[HanCinema's News] Hype for "The Penthouse 3" Hits Crescendo Prior to Release

With "The Penthouse 3" scheduled to begin this coming June 4th, all other drama news has slown to a crawl to prepare for what will surely be a momentous event. With a ratings high of 31.5% in its second season, "The Penthouse 3" is almost assured to break multiple records. The intense class conflict drama has led not just in ratings, but in streaming sales, online clip views, and even international markets compared to its various competitors.

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"The Penthouse 3" started to build hype in the second week of May, when it made its first appearance in the Good Data Report in eighth place despite being three weeks away from release. "The Penthouse 3" has maintained its position in the Good Data Report outperforming ongoing projects. The teaser video has been viewed over three million times, making the interest of the public in "The Penthouse 3" quite indisputable.

Much of the confidence derives from the promise of continuity. SBS confirmed "The Penthouse 2" and "The Penthouse 3" before "The Penthouse" had even finished airing. Purportedly, screenwriter Kim Soon-ok already had several ideas for how to extend the drama before that time. The seasonal schedule has been particularly useful for allowing fans to come up with their own theories, while still having faith that Kim Soon-ok knows how to tie the story together in a satisfactory manner.

Perhaps the biggest factor in this hype is the simple question of how the villainous character played by Um Tae-goo can ultimately be defeated. As was seen in "The Penthouse 2" even being given a long-term prison sentence does not appear to have effaced his awesome extralegal powers. The soap opera style plotting coupled with moments of extreme violence has viewers hooked, with the only real outstanding question being just how high the drama can go.

Written by William Schwartz