Defendant Keeps Rising as Episode 8 Brings in 22.2% Ratings

The confident ratings stride upward for SBS Mon-Tues drama Defendant doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. After episode 7 on Monday broke the 20% ratings mark to reach 20.9%, the following day episode 8 rose another 1.3% to end this week’s episodes at 22.2% AGB nationwide ratings. This is beyond impressive as the successful SBS Mon-Tues dramas last year were both medical dramas in Doctors and Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim so the legal thriller genre wasn’t coming in with recent successes under its belt. Last year SBS did a similar crime/legal thriller drama with Wanted which failed to bring in viewers so I’m chalking up some of Defendant’s ratings to Ji Sung’s incredible performance will definitely be a Daesang contender at the year drama SBS drama awards.

Both Rebel: The Thief Who Stole the People and Hwarang stayed nearly the same in ratings, with 10.6% and 7.7% respectively.


Comments

Defendant Keeps Rising as Episode 8 Brings in 22.2% Ratings — 11 Comments

  1. Fantastic “Defendant”! Congrats to the cast, the production team, the script writers, the P/D and of course to Ji Sung!

    Every one of your silent tears streaming down your face and your crying and wailing scenes are very heart wrenching! It hurts watching you in those scenes and I could feel the emotional wretchedness and the pain the character you are portraying is going through! No doubt JS you are a great actor! Fighting!!!

  2. Please don’t feed the troll :), haters gonna hate no matter what because they are blinded by their jealousy and prejudice against our girl, what important is us fans, knows better because we are much wiser. I am super excited just the thought that YEH might be having a come back, I really miss her, 2017, please be good to our girl and
    her fans, we claim it!

  3. This show has a better and more gripping story than “Wanted”. Besides, Kim Ah Joong was very underwhelming as a mother whose child was in danger. While watching the show, I couldn’t help comparing her with Lee Bo Young who was so much better playing a mother in a similar situation in God’s Gift – 14 Days. Now, her husband Ji Sung is knocking it out of the park playing the role of a husband and father who lost everything.

    Although the story is addictive, Ji Sung is really what makes it work. Of late, all these older actors like Han Suk Kyu, Gong Yoo, Lee Dong Wook and now Ji Sung are making waves. They are good actors with tons of screen presence and charisma.

    • Agreed. ji sung elevated the role and the show. So raw and powerful.
      Abd all the actors u mention. Veteran in how good they are potraying their characters and making those characters impactful. So charismatic even in scenes when no speaking is involved

  4. I’m so glad Ji Sung took on this role. No one else would have done it justice. Imagine an idol in this role (eyes roll **). I hope the drama bigwigs learn from this. That experienced older actors are so much more riveting and credible in their roles. I’m also amazed by the veteran actor who acts as the father in Rebel. I know he’s good but now I know how good he is. I’m gonna be traumatised when he dies…..I need Jo Jin Woong back on tv. Signal 2 PLEASE !!!!

  5. Funnily enough Defendant is the only drama that I don’t intend to watch in this time slot. Too heavy and serious for me, also my bias against Yuri kinda making me not wanting to watch it.
    At first I watch Hwarang, I’m kinda taken by Park Hyungsik performance that making me anticipating his next drama with Park Boyoung. But Hwarang keep dropping its quality now I just watching it because I am already too far gone.
    Then Rebel because I watch it for Yoon Kyunsang but, it is really good. I find it really weird this drama not get enough rating for its worth. Like this drama is really good. Every aspect is done right. The directing, cinematography, acting, plot, music, the feel and the message it’s want to deliver…
    Maybe it is too early but I want to say that this is one of the best drama I’ve watched in a while… Hope it stays good till the end now with….

    (SPOILERS)

    the show front runners since episode die.

  6. Amazing and well deserved the drama got so addicting with the latest episodes.

    Also man Kim Min seok has a great knack for picking dramas – three ratings hits back to back and he had good roles on all of them. DOTS Doctors and now this. And they all start with D!!! How amazing lol he’s awesome can’t wait to see what else he does

  7. You beat me commenting about dramas starting with Ds having great ratings! I jokingly observed it here when Doctors then Doctor Kim plus MDBC also a kind of a D title,and of course Dots got to be ratings gold…kind of funny really. Haha! Other productions must take note! SBS is owning Mon-Tues slot. It was usually the Wed Thurs shows that have higher ratings, anyone know why the decline? Yap! KMS career is becoming interesting, was he a child actor?

  8. Man..Gives me the chills! JS’s portrayal as a grieving father is so raw and heartwrenching. Everytime his scene comes up on screen, I wanted to run out of the room. So much pain, resentement and anger. Um Ki-joon’s sadistic Psycho villain, he played it brilliantly. I got goosebumps (while I’m typing this comment). The scene where he walked outside (after murdering his bed partner) on the snow, barefoot and wearing a robe dazedly, gripping the murder weapon dripping with blood.. He’s beyond help.

  9. Ji sung- so good to see him being praised in this drama. Yes he shud get the Deasang award.
    Now it’s just the beginning of the year and people tend to remember those dramas nearing to the year end when the awards nominations start.
    But I know for sure, we will all remember Ji Sung Defendant.
    And we thank the production crew especially including the PD, camera man, etc and everybody for working so hard to make the drama a success. Yeah, you all are the best!!

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