W (TV series)
W is a 2016 South Korean television series, starring Lee Jong-suk and Han Hyo-joo. Consisting of 16 episodes, it aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:00 on MBC from July 20 to September 14, 2016. W centers on the clash between "two worlds": the real world and an alternate universe inside a webtoon, from which the title of the television series was taken.
The series received praise for its unique premise and ranked first in Content Power Index in its premiere week. It achieved modest ratings of 11.63%, topping viewership ratings in its time slot for its entire run.
Plot
The series focuses on the eponymous fictional webtoon entitled W, written and illustrated by its legendary author and illustrator Oh Seong-moo which begins to function on its own, like a different world existing there. W became so famous in South Korea that even its printed versions became a best-seller there.The storyline of the webtoon W starts with the younger years of its main character Kang Chul, a handsome and intelligent boy who is also skilled in shooting. He becomes famous in South Korea as he won a shooting competition during the 2004 Athens Olympics. But this fame is interrupted when the unknown Murderer massacres his family, and he is erroneously accused of the crime. Another villain, Han Cheol-ho, handles the case to gain political popularity, urging the court to impose death penalty upon Kang Chul. Despite his efforts, Kang Chul is deemed innocent of the crime. Depressed over losing his family, he attempts to commit suicide over the Han River but stops himself and chooses to search for the real killer instead and devote his life to crime-fighting.
Ten years later, Kang Chul becomes a multimillionaire. He starts "Project W" in an effort to catch the real culprit behind his family's death; part of the project is his television broadcasting company dubbed "W," after the initials of the interrogatives "who" and "why". One night, he receives a suspicious phone call and is severely injured by the same mysterious Murderer on the rooftop of his penthouse. Then even stranger things happen. The story runs about the question whether he will be able to make his life 'A happy Ending'.
Cast
Main
- Lee Jong-suk as Kang Chul
- Han Hyo-joo as Oh Yeon-joo
- * Hyun Seung-min as teenage Yeon-joo
- * Park Min-ha as child Yeon-joo
Supporting
Characters from the webtoon ''W''
- Kim Eui-sung as Han Sang-hoon
- Jung Yoo-jin as Yoon So-hee
- Lee Tae-hwan as Seo Do-yoon
- Park Won-sang as Han Cheol-ho
- as Son Hyun-seok
People around Oh Yeon-joo
- Kim Eui-sung as Oh Seong-moo
- Lee Si-eon as Park Soo-bong
- as Gil Soo-sun
- as Park Min-soo
- Kang Ki-young as Kang Suk-beom
- as Gil Soo-young
- as Sun-mi
- as Yoon-hee
Others
Special appearances
- as Kang Yoon – Chul's father
- Kim Na-woon as Yoon Mi-ho – Chul's mother
- Seo Shin-ae as Kang Soo-yeon – Chul's sister
- Choi Min-young as Kang Joon-seok – Chul's brother
- Hwang Seok-jeong as Webtoon Writer
- Ahn Se-ha as Kim Poong-ho – Yeon-joo's blind date
- as Anchorman
- Heo Il-hoo
Production
The first script reading of the drama was held in May 2016.
The drama is Han Hyo-joo's small screen comeback after six years.
Original soundtrack
OST Part 1
OST Part 2
OST Part 3
OST Part 4
OST Part 5
OST Part 6
OST Part 7
OST Part 8
OST Part 9
Charted songs
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Remarks |
Title | Year | KOR Gaon | Sales | Remarks |
"Where Are U" | 2016 |
| ||
"Please Say Something Even Though It Is A Lie" | 2016 |
| ||
"Falling" | 2016 |
| ||
"Without You" & Yeoeun ) | 2016 |
|
Album charts
Chart | Peak position |
South Korea | 16 |
Taiwan | 17 |
Ratings
In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.- Episode 8 was not aired on Thursday August 11 due to broadcast of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This episode was aired on Wednesday August 17, 2016.
Awards and nominations