tvN's new Saturday-Sunday drama 'How to Become a Building Owner' intricately weaves the harsh reality of a struggling building owner with a mysterious kidnapping plot, dominating the home theater from its first broadcast.
In the first episode of 'How to Become a Building Owner', which premiered on the 14th, Ki Soo-jong (played by Ha Jung-woo) finds himself on the brink of losing his building, which he purchased through a so-called "young people's loan", and ultimately becomes embroiled in a shocking incident. According to a ratings agency, the first episode recorded a smooth start with a nationwide average of 4.1% based on paid platform households.
In the drama, Ki Soo-jong is the owner of the three-story Seyun Building, but he is a character who juggles various part-time jobs to manage the enormous loan interest. Just as he endures with the hope of redevelopment, an unidentified financial company, Real Capital, appears, and tragedy begins. Ki Soo-jong receives a notice from Yona (played by Shim Eun-kyung) that they will seize the building due to unpaid loans, prompting him to seek help from his brother-in-law, Kim Kyun (played by Kim Nam-gil), a detective in the violent crimes unit. However, the tension peaks when Kim Kyun, who was investigating Real Capital, loses his life in a mysterious traffic accident.
After witnessing Real Capital officials at the accident scene, Ki Soo-jong flees, tormented by guilt and fear over losing his brother-in-law. To make matters worse, at the end of the broadcast, he discovers his bound friend Min Hwal-seong (played by Kim Jun-han) and his wife Jeon I-kyung (played by Jung Soo-jung) in the underground freezer of his building, plunging him into an uncontrollable whirlwind.
Above all, Ha Jung-woo's overwhelming acting, returning to the home theater after 19 years, shone brightly. From the desperate reality of a small citizen chased by debt to the extreme fear faced in unexpected events, he has received praise for completing a multi-dimensional character with delicate emotional lines.
Viewers are focused on how an ordinary head of household caught up in a massive conspiracy will overcome this ordeal, and who is behind the underground storage kidnapping plot. The second episode of 'How to Become a Building Owner', which promises unpredictable developments, will air on the 15th at 9:10 PM.
