Ryu Seung-ryong Faces 'Impossible Choice' in 'A Tale of the Office Worker' as Ratings Hit New High

JTBC's weekend drama 'A Tale of the Office Worker' (also known as 'Mr. Kim's Story') captivated audiences, achieving its highest viewership ratings to date with the latest episode.

The 6th episode, aired on April 9th, focused on Kim Nak-soo (played by Ryu Seung-ryong), a factory worker desperately trying to return to headquarters. His struggles resonated with viewers, pushing the drama's ratings to a new personal best of 5.6% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 4.7% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea.

Initially hopeful after receiving advice to 'handle any assignments from headquarters decisively,' Kim Nak-soo grew increasingly frustrated as no tasks materialized, fearing he might be laid off. His anxieties were further amplified by nightmares of being abandoned by everyone, including his wife Park Ha-jin (played by Myung Se-bin), who had passed her real estate exam, and his colleagues.

His efforts to impress his superiors, including drafting educational reports and conducting safety inspections, were met with harsh criticism from Managing Director Baek (played by Yoo Seung-mok). Baek dismissed his work as merely 'going through the motions,' leading to an explosive confrontation where Kim Nak-soo finally voiced his pent-up resentment and sense of betrayal, culminating in a physical altercation.

Just as all hope seemed lost, the Head of HR, Choi Jae-hyuk (played by Lee Hyun-kyun), visited the Asan factory with an unexpected and daunting proposal: Kim Nak-soo must select 20 employees to be laid off from the factory amidst company-wide downsizing. The HR chief hinted that succeeding in this task could pave the way for his return to headquarters, leaving Kim Nak-soo in a deeply agonizing dilemma.

The episode also touched upon Kim Soo-gyeom's (played by Cha Kang-yoon) predicament, who found himself burdened with a 30 million won debt due to a fraudulent scheme orchestrated by Lee Jung-hwan (played by Kim Soo-gyeom), CEO of 'Jealousy is My Strength.' His desperate situation adds another layer of tension to the unfolding narrative.

The next chapter of Kim Nak-soo's fight for survival and his family's story will continue in the 7th episode of 'A Tale of the Office Worker,' airing this Saturday, April 15th, at 10:40 PM.

Korean netizens expressed significant empathy for Ryu Seung-ryong's character, Kim Nak-soo. Comments ranged from praise for his acting, such as "Ryu Seung-ryong's acting is incredible," to heartfelt reactions like, "Seeing Mr. Kim struggle so hard to survive is heartbreaking." Many viewers are eagerly anticipating the next episode, with comments like, "Will he really be able to fire 20 people? I'm so curious about the next episode."