JTBC Code Episode 5 Review

Argh, the feeling of sourness is pretty strong after this episode of Code. But I will get to that in a second.

This ep, titled Poker Code, had a game format that still involved players cracking codes and solving puzzles but was revolved around them getting a good hand. Not too bad a way to refresh the game. This additional layer definitely had players working together (or at least trying to) more than they did in previous episodes. In fact, they pretty much had to share information and try to swap cards in order to get a good hand.

To do so, players had to open locks and get chips, which are then used to get new cards. They started off with only 1 card that they picked randomly from the deck, and then they could exchange, buy, discard cards, keeping their hand at at most five cards at one time.

In the end, Shin Jae Pyung did a really good job with his cards, securing him a place to escape this level. Together with Hee Chul and Baek Sung Hyun, they exited with straights. Leaving Lee Yong Jin who was in the alliance with Jaepyung and Heechul having to face last code despite getting a three of a kind '9'. Also, left to face last code, is Hyunmin who sacrificed his cards for Sunghyun to get a straight.

Moving on to Last Code with 3 players. With the use of a six faced dice, players will get 2 (non-overlapping) numbers assigned to them. They had 3 black-statue-tokens each which kind of symbolise their lives. Lose all tokens, and the player will be eliminated. Taking turns to roll the dice, if the player who was assigned the number that is faced up on the dice will get to "steal" another player's token. The tokens are transferable at anytime in the game.

Then comes the sour outcome. At the beginning of the game, Yongjin was doing so well, collecting so many tokens, leaving Hyunmin with 1 left. Then he had the golden opportunity to successfully escape from Last Code by taking Hyunmin's last piece. He hesitated. With the hope of collaborating with Hyunmin and to not be so cruel in the game, he decided to "give Hyunmin a chance". In a cruel turn of luck, that was Yongjin's biggest mistake and regret. Never did he know that he would be looking at the dices turn in favour to Junha's assigned numbers, and at his collection of tokens disappear one by one.

Ultimately, Yongjin was left with none, and became the player to be "stucked" on the fourth floor. I especially liked the last segment where the narrator gave a closing statement on Yongjin's run in this floor. How he was always helping and giving in to others, became his downfall. To give those of you who didn't manage to watch the episode a better idea, Yongjin helped Jaepyung and Heechul with their straights, he thought that with a 3 of a kind, he could be the 3rd to escape but Sunghyun beat him to that. ): Then, also letting Hyunmin have another chance in last code was how he "gave up" his place. Overall, I felt that Yongjin really had a tough run this episode. While he wasn't that strong a player in the previous episodes, I truely sympathised with his situation and outcome.
I did however like how the show edited this and viewed it like a lesson that Yongjin could learn from.

Verdict: A solid episode, except for some of the dry parts during the game.

Find me on Twitter @raycherr or leave your comments below! I would really like to connect with other fans of such game shows. :)

P.S. I'm pretty curious why are there no SuJu fans subbing this show in English??? ): #heechul

See you next week!