Copycat Killer recap guide: All 10 episodes explained

Copycat Killer episode 8 recap

Copycat Killer episode 8 dives into He-ping’s rise to becoming Killer Noh. As a child, he already displayed sociopathic tendencies, doing things like burning his dog alive, and it’s suggested he started another fire at one point that resulted in the death of his mother.

We then rewind to five years before the start of the show. He-ping was just starting out at TNB but showed great promise by going above and beyond to get his stories. Everyone was impressed with his tactics except Ya-cih, who always seemed to find him offputting. During the Sodom case, Ya-cih was disturbed by video footage of He-ping participating in the “shows” at Sodom and filming himself whipping a woman to tears. She kicks him off of her team.

In the coming years, He-ping continues going to Sodom, and he meets Jia-wun, Cun-yi, and another guy who became a potential suspect in the previous episode, Jian Jia-tang. All four would frequently wreak havoc at Sodom, including one incident where He-ping put a plastic bag over the woman’s head and pushed her toward death.

We also see the beginnings of the fracture between the group and Cun-yi. When they kidnapped and tormented Yu-ping, Cun-yi realized he was in over his head and not okay with the murder and torture he was witnessing. He even resuscitates Yu-ping after they suffocate her, but then He-ping murders her anyway. He-ping also makes it clear he can kill Cun-yi’s father if he doesn’t obey, which is how Cun-yi wound up taking the fall for Yu-ping’s murder all those years ago.

In the present, Ya-cih is lured to a secret meeting with Jia-tang to exchange information, but it’s a set-up for He-ping to kidnap her. Ya-cih was supposed to meet with Yan-jehn for dinner but offered to meet her afterward at the bar instead. She never shows.

He-ping takes Ya-cih back to her house, to her son’s bedroom. He reveals that his plan is to kill her and expose her on the news for having a child out of wedlock. Ya-cih taunts him, calling him “irrelevant,” which seems to really get under He-ping’s skin. He bludgeons her to death with a glass ashtray and leaves her body behind for the cops to find.

They find Jia-tang’s dead body inside his car with a new videotape labeled “Noh.” Previously, He-ping would taunt his victim’s families with the gift boxes, but his MO has changed. He led the cops straight to Ya-cih’s body, and the news stations run the Noh videotape on-air.

It’s a disturbing video showing footage of all of his previous victims with a promise that more carnage is coming. He-ping’s ego seems to make him think he’s in control of the truth and society at large. In a way, he’s right since the news broadcasts regarding Ya-cih’s death focus almost entirely on her secret son and trying to pinpoint who his father is.

Yan-jhen is devastated by Ya-cih’s death and blames herself for not questioning why Ya-cih didn’t come to the bar. Hsaio-chi tries to comfort her, but she’s despondent. Beyond that, Yun-huei warns Hsaio-chi that Yan-jhen could be in danger since she still works for He-ping.

Copycat Killer episode 9 recap

The penultimate episode of Copycat Killer brings more tragedy as He-ping circles the grand finale of his murderous arc. Copycat Killer episode 9 starts with Cun-yi in prison. He-ping sends him disturbing polaroid photos of his father as a threat.

Later, Yun-huei visits her patient in prison, and Cun-yi reveals how disturbed he’s been all these years because of his involvement in Yu-ping’s death. But before he can be of any help to the investigation, he asks Yun-her to tell his father he’s sorry and stabs himself to death with a pen in his neck.

Meanwhile, He-ping is riding the high of publishing his successful book on the serial killings. He hosts a popular book signing, and at work, he gets promoted to Ya-cih’s former position on their primetime television show. The police take him in for questioning from the book signing, but Hsaio-chi doesn’t really get anywhere with He-ping, as expected. But he also doesn’t give in to He-ping’s taunts. it’s clear Hsaio-chi has learned how to handle a narcissist like He-ping.

Hsaio-chi becomes increasingly nervous about Yan-jehn’s safety and assigns Da-chao to look out for her while also forbidding her from helping them with the case anymore. Yan-jhen doesn’t know their theory about He-ping, but she’s smart enough to sense something is off about him and grows increasingly suspicious of her boss throughout the episode.

While investigating the case, the team finds the old phone call Jian-ho made to Lifeline regarding his concern over Jia-wun. Hsaio-chi makes a copy of the recording and gives it to Yun-huei. The tape has Jian-ho discussing how much he worries for his sister and how he doesn’t want to be a burden to her. It’s a nice way for Yun-huei to get closure, and when Hsaio-chi visits her at home later, she thanks him for giving her a final memory to remember her brother that isn’t the argument they had before he died. Hsaio-chi tells her that maybe when the case is over, they can give their relationship another chance.

Unfortunately, things never make it that far. He-ping releases another video under the “Killer Noh” disguise, publicly taunting Hsaio-chi and threatening to reveal his “secret” regarding what happened to his family. Hsaio-chi tells Da-chao to make sure Yan-jhen gets home safely and rushes to check on his uncle at home.

But the real target is Yun-huei, and Hsaio-chi is too late to save her. He’s devastated when he gets to her apartment building and sees her body in the parking lot. Reaching his breaking point, Hsaio-chi hunts down He-ping and brutally assaults him in a parking lot as He-ping taunts him and blames him for Yun-huei’s death. Then Hsaio-chi pulls out a gun and seemingly shoots He-ping to death!

There’s still one episode left, so obviously, there must be additional twists in store…