Ryu Seung-ryong Faces Unrelenting Challenges in 'The Dream Life of Mr. Kim'

Actor Ryu Seung-ryong endures a series of hardships in 'The Dream Life of Mr. Kim'.

In the 9th episode of JTBC's weekend drama 'The Dream Life of Mr. Kim' (hereafter referred to as 'Kim Manager Story'), aired on the 22nd, Kim Naksu (played by Ryu Seung-ryong) faced a brutal series of misfortunes, including a real estate scam and a car accident. The episode recorded a viewership rating of 5.5% in the metropolitan area and 4.6% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea's paid household standards.

Kim Naksu was deeply disheartened as he looked at the commercial property he had invested all his retirement funds into. With urgent bills to pay, including credit card payments, loan interest, and living expenses, he needed to inform his wife, Park Hajin (played by Myung Se-bin), about the real estate scam to manage the situation.

However, Kim Naksu couldn't bring himself to tell his wife, Park Hajin, who was celebrating her first successful contract as a real estate agent. He couldn't bear to shatter her happiness. Even when their son, Kim Sugyeom (played by Cha Kang-yoon), came home with 1,200 hoodies with his business partner, Lee Hanna (played by Lee Jin-yi), Kim Naksu couldn't confess the scam to Park Hajin.

Letting go of his desire for rent, Kim Naksu boldly decided to rent out the property with three months of free rent and resolved to join his brother-in-law Han Sang-cheol's (played by Lee Kang-wook) company. Despite being looked down upon by his sister-in-law Park Ha-young (played by Lee Se-hee), Han Sang-cheol, and the employees, Kim Naksu persevered.

Thanks to his efforts, another opportunity came to Kim Naksu. When Han Sang-cheol's new business venture stalled, Kim Naksu used his connections to bridge the gap with ACT. Han Sang-cheol promised him a share of the commission and a position if the deal went well, prompting Kim Naksu to dedicate himself to preparing for the presentation.

On the day of the presentation, Kim Naksu visited ACT, a place he frequented for 25 years, now as a visitor, feeling a strange mix of emotions. Despite his hard work, the presentation was left unfinished, and Han Sang-cheol accepted Do Jin-woo's (played by Lee Shin-ki) proposal to proceed without a commission, leaving Kim Naksu in a dire situation. The arrival of a loan interest payment notice further weighed on his mind.

Returning home, Kim Naksu sighed as he watched his son, Kim Sugyeom, strive for a different path rather than a stable one. Exhausted from the events and wounds he suffered after losing his title as a major company manager, he began to advise on the importance of stability. However, Kim Sugyeom's response, "That stability didn't protect you, did it? You couldn't protect it yourself," left Kim Naksu's mind in turmoil.

Later, Kim Naksu went to a restaurant he frequented during his time at ACT to meet a client, only to run into former colleagues. Flustered, he quickly left with the client, who, heavily intoxicated, unleashed a torrent of abuse on Kim Manager over the phone, suffocating Kim Naksu.

Feeling as if Kim Manager on the phone was himself, Kim Naksu's emotions reached a breaking point under the client's harassment and abuse. Struggling to regain his composure, he ultimately caused a car accident. The episode ended with Kim Naksu's faint gaze through a shattered window, looking at the stars.

Reporter Se-yoon Jung, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr