Gong Hyo-jin's 'Married Woman Killer' leads weekend drama race

It has surpassed both Namkoong Min's 'The Husband' and Park Eun-bin's 'Chilling Romance.' Following the departure of 'Agent Kim' from the Friday-Saturday drama slot, Gong Hyo-jin's 'Married Woman Killer' has emerged as the new powerhouse of the weekend living room.

MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'Married Woman Killer' has entered a full-scale popularity race, recording the highest viewership rating in its time slot after just two episodes. In the fierce competition for Friday-Saturday dramas that intensified after the predecessor SBS's 'Agent Kim' concluded with a peak viewership rating of 23%, Gong's genre piece is rapidly asserting its presence.

According to viewership rating research agencies, the second episode of 'Married Woman Killer,' which aired on August 1, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 8.0%. This is a 0.6 percentage point increase from the 7.4% recorded during the first broadcast, making it the highest record among dramas aired during the same time slot.

Having signaled a smooth start by exceeding the 7% mark from the first episode, 'Married Woman Killer' captured viewers' interest in its second episode as character conflicts and full-scale plot developments began. In particular, Gong's signature realistic acting and comedic flair, combined with unique genre charms of action and thriller elements, are receiving critical acclaim.

KBS 2TV's Saturday-Sunday drama 'The Husband,' which aired on the same day, recorded 7.5%, closely chasing 'Married Woman Killer.' As a production backed by the solid box-office guarantee of Namkoong, it continues to maintain stable viewership ratings, but on this day, it was narrowly pushed behind Gong.

tvN's Saturday-Sunday drama 'Chilling Romance' recorded a 5.5% viewership rating, and JTBC's Saturday-Sunday drama 'Apartment' recorded 4.4%. As each broadcaster dives into the weekend drama competition, attention is focused on the potential shift in the landscape as 'Married Woman Killer' instantly surged to the lead.

These results are drawing even more attention following the conclusion of 'Agent Kim.' The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Agent Kim,' starring So Ji-sub, established itself as one of this year's biggest hits, recording a peak viewership rating of 23% in its final episode. It was a work that received explosive love due to its fresh setting—combining the realistic struggles of office workers with spy action—and So's overwhelming presence.

Subsequently, SBS attempted to fill the void with the special broadcast 'Agent Kim Reactivated,' but the viewership ratings remained at 2.2% and 3.5%. These results were somewhat insufficient to sustain the high buzz left by 'Agent Kim.'

The work that seized that gap is 'Married Woman Killer.' Gong is showing a transformation different from her existing romantic comedy image by playing a character with hidden secrets and abilities amidst an ordinary daily life. Having created realistic characters in works such as 'Jealousy Incarnate' and 'When the Camellia Blooms,' Gong is stimulating viewers' curiosity by presenting a new side that traverses action and black comedy.

Interest is now concentrated on whether 'Married Woman Killer' can continue its upward trend and maintain a long-term reign over the Friday-Saturday drama throne left by 'Agent Kim.' However, with strong cards like Namkoong and highly anticipated works from each broadcaster in place, the weekend drama competition in the second half of this year is expected to be more intense than ever.

The seat left by 'Agent Kim' has not yet seen a permanent owner. However, in the first round of competition, Gong's 'Married Woman Killer' was the first to smile.