‘Boyhood’ Episode 1: Im Siwan Unexpectedly Becomes the White Tiger of Ansan
A comedy with nostalgic feels, "Boyhood" Episode 1 entertained viewers with Im Siwan's portrayal of a country boy named Jang Byung Tae.
Set in the mid-1980s, the 10-episode series depicts the story of a high school student who is used to getting bullied but becomes the campus' most powerful kid overnight after getting involved in an accident.
Released on November 24, Im Siwan is joined by Lee Sun Bin, Lee Shi Woo, and Kang Hye won as the lead stars of "Boyhood."
On top of it, the newest comedy series is directed by the notable Lee Myung Woo of the hit K-dramas "The Fiery Priest," "Backstreet Rookie," and "One Ordinary Day."
'Boyhood' Viewership
Kicking off with a promising start, "Boyhood" Episode 1 joined the rating race with an impressive beginning.
In a report, Nielsen Korea recorded an average nationwide rating of 4.6 percent.
Moreover, the newly launched K-drama ranked first among Coupang Play's most popular works.
Interestingly, "Boyhood" Episode 1 drew enthusiastic responses from various online communities, highlighting Im Siwan's unexpected acting transformation as the country boy.
'Boyhood' Episode 1 Recap
Titled "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: The Legend Begins," Jang Byung Tae found himself stuck in an unfamiliar situation.
The pilot episode drew back to 1989, when Jang Byung Tae became one of the targets of three bullies in their high school at Onyang.
READ MORE: Im Siwan Participates in Building Korea's First Lou Gehrig Nursing Hospital
As he got home, figuring out how to avoid the bullies, his father surprised the family by saying that they needed to get out of Onyang as soon as possible.
For someone like Jang Byung Tae, figuring out how to finally escape the bullies seemed like an achievement. However, just as when he found a way to avoid them, he was forced to live in another town.
With this, Jang Byung Tae was devastated after he realized that everything would start from scratch, which included meeting new classmates and encountering new school bullies.
However, his life changed when he met Jung Gyung Tae.
After getting into an accident, he noticed that his name sounded like the unconscious victim, who happened to be Jung Gyung Tae.
Since his new school, Buyeo Agricultural High School, belonged to a relatively small town, rumors started circulating that a new kid was in town.
Meanwhile, Jung Gyung Tae was still unconscious and needed to be transferred to an emergency clinic.
However, he noticed something odd about his surroundings. Instead of getting bullied, he made more friends and received invitations from the school bullies.
In the last scene, Jang Gyung Tae unexpectedly figured out the thing that was bothering him.
After joining a group of bullies, he was called the "White Tiger of Ansan," and realized that people knew about him only through his nickname and reputation for being violent.
It turned out that the people referring to him are not him but Jung Gyung Tae, the man who was rushed to the emergency department.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Im Siwan Accepted 'Squid Game' Offer Without Second Thoughts - Here's Why
For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.
KDramaStars owns this article
Written by Geca Wills
