Tension Rises in 'How to Become a Building Owner in Korea' as Ratings Hit All-Time Low

The drama 'How to Become a Building Owner in Korea' continues to build tension with its intricate plot twists. Despite high expectations due to the star-studded cast including Ha Jung-woo, Im Soo-jung, Jung Soo-jung, and Shim Eun-kyung, the latest episode aired on the 28th recorded its lowest viewership rating at 2.6%.

In the 5th episode of the tvN weekend drama 'How to Become a Building Owner in Korea' (hereafter referred to as 'Building Owner') aired on March 28, a new incident unfolded in the underground freezer, deviating from the plans of Ki Soo-jong (played by Ha Jung-woo) and Kim Sun (played by Im Soo-jung) who were trying to handle the aftermath of Oh Dong-gi's (played by Hyun Bong-sik) accident.

Ki Soo-jong and Kim Sun were contemplating how to deal with Oh Dong-gi, whom they had confined in the underground freezer. Ki Soo-jong was flustered by the unexpected stabbing incident, while Kim Sun, a former nurse, calmly treated Oh Dong-gi and cleaned up the scene. Although Ki Soo-jong found his wife's actions unfamiliar yet reassuring, he was suddenly overwhelmed with anger remembering her affair with his friend Min Hwal-seong (played by Kim Jun-han).

Kim Sun tried to calm Ki Soo-jong by saying, "I made a mistake, and so did you," urging him to focus on the urgent matters at hand. She encouraged the confused Ki Soo-jong, "Let's try to do something. You have to choose. Is it family or this person (Oh Dong-gi)?" stabilizing his shaken mental state.

Ki Soo-jong attempted to negotiate with Oh Dong-gi, apologizing to him. Although he considered extreme measures, he couldn't bring himself to harm Oh Dong-gi. Oh Dong-gi knew that the money Ki Soo-jong had hidden in the bathroom was ransom money. He demanded 1 billion won to keep the secret, saying, "Are you going to kill me? You're not that kind of person," and "Think of your daughter," shaking Ki Soo-jong's resolve as a father.

Ultimately, Ki Soo-jong and Kim Sun teamed up with Oh Dong-gi, filming a video pledging 'secrecy.' This was a scheme to make Oh Dong-gi an accomplice in the kidnapping case to keep him silent. Oh Dong-gi cooperated with the video shoot in exchange for being released from confinement and receiving money. However, when he heard someone near the freezer, he broke the agreement and attempted to escape, resulting in a scuffle with Ki Soo-jong and a fractured finger.

Oh Dong-gi's burning desire for revenge against Ki Soo-jong and Kim Sun led to unexpected consequences. At the end of the episode, Jeon Yang-ja (played by Kim Geum-soon) sneaked in to cut the pipes to create defects in the Seyoon Building, and in the darkness, Oh Dong-gi mistook Jeon Yang-ja for Ki Soo-jong and attacked her. The episode ended with Jeon Yang-ja bleeding and collapsing in the freezer and Oh Dong-gi fleeing, leaving viewers curious about how the incident's repercussions will affect Ki Soo-jong and Kim Sun.

The tangled desires surrounding the Seyoon Building have caused incidents and accidents to snowball. Previously, Ki Soo-jong participated in a fake kidnapping to protect the building and confined Oh Dong-gi to cover it up. This led to Oh Dong-gi attacking Jeon Yang-ja. Jeon Yang-ja, too, was targeting the Seyoon Building to gain shares in the redevelopment project and ended up in an accident. The accidents caused by each person's desires have become irreversible.

Ki Soo-jong regretted his involvement in the fake kidnapping. However, he had to manage the situation for his family's sake. Kim Sun also promised, "Let's go together until the end," drawing attention to the couple's fate. Meanwhile, Jeon Yi-kyung (played by Jung Soo-jung) discovered her husband Min Hwal-seong's affair and even found Kim Sun's silhouette on his phone. The preview showed her recalling memories of being kidnapped, raising anticipation for the whirlwind developments in the upcoming 6th episode.

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr