The smash-hit K-drama "Penthouse 3" returns with a loud bang.
The SBS Friday series starts with a record-breaking achievement by beating its previous season's highest viewership rating.
"Penthouse 3" Episode 1 Scores High Viewership Rating
According to Nielsen Korea, the "Penthouse 3" premiere hits average nationwide ratings of 16.9, 19.5, and 19.1 percent for its three parts.
This makes the highly anticipated debut as the most-watched premiere to date. In addition, "Penthouse 3" episode 1 managed to land as the most-watched Friday show.
"Penthouse 3: War in Life" Recap: Life after their Reign in Hera Palace
The much-awaited evening drama began by featuring the life of now-convicted criminals in prison.
Hera Palace ladies Cheon Seo Jin (Kim So Yeon), Kang Ma Ri (Shin Eun Kyung) and Go Sang Ah (Yoon Joo Hee) are trying to survive being an inmate and being looked down on by the cell leader.
The same goes with Ha Yoon Chul ( Yoon Jong Hoon) and Assemblyman Lee Gyu Jin (Bong Tae Kyu) who had no other option but to follow orders imposed by their fellow inmates.
As for Joo Dan Tae (Uhm Ki Joon ), he is having a hard time coping with his new environment and thinks that he still has power and influence inside the prison.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Penthouse' Season 3 Star Han Ji Hyun Wants Joo Seok Kyung To be 'More Evil'
Mastermind Behind Logan lee's Death
"Penthouse 3" episode 1 also delved into Logan Lee's (Park Eun Seok) tragic death.
While in jail, Joo Dan Tae plans to get his revenge towards Shim Soo Ryeon (Lee Ji Ah) and Logan Lee.
To recall, the duo was the reason why Oh Yoon Hee (Eugene) confessed to her crime and named the personalities who were involved in Min Seol A's death.
Joo Dan Tae used Ha Yoon Chul as they engaged in a fight. Little did he know that he was about to get framed as the evil businessman stabbed himself to have an excuse to get out of prison.
While Joo Dan Tae was being treated in the hospital, Ha Yoon Chul explained that it was Dan Tae who stabbed himself and not him.
Of course, his statement was doubted by the officers and insisted that Ha Yoon Chul tried to kill his fellow inmate.
At the emergency room, Joo Dan Tae managed to escape by bribing the staff and got out by disguising himself as a doctor.
He was then accompanied by his trusty Secretary Jo (Kim Dong Kyu.)
As part of his revenge, he transformed himself into an old man and placed a time bomb next to Logan Lee's car.
Upon the arrival of Shim So Ryeon, he witnessed a bomb explosion that killed Logan Lee right before her eyes.
Shim So Ryeon's Hunch
Following the devastating accident, Shim So Ryeon believes that Joo Dan Tae was the culprit behind Logan Lee's death.
She raised this concern to the police but the investigator insisted that he was at the hospital at the time of the incident.
In addition, she was also surprised by the information that Logan Lee killed Na Aegyo and not Joo Dan Tae.
It appears that everything is going according to Joo Dan Tae's plan as he gets acquitted of the case.
Cheon Seo Jin Receives Probation
With Joo Dan Tae being acquitted over Na Aegyo's death, Cheon Seo Jin pretended to be mentally ill so she can have her probation and reduce her sentence.
After causing trouble inside the prison due to her alleged physiological disorder, the former primadonna was granted two years sentence with four years probation due to mental and physical weakness.
Interestingly, things went south as Shim Soo Ryeon and Oh Yoon Hee abducted Cheon Seo Jin, who was just leaving the prison.
The two brought Seo Jin to a cliff and interrogated her regarding Logan Lee's death.
Shim Soo Ryeon pointed out that she was behind Joo Dan Tae's plan to which she strongly denied.
"Penthouse 3" episode 1 wrapped up with a shocking scene as Shim Soo Ryeon and Oh Yoon Hee pushed her at the bottom of the cliff.
READ MORE: Update on 'Penthouse 2' Cast Eugene and Lee Ji Ah after the Success of the SBS Drama
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Written by Geca Wills
