Hunter with a Scalpel episodes 2, 3, & 4 recap: Is the real killer still out there, and is Se-hyun closer to the truth than she realizes?

Hunter With a Scalpel's episodes 2,3,4 were released on June 17, 18, and 19, respectively, on Disney+. The crime-thriller follows the tale of a genius forensic expert, Se-Hyeon, who learns her serial killer dad (long presumed dead) is alive and watching her.

A still from Hunter With a Scalpel (Image via YouTube/@DisneyPlusKR)

As she investigates a new murder with detective Jung-Hyun, eerie clues like thread in a corpse trigger memories of past horrors. While she reconstructs crime scenes mentally, her father’s shadow looms large.

The first episode of Hunter with a Scalpel ends with a chilling scene of a child and a doll, linking present murders to her buried past.

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Hunter with a Scalpel episode 2: How is Oh Min-ho murdered?

The second episode of Hunter With a Scalpel unfolds with unsettling twists as another killing shakes the investigation. It begins with Jung Jung-hyun’s squad questioning Yoon Jo-kyun about the individual who escaped after Jung was hit by a car in the previous chapter.

Yoon grows uneasy after hearing Seo Se-hyun’s name, who is set to examine the body. The murder triggers urgency, leading Se-hyun to join Jung-hyun at the site of the crime.

Her decision causes concern among the others. At the location, Se-hyun quickly senses that the setup mirrors a case from her own past. She urges Jung-hyun to gather footage from nearby cameras before leaving, lost in thought.

Back at work, Se-hyun argues with colleague Oh Min-ho, who insists on shelving the Nam Seung-hyup investigation. Jung-hyun, meanwhile, faces indifference from fellow officers who show little interest in continuing the probe.

Later that evening, Jung-hyun reviews camera recordings for clues. At the same time, Oh Min-ho (who had been followed on a bus along with Se-hyun by a suspicious figure) is assaulted in his apartment and fatally wounded.

In another scene, Se-hyun visits her mother, who is bedridden in a medical facility. The next morning, she stumbles upon shocking contents inside a vinyl sleeve. It triggers a cascade of old recollections.

As the postmortem results arrive, the disclosures seem tied to Se-hyun’s history. The second chapter of Hunter With a Scalpel closes with a young girl (presumed to be the same one earlier seen with thread) taking a luggage bag containing a body.

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Hunter With a Scalpel episode 3: Threaded clues tie Min-ho’s killer to an earlier crime

Hunter With a Scalpel's episode 3 opens with a disturbing visual when young Se-hyun is seen scrubbing the floor. Her hands are soaked in blood. Before any context is offered, the gate swings open and the scene abruptly cuts.

The narrative then shifts to a new homicide, drawing forensic examiner Jung-hyun into action. The remains of the body are discovered in dismembered condition, bound together with thread and packed separately in plastic.

Meanwhile, concern grows over Min-ho’s sudden absence. As similarities emerge between the two cases (including matching thread materials). Jung-hyun and his colleagues begin to question whether a single perpetrator is responsible.

They immediately push for an autopsy to confirm their suspicions. Upon hearing about the matching thread from the crime scene, Se-hyun rushes to assist in the autopsy.

Her instincts suggest the situation is more sinister than it appears. While examining the remains, Se-hyun discovers an additional thread embedded deep within the body.

A severed finger is found stitched using what is identified as a “ribbon” technique. Subsequent fingerprint analysis identifies the victim as Min-ho. The revelation has a clear emotional impact on both Se-hyun and Jung-hyun.

Inside the forensic department, Se-hyun faces mounting pressure from her superiors, who demand that the Nam Seung-hyup case be wrapped up quickly. She refuses, instead requesting a second look at the toxicology findings.

Further testing reveals a significant presence of Pencronium (a muscle relaxant used to induce paralysis) in the victim’s system. Se-hyun begins drawing connections between the findings.

Soon after, authorities initiate collecting evidence. Jung-hyun’s team locates the vehicle used in disposing of an earlier victim. Acting on the lead, they conduct a raid and successfully apprehend a suspect.

At the same time, Se-hyun processes evidence found at the crime scene, extracting a clean fingerprint from a piece of transparent tape.

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Hunter With a Scalpel episode 4: Wrong man is caught, and the real killer hides in plain sight

Hunter With a Scalpel's fourth chapter opens with Se-hyun landing in trouble when a meddlesome neighbor blames her for hurting street cats. Shaking off the accusation, she reaches the office only to hear the cops have nabbed someone in the farmland crime.

Se-hyun heads straight to the station, handing over the dirt inspection file and also slyly hoping to gather more intel on the new detainee. She pokes around, trying to convince Jung-hyun to let her get a glimpse of the guy.

The moment’s heavy, she’s hit by old flashbacks. But turns out, the person isn’t even the one she was hoping for. The actual perpetrator is still out there, and this was just a case of wrong collaring.

Things spiral when the guy starts mouthing off at the station. Jung-hyun steps in, defends his team.

The department then decides he should face the media to clear the air. Elsewhere, the squad secures camera clips from the Yongcheon bus stop, captured on the same night Min-ho lost his life.

Attention shifts to a shadowy figure seated behind the victim, raising red flags. At the press talk, reporters start hammering Jung-hyun with sharp questions. On the other side, Se-hyun promises she’ll tie all the threads and bring them home.

Meanwhile, Yoon Jo-gyun's next move is seemingly another target. The closing scene takes a strange turn when a lady walks into Se-hyun’s dad’s laundry shop, complaining about a stain on her outfit that wasn’t there before.

Hunter With a Scalpel's episode ends with Yoon (calm at first) suddenly switching gears. He grips her from behind, leaving the moment hanging with an unsettling edge.

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The next four episodes (5 to 8) of Hunter With a Scalpel will air from June 23 to 26, releasing one per day, Monday to Thursday. In South Korea, they’ll stream at midnight KST on U+mobiletv and Disney+ Korea.

Edited by Prem Deshpande