The chicken man with a secret past
tvN’s newest Monday-Tuesday drama, ‘The Audacious Mr. Shin’ (Shin Sajejang Project), kicked off on April 15 with an explosive premiere episode. At its center is veteran actor Han Sukkyu, playing a former legendary negotiator who now poses as a laid-back chicken restaurant owner. But don’t let the apron fool you—this man is out to crush corruption, one negotiation at a time.
Highest premiere ratings for a Monday-Tuesday drama
The pilot episode captured an impressive 6.5% average rating in Seoul, peaking at 7.9%, and scored 5.9% nationwide according to Nielsen Korea. Among tvN’s key demographic of viewers aged 20–49, the show ranked number one in its time slot across all cable and general networks. Not bad for a guy who spends most of his day frying chicken.
Behind the counter: a high-stakes conflict
Episode one wastes no time showing off Shin’s unique skills. He calms a desperate man threatening to self-immolate—an opening scene packed with tension. Soon after, an old colleague ropes Shin into mediating a messy dispute between local merchants and a TV station—allegations of a fake news report and a shady development ploy swirl just beneath the surface.
Joining him is rookie judge Cho Philip (played by rising star Bae Hyunseong), who may be fresh-faced but proves to be more than just a sidekick. Think odd-couple buddy drama, but with legal negotiations and hacking instead of donuts and stakeouts.
Real estate, revenge, and reckless driving
Things escalate when Shin discovers a real estate plot behind the broadcast dispute. A sketchy investment group has snapped up vacated properties caused by the news story fallout—shady much? With the help of a hacker friend and his delivery crew (cameos by Jung Eunpyo and Lee Rae), Shin survives a near-fatal highway ambush involving freight trucks and a speeding train. (Yes, really.)
After narrowly escaping death and catching his breath next to Cho Philip, Shin delivers the now-iconic line: “Guess you haven’t heard the rumors about me—I’m the boss. Shin Sajejang.” Cue fan chants and dramatic theme music.
Is this the birth of Korea’s first negotiation superhero?
Episode one masterfully blends slice-of-life moments at the chicken shop with the adrenaline of backroom deals and corporate coverups. But what truly hooks the audience is Han Sukkyu’s charisma: behind his casual smirk is a boss man reviving his past to rewrite the rules. His explosive charm and cool-headed tactics offer the same emotional payoff as seeing a K-drama vigilante take down the elite—just via contracts instead of fists.
With director Shin Kyungsoo, known for his tight pacing and cheeky direction, and a compact ensemble cast including Lee Rae and Jung Eunpyo, the drama promises plot twists, high-stakes face-offs, and maybe even a little found family dynamic inside that fried chicken shop.
The most important question now: What exactly turned this everyday ajusshi into a justice-seeking negotiator? And how far is he willing to go?
Stay tuned. The negotiation has just begun.
