The drama “Heosuabi,” inspired by the Lee Chun-jae serial killer case, has hit another new peak in viewership ratings!
In episode 8 of ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama “Heosuabi” (Directed by Park Jun-woo, Written by Lee Ji-hyun, Planned by KT Studio Genie, Produced by Studio Anzailen) aired on the 12th, the conflict between Kang Tae-joo (played by Park Hae-soo) and Cha Si-young (played by Lee Hee-jun) reached a boiling point. Kang Tae-joo decided to fight to the end, even if it meant hitting a rock with an egg. Episode 8 recorded a nationwide rating of 7.4% and 7.3% in the metropolitan area. It hit a peak of 8.2% per minute nationwide and 3.0% for the 2049 target audience, claiming the #1 spot for Monday-Tuesday dramas. (Nielsen Korea, paid households)
“Heosuabi,” which premiered on April 20, started at 2.9% nationwide but has climbed steadily: 4.0% for episode 2, 4.9% for episode 3, 5.2% for episode 4, 6.3% for episode 5, 7.4% for episode 6, and 6.4% for episode 7. With episode 8 hitting 7.4% again, it has renewed its own personal best. The all-time ENA record is still held by the 2022 hit “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” starring Park Eun-bin at 17.5%.
This is the highest rating for any ENA drama this year and the second-highest in ENA’s history, surpassing “Busemi.” As the plot reaches its climax, fans are eager to see if the ratings will soar past the 10% mark.
In the latest episode, Kang Tae-joo regained consciousness at the hospital and returned to the funeral of Cha Si-young’s mother. Unable to contain his rage upon seeing Cha Si-young’s smiling face, Kang Tae-joo handcuffed him and dragged him out, turning the funeral into total chaos. When the youngest detective, Park Dae-ho (played by Ryu Hae-jun), criticized him out of concern, Kang Tae-joo thought of Lee Ki-bum (played by Song Geon-hee) and lamented, “I did it to survive… I felt like my insides were drying up and I was going to die if I just stayed still.”
Cha Si-young was furious that Kang Tae-joo ruined his perfect funeral. Meanwhile, Detective Do Hyung-gu (played by Kim Eun-woo) was being investigated by the audit team regarding Lee Ki-bum’s death. Ignoring Do’s plea for help, Cha Si-young framed Kang Tae-joo for abuse. When a disciplined Kang Tae-joo confronted him, Cha Si-young provoked him further, saying, “Now do you get it? The difference between you and me? It’s not a crime for me to beat up a suspect like Lee Ki-bum, but it is a crime for you to insult me. We call that ‘rank’.”
Meanwhile, Kang Soon-young (played by Seo Ji-hye) suffered from short-term memory loss, unable to accept Lee Ki-bum’s death. However, she regained her memories after a conversation between Kang Tae-joo and Seo Ji-won (played by Kwak Sun-young) and held a silent protest at the prosecution office with a sign written in blood saying, “Punish the murderer Cha Si-young.” During this, Kang Soon-young got into a fight with Cha Si-young’s fiancé, Kim Hee-jin (played by Hong Bi-ra), and ended up in a police holding cell. Consequently, Kang Tae-joo asked Cha Jun-young (played by Heo Jeong-do) to settle his sister’s matter in exchange for leaving Gangseong.
With the true culprit “Lee Yong-woo” revealed as Lee Ki-hwan (played by Jung Moon-sung) in the previous episode, he shifted the blame for his brother Lee Ki-bum’s death onto Kang Tae-joo and prepared to leave Gangseong, saying, “Let’s never meet again.” Most chillingly, knowing that Im Seok-man (played by Baek Seung-hwan) was being falsely accused and tortured because of him, he coldly induced a confession, saying, “You’ll end up like our Ki-bum. If you’re sorry to Ki-bum, repent now and take your punishment.” His rampage, including repeating his murders and targeting Kang Soon-young next, sent shivers down viewers’ spines.
Ultimately, Kang Tae-joo left Gangseong after leaving a meaningful mutter to Cha Si-young: “I will definitely break you, you piece of stone.” Meanwhile, Cha Si-young not only drove Lee Ki-bum to death but also extracted a false confession from Im Seok-man, leading to a death sentence. However, at the end of the episode, Kang Tae-joo was thrown into confusion after discovering another murdered body and the victim’s stockings. This teased that the “Gangseong Serial Murder Case,” which seemed to end with Im Seok-man’s arrest, is not over yet.
As “Heosuabi” passes its midpoint and heads toward the finale, expectations are high to see if it can create a sensation by breaking the 10% barrier.
