Actor Seo Kang-joon’s rise is frightening. Not only did he take first place in buzz, but the increase in viewership ratings is also significant.
On the 2nd, according to the Nielsen Korea statistics, the 4th episode of the MBC Friday-Saturday drama "Undercover High School" (planned by Namgung Seong-woo, written by Im Yeong-bin, directed by Choi Jeong-in), which aired on the 1st, recorded a viewership rating of 8.3% (based on nationwide households), reaching its highest rating. This is a 1.7%P increase compared to the 6.6% recorded for the 3rd episode. The increase is nearly 2%P.
"Undercover High School" started with 5.6% for the first episode, increased to 6.6% for the second, and maintained 6.6% for the third, then soared to 8.3% for the fourth. It broke the previous record for the maximum viewership rating (6.0%) set by the previous drama "Motel California" within just two episodes.
Additionally, the previous work "The Call You Make Now" recorded 5.7% for its 4th episode, whereas "Undercover High School" reached 8.3% for the 4th episode, showing an increase of 2.6%P. It is only 0.3%P short of the maximum viewership rating of 8.6% set by "The Call You Make Now" and expectations are high that Seo Kang-joon and Chae Soo-bin will surpass this record next week.
Thus, Seo Kang-joon is breaking the records of the previous MBC Friday-Saturday dramas one by one. This indicates that the rise of "Undercover High School" is steep.
The 4th episode broadcast on the 1st recorded 8.3% based on households in the metropolitan area. In particular, the scene where Sua (played by Jin Ki-joo) steps on a massage ball in the rooftop room and falls onto Haeseong (played by Seo Kang-joon), kissing him, skyrocketed the viewership rating to 10.3%, marking the peak of the broadcast that day. Moreover, the 2049 viewership rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness and buzz, has seen a significant increase, reaching 2.4%, garnering hot interest.
The level of buzz has also surged. On the 24th of last month, Good Data Corporation, a K-content online competitiveness analysis institution, announced that "Undercover High School" started in first place in the drama sector of TV-OTT buzz for the 3rd week of February. Simultaneously, the lead actor Seo Kang-joon topped the TV-OTT drama buzz appearance sector.
By pushing aside SBS's "Treasure Island" and tvN's "That Guy is a Black Dragon," which started airing at the same time, taking 2nd and 6th places respectively, the competitiveness of "Undercover High School" appears to lie with the lead actor Seo Kang-joon.
In this regard, Good Data Corporation data PD Won Soon-woo noted, "The qualitative analysis of netizen opinions indicated that among the three works, Seo Kang-joon was chosen as the actor who suited the male lead character the best," and he analyzed, "The positive response to Seo Kang-joon’s appearance and character reflected in the drama led to increased interest in the drama."
"Undercover High School's" charm lies in the acting parade of Seo Kang-joon and Jin Ki-joo, the chemistry among the actors, and the variety of genres. The impressive performances of Seo Kang-joon and Jin Ki-joo, combined with directing that enhances immersion, and an innovative storyline have captivated the viewers' attention. Moreover, the drama maximizes its entertainment value by traversing through comedy, action, and thriller genres. Furthermore, Haeseong and Sua emit excellent chemistry, amplifying the fun of the drama.
In particular, Seo Kang-joon’s polished appearance enhances the drama further. Viewers, who became interested in the drama because of Seo Kang-joon’s visuals, are enamored by his detailed acting.
[Photo] OSEN DB, broadcast capture
[OSEN]