In the midst of positive reviews, TvN's Wednesday-Thursday series "Prison Playbook" is regarded as the finest drama, giving support and hope for everyone's life.
The final episode of "Prison Playbook" (directed by Shin Won-ho, playwright Lee Woo-jung, and playwright Jeong Bo-hoon) broke its own record with an average audience rating of 11.2% and a maximum of 13.2% based on national paid platform households. It ranked first in the same time slot on all channels, including terrestrial channels, achieving a successful conclusion. Men and women in their twenties to fifties rated first in the same time slot, including terrestrial broadcasting, regardless of age or gender, eliciting full support and sympathy. It was a rare cable drama with a double-digit viewership rating that outperformed terrestrial dramas.

There were concerns about "glorifying criminals" because the jail was the major backdrop and many of the characters were convicts, yet "Shin Won-ho magic" was activated as the play began and continued. The tiny and profound surprise plot captured viewers' attention, and the distinctive personalities and superb performances of the characters combined to offer them a new impression that they had never experienced before, and the drama became popular.

The production crew, which made the "Reply" series a national sensation, hit back-to-back home runs with this effort. "Prison Playbook" is a new work by PD Shin Won-ho, who directed the "Reply" series, which drew a lot of attention before the program ever aired. While dealing with "Prison," which is not widely known to viewers, it has grabbed attention in the background by appealing to the charm that appears to be distinct from "Reply." So, what type of drama is tvN's "Prison Playbook," which airs Wednesdays and Thursdays?

1.  “Prison Playbook” Planning Intentions and Characters

The drama is an episode drama about individuals living in an unknown environment in a jail.

The jail, which must house more than ten people in the space of roughly 9.9 square meters, must do business in a restroom with a plain view, has no names calling each other out, and lacks age, position, and freedom. "Prison Playtime" is the adaptation phase for superstar baseball player Kim Je-hyuk, who was imprisoned overnight, during the resurrection period for making a return in the harshest environment, and the growing period of living in a prison society. The fundamental topic of the new jail area is the narrative of love between people and the story of humans. 

There are two versions of the character posters: one in white that emphasizes the character's nice side and one in black that emphasizes the character's evil side. The characters continue to demonstrate nice looks by getting near to the main character Kim Je-hyuk in the film, but in the end, they show that there is neither ultimate evil nor absolute good, just as they are criminals.

"Even those who have been to (jail) cannot proudly recount their experience," stated producer Shin Won-ho. "Jail is also a place where people live," he remarked, adding, "I have no intention of praising prison." The piece "Prison Playbook" plainly indicates the PD's objective. So, there are many comments that the narrative of the correctional life did not come to mind throughout the entire period, and that they focused on the stories of each individual in the jail and looked into their lives. The production team, which has been working on interviews and data surveys for over a year, revealed a foreign location termed "jail" as a space where details and realities dwell. He vividly described everything he ate, slept, and dressed while imprisoned.

Park Hae-soo (played by Kim Je-hyuk): Over-defense / one One-year Older / Baseball player

He is the Nexen Heroes' top finisher, having earned the Korean Series' Most Valuable Player Award for the second year in a row, the Golden Glove Award for three consecutive losses, the Save King, and the ERA King. They are monster closers who own all of the Korean save records. He does not consume soda, fast food hamburgers, alcohol, or cigarettes while playing baseball. When it comes to baseball, he is more delicate and elegant than everyone else, but he is a maddening sloth off the field. a tough-guy demeanor with little emotional expression and a delayed reaction. He's your average in-the-ear guy. He attacked an attempted rapist who was attempting to rape his younger sister Je-hee a few days before departing for the United States for a major league deal and ended up in prison, not in the United States. He expected to be freed from the detention center after a month, but after the attempted rape was brain-dead and condemned to one year in jail, imprisoned in Seobu Prison in two rooms and six rooms.

Jeong Gyeong-ho (Lee Jun-ho): Prison guard

Mr. Lee is an outstanding guard who is clever and fast to learn. They are known for their friendliness and sociability, and they may be compassionate and sneaky at times. Individualists who appear close to the jail guards but have never had a drink in a private area, address the inmates by their numbers rather than their names, and keep a respectable distance. He was a member of the western detention center at first, but when his buddy Kim Je-hyuk was transferred to the western jail, he accompanied Kim Je-hyuk there as well. They are unaware that they are friends with Kim Je-hyuk and just know him as a great admirer of Kim Je-hyuk in detention centers and jails. He used to be a baseball player like Kim Je-hyeok.

Jeongsujeong (Kim Ji-ho):

A university student enrolled in an oriental medical school She is Kim Je-ex-hyuk's girlfriend and the daughter of Kim Je-hyuk and high school baseball coach Lee Joon-ho. Her father died in a vehicle accident when she was 11 years old. She was a little girl who referred to Je-hyuk as "uncle," but when she grew older and began dating, she referred to Je-hyuk as "older brother." Ji-ho, who can't bear frustration and has a short fuse, and Je-hyuk, who only understands baseball, will split up due to personality clashes, but she will continue to visit even after Je-hyuk is imprisoned.

