"The Defects" drew intense reactions from viewers with its shocking plot from the very first broadcast.
The first and second episodes of the ENA Monday-Tuesday drama "The Defects" (directed by Oh Gi-hwan, written by Ahn So-jung), which aired on the 21st and 22nd, revealed the tragic reality of children refunded to their parents and the hidden truths associated with it, delivering explosive immersion. The second episode surpassed a viewership rating of 2.0% nationwide and in the metropolitan area, recording a peak rating of 2.6% in the metropolitan area and 2.5% nationwide (based on Nielsen Korea paid households), setting a new record.
"The Defects" maximized tension with its shocking premise of buying and selling children abandoned by their parents and an illegal adoption cartel where refundable adoption is possible if "not satisfactory". Following its televised action and paced developments, viewers flooded social media with comments such as, "It's an action food paradise", "It's a fresh story that I've never seen before", "It feels like a movie. The plot is whirlwind", "There's so much meaning in 'The Defects'", "It's more immersive because it feels so real", and "I couldn't breathe while watching. The actors' performances were outstanding."
In the first episode, the terrifying duality of Kim Se-hee (Yum Jung-ah), a celebrity doctor beloved by the public and the chairwoman of a large hospital, was revealed, shocking viewers. Se-hee, who runs an illegal adoption business named "The Defects" targeting the upper class, displayed a mad desire to create the "perfect child", capturing attention. Treating children like commodities and attempting to manipulate her own daughter as she wishes deeply imprinted the worldview of the drama.
Meanwhile, after being refunded by her parents, Kim Ah-hyun (Won Jina), who was rescued by Woo Tae-sik (Choi Young-jun), confronted the cruel truth that the real reason she was abandoned by her parents was "quality dissatisfaction". In a twist of fate, the only guardian, Tae-sik, found himself in a situation where he could not be reached while rescuing the newly refunded child, Choi Si-woo (Kang Ji-yong). In the second episode, Ah-hyun resolved not to hide or flee anymore, deciding to take revenge on the parents and organization that made them like this.
Children who discovered the brutal secret hidden behind "refunds" directly confronted the organization trying to eliminate them. The thrilling chase with human weapon Jung Hyun (Kim Jin-young), who is in absolute obedience to Se-hee's orders, and the children's approach to Somi's (Lee Na-eun) adoptive father to uncover the identity of the final boss provided a thrilling suspense. As the children's counterattack gains momentum, expectations for the future developments are rising.
"The Defects" has properly made an imprint on the home theater with its film-like shocking developments and the ingeniously depicted unprecedented illegal adoption worldview in just the first week of broadcasting. The narrative that directly tackles social taboos, the fast-paced direction, and thrilling action, combined with the actors' stellar performances, dramatically enhances the immersion of the drama, making "The Defects" a well-crafted work that must be watched this summer.
The ENA Monday-Tuesday drama "The Defects" will air its third episode at 10 p.m. on the 28th, and will also be available exclusively on TVING.
[Photo] Provided by ENA
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