Drama viewership ratings for the week of Dec. 6-12, 2021
by SailorJumun
We had two new shows come in and then three shows wrap up. First, romance Our Beloved Summer had a quiet premiere week, with 3.2 and 2.6 percent. Similarly, psychological thriller Artificial City premiered to 3.6 percent but dropped to 2.6 percent the next day.
Over the weekend, Happiness and Inspector Koo both ended with 12 episodes, Happiness with an all-time high of 4.2 percent. Jirisan ended with the usual 16 episodes, having had consistently strong ratings. The weekend slot has had some good variety lately, so I’m interested in seeing what’s next!
Drama viewership ratings for the week of Dec. 6-12, 2021
| Ep. # | Station | Rating | |
| Monday, Dec. 6 | |||
| The King’s Affection | 17 | KBS | 8.4% |
| Our Beloved Summer | 1 | SBS | 3.2% |
| Idol: The Coup | 9 | JTBC | 0.7% |
| Secret Royal Inspector and Joy | 9 | tvN | 4.5% |
| Tuesday, Dec. 7 | |||
| The King’s Affection | 18 | KBS | 9.4% |
| Our Beloved Summer | 2 | SBS | 2.6% |
| Idol: The Coup | 10 | JTBC | 0.4% |
| Secret Royal Inspector and Joy | 10 | tvN | 4.6% |
| Wednesday, Dec. 8 | |||
| School 2021 | 5 | KBS | 1.6% |
| Artificial City | 1 | JTBC | 3.6% |
| Melancholia | 9 | tvN | 3.2% |
| Thursday, Dec. 9 | |||
| School 2021 | 6 | KBS | 1.7% |
| Artificial City | 2 | JTBC | 2.6% |
| Melancholia | 10 | tvN | 2.2% |
| Friday, Dec. 10 | |||
| The Red Sleeve Cuff | 9 | MBC | 10.9% |
| Now We Are Breaking Up | 9 | SBS | 6.9% |
| Happiness | 11 | tvN | 3.5% |
| Saturday, Dec. 11 | |||
| Young Lady and Gentleman | 23 | KBS | 29.5% |
| The Red Sleeve Cuff | 10 | MBC | 10.2% |
| Now We Are Breaking Up | 10 | SBS | 6.8% |
| Inspector Koo | 11 | JTBC | 1.5% |
| Chimera | 13 | OCN | 1.2% |
| Happiness | 12 | tvN | 4.2% |
| Jirisan | 15 | tvN | 7.6% |
| Sunday, Dec. 12 | |||
| Young Lady and Gentleman | 24 | KBS | 33.6% |
| Let Me Be Your Knight | 6 | SBS | 1.7% |
| Inspector Koo | 12 | JTBC | 2.3% |
| Chimera | 14 | OCN | 2.0% |
| Jirisan | 16 | tvN | 9.2% |
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Tags: drama ratings
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1 emsel
December 12, 2021 at 6:49 AM
Happiness might have touched 6%, had it aired in the prime time slot because it was really good and was keeping up with times, especially the human sentiment and reaction towards the pandemic.
I also noticed that Red Cuff of the Sleeve has been maintaining a 10% range for the past 3 episodes. I don't mind the Court Lady and her followers scene, but I guess, the koreans aren't liking her subplot and it is impacting the ratings.
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bong-soo
December 12, 2021 at 7:05 AM
I almost pulled the plug on HAPPINESS after episode 6. The building residents were Soo off putting. Maybe out of loyalty to PHS and the desire for a bean!) I decided to push on and I am glad I did. Episodes 11&12 are on tap for me tonight.
Re: THE RED SLEEVE CUFF. Because of company last weekend I got behind but I am now into episode 10. I am with those viewers who are not crazy about the Head Court Lady and Cabal plot line. 6 more episodes to go with this?
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bong-soo
December 12, 2021 at 7:07 AM
(Note: my iPad changed so to Soo. I give up this thing has a mind of its own.)
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DancingEmma
December 12, 2021 at 9:49 AM
I feel you bong-soo. I think my ipad’s keyboard is possessed. It has been defective from day one. I should have returned it but more important things took priority during the lockdowns.
