Love Scout K-drama cracks highest miniseries ratings of the week; Kim Hye Soo’s Unmasked breaks OTT records | Web Series

Han Ji Min and Lee Joon Hyuk’s Love Scout continues soaring

As of yet, the series’ overall personal all-time high ratings are set at 11.4%, achieved with last week’s January 18 (Saturday) episode. Prior to yesterday’s entry, the SBS TV show boasted its highest Friday ratings with a score of 10.7% on January 17. That milestone has indisputably been surpassed. Han Ji Min and Lee Joon Hyuk’s much-loved onscreen chemistry has been enjoying double-digit ratings ever since the second week of broadcasts, beginning January 10 (Friday) when the show jumped straight from a 6.5% to 10.5% score.

Also read | 4th Gen K-pop diva’s investment in Elon Musk’s Tesla stocks ‘ended in a loss’: Itzy ‘maknae’ on adulting

Love Scout entered its 12-episode season’s second half with Episode 7. In addition to securing its Friday peak achievement among domestic viewers with this broadcast, the show also snagged the first spot in the competitive race against other K-dramas in the same time slot. The latest 11% average nationwide rating helped Lee Joon Hyuk and Han Ji Min’s TV romance crack the highest ratings of any miniseries in the given slot this week.

Motel California in its modest ratings era

On the flip side, Motel California on MBC TV—same Fri-Sat time slot—rose to a nationwide rating score of 4.7% after slipping to its lowest numbers yet (3.6%) last Saturday. Although the Friday score marks an improvement from that, it still falls short of the Lee Se Young and Na In Woo starrer’s personal-best rating of of 5.2%, also achieved on a Friday.

‘Mother’ Kim Hye Soo’s Unmasked earns well-deserved OTT popularity

Meanwhile, the OTT space is bursting with praise for a brand-new Disney Plus premiere, Unmasked (or Trigger). Starring beloved veteran actress Kim Hye Soo (of Juvenile Justice, Signal and more dramas fame), Jung Sung Il (The Glory) and Joo Jong Hyuk (Extraordinary Attorney Woo) as investigative journalists racing against the clock, the workplace thriller comedy began its journey on January 15.

The hard-hitting show ranked #1 in the Disney Plus overall Korean content category for seven days in a row, according to FlixPatrol, a global OTT content ranking site. Per AllKpop’s new report, Unmasked K-drama is reaping these results globally as it maintained its spot in the Top 5 for seven consecutive days in five countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and Turkey.

Only over a week after its OTT premiere, the Kim Hye Soo-led show’s popularity has shot through the sky. On Korean OTT search and recommendation platform Kinolights’ “Today’s Disney+ Ranking,” Unmasked held on to its #1 spot for a whole week. Episode 3 and 4’s double-premiere slated for January 22, the show additionally shot to the top of NaverTalk’s real-time rankings.

Also read | Lee Joon Hyuk retains drama king title as Love Scout claims buzzworthy victory; Lim Ji Yeon, Lee Min Ho trail behind

Fans send Disney+ drama’s actors love

Casting guest star Moon Woo Jin (of The Atypical Family, The Fiery Priest 2 fame) in a negative light, the Disney+ show had yet another edge over others as viewers breathlessly showered the young actor’s acting chops and efforts in portraying a convoluted character seamlessly with heavy praise. Of course, dramas starring the Smugglers star can never miss the “Mother Hye Soo” words of endearment, either. A user tweeted on X, “#Unmasked is a comedy thriller drama and i’m loving it. Glad I gave it a try. Mother Hyesoo never disappoints!”

Where to watch these ongoing K-dramas

Listed for 12 episodes, Unmasked‘s two-episode weekly premieres started on January 15. It’s a Disney Plus original, leaving no doubt about its exclusive streaming destination.

MBC TV broadcasts weekly episodes of Motel California, another 12-episode run, every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 pm KST. Selected international audience can stream it on Viki.

SBS TV’s Love Scout episodes air every Friday and Saturday at 10 pm KST. Wavve shares the South Korean streaming rights, whereas international availability on Netflix and Viki varies. This show is listed for 12 episodes as well.