Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
'Penthouse: War in Life' rating climbs amid criticism of 'disturbing' storyline
TV series “Penthouse: War in Life” reached its highest viewership rating Monday at 11.4 percent. Courtesy of SBS
By Lee Gyu-lee
By Lee Gyu-lee
The ratings of SBS's new series “Penthouse: War in Life” continue to rise despite some criticism of its “extreme” plot.
The suspense drama started at a 9.2 percent rating on Oct. 26 and hit its highest point on Nov. 2 at 11.4 percent.
Written by Kim Soon-ok, famous (and infamous) for writing “makjang” dramas ― the term refers to ones with extremely sensational plots ― the series begins with the disturbing stories of residents at the high-class residence Hera Palace.
It intends to cover the issues of Korea's education and real estate problems, depicted by a powerhouse cast ― Lee Ji-ah, Kim So-yeon and Eugene.
The story appears to resemble the plot of JTBC's hit drama “Sky Castle” about rich families' extreme obsession with big-name colleges. However, “Penthouse” has taken a plot twist, with conflict between the residents to add more intense and extreme elements.
After the first episode, many viewers raised concerns over the disturbing plot and graphic scenes, such as Eugene's character Yoon-hee being attacked and her throat slit with a trophy.
“I was speechless the whole time I was watching this because it was so absurd and terrifying…. Let's be mindful of the series you write and how it would affect the viewers,” a user wrote on the series' website.
Some complained about the 15 age rating of the series as it included violent and sexual scenes.
A user wrote: “I'm worried if my kids will see this primetime drama on TV... the story and the scenes are too provocative.”
In response to the complaints, the network raised the age rating of the fourth episode to 19 (rated R) and said it will provide different age standards for different episodes.
However, despite the criticism, some still praised the interesting storyline and cliffhanger endings.
“The plot makes no sense, but it got me hooked,” a user wrote on a community.
Another person wrote: “Some parts of the story seem like it could happen in real life. It is a bit extreme but is addictive.”