Im Hwa-young (Kim Je-hee)

As Kim Je-younger hyuk's sister, she was almost sexually abused in the house, but she escaped when Kim Je-hyuk arrived home just in time. Because of the trauma, she has packed her purse with self-defense supplies, and she has mocked Jun-ho that she is a faucet because she cries anytime she talks about her brother, maybe because she believes her brother has become like way because of her. She is a professional cook who prepares well, yet she is bland.

2.  Evaluation

The collaboration of Shin Won-ho (PD) and Lee Woo-jung, as confirmed by the Reply series, is gaining positive feedback as a drama produced in a cohesive effort.

The blend of human drama and dark comedy genres resulted in a new genre of entertainment, gaining a positive appraisal that "We specialized in the unique drama genre of Shin Won-ho PD." The wonderfully seeping laughing in the darkest part of the jail, as well as the unexpected twist storylines of many people, were both enjoyable and imparted thoughts and meanings to consider.

In contrast to the film, the drama features a background of a prison that was treated with spices and side dishes, minimizes viewers' rejection, shows various interesting episodes taking place in it, and in the meantime, there are many positive responses to the work and screenplay that the drama and reality are well balanced by highlighting various human groups and the dark reality of the prisoners. Furthermore, it is well-received for the superb performances by performers with extensive experience.

Female characters, such as Je-hyuk's boyfriend Ji-ho (Jeong Su-jeong) and his younger sister Je-hee (Im Hwa-young), who lead the love line, also revealed their deep emotions. Furthermore,  In addition, Beopja (Kim Seong-cheol), Jun-dol (Kim Gyeong-nam), Yeom Ban-jang (Joo Seok-tae), Jeom-bak (Choi Seong-won), Kim Min-seong (Shin Jae-ha), Myung Professor (Jeong Jae-seong), Geon-dal (Lee Ho-cheol), So-ji (Lee Hoon-jin), Yoo Dae-wi's older brother Jeong-min (Jeong Mun-seong), and Hanyang's boyfriend Ji-won (Kim Jun-han) made strong impressions with their own distinct personalities and stories.

In particular, Cho Joo-im and Seong Dong-il, who played a part in setting the mood in the early stage in a short and bold manner by showing a shocking reversal of the transformation of existing famous actors, Jeong Woong-in, the head of the big boss who said harsh words whenever he opened his mouth but helped rehabilitate inmates with a warmer heart than anyone else, and Jeong Gyeong-ho, the most unrealistic angel character who seems to be the most unrealistic, as a result, Jeong Hae-in, the charismatic but innocent-looking angel who shot the heart, Jang Ki-soo and Choi Moo-sung, who deeply regretted the past mistakes of youth and gave a conviction that if anyone lived in prison for half a lifetime, it would be like that. All of them performed an unforgettable act.

3.  Digression

Many actors from Daehak-ro's theatrical and musical communities have been cast. Along with the principal actors' Park Hae-soo and Lee Kyu-hyung, Daehak-ro also stars Park Ho-san, Jung Moon-sung, Lee Sang-eun, Choi Sung-won, Kim Sung-chul, and Kang Joo-joo. There are also several single cast members in Daehak-ro, including Kim Ji-hyun, Kim Ki-moo, Lee Hoon-jin, Choi Yeon As a result, theater and musical enthusiasts pay close attention to the drama.

There were many complaints made during the broadcast that the BGM plagiarism crisis started too soon and that tvN's ongoing plagiarism problem was not being addressed. It's entertaining to see episodes that serve as a reminder of actual events, such as the one when Kim Min-sung (Shin Jae-ha) is denied parole because he has one point less than necessary. As a heavy and challenging figure who simultaneously touched on the taboos of drugs and homosexuality, Haerongi Yoo Han-yang gave birth to the "Haerongi Syndrome" thanks to actor Lee Kyu-hyung.

"This work, which deals with the narrative of incarceration, is bitter on the one hand, yet you could see the exhilaration lurking in it," producer Shin Won-ho remarked. It's a comedy about irony or pays source rather than a comedy about humor that arises from comedy or pay source."

Shin Won-ho, the creator, said: "In the context of prison, I was able to depict numerous instances of reversal and opposing feelings. Because of this, viewers' feelings seem to be more varied now than in their earlier works. There are more reasons than ever to reflect on oneself and more opportunities than ever to think differently while examining the numerous characteristics of each person that they can have as a human. I'm grateful for that and the viewers' unconditional support " he said.

4. Reactions from Actors

• The cast of "Prison Playbook" has a large number of drama players, so it is enjoyable to discuss different stories with them at a dinner party. They also frequently interact privately and are close to one another, as seen by interviews with the actors.
  "Prison Playbook" was a drama that, in the words of actor Park Hae-soo, "became a turning moment to promote actor Park Hae-soo further to the public."
  Before "Prison Playbook," the lead character had always been performed by actor Jung Kyung-ho, who claimed he didn't give a damn about the script's chronological chronology. He deliberately called women merely to do good acting with good actors doing good things, and producer Shin Won-ho was one of them.
• Producer Shin Won-ho, who also directed the "Reply" series, claimed that ever since they first met, he had longed to collaborate with the filmmaker. There were a lot of emotional sequences, and when I first had the experience of getting into character, it's been said that acting was a chance to feel fascinated.