Park Bo-gum's Heroic Transformation Boosts Ratings for 'Good Boy'

Park Bo-gum has awakened as a black hero, taking down Oh Jung-se's cartel piece by piece. This thrilling twist led to a nationwide viewership rating of 6.1% and 6.0% in the metropolitan area.

In the 10th episode of JTBC's weekend drama 'Good Boy,' aired on the 29th, the special task force was ultimately disbanded. Yoon Dong-joo (played by Park Bo-gum) and Ji Han-na (played by Kim So-hyun) managed to save Kim Jong-hyun (played by Lee Sang-yi), who had been shot and fallen into the sea, but his condition remained critical. Additionally, his severely fractured ankle from a past sports injury made his return to the police force uncertain, even if he regained consciousness.

Meanwhile, Min Joo-young (played by Oh Jung-se) coerced Mayor In-sung (played by Sung Ji-ru) into transferring the investigation of the Geumpo Shipyard case to the prosecution, using the excessive force incident as a pretext to dismantle the special team. Ji Han-na returned to the basement storage of the investigation support department. Kim Jong-hyun focused on rehabilitation but faced pressure to give up his family's company shares if he continued as a police officer. Go Man-sik (played by Heo Sung-tae), demoted to a precinct, suffered humiliation from intoxicated individuals and drug addicts. Shin Jae-hong (played by Tae Won-seok) also returned to wearing a traffic police mascot suit, losing his chance for promotion and sighing over loan repayment reminders.

Yoon Dong-joo's situation was even more dire. Under the guise of special support duty, he was relegated to menial tasks like protest suppression, cleaning police buses, and serving as a police station's daily citizen helper. His punch-drunk syndrome (a boxing aftereffect) worsened, with frequent nosebleeds, hand tremors, and blurred vision. His doctor (played by Lee Ji-hoon) sternly warned him, "Don't underestimate your condition. A sudden spike in blood pressure could lead to a brain hemorrhage or even blindness." Amidst this, Min Joo-young, who had retired from the customs office, mocked him at the bank where he volunteered, saying, "No matter how much you struggle alone, nothing will change."

However, Yoon Dong-joo persevered like his mentor Go Man-sik, who had given him boxing gloves during his school days when he frequently got into fights. Even when Yoon Dong-joo, who had reached the champion's position, was embroiled in doping allegations and struggled to return to the sport after a two-year legal battle, it was Go Man-sik who recommended him for a special police recruitment. For the sake of Go Man-sik, who had always helped him, and Jung Mi-ja (played by Seo Jung-yeon), who was in a coma because of him, he couldn't afford to lose his only pride, his gold medal, and his police position.

A chance encounter with the son of a hit-and-run victim, Lee Jin-soo, became a decisive trigger. Yoon Dong-joo, determined not to show the young boy the injustice of the perpetrator escaping legal punishment, firmly promised, "I will catch them." He returned to the ring, training harder than ever, preparing for a rematch with Min Joo-young. The brief one-minute breaks between rounds were not just for quenching thirst and wiping sweat but for crouching in preparation for the next round's victory. Even if the match was temporarily paused (time out), the round was not over yet.

The starting point was the financial source supporting Min Joo-young's power. Yoon Dong-joo, wearing a black hoodie and cap, systematically dismantled Min Joo-young's cartel strongholds, including illegal gambling dens, labor offices, and food supply marts. The news of the massive crackdown on illegal operations in Inseong City revealed CCTV footage of a masked citizen hero, whom both the scattered special team members and Min Joo-young instantly recognized as Yoon Dong-joo. The ending, where Yoon Dong-joo fearlessly kicked at the gangsters of Club Dark Horse, left an exhilarating signal for another round, heightening anticipation.

Ji Han-na also prepared her counterattack in the police station's basement storage. She tracked clues in the case of smuggler Oh Bong-chan (played by Song Young-chang), who was killed in a manner similar to her father, including a .30 caliber Russian-made gunshot. She also recalled Russian mafia Leo (played by Go Jun), whom she had seen on a smuggling cargo ship, after discovering a bottle of premium whiskey left at her father's grave. The meaningful face hinted that Ji Han-na's round was far from over.

By Tae Yuna, TenAsia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr