The previous episode of The Husband left us all with a shocking twist as we find out that the kidnapper Noh Man-hee has an accomplice, and that is his wife! Kim Kyungae literally is a clever woman as she not only made Se-yun feel safe but also proved why one can’t trust an innocent face.
So what exactly is the motivation behind this couple? While the drama hasn’t revealed the truth, here are some compelling theories that we believe might be true.
The Husband Villains and Their Motive
Theory 1: They’re Seeking Revenge for a Tragedy
The most likely reason might be that Man-hee and Kyungae lost something or someone, and that Tae-ju, Se-yun and Suhyeong might have been responsible, either directly or indirectly.
The opening flashback in Episode 6 suggests Man-hee had been tracking Suhyeong long before the kidnapping began. That doesn’t feel random but feels like they have a motive. What if the couple lost a child and they believe it is the negligence of the cop Suhyeong and the doctor Tae-ju?
Rather than simply killing them, they want to torture them for their grief without realising that they’re wrong.
Theory 2: They View Themselves as Partners in Crime
Unlike other couples where one partner might be overpowering, both Kyungae and Man-hee are mentally the same. They love what they’re doing, and they support each other.
She calmly gains Se-yun’s trust and then proceeds with sedating her. She even speaks as Seon-ja, makes Se-yun believe how toxic Man-hee is and pretends to die whilst planning a whole scheme. At this point, both of them simply share a brain cell and find happiness in kidnapping and killing for no reason. They just might love that feeling.
Theory 3: They’re Conducting a Psychological Experiment
Maybe the couple just wants to test people’s mindset, their fears and how well their relationship is with their partners. We can see how Man-hee emotionally tortures Se-yun and tests Tae-ju’s patience. He can easily kill her off if killing is his intention. Rather, he gets impressed whenever Se-yun doesn’t show any fear or sits praying.
He separates husband and wife, feeds them false information, creates fake identities, and carefully controls them. Man-hee seems to be enjoying how relationships fail and collapse under pressure. He wrecks them emotionally to test their loyalty and enjoys when they panic over each other. If that’s true, Kyungae also enjoys seeing couples break so she can feel superior, as she and Man-hee have a great vibe.
Theory 4: Kyungae Could Be the True Mastermind
We might think Man-hee is the main villain, but what if he is doing it all to please Kyungae, the mastermind? We clearly saw how Kyungae has by far been the intelligent one. She stalks with Man-hee, she pretended to be another kidnapped woman and ensured to frighten Se-yun, she acted like a good woman and then sedated Se-yun…wow! She truly might be psychologically affected, and to please her, Man-hee might be serving her.
It’s entirely possible that Man-hee is simply carrying out plans that the couple developed together or perhaps plans that Kyungae herself conceived.
A Marriage Built on Darkness
Honestly, what shocks me the most is how cool and calm the kidnapper couple are. They’re married like an old couple; Man-hee is a teacher; we’re unsure of Kyungae’s occupation; they both have breakfast every morning and act all lovey-dovey; they support each other, and so on. However, they discuss whom to kidnap, how to torture, and their domestic routine feels completely in contrast to the crimes they’re committing.
Disturbing couple! Honestly!
Final Thoughts
As of now, The Husband has shown various family patterns. Se-yun and Tae-ju were so happy together, a tragedy happened, and they became distant from each other, only for them to now rush and try to save each other. Meanwhile, Man-hee and Kyungae are so happily married while doing all criminal activities.
As the drama heads into its second half, the biggest mystery may no longer be whether Tae-ju can save Se-yun, but why the kidnappers are doing this and how their fate is going to be.
Watch The Husband on JioHotstar. What are your thoughts on the latest episode? Let us know in the comments below!
Also read: Season 1 Review
