Ha Jung-woo's Return to TV Falls Short Amidst New Romance Revelation

After a 19-year hiatus, Ha Jung-woo's return to the small screen has not met expectations. Recently, Ha Jung-woo confirmed his relationship with Cha Jung-won.

On October 14, tvN's new weekend drama 'How to Become a Building Owner in Korea' (hereafter 'Building Owner') premiered, featuring Ha Jung-woo as a building owner on the brink of losing his property and getting caught up in a fake kidnapping plot.

The first episode of 'Building Owner' recorded a nationwide household rating of 4.1%. This is a significant drop compared to the final episode of its predecessor 'Undercover Miss Hong,' which had a rating of 12.4%.

In the episode, Ki Soo-jong (played by Ha Jung-woo) is a building owner who purchased the three-story Seyoon Building with loans, leading a tough life. To pay off the loan interest, he takes on flyer distribution and delivery jobs, and even buys his wife's birthday gift through second-hand transactions. Despite the hardships, he clings to hope, saying, “I have to hold on until the redevelopment happens, no matter what.”

One day, Ki Soo-jong receives a strange call from a mysterious financial company, Real Capital, demanding the building if he fails to repay the loan. Despite pleading with the representative Yona (played by Shim Eun-kyung), he gets nowhere and resorts to mentioning his brother-in-law, Detective Kim Kyun (played by Kim Nam-gil). Realizing that Real Capital has collected his creditors' list, he senses something is amiss.

Distracted by building issues, Ki Soo-jong misses a couple's counseling appointment with his wife Kim Sun (played by Im Soo-jung) and even taps into their daughter's study abroad fund, straining their relationship. Desperate, he seeks financial help from various sources, including his brother-in-law Kim Kyun.

However, that night, Kim Kyun, who was investigating Real Capital, dies in a car accident. At the scene, Ki Soo-jong sees an undertaker (played by Lee Shin-ki) next to Yona. Realizing Real Capital is behind Kim Kyun's death, he flees in fear. At the funeral, he learns that Kim Kyun had applied for his retirement fund to lend him money, leaving Ki Soo-jong guilt-ridden.

The episode's climax was a shocking ending. Returning to Seyoon Building to report to the police, Ki Soo-jong hears suspicious noises from the empty basement freezer. Inside, he finds his friend Min Hwal-seong (played by Kim Jun-han) and his wife Jeon Yi-kyung (played by Jung Soo-jung) tied up, having been kidnapped. The episode ends with Ki Soo-jong's shocked reaction to being unwittingly involved in the kidnapping plot.

Tae Yuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr