Special on <The Ghost of Taeyoung Reservoir>
“Is this where the body of the victim, Mrs. Shin, was found? You saw it firsthand?”
Seung Hyeon pointed to the ground as he spoke.
He pinched his nose against the strong smell of blood.
However, no one else at the scene could detect the scent.
Only Seung Hyeon seemed to sense it.
“Yes. A fisherman found it and reported it, after the initial response from Taeyoung District 1 Police Station, the case was immediately transferred to our team.”
Lieutenant Jin Bae Cheol walked to the back seat of the car, pulled out a few photos, and placed them on the car’s hood.
Seung Hyeon gestured towards the camera to film the photos.
“At the time, I was still working as a detective. Among the cases I’ve seen, this was the most gruesome body. The stab wounds were incredibly deep… The fact that there were so many wounds indicated it was a murder driven by deep resentment.”
“Is that so?”
“Absolutely. The victim’s name was Shin Mak-bun. When the body was found, there were stab wounds to the abdomen and chest—seventeen of them. In total, there were forty-eight cuts and punctures. It was a horrific case.”
“Why were there so many wounds?”
“Well, if someone stabs impulsively, they often miss vital areas or flee after the first strike. But stabbing and slashing dozens of times shows a clear intent to kill no matter what.”
“Who was the perpetrator?”
“The victim used to give alms to a homeless man. His name was Lee Man-jo.”
Lieutenant Jin Bae Cheol answered.
%Crackle—Crackle—
At that moment, severe static disrupted the recording, causing the camera screen to flicker.
“Was there a quarrel?”
“There might have been a physical fight. The police concluded that the homeless man killed the victim and disposed of the body here.”
“What evidence supported that conclusion?”
“All the cash from the daycare director’s office was stolen. The homeless man disappeared immediately afterward.”
“Hmm. Given the circumstances, doesn’t that make him the obvious perpetrator? Why do you seem unsure?”
Seung Hyeon inquired.
Lieutenant Jin Bae Cheol added with a serious expression.
“The types of knives that caused the wounds varied.”
“Excuse me?”
“The width and length of the blade used to stab the abdomen and chest… and the type of knife used to create the cuts were all different. Some were presumed to be from a kitchen knife, while others were even from a box cutter.”
At that moment, amidst the overpowering stench, Seung Hyeon heard a strange sound.
%Humm—Humm—Hmm—Hmm—Hmm—Humm—Hm
It was as if a woman was singing a lullaby.
It sounded like someone was humming ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.’
And that sound – no one else at the scene could hear it.
Seung Hyeon realized that no one else could hear the sound and continued the interview.
“So, this means….”
“It means the perpetrator wasn’t acting alone. But that culprit died in prison, so we can’t ask him anything more.”
“The perpetrator died? In prison?”
“Yes. He died with a look of sheer terror as if he was staring at something. Cause of death – cardiac arrest.”
“Huh…”
Seung Hyeon nodded.
“Were there any other witnesses?”
“No. And the daycare had been empty for three months after they sent all the children away.”
“Why did they send the children away?”
“I’m not sure. But nearby residents said they had no idea the daycare had stopped operating until after the director was found dead, and the police began investigating.”
“How is that possible?”
“They said they could still hear children’s voices.”
Lieutenant Jin Bae Cheol replied.
Even he seemed baffled by this part.
Seung Hyeon nodded and jotted down notes in his notebook.
“About the photos and materials related to the case – can we take them with us?”
“I’ll give you copies. Please make sure to cover this case.”
“Yes. I’ll do my best.”
Seung Hyeon nodded in response.
The filming was wrapping up.
Seung Hyeon gestured to Tae Jeong to stop recording.
Lieutenant Jin Bae Cheol gave a polite bow and got into his car to leave.
Seung Hyeon, Tae Jeong, and Philip silently watched the car drive away.
“We learned a lot, but is it okay to know this much?”
Tae Jeong asked.
“Well, that’s why he told us to keep it secret. Guess he’s personally invested. Obsessed with the case. Obsessed with the truth.”
Seung Hyeon replied casually and turned away.
***
The dawn sun began to rise over the car parked by the road overlooking the reservoir and the reed field.
Tae Jeong and Philip were dozing off in the front and back seats. Seung Hyeon sat in the passenger seat, carefully reviewing the documents given by Lieutenant Jin Bae Cheol.
Suddenly, his eyes locked onto the clothing the victim was wearing.
Seung Hyeon felt chills race up his spine.
It was the same outfit as the ‘ghost’ captured in their footage.
‘The smell of blood from the ghost of the murder victim, after all.’
He took more notes while observing the crime scene.
