Park Hae-soo and Lee Hee-joon deliver a stellar acting performance as 'Scarecrow' viewership rises to 4.1%

*This content was translated by AI.

'Scarecrow' viewership has risen.

The second episode of ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama 'Scarecrow' (script by Lee Ji-hyun, directed by Park Jun-woo), which aired on the 21st, recorded 4.1% nationwide viewership, 4.2% in the capital area, and peaked at 4.5% in Bundang, securing the top spot among Monday-Tuesday dramas. The premiere episode drew 2.9% nationwide viewership, and ratings climbed amid glowing reviews. The 2049 target demographic in the capital area also reached 1.5%, claiming first place across all channels, including terrestrial broadcasters, general entertainment channels, and cable networks. (Nielsen Korea, paid household basis)

In that episode, Kang Tae-ju (played by Park Hae-soo) launched into a full-scale investigation as the lead detective in the Gang Seong serial murder case. However, he faced numerous obstacles, including interference from Cha Si-young (played by Lee Hee-joon), the failure of a sting operation, and the hospitalization of his younger sister Kang Soon-young (played by Seo Ji-hye) along with her involvement in an assault case. Ultimately, Cha Si-young seized the lead in the investigation by turning Kang's crisis into an opportunity, setting the stage for unpredictable developments.

Thanks to Kang Tae-ju's efforts, Lee Seong-jin (played by Park Sang-hoon) was cleared of suspicion, and an integrated investigation team was formed following the official announcement of the Gang Seong serial murder case. Kang Tae-ju began searching for surviving victims. He reasoned that if the perpetrator had attempted kidnapping and rape that ended in failed murder, there must be survivors who remember his face. Based on this, Officer Lee Suk-hee (played by Lee Ji-hye) recalled Park Ae-suk (played by Hwang Eun-hoo), who was kidnapped on her way home about a month ago but managed to escape dramatically.

At the time, Park Ae-suk had even refused to file a report and showed discomfort when police visited. When she insisted nothing had happened and remained silent, Kang Tae-ju provoked her anger with an unexpected remark: "You were lucky." In reality, those words were a plea for her to find the courage to speak out for other victims who did not survive. Whether his sincerity reached her or not, Park Ae-suk slowly began to recall that day. Through her testimony about the perpetrator who gagged her, bound her hands, and searched for "stockings," investigators were able to identify similarities with the serial killer's modus operandi.

Kang Tae-ju's next plan was a sting operation. To lure the hidden perpetrator out of hiding, female officers would go undercover as ordinary pedestrians. However, Cha Si-young, who had been stripped of her authority by Prosecutor Hwang Jae-hoon (played by Park Sung-hoon), saw criminal officers mobilized to suppress protests as a public security case prosecutor. Meanwhile, Officer Lee was unable to participate in the operation due to a foot injury, making the investigation increasingly difficult. In response, Team Leader Kim Man-chun (played by Baek Hyun-jin) assigned Seo Ji-won (played by Kwak Seon-young) as a substitute. Although Kang Tae-ju naturally opposed the move, Seo Ji-won showed no hesitation whatsoever.

That night, when Seo Ji-won was deployed for the sting operation, the perpetrator was waiting for his next target not far away. It seemed he might give up the crime when no woman in a skirt appeared, but he ultimately could not resist his impulse and approached Kim Mi-yeon (played by Kim Gye-rim), who was passing by in pants. As he began the assault by gagging Kim Mi-yeon with a handkerchief and tying her hands and feet, the perpetrator spotted Seo Ji-won in a skirt. He whispered something mysterious to Kim Mi-yeon and then vanished without a trace.

Thus, a midnight chase through a cornfield unfolded. As Kang Tae-ju had predicted, Seo Ji-won sensed the suspicious scarecrow and ran for her life. Kim Mi-yeon screamed as loudly as she could to alert others. Kang Tae-ju then began chasing both Seo Ji-won and the perpetrator. However, when Kang Tae-ju finally found Seo Ji-won, she had already been ambushed by the perpetrator and was lying on the ground, bleeding from her head. Gazing at the unconscious Seo Ji-won, Kang Tae-ju was overwhelmed by a complex mix of anger, frustration, despair, and guilt.

Meanwhile, misfortune struck Kang Tae-ju all at once. His younger sister Kang Soon-young was hospitalized after being assaulted by her colleague, a teacher, and the nephew of a county official, Jeon Kyung-ho (played by Kang Jung-woo). This incident occurred after Cha Si-young revealed to Jeon Kyung-ho the secret that Kang Tae-ju and Kang Soon-young's mother was a former madam of a drinking establishment. To make matters worse, when Kang Tae-ju heard that same story again from Jeon Kyung-ho's mouth, he punched him and was subsequently arrested. Cha Si-young then visited Kang Tae-ju in the detention center. "I told you so. I said I'd find everything. You too, the case too," Cha Si-young said with a relaxed smile, and Kang Tae-ju immediately sensed that the situation was already lost.

Meanwhile, 'Scarecrow' airs every Monday and Tuesday at 10 p.m. on ENA and can also be viewed on KT GiGi TV and TVING.

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*This content was translated by AI.