ENA’s ‘The Scarecrow’ ends on record high ratings after starting in the 2% range

A drama that rewrote the history of ENA dramas has officially been born. What began quietly with a 2.9% viewership rating for its premiere steadily exploded through word of mouth, eventually reaching its own all-time high and peaking at a minute-by-minute rating of 9.3% during its finale. The series at the center of the phenomenon was ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama 'The Scarecrow.'

The relentless determination of characters who pursued the truth until the very end, the tragedy spanning 30 years, and the lingering pain of the victims who were never fully saved deeply moved viewers across the nation. Delivering a heavy and emotional message until its final moments, 'The Scarecrow' captivated audiences both emotionally and critically, ultimately becoming ENA’s highest-rated Monday-Tuesday drama of all time and the network’s second highest-rated drama overall.

According to Nielsen Korea, the final episode (Episode 12), which aired on May 26, recorded an 8.122% nationwide rating among paid households. The figure marked a 0.7 percentage point increase from the previous episode and set a new personal best for the series. In the Seoul metropolitan area, ratings climbed as high as 8.3%, while the drama’s peak minute-by-minute nationwide rating reached 9.3%. The coveted ages 20-49 demographic rating — a key indicator for advertisers — also rose to a peak of 3.3%, proving the show’s explosive popularity.

After opening with just a 2.9% rating in its first episode, the drama continued to rise sharply week after week before finally surpassing the 8% mark in its finale. With this achievement, 'The Scarecrow' not only claimed the No. 1 spot among all ENA Monday-Tuesday dramas in ratings history, but also secured the No. 2 ranking among all dramas ever aired by ENA.

The final episode depicted Kang Tae Joo continuing his relentless fight to uncover the truth behind a case that remained unresolved even in present-day 2019, 30 years after the original tragedy. Those who had spent years chasing the serial killer hiding behind the “Scarecrow” mask came to realize that they themselves had ultimately become no different from the scarecrow they pursued. Kang Tae Joo’s vow to stop living that way left viewers with a deep emotional aftertaste. The scene reflected his regret over never being able to live an ordinary life and his lingering grief for the people he failed to protect.

The Truth Behind the False Confession Finally Emerges After 30 Years

The retrial process shown in the finale unfolded with intense tension. Despite Lim Seok Man’s claims that he had been subjected to brutal police interrogation, former investigators Jang Myung Do, Do Hyung Gu, and Park Dae Ho appeared in court as witnesses and completely denied accusations of coercion.

In contrast, Kang Tae Joo confronted his own past mistakes head-on. He admitted that the radioactive isotope test — the crucial evidence that led him to conclude Lim Seok Man was the killer — had contained a fatal flaw, openly acknowledging his own error.

Kang Tae Joo also brought Lee Sung Jin, another victim who had suffered abuse during questioning in the past, to court as a financial witness. Prosecutor Cha Young Beom questioned Lee Sung Jin about whether Kang Tae Joo had ever assaulted him, but Lee Sung Jin instead described Kang Tae Joo as the man who had saved him and unexpectedly identified Cha Si Young as the true abuser. Lee Sung Jin testified that Cha Si Young, who had been the prosecutor in charge at the time, had pressured him into making a false confession. Cha Young Beom, who had always admired and respected his father, was left shaken by the unimaginable truth.

Kang Tae Joo later reunited with Seo Ji Won for the first time in 30 years after leaving Gangseong behind. Upon learning the tragic reason Kang Tae Joo had fled in silence despite knowing the truth behind the Yoon Hye Jin case, Seo Ji Won decided to stand beside him and help correct the wrongs of the past. Together, they prepared an exclusive report exposing the concealment of Yoon Hye Jin’s body by combining eyewitness testimony from serial killer Lee Yong Woo with Kang Tae Joo’s own statements — a report described as “the collaboration between a serial killer and a profiler.”

However, during the process, Kang Tae Joo made the shocking decision to publicly reveal the real names of the perpetrators involved in the case during the broadcast without prior discussion with Seo Ji Won.

Prosecutor Destroyed by His Own Lies, Even Abandoned by His Son

Conflict within Cha Si Young’s family also reached its peak after they learned he had lived while burying the horrifying truth. Cha Soon Young and Cha Young Beom could no longer accept him as family.

Cha Soon Young confessed to her son that the man responsible for driving Lee Gi Beom to his death had been Cha Si Young himself, the prosecutor in charge of the Gangseong serial murder case. She also revealed that before marrying him, her original name had not been Cha Soon Young but Kang Soon Young, and that she had once shared a special relationship with Kang Tae Joo.

