Actor Lee Jun-young’s spellbinding one-actor-two-roles performance has completely seized primetime viewers.
On June 8, Nielsen Korea reported that Episode 4 of JTBC’s weekend drama Reborn Rookie (hereafter "Reborn Rookie") aired on the 7th and scored a nationwide rating of 8.2%, rocketing to a new personal best for the series. Its peak minute hit 8.8%, marking the highest figure among JTBC dramas that aired this year.
In the latest episode, Hwang Jun-hyeon (Lee Jun-young) rolled out a tense, meticulously crafted strategy to face off against rival Kang Jae-seong (Jin Goo). Possessed by the spirit of Kang Yong-ho (Son Hyun-joo), Hwang boldly weaponized Kang Jae-seong’s daughter, Kang Jae-kyung (Jeon Hye-jin), to drive him to the edge.
Teaming up with Kang Bang-geul (Lee Joo-myung), Hwang not only succeeded in siphoning off Kang Jae-seong’s slush funds but also flipped Park Bong-gi (Lee Sung-wook), the manager of Materials Team 2, turning him into a new ally and shoring up a solid united front.
He then pushed a head-on clash by handing the Gangwon Province port infrastructure proposal to Kang Jae-kyung. Hwang’s persuasive pitch won support from the Gangwon governor’s office, dealing a critical blow to Kang Jae-seong’s project. On top of that, Park Bong-gi discovered evidence that the slush funds had been funneled into the Yooncheon City mayor’s election campaign and delivered it to Hwang—securing the decisive proof to bring Kang Jae-seong down.
But just as Hwang laid out his master plan in front of Kang Jae-kyung, an unexpected twist erupted. In the final moments, Kang Jae-kyung warned, “You picked the wrong person. Did you think I wouldn’t know who you are?” This chilling end, which seemed to pierce straight through Hwang Jun-hyeon’s true identity, cranked up the tension and left viewers desperate for the next episode.
Right after the broadcast, viewers flooded social media with praise for Lee: “Lee Jun-young’s acting is insane,” “He’s perfect for the role,” “His performance makes the character even more compelling,” “The nuance in his expressions is on another level,” and “Totally fell for him all over again.”
Meanwhile, the gripping ‘Reborn Rookie’ airs Saturdays at 10:40 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 p.m. KST, with replays available on TVING.