Distorted (TV series)

Distorted
Promotional poster
Hangul
조작
Genre
Written byKim Hyun-jung
Directed byLee Jung-heum
Creative directors
  • Park Bo-ram
  • Kim Ji-yeon
Starring
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes32
Production
ProducerPark Hyung-ki
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time35 minutes
Production companyThe Story Works (SBS)
Original release
NetworkSBS TV
ReleaseJuly 24 (2017-07-24) –
September 12, 2017 (2017-09-12)

Distorted[1] (Korean: 조작; Hanja: 造作; RR: Jojak; lit. Falsify) is a South Korean television series starring Namkoong Min, Uhm Ji-won, Yoo Jun-sang, Jeon Hye-bin and Moon Sung-keun. It aired on SBS from July 24 to September 12, 2017 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 22:00 (KST) for 32 episodes.[2][3]

Synopsis

Reporters Han Moo Young (Namkoong Min) and Lee Seok Min (Yoo Jun-sang), and Prosecutor Kwon Sora (Uhm Ji-won) struggle to unveil the truth that was falsified.[4][5]

Cast

Main

A troublemaker who witnesses his brother, a reporter, die while trying to report on a big corruption scandal. To avenge his brother's death, he becomes a reporter himself.[8]
A prosecutor who graduated at the top of her class and became well known for becoming the youngest ever female rookie.
A journalist who is cynical and stubbor, he is a prickly person who's a sceptic with a lot of injustice to vent.
A reporter from the Splash Team who has a long working history with Lee Seok-min.
Director of Daehan Newspaper.

Supporting

Aeguk Newspaper

Splash Team

Prosecution

Extended

Special appearances

Han Moo-young's brother who died for whistleblowing an article on a big corruption scandal.
  • Kim Jong-soo
  • Jo Young-jin
  • Lee Sang-hong
  • Cha Soon-bae as Kim Sun-hong
  • Yoo Ha-bok
  • Kim Hyung-mook
  • Jung Ok
  • Park Hoon as an informant
  • Joo Suk-tae as a lawyer (Ep. 7)

Production

Filming began in early May without the female lead. First script reading with the entire cast took place in June and filming commenced straight after.[16]

Reception

Despite premiering later than its competitors by one week, the series topped ratings for its time slot.[17] It received attention for revealing cases that remind viewers of the infamous "Sung Wan-jong List," one of the biggest political corruption scandals during the former Park Geun-hye administration, and swimmer Park Tae-hwan's doping test scandal.[18]

Original Soundtrack

Distorted OST
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
Released2017
GenreSoundtrack
LanguageKorean
Label
  • Blending Co., Ltd.
  • SBS Content Hub Co., Ltd

Part 1

No.TitleArtistLength
1."Where Are You" (어디있나요)Suran03:25
2."Where Are You" (Inst.) 03:25
Total length:06:50

