K-drama women have done it again. Several leading South Korean actresses broke the conventional mould of the weekly buzzworthy rankings often dominated by K-drama first male leads. However, these past two weeks have seen a surge in women-led stories across Korean networks and OTT platforms. Since Park Shin Hye’s The Judge from Hell premiered on September 21, the weekly buzzworthy chart released by Good Data Corporation has gradually witnessed an empowered switch. Days later, the acclaimed actress Shin Hye Sun’s journey commenced on ENA’s Dear Hyeri. Both shows have since held on to their positions on the Top 10 buzz rankings, with their respective female leads scoring leading posts on the performers’ list.
According to FUNdex’s K-Online Buzzworthiness latest update on Tuesday, October 22, Kim Tae Ri and her brand-new tvN original series Jeongyeon: The Star is Born has currently gained on the other shows, and K-drama woman crushes to take the top spot. Tae Ri’s co-star, Shin Ye Eun, trails behind her to claim the second spot on the performers’ list.
Also read | Stray Kids overtakes BTS solos, NewJeans and other HYBE artists on Billboard World Albums Chart
SBS’ The Judge From Hell sits at #2, with Park Shin Hye and Kim Jae Young’s leading pair scoring performer ranks in the Drama category at #2 and #7.
Meanwhile, Shin Hye Sun and Kim So Yeon come in at #4 and #5 on the performers’ list, and so do their respective shows, Dear Hyeri and JTBC’s A Virtuous Business.
New premieres on buzzworthy K-drama rankings
The latest weekly buzzworthy rankings are decked with new K-premieres across South Korean networks. Kim Tae Ri’s Jeongyeon: The Star is Born (#1), the psychological thriller series Doubt (#2) starring Han Suk Kyu and Chae Won Bin, JTBC’s comedy-drama A Virtuous Business (#5) with Kim So Yeon in the lead, Family By Choice (#6) with Hwang In Youp finally as the male lead, and Lee Joon Hyuk and Park Sung Woong-led legal drama Dongjae, The Good or the Bastard (#8) are all second-week October premieres, charting on the FUNdex TV-OTT rankings.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Friday-Saturday SBS drama The Fiery Priest Season 2 is already ranking on the buzzworthiness chart ahead of its November 8 premiere on SBS. Expected to be concluded on a 12-episode run, the action comedy series stars Kim Nam Gil, Lee Ha Nee, Kim Sung Kyun, and others, with the OG trio of the massive 2019 hit drama reprising their roles in the continuation.
Also read | Business Proposal’s Kim Sejeong to pair up with Extraordinary Attorney Woo’s heartthrob in new historical K-drama
Most-watched K-dramas on Netflix this week
While some brand-new titles dominate the local ratings, Netflix’s Global Top 10 recorded four South Korean shows on the weekly rankings (Oct 14-20) as part of the most-watched TV (non-English) category list. The cooking competition series Culinary Class Wars, helmed by the legendary celebrity chef Baek Jong Won, led the rankings at #4, continuing its fifth week on the Top 10 rankings. The K-reality show garnered 1.7 million views on the streaming giant this past week.
A Virtuous Business debuted on the Top 10 rankings at #5, trailing right behind Baek Jong Won’s show with 1.7 million views. Jung Hae In and Jung So Min’s much-raved-about rom-com series Love Next Door extended its 10-week spell on the chart, this time at #7, hitting the 1.5 million views mark.
Lastly, Park Seo Joon and Han So Hee-led Gyeongseong Creature Season 2 stretched its fourth week on the non-English TV Top 10 category on Netflix, gaining 800,000 views.
Top 10 Kdramas that generated the most buzz in Week 3 of October
| TV | TV-OTT |
| 1. Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born | 1. Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born |
| 2. The Judge from Hell | 2. The Judge from Hell |
| 3. Doubt | 3. Doubt |
| 4. Dear Hyeri | 4. Dear Hyeri |
| 5. A Virtuous Business | 5. A Virtuous Business |
| 6. Family By Choice | 6. Family By Choice |
| 7. Iron Family | 7. What Comes After Love |
| 8. The Fiery Priest (yet to premiere) | 8. Dongjae, The Good or The Bastard |
| 9. Dog Knows Everything | 9. The Iron Family |
| 10. My Merry Marriage | 10. The Fiery Priest (yet to premiere) |
Top 10 drama actors who generated the most buzz in Week 3 of October
| Actor | K-drama |
| 1. Kim Tae Ri | Jeongyeon: The Star Is Born [tvN] |
| 2. Park Shin Hye | The Judge from Hell [SBS TV] |
| 3. Shin Ye Eun | Jeongyeon: The Star Is Born [tvN] |
| 4. Shin Hye Sun | Dear Hyeri [ENA] |
| 5. Kim So Yeon | A Virtuous Business [JTBC] |
| 6. Jung Eun Chae | Jeongyeon: The Star Is Born |
| 7. Kim Jae Young | The Judge from Hell [SBS TV] |
| 8. Hwang In Youp | Family By Choice [JTBC] |
| 9. Jung Chae Yeon | Family By Choice [JTBC] |
| 10. Bae Hyun Sung | Family By Choice [JTBC] |