Star Power Fuels Weekend Drama Battle Against Hit Series

A fierce weekend drama competition is unfolding as broadcasters deploy star power to challenge the dominance of SBS's hit series 'Chief Detective 1958,' which has surpassed a 23% viewership rating. JTBC has entered the fray with 'The Apartment,' a Friday-Saturday drama starring Ji Sung, which premiered on July 11th. The series follows Park Hae-kang (Ji Sung), a former gangster who runs for apartment management committee chairman to seize hidden money.

Ji Sung's return to the small screen after 'Judge Lee Han-young' has generated significant buzz, given his past successes in dramas like 'The Devil Judge' and 'Kill Me, Heal Me.' 'The Apartment' blends unpredictable plotlines driven by characters pursuing their desires through the apartment complex with the comedic performances of its ensemble cast, including Moon So-ri and Baek Hyun-jin. The drama has seen a steady rise in viewership, moving from 4.6% in its first episode to 6% by its fourth episode on July 19th.

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Compared to 'Chief Detective 1958,' which has the advantage of a webtoon original, giving it a more imaginative feel, 'The Perfect Marriage' is more grounded in reality and has a deeper sense of depth, which I believe is our drama's unique charm.

Park Eun-bin returns in the tvN Saturday-Sunday drama 'My Sweet Scary,' a remake of the popular film of the same name. The series, which began airing on July 18th, reimagines the story of a chaebol heiress, Cheon Yeo-ri (Park Eun-bin), who can see ghosts, and a ghost-fearing prosecutor, Ma Kang-wook (Yang Se-jong). While adapting the core concept of a woman who sees ghosts and a man who fears them falling in love, the drama differentiates itself by altering character professions and incorporating elements of both romance and horror.

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The profession of a killer is extraordinary, but the struggle to balance work and family is a realistic story that many people can relate to.

Namkoong Min, known for hits like 'The Veil' and 'Stove League,' joins the weekend drama battle with KBS's crime thriller 'The Perfect Marriage.' The drama centers on Kang Tae-joo (Namkoong Min), a doctor who fights against criminals to save his wife after she is kidnapped just before their divorce. Namkoong Min highlighted the drama's grounded and profound narrative as its unique appeal compared to 'Chief Detective 1958,' which he noted has a more imaginative feel due to its webtoon origins.

Adding to the lineup, MBC will premiere the Friday-Saturday drama 'The Worried Housewife' on July 31st, based on a webtoon. The series stars Gong Hyo-jin as a working mother who is also a killer. Director Yoon Jong-ho, who helmed 'Lovely Runner,' described the show as exploring universal emotions through the unique profession of a killer, balancing the extraordinary with the relatable struggles of work-life balance.

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The biggest charm point I felt when rewatching the original movie after being suggested to adapt it into a drama was the irony of being scared yet thrilled in the process of a man who fears ghosts falling in love with a woman who sees them. I tried not to miss the continuous tension between romance and the occult in each episode.