Unbeatable! 'Queen of Tears' holds top spot for seventh week
The K-drama Queen of Tears, starring Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won, has maintained its stronghold on weekly ratings for the seventh consecutive week. On Saturday, the tvN drama set a new Saturday viewership record with a nationwide (South Korea) average rating of 20.2%, according to Nielsen. This achievement surpasses the network's previous record held by the 2019 romantic drama Crash Landing on You, which now holds the second spot in TV viewership after QoT.
Why does this story matter?
The storyline of QoT centers on the married couple Baek Hyun-woo (Soo-hyun) and Hong Hae-in (Ji-won), who grapple with relationship issues before rekindling their love. The series has consistently been one of the most viewed across all time slots for the day—since its premiere in March—contributing to its sustained success in weekly ratings. It is simultaneously available to stream on Netflix. It is a 16-episode series, with the final episode set to air on April 28.
Meanwhile, 'Missing Crown Prince' sees significant viewership boost
Meanwhile, Missing Crown Prince, featuring Suho from K-pop group EXO and Hong Ye-ji, has seen a considerable increase in viewership. Despite an initially slow start, the show's nationwide average rating rose to 2.6% when it aired on Saturday, more than doubling the rating for its second episode from the previous week. This surge indicates a growing interest in the series among viewers across the nation.
'Chief Detective 1958' makes strong debut
MBC's latest drama, Chief Detective 1958, featuring Lee Je-hoon, Lee Dong-hwi, Choi Woo-sung, and Yoon Hyun-soo in lead roles, has made a promising debut. The second episode of the series recorded an average nationwide rating of 7.8%. Although this figure is slightly lower than its premiere episode ratings, fans remain hopeful about the drama's potential to attract more viewers in the future with an engaging storyline.
Other dramas maintain steady nationwide ratings
Other dramas such as KBS 2TV's Beauty and Mr. Romantic recorded a 14.8% nationwide average, while JTBC's Hide posted a 4.1% nationwide average for the same time slot. SBS' Escape of the Seven concluded its first half with a 2.3% nationwide average rating. These figures indicate that these series continue to hold their own in terms of viewership, despite stiff competition from shows like Queen of Tears.
