"Empress Ki" still ruled the ratings this Monday despite a dip in the ratings. The 50-episode historical damra rated 26.9 percent, which was 1.4 percent lower than the last episode. Meanwhile the second place winner "God's Gift - 14 Days" rose slightly with a 1.2 percent increase to 8.9 percent.
Empress Ki now in its final third is cycling through palace plots and counter-plots as Seungnyang and Emperor Ta Hwan attempt to remove El Temur and his clan from power. There will be other enemies to deal with in the future and viewers are ready for El Temur and Tanashiri to get what they deserve.
"God's Gift - 14 Days" ended last week with a suicide attempt by the distraught mother played by Lee Bo Young. At the same time some men with a grudge were pitching Jo Seung Woo into the lake.
When this week's first episode began both characters had miraculously survived only to find themselves back in the past, two weeks ago. Lee Bo Young is shocked to find her daughter is alive and begins to do everything she can to prevent the same things from happening again. Her attitude toward her daughter changes and she tries to alter history by taking her out of the country. But destiny sends her back. She realizes the importance of finding out who the killer is and asks former detective Jo Seung Woo to help her catch him.
The show plays with some interesting themes, including the validity of the death penalty. Is it okay for the government to make a statement about buckling down on violent crime when it carries out executions? Before the characters were sent back in time, Jo Seung Woo's brother awaited execution for a crime he probably did not commit.
Later that evening Daesang winner Lee Bo Young appeared on "Healing Camp" and also helped raise that show's ratings. On "Healing Camp," she told viewers all about her love story with husband Ji Sung, including the fact that she initially rejected him. Her appearance helped earn the show ratings of 7.4 percent.
"Full Sun" remained in third place with only 2.6 percent of the ratings. The KBS drama's ratings for the first episode were only 3.7 percent and by the second episode it rose as high as 5.1 percent. As it is competing with two such powerful dramas, it may not have the chance to rise from third place.
