“Is that even the same person?” Actor Jung Moon-sung is leaving viewers speechless in the ENA hit ‘Scarecrow’. His portrayal of a serial killer, inspired by the notorious Lee Chun-jae case (known as the Hwaseong serial murders), showcases a shocking range of emotions.
Currently airing, the ENA Monday-Tuesday drama ‘Scarecrow’ (Written by Lee Ji-hyun, Directed by Park Jun-woo) is being hailed as ENA’s new “golden child.” With ratings soaring to 7.4%, it is expected to recreate the syndrome-level success of ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’. At the heart of this buzz is Jung Moon-sung, whose dramatic twist has given viewers chills.
‘Scarecrow’ is based on the real-life Lee Chun-jae case, widely known as the Hwaseong serial murders. Between September 15, 1986, and April 3, 1991, Lee Chun-jae committed over 10 brutal sexual assaults and murders within a 3km radius of Taean-eup, Hwaseong-gun, Gyeonggi-do.
Because the police failed to catch the culprit at the time, the case terrified the entire nation. As a long-term cold case, it became a frequent topic on investigative programs like SBS’s ‘Unanswered Questions’, KBS’s ‘Tracking 60 Minutes’, and MBC’s ‘PD Notebook’, and even served as the inspiration for Director Bong Joon-ho’s film ‘Memories of Murder’.
However, on August 9, 2019, DNA testing identified Lee Chun-jae as the prime suspect. By September 24 of the same year, he confessed to being the true culprit after 30 years. ‘Scarecrow’ follows Detective Kang Tae-joo (played by Park Hae-soo), who tracked the case for years. The story unfolds through flashbacks triggered by his meeting with the culprit, pulling viewers back into the fear of the late 80s and early 90s.
Just as the real Lee Chun-jae was finally revealed, Kang Tae-joo only faces the culprit after becoming a grey-haired professor. In a shocking twist, the culprit is revealed to be Lee Ki-hwan (played by Jung Moon-sung), Kang Tae-joo’s childhood friend.
At the start, Lee Ki-hwan is depicted as a quiet man running a small bookstore in his hometown of Gangseong. He becomes entangled in the case when his hometown is shaken by the murders and his younger brother, Lee Ki-beom (played by Song Geon-hee), is named a prime suspect. Lee Ki-beom eventually passes away due to the aftereffects of severe torture led by Prosecutor Cha Si-young (played by Lee Hee-joon). To the world, Lee Ki-hwan appeared to be an ordinary citizen who lost his only brother to the brutality of the era.
But the truth was that Lee Ki-hwan was the real killer. His brother, Lee Ki-beom, had realized the truth. While returning home after being released from torture, he left a heartbreaking final plea, “Brother, not Soon-young,” referring to his fiancée and Kang Tae-joo’s sister, Kang Soon-young (played by Seo Ji-hye), before passing away. Despite this, Lee Ki-hwan never confessed. Instead, as time passed and he became a seasoned prisoner, he showed a chilling smile in front of his old friend Kang Tae-joo, revealing the extreme duality of a serial killer.
Jung Moon-sung’s signature soft tone and warm, considerate gaze highlighted Lee Ki-hwan’s human side, making it impossible to suspect him. However, as the serial killer ‘Lee Yong-woo’, he creates a cold tension with a gaze full of madness. His slightly excited yet unstable demeanor is truly spine-tingling.
Same face, same voice, but completely different people. The contrast between Lee Ki-hwan and Lee Yong-woo, both played by Jung Moon-sung, naturally makes viewers ask, “Is that really the same person?” Jung Moon-sung’s powerful performance in turning a well-known social tragedy into a tense drama has added immense charm to ‘Scarecrow’. His portrayal of a man who seemed the most human but brutally betrayed all trust makes the remaining episodes of the drama even more anticipated.
