The Tooth and the Nail (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Ha-yeon was killed because she possessed a copper plate used to manufacture counterfeit banknotes from the Japanese occupation era. Her uncle had helped forge money for a man named Shigeru Okamoto during the war, and when Okamoto later returned to retrieve the plate, Ha-yeon refused to hand it over. This made her a threat to the counterfeit operation, leading to her murder. The copper plate represented evidence of the illegal activity and was valuable to the criminal network.

Foreshadowing: Earlier on a bus, Ha-yeon is seen passing a letter to a woman, hinting at her involvement with dangerous figures from her past.

• ha-yeon
• copper plate
• counterfeit
• okamoto
• murder原因

Nam Do-jin killed Ha-yeon. While Seok-jin initially believed Shigeru Okamoto was responsible, it was actually Do-jin who pushed Ha-yeon to her death on the street. Do-jin admits to killing her to silence her, explaining that she knew too much about the counterfeit operation. Do-jin was the mastermind behind the forged notes, not merely an associate of Okamoto as initially believed.

Foreshadowing: The summary mentions Okamoto is dangerous, but later reveals point to Do-jin as the true threat hiding in plain sight.

• nam do-jin
• killer
• ha-yeon death
• murder confession

After Ha-yeon's death, Seok-jin abandons his circus career and becomes consumed with revenge. He changes his name to Choi Seung-man and poses as a poor taxi driver to get close to Nam Do-jin, whom he suspects is behind Ha-yeon's murder and the counterfeit operation. By becoming Do-jin's personal driver, Seok-jin gains access to his home and daily movements, allowing him to gather evidence while planning his revenge.

Foreshadowing: A chance encounter with a counterfeit note two years after Ha-yeon's death rekindles his drive for vengeance.

• alias
• driver
• revenge plan
• infiltration
• choi seung-man

The copper plate is a printing plate used to manufacture counterfeit banknotes during the Japanese occupation. Ha-yeon's uncle helped create it for Shigeru Okamoto, and after her uncle was killed, Ha-yeon kept the plate to protect herself and her family. The plate becomes the centralMacGuffin that connects Ha-yeon's past to the criminal underworld, ultimately leading to her death when she refuses to surrender it to the conspiracy.

Foreshadowing: The bus-side revelation shows Ha-yeon passing a letter, hinting at her secretive dealings.

• copper plate
• counterfeit money
• forgery
• japanese occupation

Do-jin kills the printer because the man knows about the copper plate and could expose the entire counterfeit operation when questioned by authorities. He murders Ms. Sung because she witnessed his crime and confronts him about his involvement with Ha-yeon. Do-jin kills to silence anyone who threatens to reveal his criminal network, demonstrating his ruthless nature and the lengths he'll go to protect his operation.

Foreshadowing: The 10 PM phone call engineered by Do-jin sets up the printer's death.

• murder
• printer
• ms sung
• cover-up
• counterfeit network

Shigeru Okamoto was the Japanese-era contact who originally approached Ha-yeon's uncle to forge the copper plate. While Seok-jin initially hunts Okamoto as the primary villain, he discovers that Nam Do-jin is actually the mastermind behind the current counterfeit operation. Do-jin is a multilingual Korean who runs the criminal network from his stone mansion, and it appears he may have ties to or replaced Okamoto in the illegal enterprise.

Foreshadowing: Seok-jin's multilingual clues hint at Okamoto's true identity and connections.

• okamoto
• nam do-jin
• connection
• counterfeit
• mastermind

Seok-jin testifies as an anonymous tipster who had been reporting evidence against Do-jin. When he reveals his true identity as Choi Seung-man (the alias), Do-jin realizes he has been outwitted by the man who was his own driver. While the initial prosecution case based on circumstantial evidence begins to collapse, Do-jin ultimately confesses to killing Seung-man when pressed, securing his conviction and life sentence.

Foreshadowing: The build-up of evidence through Seok-jin's infiltration leads to this confrontation.

• courtroom
• testimony
• confession
• verdict
• conviction

At the end, Seok-jin returns to performing as a magician while keeping Ha-yeon's ring and a photo of her close by as a constant reminder of what he lost and what he sacrificed for revenge. This symbolizes that while he achieved justice and closure, his wounds remain open. The bittersweet ending shows he has moved on with his life but remains haunted by the memory of his lost love and unborn child.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Seok-jin chooses not to read Ms. Sung's letter, instead treasuring Ha-yeon's memory.

• ring
• photo
• memory
• ending
• closure
• sacrifice

Seung-man is actually Seok-jin's alias, Choi Seung-man is the false identity he adopts to infiltrate Do-jin's operation. When Do-jin is on trial for murder, he initially claims innocence regarding Seung-man's disappearance. However, under pressure in court, Do-jin confesses to killing Seung-man (meaning Seok-jin), realizing his attempt to silence the threat has failed. This confession seals his fate and leads to his life sentence.

Foreshadowing: The tension between Seok-jin and Do-jin throughout the infiltration builds to this revelation.

• seung-man alias
• confession
• murder charge
• do-jin confession

Seok-jin burns every bill he receives to test whether it is counterfeit. Real money burns differently than fake currency, and this method allows him to identify counterfeit notes circulating in Seoul. This practice not only helps him detect the network but also serves as a metaphor for his destructive approach to justice, destroying the false to uncover the truth.

Foreshadowing: The discovery of a counterfeit note on the street two years after Ha-yeon's death sparked his revenge path.

• burning money
• counterfeit test
• taxi driver
• investigation method

Nam Do-jin lives in a stone mansion in Seoul, which serves as both his home and the headquarters of his counterfeit operation. The cold, imposing structure reflects his personality and the secrets hidden within. Seok-jin embeds himself there as a driver, using the close quarters to observe Do-jin's movements and gather evidence. The mansion becomes the central location for the cat-and-mouse tension between the two men.

Foreshadowing: The mansion is introduced as the place where Seok-jin will conduct his infiltration.

• stone mansion
• nam do-jin
• headquarters
• seoul setting

Ha-yeon was pregnant with Seok-jin's child when she was murdered. The death of his pregnant fiancée and unborn child becomes the primary motivation for Seok-jin's relentless quest for revenge. The loss of this unborn child represents the ultimate sacrifice and drives the emotional weight of the entire narrative, making Seok-jin's vengeance not just about justice but about protecting the memory of his family.

Foreshadowing: The marriage and pregnancy are established early, making Ha-yeon's death devastating.

• pregnancy
• unborn child
• motivation
• loss
• family

The prosecution's case against Do-jin relies heavily on circumstantial evidence, Seung-man's severed finger and blood from Ms. Sung's head. Without direct evidence connecting Do-jin to Seung-man's death, the judge warns an acquittal is likely. The case only succeeds when Do-jin himself confesses under pressure, unable to maintain his innocence when confronted directly by Seok-jin.

Foreshadowing: The tension builds as the prosecutor struggles to prove the connection.

• court case
• circumstantial evidence
• acquittal
• confession