The latest tvN drama series, Parole Examiner Lee, Episode 1, kicked off last night to higher ratings than the first episodes of every Monday-Tuesday drama on the South Korean network this year. Except one.
The one that exceeded Parole Examiner Lee’s, Episode 1 nationwide rating of 4.59 percent last night was, of course, Marry My Husband, which premiered on January 1st to 5.21 percent — its lowest rating of the K-drama’s entire 16-episode run.
Every other drama airing on tvN in the Monday-Tuesday slot — Wedding Impossible, Lovely Runner, The Player 2: Master of Swindlers, Serendipity’s Embrace, No Gain, No Love and the just-ended Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard earned lower first episode ratings than Parole Examiner Lee.
The legal drama performed even better with audiences in Seoul, by the way, grabbing 4.85 percent last night.
What is Parole Examiner Lee?
The new tvN drama stars Go Soo (Missing: The Other Side), Kwon Yu Ri (Good Job), Baek Ji Won (The Fiery Priest 2), and Lee Hak Joo (My Dearest).
The Korean drama follows Lee Han Shin (played by Go Soo), a former lawyer who is now a parole examiner, and whose goal in life is to stop inmates from getting parole if they are lying, using corrupt connections or paying in an effort to win release.
But, if he believes those people may have been wrongfully imprisoned, he will also work hard to earn them their release.
Enter An Seo Yun (Kwon Yu Ri), a detective, and Choi Hwa Ran (Baek Ji Won), a loan shark.
Both women join forces with Han Shin in an effort to bring down Ji Myeon Seop (Lee Hak Joo), a corrupt business heir who believes he can do anything he wants without ever having to suffer the consequences.
Parole Examiner Lee airs on tvN in South Korea every Monday and Tuesday at 20:50 (KST), with its next episode hitting later on tonight.
Viki is streaming the 12-episode Korean drama for its international subscribers.