Seung Hyeon : We were able to obtain additional materials from an anonymous informant who had seen the scene at the time. We also managed to acquire rare photos of the victim, Mrs. Shin Mak-bun. Shockingly, the outfit worn by Mrs. Shin in the photo was identical to that of the woman by the reservoir we filmed. What could this mean? Could this really be just a coincidence?
Seung Hyeon zoomed in once more on the ghost captured in the footage.
He carefully reviewed the actual crime scene photos.
The wounds were also zoomed in and captured in detail.
He rewatched the nighttime footage and interviews.
Additionally, he replayed the reservoir footage from [Beautiful Landscapes], focusing on the part where the ghost appeared, over and over.
He also rechecked the ghost photo taken by Philip.
The more he looked, the more chills he felt.
Capturing the ghost on film.
The feeling that this could be a huge breakthrough.
Regardless, the adrenaline was undeniable.
“They sent the children away three months before the incident. But the sounds continued.”
Seung Hyeon mumbled as he re-listened to the interview with Lieutenant Jin Bae Cheol through his earbuds.
That’s when Seung Hyeon noticed something odd.
In the segment just recorded with Lieutenant Jin, a strange lullaby and some unidentified static noise were captured.
– %Twinkle twinkle little star – crackle – crackle – how I wonder – crackle
The very sound Seung Hyeon had heard was faintly present in the recording.
Moreover, during the conversation, a woman standing in the distance could be seen staring at the camera.
It was the same ghost they had repeatedly captured.
Seung Hyeon, overwhelmed by fear, wiped his face with his hands to calm down and continued organizing the material.
A short while later.
The morning sun was rising over the mountains.
While Seung Hyeon kept listening to the interview repeatedly through his earbuds, Tae Jeong stirred awake in the driver’s seat.
“Senior, didn’t you sleep?”
He stretched with a long yawn.
Seung Hyeon nodded without a word, staying focused on the sound.
“Man, you’re incredible.”
Tae Jeong shook his head, got out of the car, and stretched.
Seung Hyeon glanced at him briefly before checking the time.
It was around 6 a.m.
“Hey, let’s grab breakfast and head over to that daycare.”
At Seung Hyeon’s suggestion, Tae Jeong bent over and asked,
“Taeyoung Daycare? The one where Shin Mak-bun was the director?”
“Yeah. Isn’t it strange? They say the daycare closed three months before the incident, but people kept hearing children’s voices?”
“Hmm.”
“Let’s check out the daycare and interview the locals.”
“Understood. But do we really need to do interviews too?”
“Dude, without interviews, this is just a haunted house exploration, not a documentary. Get in. Let’s move.”
Seung Hyeon tapped on the seat, urging Tae Jeong.
Tae Jeong, who was about to light a cigarette, sighed deeply and got back into the car.
At that moment, Philip woke up, yawning loudly.
***
Seung Hyeon filmed the passing scenery and roads as they drove.
It was for inserting cutaways later during the editing process.
He also recorded notes about the current situation.
Seung Hyeon : We began to feel suspicious. According to the ‘anonymous informant,’ Shin Mak-bun’s daycare had stopped accepting children three months before the incident. However, nearby residents said they continued to hear children’s voices and assumed the daycare was still operating. How could this be? We decided to investigate the area around Taeyoung Daycare and interview the local residents.
Seung Hyeon kept recording segments for the broadcast, while Tae Jeong managed the equipment and drove.
Philip took photos of the surroundings and people.
They made a well-coordinated team.
After finishing their meal, the three headed directly to Taeyoung Daycare.
“This is the daycare.”
While Seung Hyeon was busy organizing footage, Tae Jeong parked the car.
Seung Hyeon rolled down the window and glanced outside.
Coo, coo – coo, coo –
The distant sound of birds accompanied the eerie view of the daycare.
The daycare, located in a remote area, had once been brightly painted in primary colors, but time had turned it into a decaying ruin.
Vines covered the gate and walls, and a mural of a fairytale princess had faded, now resembling a ghost.
Click, click.
Philip stepped out of the car and began photographing the daycare.
“Shall we take a look around?”
Seung Hyeon gathered his gear as he spoke.
“Why was there even a daycare in such a remote place?”
Tae Jeong asked.
Seung Hyeon shook his head, scanning the surroundings.
The nearest town center, appearing to be the ‘main area,’ was far across the fields.
“Let’s go.”
Seung Hyeon stepped out of the car.
Tae Jeong followed, grabbing the camera, microphone, and other equipment.
***
In front of the abandoned Taeyoung Daycare stood a yellow bus.
The bus had been left there, abandoned just like the building.
The windows were shattered, and the license plate had been removed.
Judging by the state of the vehicle, petty thieves had likely scavenged parts over the years.
Seung Hyeon and Philip led the way, while Tae Jeong followed, filming their backs.