Even so, Cha Young Beom held onto one final hope for his father. While condemning him for allowing innocent victims like his own father to suffer, he tearfully begged Cha Si Young to finally reveal the truth in court and sincerely apologize to Lim Seok Man and Yoon Hye Jin’s grieving family.

Yet even while sensing he was about to lose his son forever, Cha Si Young continued to lie in court until the very end, refusing to abandon his cowardly stance.

In the end, however, the very contradiction Kang Tae Joo had predicted became reality: “A truth buried by the police was ultimately exposed by a serial killer.”

Serial killer Lee Yong Woo personally appeared in court during Lim Seok Man’s retrial and testified that the infamous seventh murder had been entirely his own crime. Thanks to Lee Yong Woo’s decisive confession, Lim Seok Man was finally acquitted 30 years after being falsely accused. The sight of Lim Seok Man embracing his older sister, Lim Ji Hye, and breaking down in tears after finally escaping the unjust label of “murderer,” left viewers emotional.

The False Accusation Was Cleared, but the Tragedy Still Continues

However, even after securing a not guilty verdict, Kang Tae Joo could not shake his heavy heart. He admitted that the situation was far from over, revealing feelings of loneliness and emptiness. Yoon Hye Jin, who had gone missing, still had not returned to her family, and none of the masterminds behind the tragedy had faced legal punishment. In the drama’s final interview scene, Kang Tae Joo fiercely condemns serial killer Lee Yong Woo, who escaped legal consequences due to the expiration of the statute of limitations, saying, “Never mistake yourself for someone who did the right thing. The beginning of all this tragedy was ultimately you,” bringing the story to a powerful close.

The drama 'The Scarecrow' drew attention from its planning stages for being inspired by real-life serial murder cases that occurred in Korea between 1986 and 1991. While some viewers initially expressed concern as the series was inevitably compared to the acclaimed film Memories of Murder, Scarecrow ultimately earned praise episode after episode for its tightly written screenplay, suspenseful directing, and the overwhelming performances of its lead actors. The series was especially commended for thoughtfully revisiting painful tragedies that should neither be forgotten nor erased, while shedding light on the people still living under the shadow of those events and offering viewers a sincere sense of comfort.

“A Masterpiece Worth Watching” — Real Viewer Reactions Pour In

Immediately after the finale aired, viewers flooded online communities and social media with emotional reactions and lingering disappointment that the series had ended. Comments included, “It’s been a long time since I watched such a masterpiece. Goodbye, Scarecrow,” “Drama of the year. A perfect series from beginning to end,” and “Honestly one of the best dramas I’ve seen in recent years. The combination of Park Hae Soo and Lee Hee Joon was beyond words,” as audiences showered the series with praise.

Many viewers became deeply invested in Lim Seok Man’s story after he was finally cleared of false accusations 30 years later. Reactions included, “Lim Seok Man… congratulations on finally being found innocent,” “Seok Man’s story was heartbreaking… that final imagined ending scene was truly unforgettable. The emotional impact will last for a long time,” “The reunion scene with Lim Seok Man’s family stayed with me the most,” and “This drama could never have a happy ending… but I’m glad Seok Man was finally able to clear his name.”

Viewers also shared thoughtful interpretations of the characters’ fates and the ending itself. Some expressed anger toward the real culprit, writing, “Lee Gi Hwan, you were the beginning of all this tragedy,” while others reflected on the drama’s title, saying, “In the end, he really was just a scarecrow who could do nothing but stand there,” revealing the lingering emotional weight left behind by the finale. Others found solace in Kang Tae Joo’s tragic life, commenting, “I thought Kang Tae Joo had the cruelest fate, but the fact that someone like Seo Ji Won stayed by his side means he still lived a meaningful life.”

The cast’s intense performances also became a major topic of discussion. Viewers praised the actors with comments such as, “Lee Hee Joon’s acting was terrifyingly good… the details were incredible,” and “To all the actors, including the supporting cast — I cried along with your performances. It was amazing.”

Following 'The Scarecrow,' the new drama 'Doctor on the Edge' will premiere on June 1. The human medical romance series follows public health doctor Do Ji Eui, who is assigned to the remote island of Pyeondongdo — a place most people avoid — and nurse Yuk Ha Ri, who harbors a hidden secret. Actors Lee Jae Wook, Shin Ye Eun, and Hong Min Ki will star in the drama together.