Since the KBS2 two-episode drama "Expect Dating" was shown opposite the ghostly romantic comedy hit "The Master's Sun," you might say that it did not stand a ghost of a chance. So it's not surprising that it only achieved a 3.2 percent in the ratings.
"Expect Dating," a romantic comedy about a woman who consults a dating expert for advice, featured singer BoA in her first kdrama role. It also starred Choi Daniel as the dating expert and ZE:A's Siwan as BoA's potential boyfriend.
Viewers who did tune in found the comedy enjoyable but its charms could not compete with established programs, especially "The Master's Sun," which has held the time slot lead since it started.
"The Master's Sun" broke its own previous record and reached 19.3 percent in the viewer ratings. That's more than a 1 percent increase from pervious episodes. At the heart of its popularity is the comic chemistry between stars So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin. They are so funny together that netizens cannot help but "ship" them and hope they really date once the show is over. As the two leads grow closer, the plot keeps twisting and turning in often surprising ways.
Keeping the plot fresh are the ghost stories, which often feature heartbreaking scenarios. The secrets kept by the ghosts that visit Gong Hyo Jin are often painful to reveal but once they are brought to light, there's a sense of healing. Serious subjects such as abuse are dealt with in ways that ring true despite being delivered by ghostly visitors.
On MBC, "Two Weeks," starring Lee Jun Ki, Kim So Yeon and Ryu Soo Young, is also gaining in popularity. The show reached 11.0 percent, a 1.5 percent increase from the previous rating of 9.5 percent.
The edge-of-your seat action in this thriller may not be the best viewing fare for anyone who tends to feel anxious but it is nevertheless very exciting and entertaining. It's bad enough that Lee Jun Ki's hero has two weeks to clear his name, escape the murderers and police and save his daughter's life, but the worst things keep happening to him. Even so, he never gives up. He is so determined to save his daughter's life that he charges on after getting shot, jumping from a boat and escaping from the scene of a car wreck. The man cannot be stopped but he is starting to look pretty ragged.
"Secrets," starring Ji Sung, Hwang Jung Eun, Bae Soo Bin and Lee Da Hee, will be aired on KBS on Sept. 25.
