Climax" (Vietnamese title: Extreme) tells the story of Bang Tae Seob (Joo Ji Hoon) - an ambitious prosecutor, willing to embark on a criminal gang to reach the peak of power. The marriage between him and former top actress - Chu Sang Ah (Ha Ji Won) is actually just a perfect play, covering up hidden calculations, betrayal and conspiracies to destroy each other.
After 8 episodes of screening, the film leads in terms of discussion in the TV series category, while Joo Ji Hoon holds the top 1 on the actor rankings, according to statistics from Good Data Corporation Fundex. However, this achievement does not reflect the actual attraction of the film on television.
According to Nielsen Korea, episode 8 of "Climax" broadcast on the evening of April 7 only achieved a viewership rating of 2.875% - the lowest level since the beginning of the film, even lower than the opening episode - 2.919%. Previously, the film peaked at 3.871% in episode 3, but then continuously decreased and showed no signs of recovery. Notably, ratings decreased even when the story entered its climax - when the intimate clip of Chu Sang Ah and Hwang Jung Won (Nana) was revealed.
According to Korean media, despite gathering a cast of talented actors such as Joo Ji Hoon and Ha Ji Won, "Climax" has not yet met expectations in terms of content. In which, the big problem lies in the inconsistent motives of the characters.
The main character Bang Tae Seob - a prosecutor who ventures into the world of power - is expected to be the center of the story, but is influenced by many character lines and overlapping details. In addition, dramatic elements such as scandals, murders, power, shocking endings... continuously appear, making it difficult for the story to create empathy, leading to rating loss.
Previously, director Lee Ji Won expressed his expectation that "Climax" could achieve a performance equivalent to "The Strange Lawyer Woo Young Woo" (highest rating 17.5%). However, when there are only two more episodes left to finish, this goal seems difficult to achieve.
Speaking about this, Joo Ji Hoon said that the success of a work is unpredictable. "From the perspective of a creative person, the results are not always predictable. Therefore, I always try to prepare carefully and do my best for each project.
The actor also said that in the current period, he wants to try his hand at many genres and different characters, although he is not always sure about the results. "At this age, I can still make romantic movies like "Love your enemy", or participate in colorful works like "Climax" perhaps because I am lucky. Even when he hesitating, I still choose to meet the crew and frankly discuss what I can do well and am not confident about" - Joo Ji Hoon shared.
