 |
| TV series "The Penthouse: War in Life 2" garnered a 26.9 percent viewership nationwide with its sixth episode aired Saturday. Capture from SBS |
By Dong Sun-hwa
Viewership ratings for the SBS drama "The Penthouse: War in Life 2" soared to a new high.
According to Nielsen Korea, the sixth episode aired Saturday scored a 26.9 percent viewership nationwide, the highest rating for the second season, with a 2.5 percent increase from the previous day.
Despite criticism over its violent and sensational storylines, the drama has seen a steady rise in viewership ratings since its Feb. 19 premier at 19.1 percent.
The final episode of its first season, which aired Jan. 5, hit its highest rating at 28.8 percent. With its nail-biting episodes and the actors' realistic depictions of their characters, the second season aims to break that record.
The soap opera portrays women who viciously protect their children and economic interests against anyone who gets in their way. The story about the wealthy women unfolds against a backdrop of a luxury high-rise apartment called "Hera Palace."
The series stars high-profile actors including Kim So-yeon, Eugene, Lee Ji-ah, Um Ki-joon and Yoon Jong-hoon.
It is written by Kim Soon-ok, known for her extremely sensational yet popular works such as "Temptation of Wife" (2008-2009), "Band of Sisters" (2017) and "The Last Empress" (2018). Kim has said she decided to pen "The Penthouse" to zoom in on the endless desires of people who put justice and conscience aside to pursue their own interests.
Joo Dong-min, who took the helm of the SBS drama "Return" (2018), is directing the series.
"'The Penthouse' is a cross-genre drama, which ranges from a thriller to a black comedy," he said in a recent media interview. "I am trying my best to make every scene come to life."
"The Penthouse 2" airs every Friday and Saturday at 10:00 p.m. (KST) and is also available on Wavve. The last episode of the second season is scheduled to air April 2, with a third season coming this May.
