A crack has formed in Lee Jong-seok's life.
On the 3rd (yesterday), the 10th episode of the tvN weekend drama 'Seocho-dong' (written by Lee Seung-hyun, directed by Park Seung-woo, planned by CJ ENM Studios, produced by Chorokbaem Media) aired, revealing that as the precarious peace of Ahn Joo-hyung (played by Lee Jong-seok), who has become accustomed to uncomfortable situations, begins to crack, another seismic shift emerges in her life.
As a result, the viewership rating for the 10th episode recorded an average of 6.6% among households in the metropolitan area, peaking at 7.7%, while the national average was 6.1%, with a maximum of 7.2%, not only breaking its own record but also ranking first among cable and general programming channels during the same time slot. The target viewership rating for tvN among men and women aged 20 to 49 ranked first among cable and general programming channels in both the metropolitan area and nationwide (based on paid platforms combined Cable, IPTV, and satellite / provided by Nielsen Korea).
Ahn Joo-hyung was consulting with a client who claimed that her husband had taken his own life due to workplace harassment and wanted to seek damages. As the conversation was deepening, Na Kyung-min (played by Park Hyung-soo) abruptly entered and called Ahn Joo-hyung, stating that the client currently present should be rejected and to take on the defense of another opposing party, bewildering Ahn Joo-hyung.
In particular, upon learning that the opposing party mentioned by Na Kyung-min was the company that led to her husband's death, Ahn Joo-hyung could hardly conceal her astonishment. While she had always followed her boss's orders, Ahn Joo-hyung finally expressed her opinion, but Na Kyung-min insisted that as a representative, they must choose the side offering a higher attorney fee and emphasized once again to defend the company.
Reluctantly taking on an uncomfortable case, Ahn Joo-hyung attempted to meet employees on-site to verify the credibility of their testimonies, based on the statements submitted by the company's staff. Contrary to the contents of the statements that claimed they could work in a family-like atmosphere, a coercive atmosphere prevailed within the company, and one employee, who first met Ahn Joo-hyung to confirm the testament, contacted her late at night for business, indicating severe performance pressure.
However, since Ahn Joo-hyung had to represent the company's position, she ultimately had no choice but to defend the company in court, shifting blame to the victim's side. The resentful eyes of the client, who burst into tears out of sorrow and injustice, tightened Ahn Joo-hyung's heart even more. Ultimately, Ahn Joo-hyung confronted Na Kyung-min, stating, "There has never been a moment that wasn't uncomfortable. I simply had become accustomed to the discomfort," realizing the extent to which she had been turning a blind eye to her own discomfort.
Like Ahn Joo-hyung, Kang Hee-ji and Bae Moon-jeong were also experiencing subtle friction with their respective lead attorneys. Kang Hee-ji felt alienated by Kang Jung-yoon (played by Jung Hye-young), whom she thought was doing work directed toward people, prioritizing practical judgments, while Bae Moon-jeong was dissatisfied with Na Kyung-min for posting a job announcement without consulting with her.
Jo Chang-won was also thoroughly exhausted by the misconduct of lead attorney Seong Yoo-deok (played by Lee Seo-hwan), who had her defending a perpetrator of school violence while she was already defending a victim of school violence. In the midst of this, Jo Chang-won saw new hope in the prosecutor's unexpected request for suspended sentence for a student who, after being bullied, ended up becoming an attempted murderer.
Throughout this time, Jo Chang-won had felt powerless as prosecutors delivered not guilty verdicts for those who should be punished and demanded heavy sentences for those needing leniency, but this case brought a new breeze into her mind. She began to examine job listings for experienced prosecutors, wondering what choice Jo Chang-won would decide upon.
After enduring a hard day, the associate attorneys gathered as usual to exchange greetings and relieve the day's stress. The sight of the associate attorneys comforting each other while saying, 'Everyone worked hard,' marked the end of the 10th episode of 'Seocho-dong.' Attention is focused on how the associate attorneys, confronted with new hardships in their work life, will navigate growth amidst the crossroads of job changes, resignations, and staying employed.
The tvN weekend drama 'Seocho-dong', which resonates with modern individuals experiencing chaotic work lives, will air its 11th episode on the night of the 9th (Saturday) at 9:20 p.m.
[Photo] Provided
[OSEN]