Ja Myung Go kicks off with a whimper
by javabeans
So, who caught the premiere of Jung Ryeo-won‘s new grand historical series Ja Myung Go [자명고]? (It has apparently dropped the “Princess” from its title.)
…Nobody? Well, you’re not alone — ratings were abysmal (4.1%), considering the months of hype leading up to it.
After trying to maneuver its premiere to evade ratings behemoths East of Eden and Boys Before Flowers, Ja Myung Go‘s Monday “special” broadcast pulled in a weak 5.8%. But that wasn’t too upsetting, since specials that air before a drama’s premiere tend to draw low numbers.
But its first episode on Tuesday aired at probably the worst time ever — it had to contend with the ever-increasing numbers for BBF and the grand exit for Eden.
Song Seung-heon, of East of Eden
So, let’s talk about ratings.
I find ratings fascinating. It’s one of those things we try to have both ways. The numbers totally don’t matter, except when they’re good and then they do, but then once they go bad we try to say they don’t matter again.
In Eden‘s absence on Monday, Boys Before Flowers shot up to its personal best, 35.5%. As I said, Ja Myung Go‘s weak special broadcast isn’t a big deal, but I would have expected a higher number given Eden‘s absence. Ah, the power of baseball.
Tuesday, however, meant that Eden was back with its last two episodes. It finally broke the 30% barrier for the first time in a while with its finale, although technically the last episode had no prime-time competition — Eden‘s episode 55 drew a 25.8% against Flowers‘ 31.2% and Ja Myung Go‘s 4.1%. Because of the pre-emption from the day before, Eden‘s finale followed in the 11 pm hour with a 30.1%.
Boys Before Flowers
Like I said, to some extent these ratings numbers don’t mean much. Yet, on the other hand, it’s fascinating to look at the trends, as though they represent more than mere viewing habits.
And whatever our opinion on television ratings, the fact is that they drive the business, and to completely disregard them would be ignoring a key facet of the industry. While they may not indicate a drama’s quality, they do affect productions in significant ways: money, accolades, prestige, future work for the actors and crew.
I wouldn’t write off Ja Myung Go yet, however — it will have its chance to recover; with 50 episodes, there’s a lot of time to build. Plus, MBC’s next offering doesn’t look like very strong competition: 16-episode drama Queen of Housewives [내조의 여왕], starring Kim Nam-joo (Voice of a Murder) and Oh Ji-ho (Single Papa in Love).
Personally, I’m more interested in seeing if the tragically flawed but inexplicably addictive Boys Before Flowers will be the first miniseries (i.e., non-daily) in a while to break the 40% barrier. (I say it will.)
Via TV Report, My Daily, Yonhap News
RELATED POSTS
Tags: Boys Before Flowers, drama ratings, East of Eden, Ja Myung Go, Jung Ryeo-won, Park Min-young
Required fields are marked *
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
1 etsy
March 11, 2009 at 1:14 PM
whats the last drama to break 40%?
Required fields are marked *
mandy
July 10, 2012 at 6:40 PM
The moon that embraces the sun
Required fields are marked *
2
March 11, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Yes yes totally agree with you there!! I believe BOF will definely break the 40 barrier very soon.... but the truth is I don't know why I'm losing interest to the point I gave up watchin the drama?!?! I'm so frustrated that there is only 5 episodes left and no development on the main couple what so ever all I see is JE/JP or the second dude and JD!!! Quick question are you goin 2 write up on Princese Ja Myung Go or Ja Myung Go !!!?? It kind of sounds interesting I might just watch that instead of BOF...
Required fields are marked *
3 Jay
March 11, 2009 at 1:19 PM
I kinda hope Ja Myung Go does recover somewhat. I have no intention of watching it, but a 50 ep blunder would suck, given (like you said) SBS's hype for it.
Required fields are marked *
4 Javabeans
March 11, 2009 at 1:23 PM
The only recent series I can remember breaking 40% are all daily dramas, which are a different beast. (Temptation of Wife, Likable or Not...) I can't recall the last miniseries that broke 40%... must go look it up.
Required fields are marked *
5 belleza
March 11, 2009 at 1:25 PM
Yeah, the 4% was absolutely brutal, but as there was only one episode this week, I think most of the potential audience planned to catch up on the w/end rerun. Both EoE and BBF did 30s, so there was virtually no viewing audience left for anything else. Nothing to worry about . . . yet. :D
"Boys Before Flowers will be the first miniseries (i.e., non-daily) in a while to break the 40% barrier. (I say it will.)"
