'iShopping' has made a smooth start with ratings in the 1% range.
The ENA Monday-Tuesday drama 'iShopping', which premiered on the 21st, recorded a viewership rating of 1.7% (Nielsen Korea, based on paid households). This is a slightly higher start compared to its predecessor 'Salon de Holmes' (1.3% for the first episode, final rating of 3.6%).
The broadcast featured Woo Tae-sik (played by Choi Young-jun), who was responsible for handling a secret illegal adoption organization 14 years ago, rescuing children. While in charge of waste disposal, Woo Tae-sik realized that the waste he was dealing with were actually living children, and he saved them, including Kim Ah-hyun (played by Won Jin-ah), who had been adopted and then 'refunded', teaching them survival skills.
These children were sent for adoption by the prestigious doctor Kim Se-hee (played by Yim Jung-ah). Kim Se-hee was the head of the illegal adoption cartel. After sending children to affluent families who wanted the perfect child, she would process them as 'waste' when refund requests came in.
Kim Se-hee did not hesitate to commit crimes, such as having her accomplice Jung Hyun (played by Kim Jin-young) handle the aftermath of a journalist who was investigating the newborn trafficking among the upper class.
Amidst this, Kim Se-hee received a new refund request and proceeded with the disposal of Choi Si-woo (played by Kang Ji-yong). Woo Tae-sik tried to rescue Choi Si-woo without being noticed by his colleague Kwak Dong-cheol (played by Kim Soo-ro), but the plan was exposed when Choi Si-woo made a call to his mother.
Upon discovering that Choi Si-woo, whom she thought had been disposed of, was still alive, Kim Se-hee entrusted the matter to Jung Hyun. Jung Hyun realized that not only Choi Si-woo but also other children rescued by Woo Tae-sik were alive and pursued them.
After learning that Woo Tae-sik was in danger, Kim Ah-hyun set out to rescue him, but she witnessed the vehicle Woo Tae-sik was in explode.
'iShopping' is an action thriller depicting the desperate survival and revenge of children who were abandoned by their adoptive parents and barely survived on the brink of death. From the first episode, it incorporated intriguing themes such as illegal adoptions and the disposal of refunded children occurring among the upper class, sparking curiosity.
In particular, Yim Jung-ah and Choi Young-jun captivated viewers with their overwhelming acting skills, adding weight to the drama.
Dex (Kim Jin-young), who transformed into an actor through U+ Mobile TV's 'Tarot' last year, challenged himself in a TV drama with this work. A former UDT member, Dex showcased good performance in action acting by utilizing his specialty. However, there were disappointing aspects in areas other than action, such as voice projection, facial expressions, and awkward movements.
Viewers also expressed criticism, saying things like "His walking is a bit strange," "He needs acting practice," "Did he start acting too easily?" "It's awkward even after just a few minutes," and "It's hard to see poor acting these days..."
As Jung Hyun plays a central role in the drama, attention is focused on whether he can show consistent growth.
'iShopping' will air its second episode on the 22nd at 10 PM and will also be available on the OTT platform Tving.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
