Pop Corner: The Manipulated Episode 3 Recap

Tae Joong prepares for his escape while Yo Han plays a dangerous game of power and manipulation in The Manipulated Episode 3.

Tae Joong (Ji Chang Wook) gathers confidence, information, and the key details he needs as he plans his prison escape to catch the person behind his imprisonment, even though people try to hinder his plans, he doesn’t back down in The Manipulated episode 3.

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Meanwhile, Yo Han (Doh Kyung Soo) continues to do everything he can to make Tae Joong’s life miserable.

The Manipulated Episode 3 Recap: A Glimpse of Yo Han’s Ruthless Game

At the beginning of Episode 3, Yo Han plays his tactics at the Mirae auction, battling Chairman Shin Myung Ho (Kim Jung Woo) in a high-stakes bidding war. The prize? A sculpture tied to Arleli—and perhaps the chairman’s son’s innocence. With a distorted voice, Yo Han delivers a chilling ultimatum: “I don’t want anything else. If you want your request to be fulfilled, all you have to do is bring me Arleli’s piece. If you refuse, consider your request denied.”

Chairman Shin spends a jaw-dropping ₩6 billion, with Yo Han’s cold satisfaction after blackmailing him about his son’s crimes. Classical music underscores the tension as Yo Han returns home, succesfully getting the sculpture paid by the chairman. He informs Chairman Shin that he already planted a scapegoat—the inmate who died by suicide in Episode 2—clearing the chairman’s son while keeping him haunted by guilt.

The next day, Atty. Kim Sang Rak (Kim Joong Hee), cornered by Tae Joong, calls Yo Han to clean up their mess after Tae Joong exposes them.

Yong Sik and the Bible that Brought Tae Joong Back

Outside prison, Eun Bi (Jo Yoon Soo) visits her father Yong Sik’s (Kim Jong Soo) electronics shop, searching for money—as if rebelling against him, especially since he just got out of prison. Later, a priest arrives, bringing the Bible that Yong Sik had given Tae Joong. This prompts Yong Sik to visit Tae Joong in prison to check on him.

Tae Joong and Yong Sik share a quiet reunion. They catch up briefly, and Tae Joong lies, saying no one is giving him a hard time. He then declares that he’s ready for something different, which Yong Sik finds suspicious.

Tae Joong reveals his plan to escape. Yong Sik warns him: escaping isn’t easy. But Tae Joong is determined—he’ll walk out the front door and uncover the truth.

Tae Joong’s Great Escape Begins

Tae Joong finally sees the bigger picture: he wasn’t the only one framed. With this revelation, he’s determined he’ll do whatever it takes to expose the puppet master pulling the strings. Inside prison, he’s no longer the passive scapegoat. When inmates, especially Deok Su (Yang Dong Geun), provoke him, he fights back, declaring: “From now on, don’t mess with me.”

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He begins plotting his escape with precision, listing down the details he needs to remember: civilian clothes, security key cards, ventilation routes, guard shift changes at 3:30 PM, and the food truck’s arrival at 4 PM.

As part of his plan, Tae Joong volunteers for cleaning duty in Zone B after an inmate mysteriously disappears—something he may have orchestrated. He carves a key into a sponge hidden inside a flower pot, shaping glue to match the lock. A suspicious doctor arrives to do rounds of vaccines to the inmates. He seems to know Tae Joong and might be injecting something different to him.

While repairing a car for an officer, Tae Joong continues carving keys. He’s nearly caught by an officer. Then he was approached by Do Dang Jae, who offered a team-up. Tae Joong refuses. Meanwhile, police officer Nam Joon places a bet on him. On fight day, Tae Joong starts and ends the brawl quickly. But the doctor sees him and suspiciously injects the vaccine—ominously, just 30 minutes before his escape.