Shin Ha-kyun's 'Fifties Professionals' debuts with 4.4% viewership..the start of a massive chase [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Fifties Professionals' stars Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae have reunited after 10 years.

According to Nielsen Korea, a ratings survey company, the first episode of the MBC Friday-Saturday drama 'Fifties Professionals' (planned by Kwon Seong-chang, directed by Han Dong-hwa, scripted by Jang Won-seop, produced by Jumbo Film and Studio Dragon), which aired on the 22nd, recorded a peak viewership of 7.7%, 4.5% in the Seoul metropolitan area, and 4.4% nationwide on the 23rd.

The episode began with the investigation into the drug smuggling activities of National Security Office Director Kwon Soon-bok (played by An Nae-sang) and National Intelligence Service Counterintelligence Team Leader Cho Seong-won (played by Kim Sang-ho), who colluded with a North Korean officer, and National Intelligence Service First Vice Director The Korea Economic Daily (Hankyung)uk (played by Kim Sang-kyung).

To prevent a massive transaction that could turn the Republic of Korea into a drug state, the two deployed Jung Ho-myung (played by Shin Ha-kyun), an unofficial black agent within the National Intelligence Service, while North Korea also activated a special operative named Bul-gae (played by Oh Jung-se), heightening the tension. With the involvement of the Hwasan faction, a three-way battle unfolded between South and North Korean intelligence agencies and criminal organizations.

The process of conflicting desires and orders under the single goal of 'securing the item' created the tension of a spy film. However, the operation failed, and the disappearance of Bul-gae, who fled with the USB, along with the death of Kwon Soon-bok, plunged the passenger ship incident into a labyrinth.

Ten years later, Jung Ho-myung, once the National Intelligence Service's top black agent, had become the chef at O-ran Banjeom, a Chinese restaurant that couldn't even collect its debts. The reality of Ho-myung, who once shouldered the nation's fate, living under the abuse of his family was both bitter and amusing. However, Ho-myung continued to secretly contact Cho Seong-won, tracking down the missing Bul-gae and the item, keeping the fire of the unfinished operation alive.

In particular, the storyline of Bong Je-soon, who endured his superior's abuse while living with lost memories from 10 years ago, left a powerful twist. Unable to even remember who he was, he was treated as a good-for-nothing, yet he went to great lengths, even cross-dressing, to find clues to his lost memories.

Meanwhile, Kang Beom-yong, once a nationwide fighter, had been running a convenience store for 10 years while caring for his imprisoned brother alongside his subordinate Ma Gong-bok (played by Lee Hak-joo). Unlike Kang Beom-yong, who seemed to have adapted to reality, Ma Gong-bok kept a close watch on Jung Ho-myung while frequenting O-ran Banjeom, adding tension as he waited for the day Ho-myung would move again.

Most notably, at the end of the episode, Bong Je-soon visited Heaven Capital over a nephew-related issue, raising the tension once again. In particular, during a physical altercation with Geum Gang-sik (played by Lee Soon-won), the shock of hitting his head awakened his forgotten instincts, surprising everyone. As Bul-gae's hidden identity was revealed, the scene where Bong Je-soon instantly subdued the gangsters brought both satisfaction and chills. This was capped by an ending scene where Jung Ho-myung, who witnessed it all, declared with certainty, "Finally found you. Bul-gae," heightening anticipation for the next episode.

Furthermore, the appearance of Prosecutor Kang Young-ae (played by Kim Sin-rok) from the Imcheonji Prosecution Office added tension in another direction. Once a prosecutor who had been demoted, he relentlessly pursued the truth by reopening a case that had already been closed. In particular, the secret space discovered in the home of the deceased Heuk-jin-su (played by Kim Jae-hwa) and the materials from the passenger ship incident 10 years ago hinted that the past and present were beginning to fully connect. With the revelation that Heuk-jin-su had lived in hiding for 10 years before dying, the incident expanded into an even grander conspiracy.

Questions intensify: Can Bul-gae, who has lost his memory, recover his past? What is the truth behind the USB and the drug deal that have been hidden for 10 years?

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*This content was translated by AI.