The pink romance between Seo Kang-joon and Jin Ki-joo is thrilling viewers at home.
MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'Undercover High School' (written by Lim Young-bin, directed by Choi Jung-in) is captivating viewers by crossing genres of romance, mystery, and comedy. In particular, the chemistry between 'fake teacher' Jung Hae-sung (played by Seo Kang-joon) and Oh Soo-ah (played by Jin Ki-joo) is receiving a hot response from the audience. Moreover, as the episodes progress, the relationship between the two is evolving, making the drama even more interesting.
Their first encounter was filled with animosity. Soo-ah was threatened by a delinquent at her mother's store when Hae-sung, a customer, saved her, leading to a fateful meeting. Although Soo-ah fell for Hae-sung's handsome face at first sight, she became wary when he appeared as a student in her class. Hae-sung, who was dragged by Soo-ah for drinking, surprised her by casually referring to her as 'you'. Additionally, when they met at a convenience store, they bickered over a drink, creating a delightful chemistry that brought laughter to the viewers.
Their tangled relationship only became more complicated. Soo-ah suspected that a suspicious person in the school building resembled Hae-sung, and she was doubtful about the situation where the former president (played by Jo Jae-yoon) was subdued by Hae-sung's group during a school violence committee meeting. Consequently, Soo-ah teamed up with fellow teacher Kim Ri-an (played by Lee Min-ji) to investigate Hae-sung's associates, who were agents from the National Intelligence Service's Domestic Team 4.
As the 'fake teacher chemistry' between Hae-sung and Soo-ah piqued viewers' interest, Hae-sung's true identity was revealed, bringing the two closer together. Soo-ah confronted Hae-sung about being at the scene when security guard Kim (played by Koo Min-hyuk) died, leading to Hae-sung's identity being exposed. Following this, their partnership, albeit unofficial, began, and when Soo-ah said, "I will definitely protect you" while holding Hae-sung's hand, his face turned red. Notably, in the sixth episode, Hae-sung discovered that Soo-ah was his childhood friend Bong-ja, and the scene where he pulled her away to avoid a splash from a passing motorcycle in the sudden rain filled the viewers with excitement. This raised curiosity about how their relationship would evolve and how their romance would unfold.
With such a diverse storyline, 'Undercover High School' is hitting the mark with viewers' preferences and gaining increasing popularity. Starting with a peak viewership rating of 6.4% for its first broadcast, the sixth episode (aired on Saturday) reached a peak rating of 10% during the romantic ending scene between Hae-sung and Soo-ah. The rapid development from Hae-sung becoming a high school student and starting his undercover investigation to the moment his identity is revealed has contributed to the rise in viewership ratings.
Additionally, the 2049 viewership rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness and popularity, surged from 2.0% in the first episode to 3.3% in the sixth episode, ranking first among all programs aired at the same time on Saturday. This is the only figure in the entire channel to record above 3%, and the drama has maintained the top spot in terms of popularity for two consecutive weeks, proving its appeal to younger audiences alongside actor Seo Kang-joon.
'Undercover High School' airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
