The first episode of MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama ‘Fifty Percent,’ which aired on the 22nd, took us back 10 years to the fateful first meeting of Jung Ho-myung (Shin Ha-kyun), Bulgae (Oh Jung-se), and Kang Beom-ryong (Heo Sung-tae).
A decade ago, Kwon Soon-bok (Ahn Nae-sang) warned Jo Seong-won (Kim Sang-ho) that three NIS agents had been killed and there was no turning back. Kwon pointed the finger at Han Kyung-wook (Kim Sang-kyung), claiming he was an NIS agent collaborating with a North Korean officer to manufacture drugs.
Things got intense when a North Korean special agent, Black Pearl, defected after stealing a USB containing the transaction details between Han Kyung-wook and the North Korean officer. Kwon Soon-bok tried to intercept it, warning that a massive amount of drugs would flood into Korea if they failed. In response, Jo Seong-won introduced the NIS’s top black agent, codenamed “Shadow,” Jung Ho-myung.
On the other side, Han Kyung-wook consulted with Ri Cheol-jin (Jung Suk-yong), who introduced Bulgae as a “monster” expert in South Korean operations. Han Kyung-wook also visited Hwang Hwa-san (Kim Byung-ok) of the Hwasan Sect, who recommended the sect’s second-in-command, Kang Beom-ryong (Heo Sung-tae).
The three met for the first time in the pouring rain, each striving to seize Black Pearl’s item. However, after Bulgae took the item, he vanished without a trace, leaving the case an unsolved mystery. Suddenly, Kwon Soon-bok was killed, and Jo Seong-won was attacked.
Fast forward to the present, and Kang Beom-ryong is now working part-time at a convenience store, dealing with a rude old customer. Meanwhile, his subordinate Ma Gong-bok (Lee Hak-joo) is still chasing Jung Ho-myung at Yeongseondo, lamenting his miserable life. Jung Ho-myung, for his part, heads to a casino to collect unpaid debts. Though furious when told he’d be paid later, he barely holds it together, warning that he won’t make any more deliveries if the debt isn’t settled. He also questions his wife, Kwon Oh-ran (Shin Dong-mi), who neglects her shop to focus on her hobby club, asking if she’s suddenly obsessed with K-pop, only to be shut down.
Meanwhile, Bong Je-soon is seen dressing up as a woman in front of a mirror. Since he was found wearing women’s clothes after losing his memory, he was advised that his past gender identity might be a clue to recovering his memories. Unfortunately, the memories didn’t return, and Heo Nam-il (Kim Seong-jung), whom he treats like a nephew, ignored him and ran off with the house deed.
Jung Ho-myung visits Jo Seong-won, who reveals that Black Pearl has been found dead after living in hiding in Imcheon City for 10 years.
Jung Ho-myung suggests it’s time to take action, but Jo Seong-won disagrees, fearing their location will be exposed. Frustrated, Jung Ho-myung urges him to do something before it’s too late, venting that he was recently diagnosed with menopause.
Bong Je-soon discovers that Heo Nam-il used the house deed as collateral at Heaven Capital. When he demands the deed back, the people at Heaven Capital demand interest and assault him. After hitting his head, Bong Je-soon’s instincts as Bulgae awaken, and he fights back. At that moment, Jung Ho-myung arrives at Heaven Capital to collect debts and, upon seeing Bong Je-soon, happily exclaims, “I finally found you, Bulgae!”