It's only a matter of when. When East of Eden didn't air a new episode, BBF finally got the numbers it deserved (yes, its 30-ish numbers undercuts its actual popularity) and drew a 35.
"whats the last drama to break 40%?"
For non-daily, My Name is Kim Sam Soon and Jumong, which averaged a 40.
Required fields are marked *
6 AudHepFan
March 11, 2009 at 1:37 PM
My guess would be 가을동화 from 2000.
Required fields are marked *
7 Javabeans
March 11, 2009 at 1:38 PM
First Wives Club broke 40%, but if you wanna get technical, it's not a miniseries.
Required fields are marked *
8 hmmm...
March 11, 2009 at 1:39 PM
So I'm just curious, what's the rating for the baseball event?
Required fields are marked *
9 AudHepFan
March 11, 2009 at 1:40 PM
If Korea was playing Japan on that day, I would say at least 25%
Required fields are marked *
10 AudHepFan
March 11, 2009 at 1:44 PM
Here's another question, which drama (daily or not) recorded the highest ever rating? 첫사랑 ? 모래시계 ?
Required fields are marked *
11 Gallivanter
March 11, 2009 at 1:48 PM
So, I'm a little clueless on Korean ratings. I mean, obviously, the higher the better, but I'm so used to seeing these in the American millions of people number. Are these numbers the percentage of viewers among people watching TV that night, or all of Korea, generally? And for that matter, do you have any idea if it's counted like the Nielson ratings, where it's just a small sampling, that's probably not that accurate?
Required fields are marked *
12 mcjayjay
March 11, 2009 at 1:55 PM
oh yea BOF needs to break the 40% <3
EOE is finally over!!! now i need to catch up, im 14 episodes behind :S
Required fields are marked *
13 flooooo
March 11, 2009 at 1:59 PM
speaking about my name is Kim Sam Soon, I was really like it to the point I hated JRW (not her fault though) but I couldn t after that overcome my hatred that at each movies or dramas she appeared I couldn t watch it make me frustrated because some of them seems interesting in the story...am I becoming an antifans because of just one drama or is it just mean that KJR is a good actress for making me hated her? ;)
te story of princess Ja myung Go seems ok and watchable but there is something in me that stop me to watch it!
no I am becoming psychotic! :)
anyway rating tends to be a conduct line for any show in this planet and it isn t showing the reality. here in europe, they just put a machine in some household (criters of selection is unknown but it seems to be more an average family) and they just calculate the rating from all this average family. sincerely it represents not really all the population. for example put only a machine in a family with only one tv....(I think u know what I mean). so in conclusion, there s no democracy in the rating and it is a representation of the quality of the show?!! i
Required fields are marked *
14 Javabeans
March 11, 2009 at 2:02 PM
Ah, you guys are workin' my Naver-ing skills!
All righty, according to a search, here are the top ratings of all time for a single episode (note that some of these dramas are daily or long-running):
1. First Love 첫사랑 (KBS2) ---------------- 65.8% (1997년 4월20일)
2. What's Love 사랑이 뭐길래 (MBC) ----------- 64.9% (1992년 5월24일)
3. Sandglass 모래시계 (SBS) --------------- 64.5% (1995년 2월 6일)
4. Heo Jun 허준 (MBC) ------------------- 63.7% (2000년 6월27일)
5. A Place in the Sun 젊은이의 양지 (KBS2) ---------- 62.7% (1995년11월12일)
6. You and I 그대 그리고 나 (MBC) ---------- 62.4% (1998년 4월12일)
7. Sons and Daughters 아들과 딸 (MBC) --------------- 61.1% (1993년 3월21일)
8. Emperor Wang Gun 태조 왕건 (KBS1) -------------- 60.2% (2001년 5월20일)
9. Eyes of Dawn 여명의 눈동자 (MBC) ----------- 58.4% (1992년 2월 6일)
10. Dae Jang Geum 대장금 (MBC) ----------------- 57.8% (2004년 3월23일)
However, when you consider overall runs, you get:
01. What's Love 사랑이 뭐길래 (MBC) ---------- 59.6% (1992)
02. Sons and Daughters 아들과 딸 (MBC) -------------- 49.1% (1993)
03. Heo Jun 허준 (MBC) ------------------ 48.9% (1999)
04. First Love 첫사랑 (KBS2) ---------------- 47.2% (1996)
05. Sandglass 모래시계 (SBS) --------------- 46.7% (1995)
06. Dae Jang Geum 대장금 (MBC) ----------------- 46.3% (2003)
07. Double Take 보고 또 보고 (MBC) ------------ 44.7% (1998)
08. Eyes of Dawn 여명의 눈동자 (MBC) ----------- 44.3% (1992)
09. Truth 진실 (MBC) ------------------- 42.7% (2000)
10. You and I 그대 그리고 나 (MBC) ---------- 42.4% (1997)
Required fields are marked *
15 downer
March 11, 2009 at 2:20 PM
4.1% that's really bad!
