Narco-Saints – Season 1 Episode 5 Recap & Review

He who snitches… 

The tension in the opening scene of episode 5 of Narco-Saints is palpable as Yo-hwan makes an unscheduled visit to Chen’s restaurant in Chinatown. Yo-hwan wants Chen to allow him to use his meth networks to sell his cocaine in time to save his life from the Cali cartel.

However, Chen feels more inclined to sit back and wait for Yo-hwan to be killed. That way he gets his chance to ascend to the cocaine throne without even lifting a finger. Yo-hwan brings up points that Chen can’t ignore and he agrees to help but only if Yo-hwan hands over Preacher. I told you Chen was not one to let a Judas go freely! 

David and Yo-hwan maul over the pros and cons of using Chen while Kang updates Chang-ho on the looming danger that is the Yo-hwan-Chen collaboration. They must do everything possible to salvage the original plan and the responsibility lies fully on Kang’s shoulders. 

Kang goes to see Yo-hwan and tries to use his smooth charms to convince him to use the Puerto Rico route. He pushes Yo-hwan too far off the ledge and things take a dramatic turn. His gun is confiscated by Yo-hwan’s men and he is escorted out of the premises by his bodyguards. For the first time, Kang’s negotiating skills fail but he is a determined man, he won’t give up easily.

He goes to Chen and discloses Yo-hwan’s plans to grow his cocaine in the military land in Suriname. He tries his best to change Chen’s mind and get him to kill Yo-hwan instead. He is just about to make his final case when Yo-hwan calls Chen to let him know that he will hand over Preacher.

Things are escalating and everyone is fully on alert and in survival mode. The NIS is on stand-by, Yo-hwan is on the move to get the shipment ready and Preacher is about to be attacked after Yo-hwan betrays him. I am literally on the edge of my seat in this episode. The ante is upped even further when Chen ambushes Yo-hwan before he can move the drugs and promises to send him to personally greet his god. 

Preacher is one hell of a fighter and he single-handedly manages to fend off Chen’s men. On the other hand, Yo-hwan, David, and his personal bodyguard (who served time with Kang) escape through some underground tunnels but they don’t succeed in taking the cocaine. The drugs are left in the hands of Chen who calls Kang and he advises him to take the cocaine to a safe location and stay put until he calls him again.

On the other hand, Chang-ho is getting antsy and wants to pull out Kang from the mission. Kang is reluctant and wants to stay “in the game.” He points out to Chang-ho that Chen and Yo-hwan will not be working together given the recent events still in motion. This gives them an opening to pitch the Puerto Rico plan again.

Yo-hwan is reeling from the recent events and is more driven than ever to find the rat in his household. He calls for a meeting with everyone who has been to the warehouse and Kang is brought in. Kang, in his ability to remain calm in any tense situation, manages to get through the ordeal and David ends up with a bullet to his head. Hmm! Was David really the spy? Yo-hwan is not convinced that someone as “spineless” as David managed to betray him with no help.

However, urgent matters leave no time to dwell on who was “helping” David. They need to get the cocaine and Kang takes it upon himself to play hero and deliver the cocaine back. Chen is worried about the consequences of attacking the pastor and refuses to divulge his location to Kang.

This puts Kang in a difficult position but he receives help from an unlikely source. In the nick of time, as the plan is about to be flushed down the toilet, Preacher turns up and offers Kang a hand. He is the undercover agent on the ground! 

Yo-hwan is impatient and he calls the President and makes him an offer for his help. The President will send the army into Chinatown to sniff out Chen Zhen and the drugs. In return, Yo-hwan will set Preacher as Chen Zhen’s replacement to secure Chinese votes. The President thinks this is a good idea and sends troops to Chinatown. As the troops roll in, Chen has no option but to disclose his location to Kang. 

Soon, Kang and Preacher arrive at his location and Preacher instantly kills Chen. It looks like the Puerto Rico plan is officially underway.

The Episode Review

This was one of the best and most hectic episodes anyone could ask for. The culmination of the tension between Yo-hwan and Chen ended in a bloodbath as expected. There was no love lost between the two. I feel sad for David as he paid a heavy price for someone who they said was a coward. 

I got to give it to both Preacher and Kang, these two managed to save themselves. Their effortless ability to stay calm even with guns pointed at them is praiseworthy. This is another great episode.