In just four episodes, the Korean drama Love Scout has skyrocketed to the top of the “January Week 3 Integrated Content Rankings,” dethroning Squid Game 2. The drama, which has captured nationwide attention, reached a peak rating of 14% and set a new personal record with 11.3% nationwide viewership for its fourth episode on January 11 (Nielsen Korea, metropolitan area).
Airing Fridays and Saturdays on SBS, Love Scout stars Han Ji-min and Lee Jun-hyuk. The series follows Ji-yoon (Han Ji-min), a headhunting company CEO with exceptional professional skills, and Eun-ho (Lee Jun-hyuk), a flawless secretary who provides her with dedicated care. Directed by Ham Jun-ho and Kim Jae-hong, and written by Ji Eun, the 12-episode romantic drama is also available on Netflix and Wavve.
Love Scout debuted on January 3 with a nationwide viewership of 5.2% and surged to double digits by its fourth episode, marking a significant 4.8% increase in ratings and over one million additional viewers.
The drama’s popularity isn’t just in its ratings. According to Good Data Corporation, Love Scout ranked second in TV-OTT drama buzz for the second week of January, with leads Lee Jun-hyuk and Han Ji-min claiming the top two spots for actor-related buzz. This marked Lee Jun-hyuk’s first time as the most talked-about actor in a drama. Good Data's PD Won Soon-woo noted, “The chemistry between the two leads is receiving overwhelmingly positive reactions from netizens.”
The fourth episode delivered a heart-racing romantic ending as Ji-yoon and Eun-ho shared a near-kiss moment that left viewers on the edge of their seats.
Rankings Rundown
◆ 2nd Place: The Queen Who Crowns
In second place is tvN and Tving’s The Queen Who Crowns, a historical drama centered on Queen Wonkyung and her journey to power alongside her husband, King Taejong.
◆ 3rd Place: Squid Game 2
Netflix’s Squid Game 2 lands in third place, continuing the story of Gi-hun’s return to the deadly games and his clash with the Frontman.
◆ 4th Place: When The Stars Gossip
Fourth place goes to tvN’s When The Stars Gossip, a space office drama featuring Gong Hyo-jin and Lee Min-ho set in a zero-gravity environment.
The rankings also include Harbin in sixth place, JTBC’s The Tale of Lady Ok in seventh, and other popular titles such as Motel California, Forbidden Fairytale, and One Win.
The rankings by Kino Lights are determined through the analysis of over 100,000 pieces of data from movies, dramas, and TV shows, as well as trends from both domestic and international media. They also offer additional charts for Netflix, Wavve, Tving, Disney+, Watcha, and Coupang Play.
For daily updates, The Tale of Lady Ok ranked first in Kino Lights’ “Today’s Integrated Content Rankings,” followed by Love Scout, Motel California, Harbin, and Hidden Face.