Required fields are marked *
16 Ishida
March 11, 2009 at 2:21 PM
And with the next drama from Song Ji-na (Sandglass & Eyes of Dawn) following BOF, it's quite obvious KBS2 will be keep this first place for a while. It's "funny" because before BOF, KBS2 had a lot of flop in the ratings in MON/TUE drama.
Required fields are marked *
17 GreenFreak
March 11, 2009 at 2:26 PM
A lot the high rating dramas were in the 90's...
Does it mean there are less t.v. viewing now, or just more dramas to watch.
I'm thinking there's a whole lot more competitions now.
I would be fun to see BBF reach the 40's.
Required fields are marked *
18 Airajuliafor
March 11, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Question... did SamSoonbreak that 40% barrier?
Anyhoo... I really think that once Boys Over Flowers wraps up, the ratings for this show WILL RISE.
Required fields are marked *
19 Biscuit
March 11, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Soon BBF will end (dont we have only 2 more episodes left?) so I'm sure theres more chances for higher ratings ^^
Required fields are marked *
20 Javabeans
March 11, 2009 at 2:44 PM
BBF has six episodes left.
I think Sam-soon's highest episode was a 49% or 50%. If you take its overall average, it was somewhere in the upper 30's.
GreenFreak, I don't think we'll ever see numbers that high as in the 1990s. It's kind of like US television -- with all the diversifying options these days, there's just too much competition and we're not going to see the same numbers we saw when there were only three stations and limited offerings. In addition to cable channels, there are so many options now -- downloads, internet, rebroadcasts -- that people aren't always going to watch the episode when it airs at its scheduled time.
Required fields are marked *
21 jo
March 11, 2009 at 2:47 PM
BOF is overrated. EOE is simply wasted.
Required fields are marked *
22 selva
March 11, 2009 at 2:50 PM
oh man, I'm SAD about the ratings of Ja Myung Go .__. I saw the 1st episode, it wasn't this great, but yeah it shows lot of the hard work that has been done for the drama!! and also it has potentials to be really interesting in the upcoming episodes! Hope the ratings rise in the next week, so the production team will keep the quality of the drama as it is!!
Required fields are marked *
23 Pretendingtobe
March 11, 2009 at 3:16 PM
lost in all this was the fact that despite the ratings, Ja Myung Go's first episode was really strong...
dialogue's are not too old-korean language heavy without losing any of the poetic flair many saeguk dramas have, also i was kinda weary on the wire fighting scenes but its not too overdone, aka flying on roofs etc...
plus its not too heavy on the wide-eyed cuteness that my brain has been overdosing on while watching BOF or the cliche dump that 'Cain and Abel' is... which in some sense is a relief... not that cliches or cuteness is bad...
Required fields are marked *
24 Kobe
March 11, 2009 at 3:24 PM
I kinda feel bad for them especially after all the build up and trying so hard to avoid the competition, they STILL came up against BoF and EoE .
I thought the first episode looked pretty good and PMY's acting is getting better, but it all amounts to nothing if no one's watching! Who's gonna be watching even after BoF and EoE ends? Isn't the first episode supposed to be the puller episode that grabs the viewers attention?
Required fields are marked *
25 Biscuit
March 11, 2009 at 3:25 PM
6 episodes??
As much as I love it, I feel like its dragging and *almost* want it to end soon >.>
But seeing how majority of the high rated dramas were 90's early 2000... Most of my favorites were in that time period, and IMO, I felt most are better than the ones we have today :/
Sandglass will always be a top-favorite~~~
But I guess you're right. I really dont rush to the tv to watch a show when I know I can just watch it anytime I wanted to via internet :/
Required fields are marked *