Lee Jong-suk makes corporate life different. In the tvN weekend drama 'Seocho-dong' (scripted by Lee Seung-hyun, directed by Park Seung-woo, planned by CJ ENM Studios, produced by Chorokbaem Media), Lee Jong-suk has captivated viewers as a corporate worker, Ahn Joo-hyung, with moments of wise office living.
#1. The choice of staying
The last meal with a resigning colleague, and the theme is direction. Ahn Joo-hyung (played by Lee Jong-suk), in his imagination, decisively rejects the question 'Are you opening a business?' with 'I don't want to.' Can one do only what they want if they open a business? He believed being a corporate worker, dealing with incidents and receiving a salary, was just right for his aptitude. He tended closer to rationalism, conservatism, and tranquility. The first turning point to ponder direction came with the resignation of a long-time colleague. Ahn Joo-hyung's choice to stay, at the moment when he started to think 'perhaps,' adds empathy and realism for the corporate worker who carries a resignation letter every day, leading to a deeper connection with the character Ahn Joo-hyung. Lee Jong-suk introduced a realistic face of a corporate worker placed in a work environment. His transformation into a relatable character, seemingly like a colleague that could exist around me, successfully captured attention.
#2. Meeting a rookie in the 9th year
The appearance of rookie lawyer Hee-ji (played by Moon Ga-young), who shows complete trust in the client's words, somehow makes me see my former self. During Ahn Joo-hyung's rookie years, he listened attentively to clients with tears, was deceived by clients' lies, and unintentionally became an accomplice in deceiving victims, and as the waves of time transformed into experience, he now looks only at events and facts without relying on anyone. While he did not abandon his conscience, he also was not swayed by sentiment, maintaining a 'line.' He began to refocus on the client. The rookie lawyer's statement that it would be nice if my client were a good person became a trigger to recall 'that time' Ahn Joo-hyung, igniting the spark of change. Lee Jong-suk captured Ahn Joo-hyung's emotional changes as a 9-year experienced associate lawyer while simultaneously embracing the atmosphere of work romance, confidently holding on to both the professional and romantic aspects.
#3. The discomfort of 'familiar discomfort'
One cannot do only what they want. However, situations that make one feel 'this isn't right' inevitably arise. My work is something I cannot choose. The moments of feeling a decisive meeting as a corporate worker and realizing the different standards for choices lead one to reflect on whether they truly belong here. Those moments accumulate, causing cracks in the heart, bringing forth unease that has been carefully concealed. Ahn Joo-hyung's changing heart began to openly confront the discomfort surrounding events chosen solely based on fees, rebelling against the 'familiar discomfort' and pulling the trigger of change. Within Lee Jong-suk's expanded acting spectrum, viewers developed empathy with Ahn Joo-hyung's everyday life and professional dilemmas, elevating the immersion of the drama to its peak by enabling audiences to relate their situations to his.
#4. Unconditional goodwill
In a strange today that broke Ahn Joo-hyung's discomfort, he faced a turning point of reflection and growth through new encounters and conversations. The emergence of someone who stepped forward into others' matters, leaving aside their profit. If Ahn Joo-hyung's change was initiated by meeting a rookie who diligently poured their heart into the client, an individual with 'unconditional goodwill' awakened a new change within the human side of Ahn Joo-hyung. Encountering the opposite of a person who chooses cases solely based on fees and breaking through the discomfort brought a new direction for living, leaving viewers curious and excited about what conclusion Ahn Joo-hyung's morning commute will bring.
Lee Jong-suk led Ahn Joo-hyung's turning point with empathy and understanding. The viewers' hearts resonating with his change stemmed from their trust in Lee Jong-suk. The power to make that heart understandable and followable. Lee Jong-suk, who has become a highly experienced actor akin to a 9-year veteran, has created a new realm that allows viewers to trust him as they watch the drama 'Seocho-dong,' which has become a courtroom drama, daily life drama, and office drama, showcasing a new turning point in his dramas across genres.
Interest in 'Seocho-dong,' which is approaching its finale, is also heated. The viewership rating of the 11th episode aired on the 9th recorded an average of 6.6% in the capital region, a peak of 7.7%, an average of 6.4% nationwide, and a peak of 7.2% (based on paid platforms including cable, IPTV, and satellite / provided by Nielsen Korea), breaking its own highest viewership rating. It continues to attract attention by ranking first in the same time slot on cable and comprehensive programming channels. 'Seocho-dong,' featuring Lee Jong-suk's final commute, will air tonight at 9:20 p.m. on tvN.
[Photo] Seocho-dong
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