’s Past?

“Trolley” Episode 3 opens with scenes at Yoon Seo’s Jicheon High School, where the audience learns about the “trolley dilemma.” The dilemma is one of the most debated topics in moral ethics. The dilemma stems from the question of whether one would choose to save one or many. This symbolic incident ties together the incidents of the drama so far and also give a reason behind the title of the drama. Nam Joong Do’s case, where he absolves himself from actually apologizing and instead turns things in his favor, is a representation of the same. The savvy politician uses Gwi Soon’s granddaughter’s suicide in his favor and manages to swerve the attention from his son’s suspected involvement in narcotics to the topic of digital sexual offense crimes. Ji Seung Kyu, the boy suspected in the digital sexual offense crime, commits suicide after his name is revealed in the media and is on the receiving end of death threats and negative comments. Gwi Soon and Yoon Seo are thrilled at the news. Seung Kyu’s death is considered an evil that casts itself out. Nam Joong Do is shaken upon hearing that his bold statement led to such dire consequences. He does not visit Seung Kyu’s funeral either, owing to the positive comments he received from the public and the media. He also feels guilty about doing so.

Meanwhile, Hye Joo tries to get closer to Soo Bin. She asks to get tested for drugs after Joong Do suspects that Soo Bin might also be a user since Ji Hoon had allegedly been involved with narcotics. Soo Bin agrees and puts Hye Joo’s mind at ease. Hye Joo also takes Soo Bin to her book restoration workshop and walks down memory lane. She tells her the story of the days when she initially began working on restoring the books instead of fixing them. Soo Bin tells her how Ji Hoon used to talk about the shop. Hye Joo also buys a new phone for Soo Bin, still believing that she has lost her old phone. She then takes her to Yeo Jin’s noodle shop and visits Gwi Soon’s shop. Gwi Soon gives Hye Joo a gift as a thank-you gesture for her husband’s bold statement that led to Seung Kyu’s death. At the hospital, Soo Bin is waiting for the test, but she grows anxious after she notices a boy there. She hurries back home and to Hye Joo’s book restoration workshop. She talks to Hye Joo about Ji Hoon, and Hye Joo is visibly upset. She goes into a spiral of thoughts, still worrying that Ji Hoon never considered her a mother. She asks Soo Bin to leave.

Nam Joong Do’s struggle is still not over. He is pelted with eggs, and Seung Kyu’s bereaved parents accuse him of driving their son to the edge to take such an extreme step. In doing so, they also dub him their son’s murderer. Nam Joong Do tidies himself up and proceeds to the debate wearing a jacket that belongs to Woo Jae. The guilt weighs heavily on Nam Joong Do’s conscience. He pays his respects from afar. He participates in a debate on parental leave and wins the people’s hearts with his strong and bold words. He asks Won Jae to clear his schedule for the day and seeks out Hye Joo. The two share a few heartfelt words and memories of the past. This scene segues into the couple’s past before Joong Do ran for office. The flashback also introduces the audience to three new characters who might have an impact on Hye Joo’s life. Seung Hee, her mother, Yoo Sin, and Ki Young are introduced. In another flashback, Seung Hee’s mother is shown accusing Hye Joo of killing her (Seung Hee’s mother’s) son. This is an interesting revelation as Hye Joo’s past begins to slowly unfurl. Hye Joo’s secrecy over her life before her marriage or her hometown is odd and raises a few eyebrows as well. It remains to be seen how Seung Hee and her family affect Hye Joo’s life and what murder Seung Hee’s mother is referring to. In a short but eye-opening twist, Woo Jae is seen questioning Soo Bin about her baby’s real father. He had his suspicions about the young girl and wanted to verify the claim. Won Jae has been very practical in all that has been happening, always calculating how any event can be swung into Nam Joong Do’s favor and how to dodge any event that could cause a scandal.


Episode 4 ‘The Visit’ Recap And Ending Explained: Who Are Seung Hee And Her Family? How Are They Connected To Hye Joo’s Past?

Episode 4 of “Trolley” picks up with Woo Jae’s questioning of Soo Bin about the real parentage of the child she is pregnant with. Woo Jae has always been very stringent when it comes to following a plan for Nam Joong Do’s career. He reassures the office that Joong Do’s absence is nothing to be worried about. Nevertheless, he is also worried that Joong Do will visit Seung Kyu’s wake, but Joong Do seeks solace with Hye Joo instead, much to Woo Jae’s relief. Woo Jae confronts Soo Bin and says that the child is not Ji Hoon’s. He calls her a prostitute. He then switches off the dash cam of his car before warning her to lay low.

