Do the romance rumors between Heo Nam-jun and Hong Yi-seol have an effect? 'Beautiful World' hits a record-high 10.5% viewership.. Im Ji-yeon wins his heart [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Im Ji-yeon of 'Beautiful World' realized she was the 'real Shin Se-ri'.

In the 12th episode of SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Beautiful World' (directed by Han Tae-seop and Kim Hyun-woo / written by Kang Hyun-ju / produced by Studio S and Gil Pictures), which aired on the 13th, it was revealed that Shin Se-ri (played by Im Ji-yeon) was the 'real Shin Se-ri' whose soul had been swapped over ten years ago.

The episode began with a sweet night between Se-ri and Cha Se-gye (played by Heo Nam-jun). Se-gye confessed his heartfelt feelings, saying, "Everyone chases money, fame, and status. I thought I had to hold onto something to live. But now I know what's important. I just need you." This moved Se-ri to tears. Seeing Se-gye dreaming of a happy future with her, Se-ri felt her heart grow heavy, wondering when she would have to return to Joseon. She agonized alone, thinking, "I don't want to lose you. I want to keep seeing you. Even if you know I'm disappearing, will you still smile at me?"

Meanwhile, Se-gye's grandfather, Cha Dal-soo (played by Yoon Ju-sang), woke up and turned Cha Il Group upside down. Upon hearing of Choi Moon-do's (played by Jang Seung-jo) misdeeds after he seized the Lim Si (Chairman) position, Dal-soo scolded Se-gye and his aunts, siding with Moon-do instead. Emboldened by Dal-soo's actions, Moon-do pretended to be a good nephew, put on a show of hypocrisy, and secretly registered himself as Dal-soo's temporary guardian, obstructing Se-gye's access in a chilling manner.

At the same time, hints that Se-ri's return to Joseon was imminent heightened the tension. Geum Bo-sal (played by Oh Min-ae) witnessed Se-ri's image in Joseon through a spiritual mirror, causing shock. Se-ri then intuitively realized that the recent return of her body's memories meant her day to return to Joseon was near. To make matters worse, Se-ri faced ominous signs even in her dreams. After a brief moment of happiness with Se-gye, the body's owner appeared and issued a chilling warning: "You're a fake. Get out of my body." Waking from the nightmare, Se-ri shed tears over the cruel fate of having to leave all this happiness behind and return to Joseon, yet she worried that Se-gye might spend the rest of his life longing for her without end. In the end, Se-ri resolved to leave only good memories for Se-gye during the remaining time.

Se-gye took Se-ri to the columbarium where her mother was kept. Understanding the young Se-gye's heart, who had been waiting for his departed mother, Se-ri finally made up her mind and honestly confessed, "I'm going back. Back to where I came from." She explained with all her heart, "I know it will be hard for you. I know it well, so I'm not hiding anything. I'm telling you the truth for your sake." However, Se-gye could not accept Se-ri's sudden announcement of their parting. He choked up, saying, "You made me into a fool who only sees you, living with clenched teeth," then shouted, "No, you can't go. I won't let you go. Understand that!" and stormed off in an agitated state. Left alone, Se-ri poured out the tears she had held back, saying, "I don't want to go either. I want to be by your side," drawing attention to the fate of their romance.

Meanwhile, Moon-do revealed his vicious desires, shaking Se-ri and Se-gye. To provoke Se-gye, Moon-do declared, "If your choice is that woman, you don't have much time left. The demolition team is heading to the site," announcing the plan to demolish Ok-soon's restaurant. Ultimately, Se-gye lowered all his pride to protect Se-ri, saying, "If you step on me, I'll be stepped on. If you crush me, I'll be crushed. Just leave this one thing alone." However, Moon-do showed his cruel true colors, stating he had no intention of halting the demolition.

Geum Bo-sal realized that the person she saw in the spiritual mirror was someone different from the current Se-ri. She then focused attention on Se-ri, who felt a strange sense of familiarity upon seeing traces of her childhood self at Ok-soon's restaurant. Confused by suddenly resurfacing childhood memories, Se-ri said, "It's definitely not my body or my memory, so how could it remain and get tangled? It feels exactly like mine." Soon, vividly recalling her childhood memories with Ok-soon, she realized she was the 'real Shin Se-ri,' delivering a shock. Overwhelmed by surging emotions, Se-ri said, "I'm not a fake. My name is..." Just then, Se-ri ran out of the restaurant and encountered security personnel waiting for the demolition. The scene of Se-gye rushing to stop them closed the episode, raising curiosity about the next development.

The 12th episode of 'Beautiful World' recorded a peak viewership of 12.8%, with 11.0% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 10.5% nationwide, once again breaking its own record for highest viewership. It also secured the number one spot not only in the Saturday mini-series category but also in the weekly mini-series rankings. For the 2049 demographic, the peak was 3.98% and the average was 3.4%, claiming the number one position not only for all Saturday broadcasts but for all programs aired throughout the week. (Based on Nielsen Korea data)

Meanwhile, lead actor Heo Nam-jun of 'Beautiful World' was recently rumored to be dating Hong Yi-seol, who appeared as his secretary in the same drama, but it was reported that the rumors were false.

On the 13th, Hong Yi-seol posted on her SNS, "There have been stories circulating about me recently, so I am cautiously leaving this message. The actor mentioned is merely a good colleague I became close with during university classes; the romance rumors are completely false." She further stated, "All current romance rumors and stories related to the drama are untrue, so please do not worry."

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*This content was translated by AI.