There is still three months left in 2018 and plenty can change in the drama ratings ranks but so far the tally remains comparatively low ratings for network dramas while cable continues to impress with how strong it is airing on paid channels. Currently the highest rated network prime time drama is SBS scandal-plagued police crime drama Return which switched leading ladies from Go Hyun Jung to Park Jin Hee midway through. Second place is The Miracle We Met with Shall We Kiss First in third. Over on cable the current number 1 which is likely to hold since it’s so far ahead of the second place position is Kim Eun Sook penned period drama Mr. Sunshine. In a rare win for a rom-com genre drama is cable network second place holder Why Secretary Kim followed by Knowing Wife taking third spot. Check out the full top 10 lists below and my thoughts at 100 Days My Prince is likely to move up as it’s in the 6th spot already having aired only 4 episodes, and of the upcoming dramas Memories of Alhambra with Hyun Bin and Park Shin Hye has the high profile to bring in viewers.
2018 Top 10 Network Primetime Dramas:
1.Return
2. The Miracle We Met
3. Shall We Kiss First
4. Thirty But Seventeen
5. Suits
6. Your Honor
7. Partners for Justice
8. Switch: Change the World
9. Greasy Melo
10. Mystery Queen 2
2018 Top 10 Cable Dramas:
- Mr. Sunshine
- Why Secretary Kim
- Knowing Wife
- Misty
- Lawless Lawyer
- 100 Days My Prince
- Live
- Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food
- My Ahjusshi
- Voice 2
Public drama this year is really boring. None of top 10 are actually a hit aka huge buzz. Cable take the cake this year, hit after hit.
My Ajusshi may not have gotten top ratings due to the age-gap controversy, but it definitely generated a lot of buzz and discussions during its run, with good reasons, too. It remains the best drama I have seen to date.
It’s amazing how Kim Eun-sook dramas always manage to take the lead no matter what the story is and who is leading the drama. There has been so many hit cable dramas but none has managed to hit 10%. Looking forward to see if Hyun Bin/Park Shinhye or Song Hyekyo/Park Bogum tandem would manage to achieve that feat.
With budget 40 billion won mr.sunshine only get 20% rating is hit? Tvn spend so much money to Lee byung hun they need more than 20% rating.Since mr.sunshine didn’t well received in international. Of course mr.sunshine get high rating than goblin, but goblin budget only 14,4 billion won and get well received in ifans. if you think mr.sunshine was hit up to you but the rating didn’t consistent always up and down.
Are you kidding??? 16% for cable tv is so high.. 20% for cable tv is nearly impossible (at least for now) and don’t forget that Mr. sunshine has 24 episodes, while Goblin just 16 episodes… it’s harder to maintain the rating if a drama had many episodes,yet mr. Sunshine never leave the 2 digits rating.. and if you think again,the bigger sponsorships come from inside SK, so international awareness is not really matter for a drama… even the royalty that the station tv would received if they decide to “sold” the drama will always be lesser than the sponsorship that they got from the companies..
Definitely International Sales is bigger that domestic sales but it would be better to have both. Though Mr Sunshine is not a hit internationally and the Asian sales may have been alot bigger combined but the drama was presold to Netflix. So regardless, revenue-wise Mr Sunshine is still good.
Netflix already bought Mr Sunshine, release them as soon as Korea. The first to do so. That is already lots of $
Cable dramas over primetime network dramas these days.Whether its TVN, OCN, JTBC..there is something for everyone.I wish “Ghost Detective” starring Choi Daniel was on OCN.It doesnt fit KBS.Thats why its flopping so hard but its hood for those who like horror-thrillers.
“Life on Mars” was just unfortunate that it was sandwiched between “Lawless Lawyer” and a KBS weekend drama which already had high ratings when it started and it was also olympics time.Then when “Lawless Lawyer” finished.”Mr Sunshine” took over so “Life on Mars” had no chance.Of course, its ratings were decent but I think it had potential to be up there in the top 10.In my opinion, it was slightly better than Voice 2.
Life on mars was awesome. I agree with regards to the timing of its airing might have contributed to the ok-ish ratings. I personally feel that LoM deserved more. It was a gripping drama with great acting and directing. LoM is ny fave cable drama this year.
