'Scarecrow' Ends in Just 2 Episodes.. Shatters Own Record with 7.9% Viewership [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Scarecrow' featured a game of truth and deception between Park Hae-soo and Lee Hee-jun, where they tricked and were tricked by each other.

In the 10th episode of ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama 'Scarecrow' (script by Lee Ji-hyun, directed by Park Jun-woo), broadcast on the 19th, Kang Tae-ju (played by Park Hae-soo) set out to find the truth buried by Cha Si-young (played by Lee Hee-jun): the body of another serial murder victim, Yoon Hye-jin (played by Lee Ah-rin). Most notably, with the revelation that Kang Soon-young (played by Seo Ji-hye) is the illegitimate child of Cha Mu-jin (played by Yoo Seung-mok), the relationship between Kang Tae-ju and Cha Si-young became increasingly entangled with complex dynamics and subtle emotions. The 10th episode achieved a national average viewership of 7.9% and a Seoul metropolitan area average of 7.8%, setting a new record for the series. It soared to a peak of 8.8% in the Dangsan district, ranking first among Monday-Tuesday dramas and all channels in the same time slot. (Nielsen Korea, paid household basis)

When Kang Tae-ju learned that Park Dae-ho (played by Ryu Hae-jun), the youngest detective he had trusted, had participated in the concealment of the body, he exclaimed in a voice filled with anger and resentment, "How can a human do such a thing?" In response, Park Dae-ho revealed that he had taken the body out and returned it to its original location the day before the search in an attempt to undo his mistake, but someone had already removed it again. Kang Tae-ju began to suspect that Cha Si-young's side was behind this.

Meanwhile, Cha Si-young received shocking news from his fiancée, Kim Hee-jin (played by Hong Bi-ra): her father, Cha Mu-jin, had another illegitimate child, and that child was Kang Tae-ju's younger sister, Kang Soon-young. Cha Mu-jin was furious at Kim Hee-jin's threat to expose him. However, he soon approached Kang Soon-young and proposed, "From now on, live the rest of your life as my daughter. I will protect you and my child." For Cha Mu-jin, this was a choice to preserve his image as a politician, while for Kang Soon-young, it was an opportunity for the child she would bear without a father.

Kang Tae-ju, upon learning that Kang Soon-young had gone to Cha Mu-jin despite his objections, confronted Cha Si-young, asking why he had not stopped her. Cha Si-young expressed his desire to apologize for everything that had happened and to move forward peacefully. However, Kang Tae-ju's stance was entirely different. When Cha Si-young casually suggested, "If there's something you want, just tell me," Kang Tae-ju bluntly replied, "Give me back Hye-jin." Cha Si-young was momentarily stunned, but then realized that Park Dae-ho's earlier remark, "It seems Kang Tae-ju has found the culprit," had been deliberately leaked.

Kang Tae-ju remained unshaken even after being outmaneuvered. Instead, he claimed, "I have evidence," and handed over a radioactive isotope test strip that appeared to belong to the true culprit. In reality, it belonged to Kim Byung-cheol (played by Kim Eun-seok), who had no connection to the serial murder case. Kang Tae-ju attempted to strike a deal to find Yoon Hye-jin's whereabouts once Cha Si-young took the bait. However, Cha Si-young was no easy opponent. While agreeing to help find Yoon Hye-jin, he insisted on setting the terms himself: the day the next murder would occur. And indeed, the body of the tenth victim was discovered.

It seemed like a perfect deal, but it was not. Park Sang-beom (played by Gil Eun-seong) led Kang Tae-ju to a mountainous area, claiming he would reveal the location of Yoon Hye-jin's body. He then struck Kang Tae-ju on the back of the head, throwing him into a pit. When Kang Tae-ju regained consciousness, Cha Si-young was watching him. Furious at having been deceived by the claim that the culprit had been found, Kang Tae-ju's desperate plea to return Yoon Hye-jin clashed with Cha Si-young's cold refusal to reveal the truth. Cha Si-young's cruel words, "It's a shame this is our last time. Let's never see each other again," as he buried Kang Tae-ju alive, heightened the tension.

The final trial of Im Seok-man (played by Baek Seung-hwan) also took place. Although Im Seok-man was cleared of the accusation of being the serial killer, he was still being pursued as an imitator of the seventh case. Seo Ji-won (played by Kwak Sun-young) independently investigated the truth of the case until the end. Through a conversation with Im Seok-man's sister, Im Ji-hye (played by Jang Seon), Seo Ji-won realized his innocence. Im Seok-man had been returning home after meeting Im Ji-hye on the day of the incident, and he had not revealed his alibi at his sister's request to keep it secret. Additionally, it was revealed that an error in the radioactive isotope test had confused Kang Tae-ju's judgment. Nevertheless, Im Seok-man was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment. Thirty years later, the confession of Lee Gi-hwan (played by Jung Moon-seong), admitting that he himself had committed the seventh case, only deepened the sense of regret.

Meanwhile, the 11th episode preview released at the end of the broadcast focused attention on a story set in 2019. In particular, Song Geon-hee's reappearance after the 7th episode, which depicted the death of 'Lee Gi-beom' in the drama, sparked a strong reaction. The brief scene where he approached Kang Tae-ju and asked, "Do you remember Lee Gi-beom?" left viewers' curiosity at its peak. With only two episodes remaining until the finale of 'Scarecrow', anticipation grows for what resonant message the series will deliver.

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

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*This content was translated by AI.