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emsel
December 12, 2021 at 8:59 AM
7 more. They have decided to extend the drama by one more episode.
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bong-soo
December 12, 2021 at 9:57 AM
You are right. I forgot. Overall I am enjoying RSC and will be with it to the end.
(O/T. It is a while since I can recall an episode being added to a drama rather than the other way around.)
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miss h
December 12, 2021 at 8:05 AM
It's a terrible timeslot. Maybe something can get high ratings there, but I do think Happiness could have done better elsewhere.
That subplot and KBS's sageuk on Saturday might have slowed the momentum.
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2 kiara
December 12, 2021 at 7:52 AM
@sailorjumun
KBS's "The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won" premiered yesterday at 8.7%. Can it be included in the Sat/Sun dramas?
A solid debut, but it might not be a good thing for RED SLEEVE's Saturday rating.
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sparks121
December 12, 2021 at 10:47 AM
There's wayy too many dramas airing on Saturday; it's ridiculous.
Red sleeve and yi bang won have different demographics they appeal to methinks- but yeah, there's going to be some remote fights for sure! (And indeed, Saturday ratings might dip for red sleeve as younger people tend to watch on their phones or computers)
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kiara
December 12, 2021 at 3:05 PM
I kind of like the competition where the two sageuks will have to earn their ratings.
Both are shorter-length remakes based on their own popular sageuks.
MBC, RED SLEEVES (YI SAN -2007), KBS, THE KING OF TEARS, LEE BANG-WON (TEARS OF THE DRAGON-1996) with KING OF TEARS is very close to the original.
It's funny how KBS almost kept the same title, even the historical event at the beginning was on the Wihwado Retreat.
I know we've had a lot of different versions of it in the last few years, but I don't seem to find it boring.
I love the pilot episode; it's old school and historically accurate, just the way I like it.
We might need our own geek-out corner for this. LOL.
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sparks121
December 12, 2021 at 4:17 PM
The choice of English title is interesting, considering in korean the title is just Taejong Yi Bang Won.
Yes! I liked the pilot too. Ah, I want both dramas to keep do well!
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kiara
December 12, 2021 at 6:19 PM
Oh, I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing!
"The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won" Eps 2 - 9.4%.
Well, another sageuk is off to a good start, and I'm glad that authentic sageuks is still popular in Korea.
bong-soo
December 12, 2021 at 6:58 PM
@kiara, It is always good news to me when the pilot episode of a new sageuk passes muster with you! Almost like a seal of approval. Yes I know we have a long road ahead but it is always good to start strong.
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WishfulToki
December 13, 2021 at 7:51 AM
@marcusnyc20 @kiara
I've only seen the teasers for THE KING OF TEARS but I was sold. "Authentic sageuks" are my jam (so we're no longer using "fusion sageuk?"). It seems in this version the Yi family is at centre stage. I don't think the women and other brothers were prominent enough in recent versions so I'm very very intrigued. I must make time during the holidays to catch up on sageuks!
bong-soo
December 13, 2021 at 1:22 PM
@wishfultoki,
So good hearing from you Toki! After BOSSAM (Dae-yeop rip) I had a long sageuk dry spell until the Taec vs Junho horserace began. Now with LEE BANG WON commencing its 32 episode run I am up to my ears in sageuks. The next three weeks are going to be a challenge.
It looks like you might be getting back into the mix with LEE BANG WON so that is great.
kiara
December 13, 2021 at 1:42 PM
@marcusnyc20, @wishfultoki
It's kind of nice to sit back and relax.
I'm not quite sold with Joo Sang-wook's Bang-won yet, but we'll see. Kim Young-chul, on the other hand, is always majestic in sageuks.
Toki, yes, it's nice that the focus is on the Yi family. It's nice to see all of the Yi brothers in this version.
Bang-won's wife is getting her fair share of screen time, so I like that. Bang-won's biological mother is part of the show, too, so it's interesting to see the two wives together.
I hope you'll be back soon, Toki.
bong-soo
December 14, 2021 at 6:48 AM
@kiara, quick report. I watched episode one of LBW (abb. for THE KING OF TEARS, LEE BANG WON for now) and loved episode one. It looks like a straight, historical presentation. I am fully onboard.
You probably picked up on this but recently the 2007 seventy seven episode sageuk from MBC, LEE SAN, WIND OF THE PALACE became available subbed on Kocowa and Viki US.
Maybe that bodes well for the Kocowa big 3 (KBS, SBS and MBC) to release other older sageuks.
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kiara
December 14, 2021 at 3:16 PM
OMG, that is awesome!
We've been complaining for years about how these epic sageuks from the golden era are collecting dust somewhere in the studio and hoping they'd release them.
I believe @mrskorea did the subtitle for YISAN. I wish they'd keep it, but I understand that viki will do their own.
So there is hope that TEARS OF THE DRAGON. 🙏🏽
MBC should do a JUMONG mini-series then release the original.
I have a long list of 3 kingdom-era sageuks I'd love to watch with English subs.
Thank you so much for this, @marcusnyc20.
bong-soo
December 14, 2021 at 3:44 PM
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bong-soo
December 14, 2021 at 3:49 PM
@kiara, It would be great.
FYI, LEE SAN is available fully subbed on Viki US. My impression is that Viki is now picking up subs from Kocowa.
Also available subbed on both Kocowa and Viki US:
1. MBC’s DAE JANG GEUM/JEWEL IN THE PALACE (2003/4)
2. KBS’s THE PRINCESS’S MAN (2011)
3. SBS’s JANG OK JUNG, LIVING IN LOVE (2013) and
4. KBS’s BRIDAL MASK (2012).
(These are just some of the dramas that I have noticed appearing on Kocowa over the last few months.)
kiara
December 14, 2021 at 6:59 PM
@marcusnyc20
It's not hard to find the 2011 sageuks with subs since licensing started. The older one from the late 1990s-2010 is harder to find with subs.
DAE JANG GEUM was very popular overseas, and the subs were always available. Same with JUMONG.
It's sageuks like TEARS OF THE DRAGON (KBS 1996), (HUR JUN ( MBC 1999), EYES OF DAWN (MBC 1991), SANGDO (MBC 2001), and more that is still hard to find with subs.
Maybe they are too old, too long, and not in demand but still very much an essential part of this genre's glory days.
3 Tazzo
December 12, 2021 at 8:11 AM
Happiness was FIREEEE!!! Wish tvn or Netflix was broadcaster!! Phs is precious and should be protected for human kind at all cost! I wish he would do more projects!!
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Tazzo
December 12, 2021 at 8:18 AM
Oh wait! It did broadcast with tvn, why the rating’s so low? So weird South Korea didn’t watch it as much as it should have!! An absolute treasure of a show.
Did you guys notice how sleek woo jin was in action scenes?? Man!! It takes skills to have sharp action scenes, I was soooo impressed with his handling the gun scenes!
I wanted to ask, is Han tae seok a common name for guys in sk? This colonel had the same name as that of the guy in Sisyphus
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bong-soo
December 12, 2021 at 7:15 PM
I agree PHS is special and if you have not seen it definitely check out his performance in SUITS (2018) (Netflix US). It was his last drama before entering the military. I just finished HAPPINESS tonight and he was terrific in his comeback drama but of the four dramas I have now seen him in (with HWARANG, SWDBS and HAPPINESS being the other three) I still think he gave his best performance in SUITS.
He is mentioned for a couple of projects but the one I hope eventually gets produced is the Korean remake of the jinxed cdrama THE GOLDEN HAIRPIN. It is based on a novel by the same name by Qinghan CeCe which is available in english. I read it in anticipation of the Korean remake and PHS would be perfect for the male lead role of the Prince.
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loveblossom🌸
December 13, 2021 at 5:19 PM
Ooohh I have seen all those dramas except Suits. I was going to try it and then kept putting it off. Wasn't sure about the plot.
I like him, but he didn't really impress me until Happiness. I hope his next role is another good one. I just read briefly about the Korean remake. It sounds interesting, but I haven't seen anything by that writer.
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bong-soo
December 13, 2021 at 5:38 PM
SUITS is the Korean remake of the American series by the same name. It is a legal drama set in law firm (for the most part). I had not seen the original series so I went in with no preconceptions on who should be who. It was also my first Jang Dong-gun drama and I thought he was terrific. I don’t think you will go wrong going with SUITS.
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Tazzo
December 14, 2021 at 3:44 PM
I have watch suits and still think swdbs shows the finest phs as that shows his acting range. Suits was good and another one to show his acting range. The boi is genius and I lurv him. Lol look at me turning into puddles for this guy!
The only thing I haven’t watch of phs is hwarang, didn’t think I would be able to handle him not getting the girl and also that was just too much hair and boys lol
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bong-soo
December 14, 2021 at 3:57 PM
I consider myself a HWARANG ‘survivor’ but one of the things I am grateful to it for is introducing me to the Park ‘brothers’: Seo-joon and Hyung-sik. SJ is hyung being the older of the two.
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redfox
December 15, 2021 at 8:08 AM
perhaps Netflix will pick up Happiness cause I mean, they grab everything in the zombie genre and it does well there. except, it is not quite the zombie genre, more like evil humans genre.
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4 miss h
December 12, 2021 at 8:13 AM
Saturday is way too crowded. With Uncle and The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won added this week, that is 9 dramas, most of them overlapping. I know ratings during the week tend to be lower, but I wish they would spread them out more.
I'm not surprised by the ratings for Our Beloved Summer given Korean's tastes, but I love it.
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misery
December 12, 2021 at 8:56 AM
Saturday is ridiculous. IDK who thought this was a good programming decision. They'll end up cancelling each other out even when the timing doesn't overlap because who can watch that many dramas in one night? Clearly nobody thought this through.
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emsel
December 12, 2021 at 9:03 AM
Yes, spoiled for choices on the weekend but begging for dramas on the mid week slot.
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OldLawyer
December 13, 2021 at 12:25 PM
You are absolutely right. I had to choose and so went with UNCLE (which is good so far) but definitely plan on watching KING OF TEARS- and even more so now that I am hearing good things about it.
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5 gina
December 12, 2021 at 8:54 AM
JTBC is not the channel to be on this year. Lets hope Snowdrop revives the ratings for the channel going into 2022.
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6 Kurama
December 12, 2021 at 10:47 AM
I'm happy that The King's Affection is still doing well.
They were 4th in the top 10 of Netflix \o/
Even Forbes mentioned it for the top 10 KDrama on Netflix, saying it started too late to be in there.
KBS is lucky because they just are blocking all their content to international viewers...
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7 OldLawyer
December 12, 2021 at 1:19 PM
RED SLEEVE CUFF is still doing well despite the insertion of the secret society of court ladies (Fairy Palace). I wonder if that was in the historical novel that this show was adapted from or was it shoved in as filler to make this a sixteen episode show? That there could be palace intrigues is a given but this plotline seems a little over the top- and may have had an effect on the ratings, making it a mis-step.
YOUNG LADY AND GENTLEMAN is staying strong and deserves its ratings.
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8 theimprintonmynose
December 12, 2021 at 4:55 PM
I'm probably the only person here watching One Ordinary Day. The story is actually quite disappointing btw and I'm about to drop it at ep4. For an 8-ep drama, I expected a fast-moving plot but it barely moved in the first 4 episodes. Nobody is really investing and asking what might've actually really happened with Kim soo Hyun. And I don't know what's the relevance of Cho seung won's character is in the story. He's barely doing anything and we keep watching him doing mundane stuff. It's repetitive and annoying. :/
I mean this is an overused premise: a man wrongfully accused of murder. I've seen this in so many dramas already I was expecting better plot and pacing but this just pales if you compare it, for example, with Defendant.
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theimprintonmynose
December 12, 2021 at 4:57 PM
*nobody is really investigating
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9 spazmo
December 13, 2021 at 1:11 AM
why are there no stats on One Ordinary Day?
: |
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Spaghetti
December 13, 2021 at 7:15 AM
It's not airing on any channel. It's a web drama.
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10 loveblossom🌸
December 13, 2021 at 5:25 PM
I'm glad Happiness reached higher ratings by the finale. Wish it had gotten more recognition though.
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11 Myra
January 10, 2022 at 7:31 AM
There is one more thing to do: please add the missing dramas to the drama list here: Show window, Uncle and King of tears, Yi Bang Won!
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