tvN's weekend drama 'Unknown Seoul' (written by Lee Kang / directed by Park Shin-woo, Nam Geon / planned by Studio Dragon / produced by Monster Union, High Ground) has once again broken its own record for highest viewership, continuing its upward trend. Following 'Someday, a Wise Resident's Life', tvN has truly blossomed with laughter, capturing the weekend home theater audience.
According to Nielsen Korea, the 10th episode of 'Unknown Seoul', aired on the 22nd, recorded an average nationwide viewership rating of 7.7% based on paid platforms including cable, IPTV, and satellite, once again setting a new record. This is the highest rating in its time slot among cable and general programming channels.
Starting with a modest 3.6% when it first aired at the end of last month, 'Unknown Seoul' has consistently broken its own viewership records each week, gradually gaining word-of-mouth popularity. Following a relatively competitive Saturday due to other weekend dramas, the viewership on Sunday has also continued to rise, proving its solid popularity and topicality.
The reasons for the show's popularity are multifaceted. Above all, the script's excellent structure weaves together the growth narratives of identical twin sisters Yu Mi-rae and Yu Mi-ji (both played by Park Bo-young) with delicate romances involving Lee Ho-soo (played by Park Jin-young) and Han Se-jin (played by Ryu Kyung-soo). Additionally, the direction that does not miss realistic emotional lines and the seamless ensemble of the actors enhance the excitement and immersion.
In particular, Park Bo-young meticulously expresses the different personalities and life attitudes of Yu Mi-rae and Yu Mi-ji, drawing admiration from viewers in every episode.
Earlier this year, tvN faced disappointing results with 'Ask the Stars' and 'Potato Research Institute' in the weekend drama lineup. However, it successfully rebounded with 'Someday, a Wise Resident's Life', which recorded a peak viewership of 8.1%. 'Unknown Seoul' has continued that momentum, revitalizing the weekend drama lineup.
With only 2 episodes left, 'Unknown Seoul' continues to stimulate curiosity about the narratives and emotional lines of each character, increasing the likelihood of achieving even higher viewership ratings in the final episode. The storylines involving Yu Mi-ji's future challenges in Seoul, the outcome of Yu Mi-rae's case against Park Sang-young (played by Nam Yoon-ho), and changes in her relationship with Han Se-jin are still to unfold. Notably, the end of episode 10 included a scene suggesting a hearing issue for Lee Ho-soo, heightening curiosity about the final story.
Considering that the previous work, 'Someday, a Wise Resident's Life', achieved a high rating of 8.1% in its final episode, there is a prevailing expectation that 'Unknown Seoul' will also conclude successfully in its final week of broadcasting.
tvN is showcasing its presence in the weekend drama market with back-to-back home runs. It remains to be seen whether 'Unknown Seoul' can achieve a beautiful conclusion amidst the viewers' enthusiastic response until the end.
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
