By Shreya Jha

Copyright sportskeeda

Disney+ has released the first three episodes of The Murky Stream on September 26, 2025. The next episodes are scheduled for October 3 at 4 pm KST, with two installments dropping every Friday until the final episode on October 17. The show has a total of nine episodes. Set in a Joseon-era kingdom riddled with corruption, the drama shows officials running roughshod over citizens, while ordinary people struggle to get by.The action is centered in Gyeonggang, a busy port with trade and culture, where three key characters cross paths. Jang Si-yul (Rowoon), a local thug, hides a complicated past. Choi Eun (Shin Ye Eun), a successful trader, sticks to her principles. Jung Cheon (Park Seo Ham), an upright officer, works to root out corruption and protect the city.What’s ahead in episodes 4 & 5 of The Murky Stream?The Murky Stream (Image via X/@DisneyPlusKR)In the upcoming episodes of The Murky Stream, Si-yul will continue struggling between following the bandits’ orders and doing what’s right, so we can expect him to slowly stand up against the corrupt system and protect Chun. Choi Eun is showing she can lead the merchant guild, and she might become a stronger, smarter leader who challenges both the bandits and the corrupt officials. Mu-deok will likely keep scheming and causing trouble, making life harder for Si-yul and the workers. Jung Chun, being brave and fair, could help expose corruption and support the workers and Si-yul. There will probably be more fights and clever plans at the port, with secrets from Si-yul’s past, like his family tragedy and arson, becoming important.The Murky Stream episode 1, 2 & 3 recapEpisode 1 of The Murky Stream opens in the Joseon era, on the Mapo port at the Gyeonggang River. Bandits soon take over the market, forcing workers to pay for passes and earn grain, with punishment waiting for anyone who complains. Bandit leaders keep power by paying the middleman Deok-gae.When Mu-deok can’t pay, newcomer Bang challenges him, forcing Mu-deok to fight for his honor. Mu-deok, a weak fighter, is easily beaten by Bang. Salt dealer Kang Haeng-su suffers as Bang diverts work. The blame shifts up the chain from Deok-gae to his boss, Assistant Officer Lee Dol-gae, who takes bribes and bullies his men while serving a higher lord.At the Choi house, the son dreams of reform while the father grooms him as heir. Meanwhile, Eun secretly runs trades with silk merchants, doubling her profit, but her father rejects her offer to succeed him. Back at the docks, a frail old man collapses under heavy loads. He is tossed into the river while Jang Si-yul steps in. Si-yul later saves him again during a minister’s arrival, but is punished by Dol-gae for valuing the man over the cargo.The bandits then cancel pay, calling the work a patriotic duty. Si-yul faces Bang and fights back, but Dol-gae stops it and takes Mu-deok’s cut. That night, Si-yul brings stolen wages to the old man, only to find him dead after losing his wife to hunger.In The Murky Stream episode 2, tensions at Mapo Port escalate as workers continue to go unpaid. Si-yul demands answers from Choi Eun, who claims the debt was settled. Bang interrupts, chases Eun off, and orders an attack on Si-yul. In defiance, Si-yul tears off a piece of Eun’s silk shipment to feed the workers. Later, a former Jurchen commander (now a smuggler) approaches Eun for access to the river. She rejects the offer.At the Choi house, Eun is briefly named heir over Dae-il with Haeng-su’s backing. Si-yul, blacklisted, gains a swordsman reputation, while Mu-deok steals his letter. Jung Chun arrives as a new officer, warned not to disrupt bribes. Eun learns trade and confronts Deok-gae, but is dismissed. On her way home, she meets Si-yul, just as Yoon’s men attack.The clash halts when Chun appears and embraces Si-yul, shocking Eun as Mu-deok spots Chun’s name on the letter. Episode 3 of The Murky Stream flashes back nine years to 1583 in Gyeongwonjin, Si-yul, and Chun’s hometown. During the Nitanggae rebellion, Jurchens raid the village.Soldiers flee, Si-yul hides with his mother, but she’s killed and he’s tortured. Chun and his mother rescue him. Years later, Si-yul and Chun get into trouble, beating the magistrate’s son for harassing a woman. Their adoptive mother scolds them. Si-yul is later barred from the state exam because his grandmother remarried.The magistrate refuses to help, leaving him frustrated. After causing a scene at the magistrate’s house, he accidentally sets it on fire. Masked Chun helps him escape, but Si-yul asks him to stay behind and fix the world. In the present, Mu-deok learns Si-yul’s identity from Chun’s letter. Si-yul is wanted for arson, and Chun is suspected of helping him.That night, they held a memorial for their mother, who was tortured and killed by the magistrate. Si-yul hopes to fight for a pardon and bids Chun farewell. Mu-deok pressures Si-yul to work for him, threatening to expose Chun. Meanwhile, Chun’s reforms fail as officers drink while Dol-gae mocks his efforts.Si-yul joins Mu-deok’s group, which is known for its lawless tactics. His past earns respect, but he remains conflicted. At the guild, Eun shows strong leadership, gaining cautious support from her father. During her first trade run, a rival guild pays Mu-deok for river access, but Eun refuses to yield. Mu-deok sends Si-yul to block her, but he hesitates. The bandits then extinguish the torches, throwing the port into darkness.Watch all three episodes of The Murky Stream on Disney+!