"Ano" Surpasses Ratings, Precise Build-Up by Lee Na-young, Jeong Eun-chae, and Lee Chung-ah

[USER PARABOLA=Ha Sujung reporter] ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama "Ano: Her Court" is showing an impressive rise. Following the record-breaking premiere ratings for ENA dramas, it has set new personal bests for three consecutive episodes, emerging as a rising star in the Monday-Tuesday evening television market. Particularly, viewers have been praising it as "the birth of a well-crafted genre work that you can't take your eyes off for a moment."

ENA Monday-Tuesday drama "Ano: Her Court" (directed by Park Gyeong-ho, written by Park Ga-yeon, produced by KT Studio Gemini, and produced by Haupicture, hereinafter "Ano") gained attention even before its premiere, as it spread word of mouth as "the meeting of a 'desirable' character and a well-made genre work." This expectation was also proven by the numbers. The first episode recorded a nationwide rating of 3.1%, setting a new record for the highest opening broadcast in ENA drama history, and the third episode aired this week reached a nationwide rating of 3.8% (provided by Nielsen Korea).

According to FUNdex, the official platform of GoodData Corporation, a research institution analyzing K-content competitiveness, "Aner" rose 12 rankings compared to the previous week and confidently claimed the top spot in the drama TV-OTT search response for the first week of February. The drama search issue keywords also saw Ina Young, Jeong Eun-Chae, Lee Chung-A, Yeon Woo-Jin, and Seo Hyun-Woo securing positions from first to fifth, proving their overwhelming popularity. This is why "Aner" is being watched as a work that continues the legacy of ENA's most successful productions. Here are the factors contributing to "Aner's" rising popularity.

#. The "Honor" has the bold actions and strong friendship of the three main characters.

The strongest word-of-mouth driving force of "Ano" lies in the bold actions and solid solidarity of three lawyers from the law firm L&J (Listen & Join): Yoon Ra-young (Lee Na-young), Kang Shin-jae (Jeong Eun-chae), and Hwang Hyun-jin (Lee Cheong-a). First, Yoon Ra-young is a character who becomes stronger in the face of crisis despite being tormented by trauma. She boldly exchanges DNA samples to keep a secret, and faces all kinds of threats by openly declaring "Our goal is Connect" during a live broadcast. Her choice that made an inaccessible secret organization approach was a crucial scene that heightened the intensity of the story.

Kang Shin-jae moves events with a planned and cool judgment. Especially, when he found out that his life mentor, attorney Kwon Jong-hyun (Lee Hae-young), was a user of "Connectin," he cleverly poured hot tea on his own hand in order to secure his phone. The unshakable judgment and persistence of Kang Shin-jae, even toward those closest to him, complete his character. Hwang Hyun-jin is an action-oriented person. When reporter Lee Joon-hyuk (Lee Joong-ju) died, he directly went to Lee Sun-hwa, who was Lee Joon-hyuk's source, breaking through the surveillance of henchmen who were twice his size, and found out about the existence of "Connectin." This persistent investigation disrupts the direction of the case and maintains tension.

In this way, these three lawyers choose to take action and turn the situation around, instead of merely hesitating or thinking. Their quick decisions and execution, even in crisis situations, serve as the driving force of "Anno," pushing the plot forward smoothly and allowing for deep immersion. The reason why the story proceeds without delay to the next phase is due to their bold actions. Moreover, their sincere friendship and solidarity become a motivation for wanting to continue supporting them. When someone makes a mistake or wavers, they extend a helping hand before blaming. Even when the client Jo Yu-jeong passed away and the threat from "Connect-in" became more explicit, the three of them chose together not to stop and to pursue the truth until the end. Their solidarity, which becomes stronger in the face of crisis, acts as the emotional core of the drama, going beyond a simple colleague relationship.

#. A meticulous mystery buildup that keeps you on the edge of your seat

Another reason why "Ano" keeps viewers from looking away is its meticulously designed mystery. Clues dropped gradually from the first episode are connected organically, stimulating the audience's detective instincts. The production year of the vintage wine delivered to the L&J 10th anniversary ceremony, the pattern of the stamp on Hwang Hyun-jin's hand, and the numbers scribbled on Kang Shin-jae's car were all clues meant to reveal the past that bound them as a fateful community—the incident that occurred by the lake in 2005.

At the end of episode 4, it was revealed that Park Joo-hwan, who was a member of the club in old photos, was Prosecutor Park Je-yeol (Seo Hyun-woo) who managed "Connect-in," causing a surge in tension. At the same time, the full details of the DNA exchange deal between Hong Yeon-hee (Baek Eun-hye), the head of the forensic science division, and others were also revealed. With the disclosure that her husband Park Je-yeol had pressured and monitored her, as well as the forensic report showing that Hwang Hyeon-jin's DNA matched the bloodstains from the 2005 incident, the past and present became connected by a single line.

Director Park Geon-ho had previously stated, "I designed the incident that happened 20 years ago not as a simple past event, but as an emotional layer invading the present of the characters. I focused on directing in order to allow the audience to empathize with the characters' psychology, along with the genre's fun of solving puzzles." This meticulous direction serves as a factor that enhances immersion in the mystery narrative. With the powerful drive of the "worship" characters, their strong solidarity, and a carefully constructed mystery that crosses past wounds with current events, these two elements interlock, establishing "Anno: Her Court" as a rising well-made genre film that takes charge of the Monday-Tuesday night viewing.

ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama "Ano: Her Court" is broadcasted every Monday and Tuesday at 10 PM on ENA, and is also available on KT Genie TV and Coupang Play.

/ hsjssu@TUSER PARABOLA.co.kr

[Image] KT Studio Gini