Ratings

  • In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
Ep. Date Average audience share
TNmS Ratings[19] AGB Nielsen[20]
Nationwide Seoul Nationwide Seoul
1 July 24, 2017 9.3% (18th) 12.3% (5th) 11.6% (6th) 13.5% (5th)
2 9.6% (16th) 12.4% (4th) 12.6% (4th) 14.6% (4th)
3 July 25, 2017 8.7% (12th) 11.4% (5th) 10.4% (6th) 11.7% (5th)
4 10.5% (7th) 13.3% (4th) 12.5% (4th) 13.8% (4th)
5 July 31, 2017 9.1% (14th) 10.8% (5th) 11.3% (5th) 12.3% (5th)
6 9.8% (13th) 11.6% (4th) 12.0% (4th) 13.3% (4th)
7 August 1, 2017 8.3% (15th) 10.6% (5th) 9.5% (7th) 10.6% (5th)
8 10.2% (10th) 12.7% (4th) 12.1% (4th) 13.3% (4th)
9 August 7, 2017 9.0% (15th) 11.7% (5th) 10.3% (8th) 11.1% (5th)
10 9.7% (14th) 12.7% (4th) 11.8% (4th) 12.8% (4th)
11 August 8, 2017 8.7% (12th) 11.2% (6th) 10.1% (6th) 11.4% (5th)
12 10.2% (9th) 12.7% (4th) 11.4% (4th) 13.0% (4th)
13 August 14, 2017 7.6% (19th) 8.6% (10th) 9.9% (9th) 11.1% (6th)
14 8.4% (15th) 9.5% (7th) 11.4% (4th) 12.6% (4th)
15 August 15, 2017 7.9% (15th) 8.8% (6th) 10.6% (6th) 11.8% (5th)
16 9.1% (8th) 10.5% (4th) 12.2% (4th) 13.8% (4th)
17 August 21, 2017 8.0% (17th) 9.6% (6th) 9.7% (11th) 10.7% (7th)
18 9.2% (14th) 11.2% (4th) 11.2% (6th) 12.5% (4th)
19 August 22, 2017 9.3% (11th) 11.2% (5th) 10.2% (7th) 11.4% (5th)
20 10.6% (8th) 13.1% (3rd) 11.6% (4th) 12.5% (4th)
21 August 28, 2017 8.7% (16th) 9.7% (10th) 9.6% (10th) 10.5% (7th)
22 9.6% (13th) 11.2% (4th) 10.9% (6th) 11.9% (5th)
23 August 29, 2017 8.0% (16th) 9.6% (8th) 9.9% (9th) 11.0% (5th)
24 9.0% (13th) 10.5% (5th) 11.6% (4th) 13.0% (4th)
25 September 4, 2017 8.6% (16th) 10.6% (5th) 10.0% (8th) 10.6% (6th)
26 9.2% (13th) 10.7% (4th) 11.6% (4th) 12.2% (4th)
27 September 5, 2017 7.5% (15th) 9.1% (6th) 10.3% (5th) 11.3% (5th)
28 8.7% (11th) 10.3% (4th) 12.2% (4th) 13.3% (4th)
29 September 11, 2017 9.1% (15th) 10.6% (9th) 10.3% (10th) 11.2% (5th)
30 10.4% (13th) 11.9% (4th) 12.4% (5th) 13.4% (4th)
31 September 12, 2017 11.0% (10th) 12.7% (4th) 11.0% (6th) 11.6% (5th)
32 11.8% (8th) 13.1% (3rd) 12.4% (4th) 13.0% (4th)
Average 9.22% 11.13% 11.08% 12.23%

References

  1. ^ "[English] Distorted". SBS International. Seoul Broadcasting System. Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  2. ^ "남궁민, SBS '조작' 출연 확정…"열혈기자, 부패와의 전쟁"" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-04-20.
  3. ^ "Journalists gaining popularity in screens". 17 September 2017.
  4. ^ "[POP이슈]'김과장→조작' 남궁민의 열일이 반가운 이유" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-04-20.
  5. ^ 스타), SPOTV STAR (스포티비 (20 April 2017). 조재현, '조작'으로 남궁민 만날까…"제안받고 검토 중". SPOTV STAR (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-04-20.
  6. ^ "남궁민 측 "SBS '조작' 출연 확정, 캐릭터 연구 시작" [공식입장] : 스포츠동아". sports.donga.com (in Korean). 20 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
  7. ^ "Trashy tabloid reporter turns hero in SBS TV's 'Distorted'". Yonhap News Agency.
  8. ^ 남궁민 측 "'조작' 확정, 차기작 많은 고민 했다" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-04-20.
  9. ^ 남궁민·유준상·엄지원, '조작' 주연 라인업 확정..본격 촬영 돌입 [종합] (in Korean). 7 June 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  10. ^ [공식입장] '조작' 유준상, 출연 확정..탐사보도 전문기자 (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  11. ^ "전혜빈, SBS '조작' 출연 확정…열혈 사진기자 변신텐아시아". 텐아시아 (in Korean). 15 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  12. ^ [공식입장] 문성근, 8년만 드라마 복귀...'조작' 출연 확정 (in Korean). 18 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  13. ^ 김강현, 차기작 '조작' 확정 – 한국스포츠경제. 한국스포츠경제 (in Korean). 21 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  14. ^ "[단독] '도깨비' 처녀귀신 박경혜, 이번엔 기자…SBS '조작' 합류" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  15. ^ POP, 헤럴드 (25 May 2017). 신예 오아연, '조작' 인턴기자役..유준상·전혜빈과 호흡 (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  16. ^ "[단독] 엄지원, SBS '조작' 여주인공 출연 확정". Star News (in Korean). 7 June 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  17. ^ "'Falsify,' about reporters exposing social injustices, tops ratings". Kpop Herald.
  18. ^ "Dramas on 'fake news' steal viewers' attention". The Korea Times. 7 August 2017.
  19. ^ "TNMS Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu". TNMS Ratings (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  20. ^ "AGB Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu". AGB Nielsen Media Research (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2017-03-24.