JTBC Drama 'Fighting Against Worthlessness' Struggles with Ratings Despite Emotional Plot Twists

The JTBC weekend drama 'Fighting Against Worthlessness' (hereafter 'FAW') recorded a nationwide household rating of 2.9% for its 6th episode, according to Nielsen Korea. Since its premiere on the 18th of last month, the 12-episode series has struggled to break free from the 2% rating range.

In the episode aired on the 3rd, Hwang Dong-man (played by Koo Kyo-hwan) finally reignited his creative engine through the power of love. Instead of wrestling with writer's block, he found inspiration by falling for the radiant Byun Eun-ah (played by Go Yoon-jung), leading to a torrent of writing. He rejoined the '8-member club' that had been torn and mended repeatedly over 20 years. He excitedly shared that he could now dive deep into his work, unlike before when he struggled like Park Kyung-se (played by Oh Jung-se), who was unable to dive deep and only gathered seaweed.

Meanwhile, Park Kyung-se was plagued by complex emotions. After experiencing a disastrous failure with his recent film, his wife Go Hye-jin (played by Kang Mal-geum) bluntly advised him to collaborate with a co-writer for his next project, citing his outdated approach. For someone who views seeking help as a testament to his incompetence, her words were a painful blow. However, meeting Byun Eun-ah, who could revive even a dead script, and witnessing Hwang Dong-man's confident declaration of success stirred a mix of emotions within him.

Byun Eun-ah delivered harsh feedback to her step-sister Jang Mi-ran (played by Han Sun-hwa), whom she met as a producer and actress. She criticized Jang Mi-ran for trying too hard to be sophisticated in front of the camera, despite her natural charm. However, the role of the protagonist in Lee Jun-hwan's (played by Shim Hee-seop) script, who acts on instinct rather than thought, was a perfect fit for Jang Mi-ran. Despite her bruised pride, Jang Mi-ran felt a strange trust in Byun Eun-ah's sharp insight, hinting at an intriguing alliance between the two.

Yet, Byun Eun-ah was once again hurt by her biological mother's rejection, leading to a nosebleed. Her mother, Oh Jung-hee (played by Bae Jong-ok), disguised her maternal love by urging Byun Eun-ah to leave Korea. Byun Eun-ah coldly ended the call, reminding her mother that she was the child who had to pack her own lunch for a picnic to hide the fact that she was abandoned at nine years old. Despite knowing her daughter's deep wounds, Oh Jung-hee hypocritically dedicated her Best Actress award to mothers with regrets and daughters who endured inadequate mothers.

The highlight of the episode was the reunion of Hwang Dong-man and Byun Eun-ah at the emotion-watch company, where they discovered the unknown emotions they had experienced. Hwang Dong-man learned that he had unknowingly experienced 'unknown' emotions twice. An employee explained that participant number 38 described this emotion, stemming from childhood neglect trauma, as a 'self-destructive urge.'

Realizing that participant 38 was Byun Eun-ah, Hwang Dong-man was overwhelmed. The two instances of 'unknown' emotions occurred when his brother Hwang Jin-man (played by Park Hae-joon) attempted something drastic. Hwang Jin-man, who had been missing on paper, was devastated when his ex-wife sent their daughter Hwang Young-sil for adoption, leaving him unaware of her whereabouts. Once a promising poet with a PhD in Korean literature, he now copes with his burdens through alcohol.

Hwang Dong-man, who had desperately tried to save his brother from his extreme actions, understood the urgency all too well. It was the plea for help he had never voiced. Byun Eun-ah also learned that participant 4000 interpreted this record of 'unknown' as a cry for help. Knowing that participant 4000 was Hwang Dong-man, Byun Eun-ah shed tears.

Recognizing the overwhelming sadness in each other, Hwang Dong-man and Byun Eun-ah walked apart. However, Byun Eun-ah soon turned back, embracing Hwang Dong-man as if acknowledging his struggles, and they both cried. They promised to support each other.

Towards the end of the episode, Hwang Dong-man imagined a perfectly happy scenario. It began with him and Byun Eun-ah strolling through a peaceful forest, culminating in his niece Hwang Young-sil, now grown, running into her father Hwang Jin-man's arms. Hwang Dong-man's moist eyes and smile as he declared, 'Happy imagination complete,' touched the viewers' hearts.

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