The first episode of "Who Are You - School 2015" landed in third place. The high school identity-switching drama, starring Kim So Hyun, Nam Joo Hyuk and BTOB's Yook Sung Jae only rated 3.8 percent, but it did start at a disadvantage.
The previous drama in that time slot, "Blood" remained in third place for much of its airtime, making it easier for viewers to switch their allegiance to the other drama contenders, the 50-episode historical drama "Hwajung" and the comedy "Heard It Through The Grapevine."
This week "Heard It Through The Grapevine," starring Lee Joon and Go Sung Ah, rated 11.1 percent of the viewers. The drama focuses on the young conscientious son of a privileged family. When he learns that his girlfriend is pregnant, he decides to marry her over his family's opposition. She is poor and comes from an undistinguished family. His family is so snobby that it is hard for them to value anyone outside of their social standing. True love does persevere and the couple marries anyway, changing the household she marries into. By this point in the drama, the pretentious snobbery of his family may cause them to become the subject of ridicule, making it a satisfying social satire. Seeing snobbery fail is always fun and Lee Joon and Go Seung Ah are a swet couple to cheer for.
In second place is the saeguk "Hwajung," which scored 9.9 percent of the ratings. The drama, also known as "Splendid Politics," stars Cha Seung Won as the tortured Prince Gwanghae, whose life is riddled with poisonous court intrigue. Viewers have yet to see Lee Yeon Hee as the grown-up Princess Jung Myung, his banished half-sister. At this point in the story, she has escaped from the palace disguised as a boy so that she will avoid being implicated in a treasonous plot. "Hwajung" is a very well written drama but fewer k-drama viewers are willing to commit to a 50-episode saeguk. Depending on what replaces "Heard It Through The Grapevine," that might change.
The first episode of "Who Are You - School 2015" was off to a promising start with an unflinching look at school bullying. Some of the scenes evoked and even one-upped Gu Hye Sun's scenes as the victim of bullying in "Boys Over Flowers." Kim So Hyun plays the leading role in this "Prince and the Pauper" tale of an unhappy girl who swaps places with a popular girl at a private school.
