JTBC’s “Reborn Rookie” continued its strong run as Lee Jun Young’s character took full control of the succession battle.
Episode 5, which aired on June 13, showed Hwang Jun Hyun, played by Lee Jun Young, using his sharp mind to turn the rivalry between chaebol siblings Kang Jae Kyung, played by Jeon Hye Jin, and Kang Jae Sung, played by Jin Goo, into his own advantage.
The episode followed Hwang Jun Hyun as he calmly pushed back against Kang Jae Kyung, who suspected him of being a spy. He shocked her by firmly saying, “I will no longer join hands with you,” taking back control of the business game.
The succession war became even more intense as both siblings fought over the acquisition of GF Solution. Kang Jae Kyung tried to lower the company’s value by cutting off its funding, while Kang Jae Sung entered the fight with strong financial support from Taeha Group.
However, Hwang Jun Hyun was the one who had planned the bigger picture. Together with Kang Bang Geul, played by Lee Joo Myung, he stepped in with a bold deal involving a 300 billion KRW acquisition price and 30% company shares. His plan made the chaebol siblings compete even harder, causing the company’s value to rise.
As the tension grew, Hwang Jun Hyun’s strategy hit both sides at once. He gave Kang Jae Kyung a major financial blow while also weakening the power supporting Kang Jae Sung, creating one of the episode’s most satisfying moments.
The drama also recorded strong ratings. According to Nielsen Korea, episode 5 scored 8.1% nationwide and 8.0% in the Seoul metropolitan area.
At its most intense moment, the rating rose to a peak of 9.5%. The 2049 target rating, which is important to advertisers, also reached 3.1%.