In a series of flashbacks, we see Joong Do as he delivers the news to Hye Joo that he will be running for the position of Assemblyman. She is not completely happy with it but asks him to promise not to involve her in politics or speak about the issues at home. In the present, we see that Hye Joo thanks Joong Do for respecting her request not to involve her in politics until the very moment he needed her. In the same flashback, we see that it is Assemblywoman Woo who supports Joong Do and wants him to become a part of the Daehan Party. During this time, we see that Ki Young is talking to his friend about his wife, Seung Hee. He tells him how they did not get along despite having attended the same high school. Sure, they are married now, but Seung Hee has been away for three years for her studies. His mother-in-law is a very wealthy woman who owns several apartment buildings. Things between Seung Hee and Ki Young seem to be rough if this conversation is any indication.

When Hye Joo and Joong Do return home, Hye Joo checks in on Soo Bin and Yoon Seo. She goes to check on Soo Bin and prepares tea for her to help her with the symptoms of her pregnancy. Soo Bin hands over the drug test results to Hye Joo. The results are negative. Hye Joo is relieved to hear the news and tries to make amends between Soo Bin and Joong Do. Yoon Seo rushes to the bathroom when she hears Soo Bin’s retches, mistaking them for her mother’s. She has a fight with her parents regarding Soo Bin, and Hye Joo tries to smooth things out again. The next morning, Joong Do simply bumps into and brushes past Soo Bin, refusing to accept or even acknowledge her. Ki Young’s involvement seems to grow as the audience finds out that his mother-in-law gifted a golf range at the time of their marriage and uses it as leverage against him. Joong Do empathizes with Ki Young’s situation, but he instructs his team to find another way to run the campaign without Ki Young since Joong Do’s campaign involves real estate, which relates to Ki Young.

Joong Do is persuaded by his team to involve his wife more in politics and public appearances because not doing so gives out a smoke signal that something might be shaky in his private life. But he sternly refuses, for he has the promise to keep. When Woo Jae and Joong Do are alone, Woo Jae questions him about whom he would prioritize: his wife or his career, to which Joong Do replies that he would try and push for both. When Hye Joo finds Soo Bin’s lip balm in the car, she questions Joong Do about the same. She brushes it off later as a simple misunderstanding, but it does leave scope for suspicion. Shortly, it is seen that Soo Bin has an initial “JD” tattoo. The reason behind the tattoo is not revealed, thus deepening the suspicion.

Joong Do’s team begins to look into Lee Yoo Sin’s business. She instructs her son-in-law, Ki Young, to handle the matter. When Seung Hee comes home, Ki Young releases his pent-up frustration and tells her that he wants to get away. Seung Hee is shocked and heads to her mother’s room to confront her. There she finds the belongings of her late brother, Seung Ho, which only makes her feel smaller and inferior to her late brother, who passed away twenty years ago. Meanwhile, Joong Do’s bill against shady real estate businesses is turned upside down when Assemblyman Kang brings up Joong Do’s late son, Ji Hoon, and his involvement with narcotics. He leaves in the middle of the debate, thus postponing the vote on the bill. On the other hand, Woo Jae lets Joong Do know that Ki Young is on his way to meet Joong Do. When Ki Young goes on the internet to find out about the Assemblyman, he finds the Assemblyman’s picture with his wife, who happens to be an associate of his from school. Toward the end of “Trolley” episode 4, we see that Seung Hee goes to Hye Joo and addresses her as Kim Jae Eun. She calls Hye Joo a murderer, and the episode comes to an end. 


‘Trolley’ Episodes 3 & 4 Review

Episodes three and four of “Trolley” really set the wheels in motion, especially in revealing Hye Joo’s past. The showrunners have decidedly amped up the pace and worked up enough plot to increase the thrill in the forthcoming episodes. The cliffhanger at the end of “Trolley” Episode 4 brings up a lot to discuss and ponder. Perhaps Joong Do, Hye Joo, Seung Hee, and Ki Young all share a link from the past that each of them has tried to cover up and forget. The bill against shady real estate business is just the tip of the iceberg in revealing all that is lying underneath. The Nam family is sure to go through a rollercoaster of emotions and public attacks once their past sees the light of day. Perhaps Seung Kyu’s suicide was a murder, in a manner of speaking, because of Joong Do’s plan to cover up one thing with another. Woo Jae’s overly ambitious nature towards Joong Do’s career might prove to be the Achilles’ heel that takes them all down. He has begun showing his impatience when it comes to matters relating to Joong Do, which could be cause for concern, given that one must be level-headed when dealing with the pressures of a political career.


See More: ‘Trolley’ Episodes 5 And 6: Recap And Ending, Explained – What Is Hye Joo’s Secret?


Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Nandini Iyengar
Nandini Iyengar
Nandini has grown up on a healthy diet of books, movies and shows. Hailing from a multicultural background, Nandini has tried indulging in art from different corners of India that came naturally to her. Taking the influence further, she delved into foreign languages and indulged in content from across the globe. When she is not watching anything on her laptop, she can be found daydreaming or picking her pen to write a few words of fiction.

Latest articles

Featured