‘A Trap Called Desire’ Starts Strong at 6.4% as Jang Seo-hee Returns to KBS After 12 Years [Breakthrough]

‘A Trap Called Desire’ got off to a smooth start with ratings in the 6% range. Jang Seo-hee, known as the “queen of ratings,” also made a successful return to KBS daily dramas after 12 years.

According to Nielsen Korea, the first episode of the KBS2 daily drama ‘A Trap Called Desire,’ which aired on the 10th, recorded a nationwide household rating of 6.4%.

‘A Trap Called Desire’ is a revenge drama about a woman who was falsely accused of murder and had her life taken away, as she fights a huge desire and reclaims her life.

The episode showed how the fates of Joo Mi-ran (Jang Seo-hee), Kang Hae-ra (Joo Sae-byeok), and Go Eun-seol (Jeon Hye-won), who had lived very different lives, began to intertwine.

Go Eun-seol and Kang Hae-ra faced off at an art contest awards ceremony. Go Eun-seol, who grew up in an ordinary family surrounded by her parents’ love, won the gold prize in recognition of her outstanding talent. In contrast, Kang Hae-ra, the sole heir to Cheongma Group, showed strong feelings of inferiority and rivalry toward Go Eun-seol, who beat her to the top.

Her jealousy deepened when Cha Seok-jin (Seol Jung-hwan), the man she had feelings for, also turned his attention to Go Eun-seol.

Kang Hae-ra eventually damaged Go Eun-seol’s painting on purpose and warned, “Seok-jin oppa is my man. I can’t stand seeing anyone touch what’s mine,” signaling a full-scale clash between the two.

Joo Mi-ran, played by Jang Seo-hee, also made her appearance. Joo Mi-ran, who entered Cheongma Group as a nanny, cared for Kang Hae-ra with a gentle demeanor, but she was hiding her own desires beneath the surface. In particular, she secretly helped Kang Hae-ra submit someone else’s painting in her place, hinting that she would stand at the center of the events to come.

Near the end of the broadcast, a fire broke out in the art room as Kang Hae-ra tried to damage Go Eun-seol’s painting. The first episode ended with Go Eun-seol staring in shock amid the flames, heightening curiosity about what tragedy their bad blood will lead to.

Above all, Jang Seo-hee’s transformation in her return to KBS daily drama after 12 years drew attention. Known for leaving a strong impression as a victim at the center of revenge stories, Jang Seo-hee is taking on the role of a ruthless villain in this project.

At a production presentation held earlier, she said, “I have mostly played victim roles seeking revenge, but this time I thought I could show the complete opposite side of myself.” She added, “I hope viewers will say, ‘Jang Seo-hee is back after a long time, and something feels different.’”

She also expressed confidence, saying, “Since this is a villain role, I’m prepared to be criticized. In the <a href="https://bitcomme.com/jbs-reports-second-quarter-2026-results/” title=”JBS Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results”>second half of 2026, I’ll take the heat with a smile.”

With ‘A Trap Called Desire’ launching at 6% ratings from its very first broadcast and marking the beginning of Jang Seo-hee’s villain transformation, attention is now focused on whether she can once again prove her title as the “queen of ratings” through this drama.

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.