National judge Jung Kyung-ho was properly caught in the trap of a 1.2 billion won apple box.
On Sat., the 6th, the first broadcast of the tvN weekend drama PROBONO (written by Moon Yoo-seok / directed by Kim Sung-yoon / planned by Studio Dragon / produced by Sequence One, Lotte Cultureworks, Studio Flow) delivered unpredictable fun from the first episode with the story of Kang Da-wit (played by Jung Kyung-ho), whose courtroom life is turned upside down after being entangled in a bribery case.
Episode 1 recorded an average household rating of 4.1% in the Seoul metropolitan area and a peak of 5%, and an average nationwide household rating of 4.5% with a peak of 5.3%, marking a strong start as it ranked first among cable and general programming channels in both the Seoul area and nationwide time slots. It also ranked first among cable and general programming channels in the tvN target 20-49 male and female ratings. (Based on paid platforms combining cable, IPTV, and satellite / provided by Nielsen Korea)
Kang Da-wit, the director general of the anti-corruption division who revealed an extraordinary presence by handing down a medium sentence to a company chairman that defied everyone's expectations, could not hide his smile when he heard that the court union would recommend him as a Supreme Court justice candidate. It was because it was a moment when he was one step closer to promotion to the Supreme Court justice, the pinnacle of power he had aimed for his whole life.
In particular, Kang Da-wit drew admiration with his flawless qualities: stirring public opinion with satisfying rulings, gaining the trust of court staff through thoughtful consideration, and captivating higher-ups with his adept social skills. And these actions eventually resulted in the best outcome of having Kang Da-wit named as a Supreme Court justice candidate.
But at an unexpected moment a serious crack appeared in Kang Da-wit's daily life. The day after drinking with a hometown friend he had not seen in a long time, an apple box containing as much as 1.2 billion won was found in his car. Confused by the mysterious box, Kang Da-wit tried to resolve it in his own way, but he was ultimately devastated when footage surfaced showing him personally moving the box.
Facing a situation where he might have to give up his judgeship under the court chief's extreme anger, Kang Da-wit, fortunately, received a scouting offer from O&Partners' new CEO Oh Jung-in (played by Lee Yoo-young), finding a new breakthrough. Taking this opportunity, Kang Da-wit resolved to pursue a chance to return to the courtroom by making a dazzling showing as a lawyer.
Contrary to Kang Da-wit's expectations, Oh Jung-in assigned him as the leader of the PROBONO team handling public interest lawsuits. Stepping into a corner room that sunlight never reached and where even mushrooms grow, Kang Da-wit was unable to hide his dismay when he met the colorful team members, including Park Ki-ppeum (played by So Ju-yeon), Jang Young-sil (played by Yoon Na-mu), Yoo Nan-hee (played by Seo Hye-won), and Hwang Joon-woo (played by Kang Hyung-seok).
Denying the unbelievable reality, Kang Da-wit came out of the office and, crying out in a voice mixed with despair, I want to go back!, decorated the ending of episode 1 by denying reality. Attention is focused on whether Kang Da-wit, a former judge and now a public interest lawyer who suddenly takes on public interest litigation, can safely adapt to his new environment.
In this way, PROBONO portrayed National Judge Kang Da-wit's unexpected entry into public interest litigation in a fast tempo, capturing attention. The mystery of the 1.2 billion won apple box bribery case and the unusual first impressions of the PROBONO team added to the intrigue about future developments.
Actor Jung Kyung-ho (as Kang Da-wit) also shone. From calculated actions hidden behind a sly smile, to the euphoria that bursts out when named a Supreme Court justice candidate, to the despair at seeing the apple box footage, Jung Kyung-ho anchored the drama's core by delicately conveying Kang Da-wit's emotional line through densely layered acting that spans joy, anger, sorrow and delight.
Jung Kyung-ho's adaptation to being a public interest lawyer can be seen in episode 2 of the tvN weekend drama PROBONO, airing tonight (the 7th) at 9:10 p.m.
[Photo] tvN PROBONO video capture
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