MBN's Wednesday-Thursday miniseries "First Lady" teased a brutal "mud-slinging war," as Yoo-jin overturned public criticism by exposing Ji Hyun-woo's affair and apologizing on her knees.
Episode 5 of MBN's Wednesday-Thursday miniseries "First Lady" (written by Kim Hyung-wan, directed by Lee Ho-hyun), which aired on the 8th, recorded a nationwide rating of 1.9% and a peak minute rating of 2.1% according to Nielsen Korea.
First, Hyun Min-chul (played by Ji Hyun-woo), who watched Cha Soo-yeon (played by Yoo-jin) tear up the divorce papers and walk proudly out of the presidential transition committee office, recalled their first meeting when their political ideals aligned. Cha Soo-yeon supported Hyun Min-chul's "sincerity" and convictions, and Hyun Min-chul could not take his eyes off her. Moreover, Yun Ki-joo (played by Kim Ki-bang) and Eom Sun-jung (played by Jo Young-ji) witnessed the scene and hesitated, marking the start of Cha Soo-yeon and Hyun Min-chul's political and fateful joint path.
At school, Hyun Ji-yoo (played by Park Seo-kyung) declared she would not study abroad after Go Ah-ram and Park Seo-ah, who had bullied her in the school violence videos, were disciplined. Hyun Ji-yoo then supported Cha Soo-yeon with the words, "I'll fight from my place! Mom, if you want a divorce, get a divorce! If you want to fight, fight!" showing strong determination.
At the same time, Hyun Min-chul learned through a call with Cha Jeong-yeon (played by Do-yoo) that Shin Hae-rin (played by Lee Min-young) had been involved from the start in leaking Hyun Ji-yoo's school violence video and was shocked. Hyun Min-chul fiercely confronted Shin Hae-rin, and she replied that it was to extract a divorce agreement, saying, "If you want to fight, there has to be blood," which infuriated Hyun Min-chul. Even when Hyun Min-chul pressed, "Are you going to keep fighting?" Shin Hae-rin would not back down, saying, "If the special law passes the National Assembly, we can reveal the truth. We can clear the grievances of victims who became perpetrators. Isn't that why you became president?" Shin Hae-rin also mentioned the day she first met Hyun Min-chul while fighting for her husband who suffered an industrial accident, saying, "I decided I'd take the criticism," expressing her resolve, and, choking up, said, "I can do worse than this," but Hyun Min-chul declared firmly, "Don't ever appear in front of me again!", severing ties.
At that moment, with the news "Ms. Cha Soo-yeon has officially declared the breakdown of divorce talks," Cha Soo-yeon's lawyer Kang Sun-ho (played by Kang Seung-ho) held a press conference, surprising Hyun Min-chul and Shin Hae-rin. Moreover, when the affair issue involving Hyun Min-chul surfaced as the reason for the breakdown of divorce talks—triggered by Son Min-joo (played by Shin So-yul), who was hired by Cha Soo-yeon—Shin Hae-rin tried to manage the situation, but Hyun Min-chul drew a line, saying, "You are no longer one of mine." In the end, Shin Hae-rin left the transition committee, leaving her ID badge on, saying, "From now on, what I do has nothing to do with the president-elect," heightening anxiety.
Later, Kang Sun-ho visited Cha Soo-yeon, and Cha Soo-yeon presented a leniency agreement for Yun Ki-joo, who had been arrested for the tomato-throwing attack. But when Kang Sun-ho was uncomfortable about taking Cha Soo-yeon's divorce case, she emphasized that she needed a lawyer who would fight ruthlessly. Furthermore, Cha Soo-yeon confidently told Kang Sun-ho, who hesitated because the opponent was the president, "I am the one who made that president," and said, "I will move public opinion first. The people the reporters will target won't be me; it'll be that person."
As a first step, Cha Soo-yeon kneeled and apologized in front of members of the fan club "Iron Lady," who were protesting "Cha Soo-yeon out" in pouring rain, saying, "These people are my family," and, "I'm sorry. I was wrong. I disappointed you," a brilliant move. Touched by Cha Soo-yeon's heartfelt apology, members of the "Iron Lady" took her hand, and Kang Sun-ho recalled Cha Soo-yeon with a meaningful expression as he watched her reverse public opinion, saying, "Public opinion isn't a number. It's a living thing." Cha Soo-yeon explained to Kang Sun-ho that people are always angry and always looking for someone to vent on, saying that creating an affair scandal would generate public outrage, and declared a bloody war against Hyun Min-chul using public opinion as a weapon.
Meanwhile, it was revealed that Kang Sun-ho, who Cha Soo-yeon entrusted with the divorce suit, lost both parents in the fire at Ha-seong Chemical Plant 15 years earlier when Cha Soo-yeon and Hyun Min-chul were at the scene. It turned out that Kang Sun-ho, who had believed the arsonist was Do Tae-hoon (played by Kim Han), learned the truth and jumped into Cha Soo-yeon's divorce case to avenge his parents. Near the end of the broadcast, after hanging up Cha Soo-yeon's call in which she said, "Just wait a little. It's evidence they absolutely can't refute. Think about how Lawyer Kang will fight with that evidence," Kang Sun-ho vowed bloody revenge on Cha Soo-yeon and Hyun Min-chul with the words, "It's a mud fight anyway, so fight as dirty as possible. It's a real fight for both of them," heightening tension.
[Photo] Screen capture from MBN's "First Lady" broadcast
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