The bold decision by Jung Kyungho, thrown for the PROBONO team, paid off.
On the 27th (Sat), episode 7 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) aired, in which PROBONO team leader Kang Dawit (Jung Kyungho) fiercely faced off against rival law firm Baekseung over the team's survival.
As a result, episode 7 recorded a 6.5% average household rating in the Seoul metropolitan area, a peak of 7.9%, a 6.1% nationwide household average, and a peak of 7.2%, ranking first in its time slot among cable and general programming channels both in the metropolitan area and nationwide. It also ranked first in the 20-49 male and female viewer ratings, tvN's target demographic, among cable and general programming channels. (Based on paid platforms integrating cable, IPTV, and satellite / provided by Nielsen Korea)
That day the PROBONO team received shocking notice of disbandment from O&Partners founder Oh Gyu-jang (Kim Kap-soo). The judgment was that the PROBONO team's actions, which stirred public opinion through public interest lawsuits, did not fit the color of O&Partners, which had long taken prominent figures in politics and business as major clients.
Kang Dawit immediately went to see Oh Gyu-jang and countered that public interest lawsuits could also raise the firm's stature. He proposed a client-retainer competition with rival law firm Baekseung, offering the shocking condition that if he lost, he would accept the team's disbandment without raising wrongful dismissal issues. Observing this with interest, Oh Gyu-jang fortunately accepted Kang Dawit's proposal.
The subject of the retainer competition that began under that condition was idol Elia (Jung Ji-so). Elia's side explained that she was being blackmailed after a video showing her angry reaction to a sasaeng fan had been recorded, and that a cyber rekka YouTuber had been persistently harassing her, expressing a desire for a quiet resolution before the situation escalated.
After the first meeting sharing the basic facts of the case, the full PT showdown unfolded. Baekseung, led by Woo Myung-hoon (Choi Dae-hoon), proposed resolving the matter with a settlement payment, a settlement agreement, and a nondisclosure agreement, while the PROBONO team accurately pierced the structure of the entertainment industry and took control of the narrative. They assessed the risk of the video being leaked at any time and then immediately detected the cyber rekka YouTuber's video posting through real-time traffic analysis.
Even with the video already distributed, the two sides' responses diverged starkly. Woo Myung-hoon suggested hospitalization and an official apology as a solution to protect Elia's brand and reputation, while the PROBONO team emphasized protecting the human Elia, pointing out that sasaeng fans had harassed not only Elia but also her acquaintances. In particular, team member Yoonanhee (Seo Hye Won), a fan of Elia, sincerely represented Elia's position and played a decisive role in taking the case.
After fierce exchanges, the PROBONO team that took the case showed outstanding performance in court. Kang Dawit's logic, which rebutted the cyber rekka YouTuber's claim grounded on the public's right to know point by point, was followed by Yoonanhee's heartfelt plea, who rose to protect the singer she admired, persuasively highlighting the seriousness of the harm. Additionally, Elia herself appeared in court, apologized for causing controversy, and made clear that the cyber rekka's remarks hurt not only her but also her fans, leaving a lingering impression.
But near the end of the broadcast, the cyber rekka YouTuber's lawyer approached Kang Dawit and Park Gippeum (So Juyeon) and revealed the shocking fact that the person who tipped off Elia's private life was none other than her agency CEO and Elia's mother. Throughout the case, questions focus on what the mother's true face, who had been sensitively watching the situation beside Elia, really is, raising curiosity for the next story.
The PROBONO team—Jung Kyungho, So Juyeon, Yoon Na Moo, Seo Hye Won, and Kang Hyung suk—who stepped up to help Jung Ji-so will continue their activities in the tvN weekend drama PROBONO, airing today (28th) at 9:10 p.m.
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