Duty After School (2023) Episode 6

Duty After School episode 6 starts with Soldier Kim Won-bin assuring the survivor that everything will be okay. The other students wonder what happened to the survivor and her team. Lieutenant Lee also returns with two more survivors, while Park Yoon-seo has an emotional breakdown and faints.

They head to Shelter 8 and are shocked to find everyone there is dead. But at least there are no signs of the spheres! Whilst there, they administer first aid to the survivors and pay their respects to the dead after clearing the building. The students begin to worry about their parents’ and if they survived.

Lieutenant Lee questions the survivors and they explain that their mission was to deliver supplies to the shelter but they were attacked by the spheres upon arrival. Unfortunately, the commander in charge disappeared, leaving the kids with no one to guide them. The kids were only told to wait for help and they feel betrayed by the people in charge.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Lee and Soldier Kim Won-bin try to understand how the spheres attacked the shelter. Shelters were put only on the outskirts of the city where medium spheres didn’t appear in the first place. Lieutenant Lee thinks the spheres planned a surprise attack on the shelter and believes the spheres are much more intelligent than they initially thought.

Later, Bo-Ra has a talk with Lieutenant Lee about Ae-Seol who is still having a hard time adjusting to all the sudden changes. Lieutenant Lee asks her to be patient and not to worry about Ae-sol, she is trying her best and Bo-Ra warns him not to regret it later.

Night rolls by and  Yoo-Jung notices Park Yoon-seo leaving the group and heading to another room alone. She follows her and sees her take a gun. She tries to talk to Park Yoon-seo and calm her down. Yoon-seo blames herself for being afraid and surviving when all her friends died. She is on the verge of committing suicide.  At the same time, Lieutenant Lee arrives and tries to talk to Yoon-seo.

Yoon-seo feels angry that the adults lied to them and points her gun towards him. She blames the adults for what happened. She accidentally shoots Kim Won-bin who arrives just in time to take a bullet for Lieutenant Lee. They quickly rush to help Kim Won-bin as Yoon-seo continues to have a breakdown. Chi-yeol takes the gun from her and the students watch her sadly, unsure what to do to help her.

Once Kim Won-bin is stable, he wakes up to assure the students he is fine. The bullet went through his shoulder and he is going to be okay.  Lieutenant Lee is angry with him for saving his life and asks him to rest. Lieutenant Lee also shares his concern over Yoon-seo and they both understand how she feels. They know as adults, they lied to the kids and they must feel slighted. They agree to return to their base the next morning.

Later that night, So-yeon tries to confess her feelings to Lieutenant Lee but Deok-joong interrupts their conversation. On the other hand, someone steals Hee-Rak’s coke and gives it to Lieutenant Lee.

Meanwhile, Na-ra and Chi-Yeol stand watch and he tries to tell her his feelings but decides otherwise. Na-ra spots the spheres from afar and they notice that they are exchanging signals with the bigger one in the sky.

After learning this, Lieutenant Lee figures out how the spheres have been knowing when and where to attack. They theorize that the spheres are planning to hit another small shelter nearby. They decide that they need to save the people in the shelter. Lieutenant Lee insists they withdraw as planned but the kids talk and come to an agreement to head for the shelter.

The students know that even if they return, another team will be sent and there is a probability that Lieutenant Lee will be punished for insubordination. They agree they have to complete their mission. Lieutenant Lee and Kim Won-bin feel proud of the kids and how far they have come and they share a few moments where they joke around.

The next morning, Lieutenant Lee comes up with a plan to lure the spheres at Maesong City University and use handmade bombs made from dynamite and depleted uranium. The kids work as a team to make them and lure the spheres using sounds and music to the university. They plant the bombs but the spheres arrive earlier than planned. This messes with their plans and Lieutenant Lee chooses to remain behind to finish setting up the bombs.

He makes Soldier Kim Won-bin promise to take the kids back safely and forces them out. The kids, and Soldier Kim Won-bin, manage to make it to the Seolbong Building. Unfortunately, by the time Lieutenant Lee finishes installing the bombs, the spheres are already inside. He tries to fight his way out but is overwhelmed. He radios in the other team and says his goodbyes before ordering them to blow up the building.

The students and Kim Won-bin are beside themselves with sadness and conflicted about whether to press the button. So-yeon begs and pleads with Lieutenant Lee to try and make it out but he knows it is too late. He is injured and the spheres are too many for him to fight by himself. The only thing left is to sacrifice his life.

After much contemplation, and with no other choice, Yoo-Jung initiates the explosion as the spheres get to Lieutenant Lee.

The Episode Review

I cried so hard in the last scene when Lieutenant Lee said he is sorry for not keeping his promise and protecting the kids till the end. So-yeon’s reaction was also so on point, you could literally feel her heart breaking as she begged him to fight to live. Part of me can’t help but hope that Lieutenant Lee miraculously made it through, but this is wishful thinking. His death really hurt and throughout this show, this was the most tear-jerking and painful scene to watch.

I think what hurts more was that Yoo-Jung is the one who had the courage to do it. As a leader, she has to also be the villain sometimes, Jang-soo was right, I feel terribly sad for her and understand that she will carry the guilt with her even though it is not her fault.

As for Yoon-seo, it was only a matter of time before one of the kids broke down. The adults lied to them and used their education as a bargaining chip. It is understandable that she is angry and hurt, I wish she didn’t pull the trigger but she is not to blame either. She needs help and hopefully, she can get better.

I guess we will have to wait until April 28th to learn the fate of the others and see if Lieutenant Lee’s sacrifice was worth it. In the meantime, let us know your favourite or heartbreaking scenes from Part 1 of Duty After School!