Another knockout episode delivered viewer ratings that crowned 'Punch' as the night's winner. The drama, starring Kim Rae Won and Cho Jae Hyun, rated at 12.8 percent, which was a 0.3 percent increase from the previous episode. That meant the drama broke its own record twice in one week.
"Punch' is an emotional drama about what matters in life and about making your life matter. The main character Park Jung Hwan, played by Kim Rae Won, has made a lot of compromises in his life. In his job as a prosecutor, he sometimes looked the other way. He ignored wrongdoings. But once he finds out that he only has a short time to live, he decides to make amends and make his final days matter. That means exposing the corruption and lies perpetrated by those in power, particularly the Public Prosecutor.
Park Hung Hwan is no hero. He has often taken the easy way. But his efforts to expose corruption in his final days make him a character that viewers can cheer on and admire.
While "Punch" won first place in the ratings, the competing dramas "Shine Or Go Crazy" and "Healer" had impressive ratings too.
"Shine Or Go Crazy dropped 0.4 percent landing at 9.4 percent. The 20-episode drama "Healer" climbed 0.6 percent to 9.1 percent as it approached its final episodes.
Corruption and the pursuit of justice is also a theme in the drama "Healer." Ji Chang Wook's character has found the tape that will clear his father of murder. He also found The Elder, the man who makes so many of the drama's bad things happen and exposed his identity. Moon Ho has what he needs to expose his corrupt brother Moon Shik. But despite all the efforts of the characters to bring the villains to justice, they must endure more hurdles. Moon Shik deflects his brother's expose. And Moon Ho's paper Someday faces a summons from the Prosecutor's office and an investigation by the Tax Service.
In "Shine or Go Crazy" Oh Yeon Seo is still pretending to be a man. Jang Hyuk is still fooled by her disguise even though he previously met her as a woman. He is working at the trading company partially because he wants to be near her even though he does not fully realize that she is a woman. Hopefully they will move past this impediment soon. As unfairly deposed royals, they are perfect for each other.
