Viewers of "Empress Ki" have waited a long time to see the drama's characters exact revenge against the tyrannical regent El Temur and his evil family. And now that Ha Ji Won's character Seungnyang has returned to the palace and revenge seems palpable, the anticipation and ratings keep climbing. The historical drama has already broken its own record in viewer ratings for several episodes.
On Tuesday "Empress Ki" achieved a 24.9 percent viewer rating, a 2.1 percent increase from the previous night's rating of 22.8 percent.
Seeing these villains meet justice will be sweet but it will probably take a few more episodes to realize. For 25 episodes, the tyrant has subjugated the emperor, court and country. With Seungnyang officially at his side, advising and encouraging him, the emperor, played by Ji Chang Wook, can finally attempt some real steps to regain his power.
Besides revenge, many viewers are also tuning in to find out if she will grow to love him.
Still rushing ahead at a heart-racing pace, each new episode of the show offers new intrigues, tests and challenges, and that's what keeps viewers tuning in.
The first half of the 50-episode show was the clever invention of the screenwriter. Now the plot moves into the part of the story that may be closer to the real Empress Ki's actual history, as she was a concubine sent from Korea to the Yuan emperor. There is no historical record of her shooting arrows, rescuing the Yuan Emperor or loving the Korean King.
"One Warm Word" held second place with ratings of 10.5 percent, which is a 0.8 percent increase from its previous episode. The negative effects of adultery have filtered down to the youngest siblings of the couples involved, Na Eun Young and Song Min Soo. Their relationship is threatened by their siblings' bad history and Song Min Soo's impulsive actions prompted by the adultery.
The show continues to deliver situations that are all the more heartbreaking for their realism and the subtle nuanced acting of its stars Han Hye Jin, Ji Jin Hee, Kim Ji Su and Lee Sang Woo.
"The Prime Minister and I" remained in third place this week. The romantic comedy, which stars Lee Beom Soo, Yoona and Yoon Si Yoon, reached 6.1 percent in the viewer ratings, a 0.6 percent increase from the previous rating of 5.5 percent.
The show will end next week so ratings my pick up for the final episodes.
