'Scarecrow' Starring Park Hae-soo Tops Monday-Tuesday Drama Ratings with Thrilling Debut

Park Hae-soo's latest drama 'Scarecrow' has made a strong debut, securing the top spot in Monday-Tuesday drama ratings. Known for his roles in Netflix hits like 'Squid Game', 'Narco-Saints', and 'The Accidental Narco', Park has earned the nickname 'Netflix Employee'.

The ENA Monday-Tuesday drama 'Scarecrow' premiered on the 20th, captivating viewers with its intense storyline and fast-paced plot. The drama features a tense reunion between Kang Tae-joo (played by Park Hae-soo) and Cha Si-young (played by Lee Hee-jun), alongside the emergence of a brutal serial murder case. The first episode achieved an average rating of 2.9%, peaking at 3.3%, making it the top-rated Monday-Tuesday drama. (Nielsen Korea, nationwide paid households)

The episode depicted Kang Tae-joo's glamorous return to his hometown of Gangseong after being demoted from Seoul. On the eve of his transfer, he witnessed local youth Lee Sung-jin (played by Park Sang-hoon) being chased by detectives. Suspicious of Lee being named a suspect in the 'Stocking Murder Case', Kang Tae-joo reviewed Lee's criminal record and crime scene photos, realizing that the three murders were the work of the same perpetrator.

Meanwhile, Lee Sung-jin was coerced into giving a false confession by the prosecutor in charge, who turned out to be Cha Si-young, Kang Tae-joo's high school bully. Despite personal animosities, Kang faced the uncomfortable possibility of collaborating with Cha if their cases were merged. After some deliberation, Kang decided to follow Seo Ji-won's (played by Kwak Sun-young) advice to 'hand the spoon to someone else'.

While Cha Si-young conducted an on-site verification with Lee Sung-jin, Kang Tae-joo approached prosecutor Hwang Jae-hoon (played by Park Sung-hoon) to hand over the case. Kang insisted that Lee was not the real culprit and that Hwang's case victims, Choi Min-ja and Hwang Kang-ae, were killed by the same murderer. Kang's intuition proved correct as another murder occurred shortly after.

The fourth victim, high school student Yoo Jung-rin (played by Gong Ah-reum), was found strangled with a stocking, similar to previous cases. Cha Si-young, ignoring the wrongful accusation against Lee, aimed to solve the confirmed serial murders herself. However, Kang Tae-joo explained that the two cases under Hwang's jurisdiction were also linked to the serial killer, and the use of stockings in the third and fourth murders indicated the killer's evolving preferences.

Ultimately, Cha Si-young was removed from the case. Kang Tae-joo discovered a new clue through witness Kim Min-ji (played by Kim Hwan-hee), who was with the fourth victim on the day of her murder. A suspicious scarecrow was present at the scene, which Kang deduced was the killer in disguise. His determination was evident as he vowed, 'Hide well. Keep your hair safe. I'll catch you.'

Towards the end of the episode, Kang Tae-joo and Cha Si-young engaged in a tense confrontation at the crime scene. When Cha referred to him as a 'friend', Kang grabbed him by the collar in anger. Cha then ominously warned, 'I'll come back for this case. And I'll keep you by my side, just like before,' sparking curiosity about future developments.

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