I thought 100 Days My Prince already surpassed 7% at ep 4?
I think the ratings and ranking in this table is based on average of ratings for all episodes on the left, and the ratings of the final/latest episode on the right.After it airs, it(100 days my prince) would move a position up or down depending on the story or if a stronger competitor comes along.
I think it’s the average rating. 100 days should not be included in the list as as it’s only on it’s 4th episode as we won’t know for sure it keeps the rating for the entire. It could go down as the episode goes like that Lee Seung Gi drama.
If the drama is rank according to highest rating… Lawless Lawyer should be number 2, Number 3 – should WWSK 4. Misty 5. Familiar…. If the ranking is based on highest rating, 100 days spot is already secured.
For the main channels, I really don’t have the same taste as Koreans. I liked 30 but 17 and Partner of Justice. I barely finished Return and Suits, I dropped Switch, Your Honor, Greasy Melo.
For the cable ones, except Lawless Lawyers, I liked the ones in the list. But for Secretary Kim :the humour and their chemistry were great but the story not so much and Familiar Wife : the casting was great but I wasn’t invested in the characters.
I had expectations for 100 Days My Prince, but I think I’m not fan of D.O. in this role and not sure about the story yet.
i recommend you with the guest: hand.
I watched the first episodes. I liked it. The casting is great and the possessed actors too, they’re really creepy !
Amongst the list, it’s probably only Lawless Lawyer that I find refreshjng probably because it’s not the typical legal drama and somewhat unique with all the mixture of genres. And,I think the big part is it’s a drama of great actors that complement each other. Though it’s probably not the type of drama that I would watch 10 years ago.
Mr Sushine was really shot beautifully but somewhat LBH performance was a turn off. His performance was so stoic for a character with a complex past.
Misty didn’t appeal to me for its first two episode so I can’t say much.
For other rom-com drama… well they all somewhat similar but somehow I find Devilish Joy better than most of these romance dramas despite the low rating. Your Helper is a little bit fine, if only the lead actress is a better actress, I think it could have been better.
I really love WWSK the first half. It was so refreshing and entertaining. PMY was so gorgeous in it but I find somewhat went flat towards the end.
Familiar Wife: I really don’t know why I find Jisung’s drama hard to watch. I’ve only managed to finish KMHM of his.
Mr Sunshine is soooooo good.
I dont think i have watched any drama similar to it. I have been wishing that this be extended to a few more episodes. Great acting, very natural.
There is little similarity to Gunman in Joseon. Mr Sunshine is obviously better produced in terms of cinematography and editing. But for a liveshoot drama, Gunman in Joseon is actually great and the action scenes in the drama look more authentic where you can see more frontal shots during the action execution. In GIS, though Nam Sang Mi is a good actress but her tone of voice for a Saguek drama was quite disturbing. I think she is better in modern drama. Her drama Let Me Introduce her has the tone as Misty, I’ll chose LMIH as the better one.
Mr Sunshine, on the other, while the story is of turtle slow but the flow of the story is flowing more smoothly. However, think Lee Byun Hyun is absolutely miscast. This would be a better drama if they have more suitable lead actor. What happened to him? He used to be a better actor.
My only problem with mr sunshine is LBH. I dont mind his acting but if only they casted another young actor, i probably will ship kim taeri with the male lead. But now, i ship ktr and yys so bad. Dongmae is my fave. I mean byh is also good but dongmae is just… Aaaggghhhtt… My heart hurts just thinking him wont get the girl.
Only 2 episodes left and i hope the ending will be a little surprised lols.
Great actor can make themselves look for the part however LBH didn’t deliver that in Mr Sunshine. His facial expression is to have that he look alot more mature than the character besides the point the he displays the same expression all through out. Looks like he restricts the movement of his facial muscles either due to to botox or he intentionally minimize the movement so he won’t look alot older but geezz it’s no longer subtle movement but robotic.
Other than LBH, Mr Sunshine is good.
i agree with you.
Mr Sunshine is the best, and we r fans from the Philippines.
What about ‘are u human too’?
I love mr. Sunshine
Life ❤️