The Apartment Job Episode 2 Recap: Will Hae-gang Win The Residential Association Election?

The second episode of Netflix’s “The Apartment Job” picks up right after professional scammer Lizard reveals his way of siphoning money from the long-term reserve funds. When Hae-gang listens to him, he gets infuriated because he feels that Lizard is exaggerating. Since Hae-gang wants the absolute truth, his secretary Big Guy pushes Lizard to the edge of the roof and threatens to drop him until he begs for forgiveness. It turns out that throughout the years, Lizard has stolen money from the residents. However, Hae-gang considers saving his life because that man can lead him to the ten-billion that Ju-gwon demands to let Yong-man walk free. However, there are a few problems because not all residents are ready to put faith in a complete stranger in handling their reserve fund account.

Spoilers Ahead

What Is Wrong With Suk-jin?

Suk-jin is one of those residents who can turn out to be a big problem for Hae-gang since she is extremely intrusive and a bully. Suk-jin thinks that she is the best just because she has won a beauty pageant and always looks down on people, because of her superiority complex. She is not going to hear anyone out since she thinks that only her opinions are correct, which is very problematic for someone who stays in a diverse residential complex. She only cares if someone flatters her or praises her beauty, otherwise, she wishes to control others. Since she dictates her son’s fashion choices, he is visibly irritated at her and completely ignores his mother. Suk-jin is so controlling that she digs up newly-planted saplings by the school kids just because she doesn’t like them. She deliberately destroys those plants just because she fails to win against the parents who protest against her wrongdoings. I find it absolutely frustrating to watch Suk-jin talk about moral values because she herself is the one who’s unable to live in harmony with others.

Why Hasn’t Anyone Caught Lizard’s Scam Yet?

Since most residents are extremely wealthy and they don’t keep a track of their individual monthly maintenance fees, Lizard has used their negligence to steal money. Anyone who has control of the funds – like the President of the Residents’ Association, Gang-won – can steal from it and escape without a trace because nobody really cares about audits. Lizard also has connections with the residential wing that runs under Choi’s directions and helps Hae-gang call the office while impersonating a resident. Soon, one of the staff reveals that the fund already has seventeen-billions in it. Hae-gang figures out that stealing the money will be a walk in the park because the office doesn’t expect something like that to happen, which is evident from how nonchalantly they handle such confidential information. 

Can Chung-won Be A Problem For Hae-gang?

Since Chung-won is a powerful figure in the community and has strong political connections, he may become a significant obstacle in Hae-gang’s path of becoming the President of the Residential Association. It’s clear that Chung-won loves to play the “bigger man” – when Hae-gang forcefully removes the rich brat’s vehicle with his own, it is Chung-won who offers to pay for the damages. Chung-won is not at all a pushover; when the brat takes revenge by slashing his luxury car tires, he ties him up and brutally tortures him. He also  has a very authoritative attitude and believes that the apartment complex only belongs to the families who live there, not to any single resident who wants to rent out a room. If Hae-gang wants to evade Chung-won‘s suspicion, he will have to be very careful with his activities. 

Why Can’t Hae-gang Win The Election As A Lone Resident?

Lizard has told everything about the election but he deliberately forgets to tell Hae-gang that all of the Residential Association Presidents are family men. When the residents elect a leader, they prefer candidates with a family, thinking that they are more empathetic to their issues. Although I find their logic tenuous, the residents clearly favor someone with a traditional, non-criminal background. Hae-gang must prove himself to be a family man to even fill out the application form for the upcoming election since it’s a crucial way to get votes in his favor.

What Pushes Ha-ri To Accept Hae-gang’s Offer Again?

Ever since Ha-ri met Hae-gang at the sham wedding, she has pledged to not work with him again after he deliberately staged a fake kiss to make everything look more genuine. However, when Hae-gang approaches her to be his wife again, Ha-ri wastes no time to accept his offer because he promises millions just for three months. Ha-ri accepts the lucrative three-month gig primarily to support her sister Ha-jeong, who has recently quit her job to pursue her dream of being a baker. This is an act of love and gratitude because throughout all her life, Ha-jeong has financially supported her and now it’s time for her to give back. Ha-ri also views Hae-gang’s offer to be a necessary income source since she has recently been fired for standing up to a sexual predator.

Will Hae-gang Win The Residential Association Election?

Hae-gang has managed to portray Lizard as his father and taken one of his secretary’s sons as his own to prove that he has a big family. He has some pretty good chances of winning the election now, because the fake family photo – that features him, Ha-ri, Big Guy, Jae-gil, Gyeong-nam and Lizard – looks absolutely flawless. Since all the residents root for people with a clean background, Hae-gang acts humble by revealing only a small part of his experience and deliberately omits anything about his past with the Oasis Group. However, he will still have a tough time going up against three other candidates, which include Suk-jin, who wants to play God once she ascends to the throne. Suk-jin remembers Choi’s unnecessary claims about maintenance fees and she may launch a full-scale investigation once she gets the chair, which may spoil Hae-gang’s plan of paying Ju-gwon and rescue Yong-man. When episodes 3 and 4 come out, we will find out more about Suk-jin and Hae-gang’s strategies to become the President. 

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