Rising Ratings: 'Scarecrow' Starring Park Hae-soo Captivates Viewers with Thrilling Plot

The drama 'Scarecrow', starring actor Park Hae-soo, has seen a rise in viewership ratings just two episodes in.

The second episode of ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama 'Scarecrow', aired on the 21st, recorded nationwide ratings of 4.1%, 4.2% in the metropolitan area, and a 2049 target rating of 1.5%. The peak minute rating soared to 4.5%, securing the top spot among Monday-Tuesday dramas. (Nielsen Korea, based on paid households) Meanwhile, the first episode, aired on the 20th, recorded a rating of 2.9%.

Thanks to Kang Tae-joo's efforts, Lee Sung-jin (played by Park Sang-hoon) was exonerated, and a joint investigation team was formed following the official announcement of the serial murder case. Kang Tae-joo began searching for surviving victims, anticipating that there might be a victim who remembers the perpetrator's face if there was a failed murder attempt involving kidnapping and attempted rape. Officer Lee Soo-hee (played by Lee Ji-hye) recalled Park Ae-sook (played by Hwang Eun-hoo), who was kidnapped on her way home about a month ago but managed to escape.

Park Ae-sook, who had refused to report the incident at the time, showed discomfort at the police visit. When she insisted that nothing happened, Kang Tae-joo provoked her by saying, "You were lucky." This was actually a plea for her to muster courage for the sake of other victims who weren't as fortunate. Moved by his sincerity, Park Ae-sook slowly recounted her memories of that day. Her testimony about the perpetrator searching for stockings after gagging and binding her hands revealed similarities with the serial killer's pattern.

Kang Tae-joo's next plan was a sting operation. Female officers disguised as civilians were to infiltrate and lure the hidden perpetrator out. However, the investigation faced challenges as prosecutor Hwang Jae-hoon (played by Park Sung-hoon) reassigned Cha Si-young, who had her spoon taken away, to handle public security cases, deploying detectives for protest suppression. Officer Lee's ankle injury also prevented her from participating in the operation. Consequently, Team Leader Kim Man-chun (played by Baek Hyun-jin) appointed Seo Ji-won (played by Kwak Sun-young) as a substitute. Although Kang Tae-joo was reluctant, Seo Ji-won showed no hesitation.

On the night Seo Ji-won was deployed for the sting operation, the perpetrator was waiting for his next target not far away. Although he seemed to abandon his plan when no woman in a skirt appeared, he couldn't resist his impulse and approached Kim Mi-yeon (played by Kim Gye-rim), who was passing by in pants. As he began his crime by gagging and binding Kim Mi-yeon, he spotted Seo Ji-won in a skirt and left a mysterious whisper in Kim Mi-yeon's ear before disappearing.

Thus, a nighttime chase through the cornfield ensued. Following Kang Tae-joo's advice, Seo Ji-won fled with all her might from the suspicious scarecrow, while Kim Mi-yeon screamed to alert others. Kang Tae-joo started running after Seo Ji-won and the perpetrator. However, when Kang Tae-joo found Seo Ji-won, she was already lying unconscious, bleeding from a head wound, seemingly attacked by the perpetrator. Overwhelmed with a mix of anger, defeat, frustration, and guilt, Kang Tae-joo looked at the unconscious Seo Ji-won.

Meanwhile, misfortune struck Kang Tae-joo all at once. His younger sister, Kang Soon-young, was hospitalized after being assaulted by Jeon Kyung-ho (played by Kang Jung-woo), a fellow teacher and the county chief's nephew. This incident occurred after Cha Si-young revealed to Jeon Kyung-ho the secret that Kang Tae-joo and Kang Soon-young's mother was a former bar madam. To make matters worse, Kang Tae-joo was arrested after punching Jeon Kyung-ho when he brought up the story again. Cha Si-young visited Kang Tae-joo in the detention center, smiling confidently as she said, "I told you, I'd find everything. You, and the case." Kang Tae-joo sensed that the tide was turning.

Reporter Yoon Jung-se, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr