Namib – K-drama Episode 5 Recap & Review

Episode 5

Episode 5 of Namib picks up where the previous one left off, with Jin-woo finishing his song and realizing his mother is in the audience. They meet backstage briefly, where she continues to manipulate him, emphasizing their “family” bond, all while Soo-hyun secretly listens in on their conversation.

Later, Jin-woo devises a competitive note-taking system for Shim Jin-woo to ensure he receives feedback after every class. The best note-taker is promised merchandise from their favorite group, solving the issue of finding a class helper for Shim Jin-woo. Jin-woo also sets up an emergency contact system for Shim Jin-woo, assigning classmates to keep an eye on him when Jin-woo isn’t around. He explains that these classmates will be paid for their efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility and ensuring they take the task seriously.

Meanwhile, Jin-woo and Ji-yeong immerse themselves in rigorous practice for the upcoming competition. Chris takes Jin-woo out to a fancy restaurant and warns him not to trust Soo-hyun. In a flashback, we learn that Chris was abruptly removed from the debut team on Soo-hyun’s orders. This betrayal left Chris feeling abandoned, shaping his belief that trust is a dangerous luxury.

Jun-seok, while researching the latest trends, encounters Bong-gyu, the investor who once pursued Soo-hyun. Their interaction leaves Jun-seok determined to reclaim the career he sacrificed by mentoring Jin-woo to success.

At the same time, Shim Jin-woo designs a custom hairband for Ji-yeong and arranges its production at the factory Soo-hyun is planning to purchase.

The next day, Soo-hyun meets with Chris to demand that he stay away from Jin-woo. During their tense exchange, Soo-hyun receives a call informing her that Jin-woo has passed the first round of Star Rise. It’s also revealed here that Chris genuinely cares about Jin-woo, having grown up together and having discovered Jin-woo’s troubling habit of self-harm.

Later, Soo-hyun and her team announce that both trainees have advanced past the first round. However, the celebration is interrupted when Soo-hyun receives a call warning her that a video of her alleged power-tripping—an incident that led to her removal as CEO—will be released the next day. Soo-hyun and Jun-seok work together to locate the original CCTV footage to disprove the claim. Seeing the injustice Soo-hyun faces, Bong-gyu decides to assist Jun-seok in uncovering evidence to clear her name.

Elsewhere, Jin-woo visits the club one last time to tell Chris he’s quitting. In this moment, it’s revealed that Chris had misled Jin-woo into recording the video, claiming it would be used for something else. As Chris confronts Jin-woo, accusing Soo-hyun of abandoning him, both Jun-seok and Soo-hyun arrive. They defend Jin-woo against Chris, taking Jin-woo away with them as the episode concludes.

The Episode Review

This episode highlights the harsh reality of being a trainee in South Korea’s entertainment industry, showing how easily their lives can be manipulated or discarded. While Jin-woo’s story continues to focus on his growing bond with Soo-hyun and her family, the episode does a great job of weaving in these larger social issues. Characters like Ha-na and Chris, as well as the unfair systems these trainees endure, add depth to the narrative.

On the character front, Jin-woo’s relationships take a positive turn. His budding friendship with Shim Jin-woo and the parental support he’s starting to feel from Soo-hyun and Jun-seok mark major milestones for him. The moment Soo-hyun and Jun-seok stand up for him in front of Chris is particularly powerful, as it’s the first time Jin-woo experiences a sense of stability and protection after being abandoned by his parents.

Shim Jin-woo also sees some growth this episode. He’s noticeably more confident, even taking the initiative to design and produce a hairband for Ji-yeong. It feels like the first real step toward his dream of becoming a CEO, and it might even help him mend his fractured relationship with his mother. Overall, this is another enjoyable episode that blends emotional depth with plot developments.