ENA <Scarecrow>

Suspicion began to turn toward Baek Seung-hwan. Living rooms held their breath.

‘Scarecrow’ once again broke its own viewership record, continuing its relentless rise.

In Episode 6 of ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama ‘Scarecrow’ (directed by Park Jun-woo, written by Lee Ji-hyun, planned by KT Studio Genie, produced by Studio Anzailen), which aired on the 5th, Kang Tae-ju (played by Park Hae-soo) placed the brothers Lee Gi-beom (played by Song Geon-hee) and Lee Gi-hwan (played by Jung Moon-sung) on the list of suspects and remained in turmoil until the end. However, it was revealed that Lee Gi-beom gave a false confession under confinement, assault, and threats, and that Cha Si-young (played by Lee Hee-jun) had ordered everything, which enraged Kang Tae-ju. Meanwhile, with the emergence of a new clue, suspicion also began to turn toward Lee Gi-beom’s friend Lim Seok-man (played by Baek Seung-hwan). As a result, the investigation reached another turning point.

Episode 6 viewership set a new series high yet again. It recorded a nationwide average of 7.4%, a nationwide peak of 8.3%, a Seoul metropolitan area average of 7.7%, and a metropolitan peak of 8.5%, ranking first across all channels in its time slot based on national households. The 2049 target rating also surged to a minute-by-minute peak of 3.0%, underscoring its hot popularity. (Nielsen Korea, based on paid households)

Kang Tae-ju, weighing the photo and handbag found during the search and seizure, once again fell into deep deliberation between Lee Gi-beom and Lee Gi-hwan. He asked Cha Si-young to delay the official announcement about the perpetrator, since Lee Gi-beom might not be the real culprit. However, with his father Cha Mu-jin (played by Yu Seung-mok) watching, Cha Si-young disclosed the investigation status as is at the press conference. When Kang Tae-ju came to confront him, Cha Si-young explained that the date captured in the photo could not be confirmed as Choi In-suk’s (played by Min Hye-su) date of death, so the alibi did not stand. Regarding the claim that someone close to Lee Gi-beom was the culprit, he thought Kang Tae-ju was forcing it because of his younger sister Kang Sun-young (played by Seo Ji-hye), and answered firmly, “Find the real culprit. Convince me with evidence; that is the order.”

Suspicion toward another suspect, Lee Gi-hwan, did not last long. It was confirmed that his blood type did not match that of the perpetrator. In the meantime, carrying a sense of helplessness, Kang Tae-ju visited a nuclear research institute. It was for a radionuclide test that, although not yet formally verified, could infer the suspect’s occupation or living environment. Through the analysis of the test results, Kang Tae-ju obtained a new clue that the perpetrator was likely a sweaty laborer exposed to a metalworking environment.

Then came news that the long-missing Lee Gi-beom had confessed to the crime after being arrested. Kang Tae-ju could not believe it. Above all, questionable points were found even in the written statement Lee Gi-beom had made. In the end, Kang Tae-ju belatedly learned that Lee Gi-beom had been illegally arrested by Detectives Jang Myeong-do (played by Jeon Jae-hong) and Do Hyeong-gu (played by Kim Eun-woo), and subjected to confinement, assault, and threats. And he was greatly shocked to find that behind it all was Cha Si-young, whom he had trusted. As his resentment surged again, Kang Tae-ju ended up getting into a fistfight with Cha Si-young and asked him to release Lee Gi-beom.

Meanwhile, Seo Ji-won (played by Gwak Sun-young) met Park Ae-suk (played by Hwang Eun-hu). Before determining whether Lee Gi-beom was the culprit, Seo Ji-won questioned how the handbag of victim-survivor Park Ae-suk had been kept at Gangseong Bookstore. Park Ae-suk said that inside the handbag returned by a detective, she found a matchbox bearing the trade name ‘Pig Teahouse’. Using this as a lead, Seo Ji-won tracked down the teahouse employees one by one, and at the end, she came across the name ‘Lim Seok-man’ for the first time. Kang Tae-ju and Seo Ji-won simultaneously went to find Lim Seok-man. He was both the only witness who saw Lee Gi-beom being taken away by detectives and the person who had placed at the bookstore the handbag that led to Lee Gi-beom being framed as a prime suspect.

When Lim Seok-man promised to testify to clear Lee Gi-beom of the false charge, Kang Tae-ju finally felt some relief. But only for a moment: Kang Tae-ju noticed Lim Seok-man’s limping gait. He also recalled his younger sister Kang Sun-young’s words, “That man (the culprit) was limping on one leg.” Looking around then, the workplace of Lim Seok-man was full of scrap metal and equipment, and his whole body, repairing farm tools, was drenched in sweat. This, too, matched the radionuclide test analysis. With Lim Seok-man emerging as a new suspect, his smile sent suspicions among Kang Tae-juand viewerssoaring to a peak.

ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama ‘Scarecrow’ airs every Monday and Tuesday at 10 p.m. on ENA and is also available on KT Genie TV and Tving.