Lee Jae-wook held the attention of the home audience as skilled architect Baek Do-ha in Last Summer.
In the KBS 2TV Saturday-Sunday miniseries Last Summer (directed by Min Yeon-hong, written by Jeon Yu-ri), which premiered on the 1st, Lee Jae-wook perfectly played architect Baek Do-ha, who returns to Patan-myeon, the neighborhood where he spent his childhood with Song Ha-kyung (played by Choi Seong-eun). Thanks to Lee Jae-wook's passionate performance, Last Summer's first episode peaked at a viewer rating of 3.9%, signaling a pleasant start.
Lee Jae-wook appeared in earnest in the middle to latter part of episode 1, stimulating interest. Do-ha reunited with his childhood friend Ha-kyung, from whom he had been estranged due to an incident two years ago. He spoke slyly as if he had met her yesterday while showing a subtle look mixing gladness, and in this scene Lee Jae-wook amplified the character's charm with delicate and deep eye acting.
Also, when Do-ha sharply confronted Ha-kyung over the sale of the peanut house and hired a lawyer, it heightened curiosity about why he was refusing to sell the peanut house.
The architect moments Lee Jae-wook delivers also added viewing pleasure. Do-ha, who has strong convictions, boldly reinterpreted a client's request for iron railings and full-height glass walls, showing off top-tier architectural skills and ultimately satisfying the client. In addition, when his father Baek Gi-ho (played by Choi Byeong-mo), who works as a site supervisor, found himself in a difficult situation, Do-ha demonstrated his professionalism by drawing up plans in an instant with astonishing skill.
The bickering yet heart-fluttering chemistry with Song Ha-kyung served as a major entertainment point of the drama. Do-ha found Ha-kyung's sharp attitude toward him merely endearing, creating excitement, and engaged in a tense battle of nerves with her over the "wall demolition project." Especially at the end of episode 2, when Do-ha became enraged at Ha-kyung risking everything over a box containing Baek Do-young's name tag, he referenced the events of two years ago and delivered a blunt line—"I'm going to try to endure that damn summer you mentioned. I'm not leaving anymore. This time I'm not going to disappear"—which thrilled viewers and raised anticipation for the next episode to the highest level.
Through the role of skilled architect Baek Do-ha, Lee Jae-wook has richly filled the drama by perfectly showcasing principled professionalism and complex inner acting. In particular, his first-time challenge since debut of playing both Do-ha and Do-young in a one-man two-role and his deft shifts with childhood friend Ha-kyung added dramatic fun.
Expectations for future developments are growing as Baek Do-ha's efforts to overcome past events and remodel tangled relationships intertwine with the identity of the veiled figure Baek Do-young.
[Photo] KBS 2TV Last Summer episode 1 and 2 captures
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