The episode aired on the 28th of last month recorded a nationwide rating of 10% and a metropolitan area rating of 10.6%, marking the third consecutive week of breaking its own records. The peak minute rating soared to 12.8%. Notably, the 2049 target audience rating reached a high of 4.22%, ranking first among all programs aired across all channels during the week of March 23-28, according to Nielsen Korea. It also topped Netflix's 'Today's Top 10 in Korea' series category as of March 31. According to the Good Data Corporation's FUNdex for the fourth week of March, the drama ranked third in buzz, with Yoo Yeon-seok also making it into the TOP 10.
At the core of this success is Shin Yi-rang's (Yoo Yeon-seok) 'authenticity.' Due to the stigma of being the son of a corrupt prosecutor, he repeatedly failed in the job market and decided to open his own law office. However, it turned out to be a shaman's house, and for some reason, he began seeing ghosts against his will. Initially rejecting this fate, his warm heart, which couldn't ignore even a grandmother selling vegetables on the street, eventually led him to embrace both 'people' and 'spirits.'
Even after being detained as a murder suspect, Shin Yi-rang chose to awaken to his calling rather than flee. Despite his mother Park Kyung-hwa's (Kim Mi-kyung) dissuasion, he declared, "If I don't do it, who will listen to these people? I've realized how precious it is to help spirits and how lucky I am to do this work," embracing his destiny as a lawyer specializing in spirits.
Shin Yi-rang's growth goes beyond courtroom victories. He serves as a true 'bridge,' comforting the lives of those left behind. By facilitating the corneal donation process for Kim Soo-ah's mother (Jo In) facing blindness, he turned sorrow into hope and helped Jeon Sang-ho complete his unfinished research to develop a cure. This allowed Shin Yi-rang to deliver a final gift to the families left behind. His efforts to represent the unjust voices of the deceased and convey their sincerity to the living provide viewers with more than just catharsis.
The production team stated, "The true essence of the drama begins to emerge when Shin Yi-rang starts calling his uniqueness 'luck.' In episodes 7-8, as we reach the turning point, viewers can expect new highlights, including Shin Yi-rang's strengthened role and changes in his relationship with Han Na-hyun (Lee Som)."
'Shin & Law Office' airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM.
Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr