This week, the SBS drama "Jang Ok Jung" advanced on the time slot frontrunner "Gu Family Book," earning its highest ratings ever at 11.4 percent.
In Monday's episode, Kim Tae Hee, as Jang Ok Jung, gave birth the son of King Sukjong, played by Yoo Ah In. Her acting in the childbirth episode earned praise from critics and netizens alike.
The drama tells the story of Jang Ok Jung, a royal concubine that history has described as the villain responsible for deposing and murdering Queen Inhyun. This series looks at her story from a different angle. It conveys her talents and, by exploring court intrigues, considers whether or not history has portrayed her unfairly.
Although this was a significant jump in the ratings for the drama, "Jang Ok Jung" could not catch up with "Gu Family Book," which has held first place since the series began. This week "Gu Family Book" slipped slightly in the ratings, falling to 17.5 percent, despite a long-awaited kiss scene between Lee Seung Gi as Choi Kang Chi and Suzy as Dam Yeo Wool.
"Gu Family Book" is the story of a half-mythical, half-human creature that wants to become more human, and the woman who loves him for who he is. Not only has the series retained first place in viewer ratings, but also every song that is added to the OST quickly rises in the charts.
Competing for the ratings were new episodes of the melodrama, "Shark" and tvN's "Dating Agency Cyrano," which featured a cameo appearance by SHINee member Lee Taemin as a dating agency client. "Shark" only earned 6.7 percent of the ratings, while "Dating Agency: Cyrano" scored 0.582 percent.
"Shark" is the story of a man driven so strongly by revenge that he will use the woman he once loved to achieve it. The drama stars Son Ye Jin and Kim Nam Gil.
"Dating Agency: Cyrano" is about a dating agency that helps the romantically challenged by arranging situations that might make it easier for them to find love.
In the variety shows, the KBS show "Hello" earned 8.4 percent while the SBS show "Healing Camp" only rated 7.1 percent.
On the weekend, the KBS series "You're the Best Lee Soon Shin," starring IU, reached 24.9 and 29.8 percent of the viewers, while "One Hundred Years' Inheritance" reached 28.4 and 27.8 percent in the ratings. "Secret of Birth" trailed at 8.3 percent.
