Following the conclusion of Lee Young-ae's drama 'Eunsoo's Good Day,' Lee Jae-wook took the lead in 'Last Summer,' but the show's ratings have plummeted to the 1% range by the third episode. The drama, which garnered attention for Lee's first attempt at playing dual roles, started with a 2.7% viewership on its premiere on the 1st, dropped to 2.2% in the second episode, and fell further in the third.
The third episode of KBS 2TV's weekend mini-series 'Last Summer,' aired on the 8th, depicted the poignant past of Baek Do-ha (played by Lee Jae-wook), Song Ha-kyung (played by Choi Sung-eun), and Do-ha's twin brother Baek Do-young (also played by Lee Jae-wook).
Do-ha heightened the tension by declaring to Ha-kyung, who keeps pushing him away, "I want to live with you and find out what thoughts kept you holding on in this peanut house without being able to throw away even this box." In response, an enraged Ha-kyung fiercely confronted Do-ha, delivering intense immersion to the viewers.
Despite their confrontation, Ha-kyung's spectacular daily life continued. She meticulously checked the village's damage from a flood and skillfully caught chickens wandering in front of a pigsty, showcasing her professional side. Meanwhile, her junior colleague Kim Da-ye (played by Chae Dan-bi) struggled with the numerous chickens, providing comic relief to the audience.
Seo Soo-hyuk (played by Kim Gun-woo) hinted at intriguing chemistry with both Do-ha and Ha-kyung, raising viewers' expectations. He was intrigued by Do-ha's unusual request two months ago to "delay the trial even if it means losing," and his visit to Ha-kyung's house, where he mentioned a certified mail and asked, "Do you like Baek Do-ha that much?" added curiosity to their relationship.
Ha-kyung was taken aback upon learning that Do-ha was working on a project to remodel the abandoned Pata High School into an observatory. Despite Ha-kyung's wary gaze, Do-ha confidently completed the presentation of his year-long project in front of the market.
As the past stories of the twin brothers Do-ha and Do-young, and Ha-kyung gradually unfolded, the drama's intrigue increased. Ha-kyung recalled her school days while trying to catch children sneaking into the abandoned school. Due to their parents' divorce, the brothers lived separately in the U.S. and Korea. Every summer vacation, Do-ha visited Korea, spending happy times with Do-young and Ha-kyung. However, Do-young, who secretly loved Ha-kyung, was thrown into confusion when he witnessed Do-ha and Ha-kyung holding hands and kissing. This led Do-young to give up his unrequited love, causing a rift among the three.
At the end of the episode, Ha-kyung, who was suddenly assigned to Do-ha's project due to a personnel change, headed to Do-ha's architectural office to get a contract signed. Do-ha, maintaining his sharp demeanor, told Ha-kyung, "You hate me. But I'll like you this summer," leaving viewers with a heart-fluttering moment. The revelation that Ha-kyung, who seemed to have confessed to Do-ha earlier, had actually confessed her feelings for Do-ha to Do-young in the past, heightened anticipation for the next episode.
Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr