Drama viewership ratings for the week of May 20-26, 2024
by DB Staff
Our surprise of the week is that Crash continues on its steady rise in week two. The trajectory is good, if the drama continues to keep it up. Lovely Runner has also been gathering word of mouth during its run and is inching towards 5%.
Our two new weekend dramas – Bittersweet Hell and Connection — have a nice start with 6.0% and 5.7% respectively, but we’ll see where they land after next week when viewers settle into a show.
Drama viewership ratings for the week of May 20-26, 2024
| Ep. # | Station | Rating | |
| Monday, May 20 | |||
| Crash | 3 | ENA | 3.8% |
| Dare to Love Me | 3 | KBS | 1.5% |
| Lovely Runner | 13 | tvN | 4.6% |
| Tuesday, May 21 | |||
| Crash | 4 | ENA | 4.1% |
| Dare to Love Me | 4 | KBS | 1.4% |
| Lovely Runner | 14 | tvN | 4.8% |
| Wednesday, May 22 | |||
| Frankly Speaking | 7 | JTBC | 1.3% |
| Thursday, May 23 | |||
| Frankly Speaking | 8 | JTBC | 1.4% |
| Friday, May 24 | |||
| Bittersweet Hell | 1 | MBC | 6.0% |
| Connection | 1 | SBS | 5.7% |
| Saturday, May 25 | |||
| The Atypical Family | 7 | JTBC | 3.5% |
| Beauty and Mr. Romantic | 19 | KBS | 14.8% |
| Bittersweet Hell | 2 | MBC | 5.5% |
| Missing Crown Prince | 13 | MBN | 2.9% |
| Connection | 2 | SBS | 6.1% |
| The Midnight Romance in Hagwon | 5 | tvN | 4.2% |
| Sunday, May 26 | |||
| The Atypical Family | 8 | JTBC | 4.2% |
| Beauty and Mr. Romantic | 20 | KBS | 18.1% |
| Missing Crown Prince | 14 | MBN | 3.7% |
| The Midnight Romance in Hagwon | 6 | tvN | 4.9% |
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1 peiyeelai
May 27, 2024 at 5:09 AM
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2 peiyeelai
May 27, 2024 at 5:20 AM
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3 peiyeelai
May 27, 2024 at 5:30 AM
I think Crash stands a chance of doing well in terms of ratings. There is a huge possibility for CRASH of being the first ENA drama to reach a 5-10% rating in 2024. But then again, it will be sharing the screen time as Player 2, another drama in the crime genre. As for Connection and Bittersweet Hell, it is hard to determine who will be the winner for the weekend slot...but I am hoping that it will be able to do well, as SBS hasn't had much luck in terms of ratings this year.
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kiara
May 27, 2024 at 9:41 AM
I don't know who to root for, but I'm betting on Ji Sung and Jeon Mido's "Connection." Ji Sung is a viewer favorite in this genre. "FLexx Cop" had a decent run, hitting double digits twice. I think "Fiery Priest 2" will be a hit with Honey Lee and Kim Namgil.
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peiyeelai
May 27, 2024 at 10:23 AM
Hope to see Connection ends with a double digit rating, something Flex X Cop almost achieved. I am also counting on Fiery Priest 2 to be a hit too. I really look forward to watch both Ji Sung and Kim Nam Gil at the SBS Drama Award this year, if everything goes well.
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4 HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦞
May 27, 2024 at 5:48 AM
I hope Lovely Runner breaks 5% for its finale week!! Crash is a bit surprising, but not really - it's an easy-watch procedural so far. I hope Frankly Speaking will do better, too.
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spazmo
May 27, 2024 at 10:34 PM
i can't believe Lovely Runner doesn't have a higher viewership -- we love it, right??? wassup with the korean audience......
*sniffs*
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Cue
May 29, 2024 at 7:41 PM
It’s an idol drama which is considered low quality drama aimed at youngsters which is true since its audience is basically in the teens and 20s. Not to worry because BWS has caused a major syndrome in South Korea at the moment and his fan meeting has a waiting line of over 700,000 people so it’s safe to say the drama has been extremely popular. The Ost Shower is ranking in the top 10 of Melon and will likely win big awards at the Melon Music Awards at the end of the year. The audience live viewing was a huge success and so was the last minute pop store which sold out in minutes and had a massive waiting line. TVN is also planning to hold a fan event where Eclipse might perform as a group and BWS is currently being accosted by fans at a post drama interview site to the extent his agency had to issue a safety guide notice. Young people don’t watch tv so the ratings don’t show the crazy amount of love that the drama has gotten and the syndrome level of popularity that the male lead has reached. TVN is definitely celebrating and Viki got a big win over Netflix this time.
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spazmo
May 30, 2024 at 2:37 AM
WOW, thanks for the info!
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Cue
May 30, 2024 at 5:56 AM
BWS is also going to be on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar July and the magazine has been heavily promoting it so it’s going to be huge. Keep a lookout for it! BWS is currently flooded with scripts and his fan meeting tickets are being sold by scalpers for 50x the original price. We should hear good news about his next projects during his massive asia tour. His movie Soulmate is also re-releasing because of his popularity and the tickets are all sold out.
5 zindigo
May 27, 2024 at 6:02 AM
I'm sad but not surprised to see Missing Crown Prince dip a lot on Saturday night, but with two new dramas released this weekend, that was to be expected. Fortunately it bounced back on Sunday, but the better episode was the night before 🙃
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6 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
May 27, 2024 at 6:06 AM
I am pleased to see Crash doing well, Frankly and Dare to love are about right for the slots they are in and the storylines.
Lovely runner just goes to show that buzzworthy recognition does not translate to an increase in the live watch rates. I hope that people are watching later in the week/evening so there is some positive feedback for all involved and that is the only reason why it has not hit 5% already. Please let it get 5% for the final episodes at least.
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
May 27, 2024 at 10:43 PM
Honestly, a youth drama getting within striking distance of 5 percent on a cable network - even tvN - is a hit, especially in a weekday slot. That goes double for such a dark horse of a drama, since I've seen dramas from much bigger-name writers/cast with ratings in and around the same range on tvN. being called hits.
(the fact that the OSTs have made it near the top of the Melon charts, variety shows featuring either lead attract higher-than-usual ratings/view counts, and merch sales remain high, speaks volumes)
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
May 27, 2024 at 10:56 PM
Thanks for sharing that insider knowledge as I always assumed that the rating were a factor in getting new roles and the publicity needed for access to big name brand sponsorship. I get disappointed when shows are less than 5% as it doesn’t reflect their storyline or the hard work everyone has put in.
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
May 27, 2024 at 11:23 PM
tv ratings haven't been the sole measure of success for dramas for a long time, even if they are the single biggest - especially for youth dramas, whose audience isn't likely to watch on tv to begin with because they stream instead.
I remember You're Beautiful being the first example of that phenomenon and that was all the way back in 2009 - low ratings but insane amounts of online buzz and interest in all the leads.
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7 Linarrick
May 27, 2024 at 6:23 AM
LOVELY RUNNER has been my obsession this past season. Looking forward to the final episodes, hopefully it’ll reach 5%!
I’ve tried the first couple of episodes of ATYPICAL FAMILY due to the buzz and it’s definitely a unique setup, tho I’m not a fan of the fatphobia. I-na is precious and should be protected at all costs. I’m intrigued and I have to say it’s been a while since I’ve seen such an unconventional kdrama
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jillian
May 27, 2024 at 6:21 PM
I sure hope it also does better in its Finale week
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8 OldLawyer
May 27, 2024 at 10:36 AM
ATYPICAL FAMILY is actually quite good, which is why it is doing decently even though it is indeed an atypical drama with a unique set up.
Wednesday Thursday is indeed a tough slot: That is the only possible explanation for such low ratings for a decent show.
The only possible explanation for the relatively low ratings for the Weekender BEAUTY AND MR ROMANTIC is that the audience was thoroughly burned by the two Weekenders that preceded it. Let us face it: They were. BMR is far superior to them dramatically and has even brought in a whole new template for such shows with its chapter format which is why its pacing has been so much better. BMR simply deserves more love than this.
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OldLawyer
May 27, 2024 at 10:43 AM
In talking about Wednesday Thursday. I somehow omitted the name of the show which is FRANKLY SPEAKING.
I also did not mention how much my wife and I have been enjoying CRASH even though police procedurals are not our thing (FLEX X COP was another exception as well). It is getting decent ratings because it deserves it.
I am also a little surprised that MISSING CROWN PRINCE is not doing better- my wife has definitely enjoyed it.
I have liked some of DARE TO LOVE ME but can see that it might not appeal as much to the audience as the other two shows in its time slot.
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9 jillian
May 27, 2024 at 5:34 PM
I am so happy for Lovely Runner and Crash.
Connection also had a good start.
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10 🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 30, 2024 at 2:15 AM
Dare to Love Me and Frankly Speaking don't seem to be troubling the ratings. I do hope they manage to do a little better. 🤞💪
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bong-soo
May 30, 2024 at 3:13 PM
KBS’s DARE TO LOVE ME ratings wise is probably a lost cause but I am really enjoying it. (Hey, there is no accounting for taste, right?) I hope it is pre-produced because in the past if it was a shoot as you go drama it might have suffered an episode cut.
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 30, 2024 at 4:03 PM
I hope so too. I'm liking this quirky little drama. My other personal favorite The Midnight Studio also languished at the bottom. 😅
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