Lee Seo-jin's 'My Secretary' holds top Netflix variety spot for three weeks

The SBS variety program 'My Secretary' has maintained its position as the number one Netflix variety series for three consecutive weeks. Following its August 28 season premiere, digital clips for the show have amassed over 30 million cumulative views.

Actor Lee Seo-jin has captured audiences playing a prickly yet meticulous "experienced secretary." The SBS variety program 'My Secretary' is gaining momentum in its new season, simultaneously driving up viewership ratings and online buzz. After maintaining the top spot in the Netflix variety category for three consecutive weeks, the program recently recorded its highest viewership ratings to date. Interest is now mounting as to whether this upward trend will continue with the upcoming appearance of Ha Ji-won, who is set to reunite with Lee Seo-jin for the first time in 23 years since the drama 'Damo.'

Returning after approximately seven months, 'My Secretary' achieved notable results starting from its new season premiere on August 28. According to Nielsen Korea, the program recorded a household rating of 3.7% in the Seoul metropolitan area and a 2049 rating of 1.7%, with the peak minute rating soaring to 4.4%. Notably, the 2049 rating, which is a key metric for advertisers, more than doubled compared to the final episode of the previous season. The strategy of maintaining a familiar format while deriving humor from the relationship between the two secretaries and new guests is interpreted as having reignited interest among viewers.

Online reactions have been even more intense. Immediately after the first broadcast, it ranked 2nd in the overall 'Today's Top 10 Series in South Korea' on Netflix and 1st in the variety category, subsequently holding the top variety spot for three consecutive weeks. Cumulative views for related digital clips surpassed 7 million views after two days, 15 million views after two broadcasts, and 30 million views after three broadcasts. This indicates high viral power not only in broadcast ratings but also in online content consumed as short-form videos.

The program also demonstrated a strong presence in topicality indices. In the first week of October TV non-drama topicality survey by Good Data Corporation's FUNdex, the program ranked 1st, recording its highest topicality ever. In the cast topicality rankings for the same week, RESCENE, Lee Seo-jin, MAY, Kim Kwang-kyu, and WONI were lined up from 2nd to 6th place. It is noteworthy that the topicality spread across the entire cast rather than being concentrated on a single guest.

At the center of this success is the unique chemistry between Lee Seo-jin and Kim Kwang-kyu, who have an average age of 56.5. When the production team asked in the first episode of the new season if he liked his partner, Lee Seo-jin retorted, "If I don't, will you change him for me?" Kim Kwang-kyu also shot back, "Who else could handle a prickly young master's personality? It can only be me," adding, "Do you think you can do it without me?" Their blunt teasing of one another and chemistry that seems built over a long time have become core comedic elements of the program.

Situations arising from generational differences are also a highlight. When Lee Seo-jin stated he did not know BIBI's hit song 'Bam Yang Gang,' explaining, "I only listen to pop," BIBI reacted bluntly, saying, "I feel like he's a bit unpleasant." During the episode with Seo In-young, Lee Seo-jin jokingly declared he was giving up on serving her after an endless "instruction manual," adding, "I'll come back when you've reformed." His indifferent yet prickly attitude and unexpected wit serve as tools to draw out the personalities of the guests.

However, Lee Seo-jin's role is not limited to sharp remarks and grumbling. He adjusted the car temperature for Cha Tae-hyun, who had cold symptoms, and meticulously handled tasks such as removing contact lenses and ironing at Seo In-young's photo shoot. For RESCENE, he offered practical advice to be careful of fraud and manage their money after settlements, stating, "Money is everything." While acting as if it is a nuisance, his attitude of looking after others when necessary creates both laughter and warmth.

Kim Kwang-kyu balances the program in a different way from Lee Seo-jin. He provided quirky laughter by performing a so-called "transfer service," handing Ji Chang-wook's portable fan to actress Nana, while offering sincere encouragement to RESCENE, who have endured their time as unknown artists, saying, "These friends have literally been rowing continuously." The contrasting personalities of the two create different atmospheres for each guest. Lee Seo-jin previously received the Grand Prize in the Show-Variety category at the '2025 SBS Entertainment Awards' for 'My Secretary' last year.

The upward trend continued in the most recent broadcast. The episode featuring Son Suk-ku, aired on the 23rd, set a new personal record with a nationwide household rating of 3.4%, while recording 3.6% in the Seoul metropolitan area and a peak minute rating of 4.4%. Son Suk-ku confessed, "I was going to quit acting," while sharing stories about supporting the deployment to Iraq and his process of debuting as an actor at age 35. The ability to naturally draw out personal stories not widely known to the public attracted viewer interest by showing new sides of the guests.

The next protagonist is actress Ha Ji-won. Lee Seo-jin and Ha Ji-won, who worked together in the 2003 drama 'Damo,' will reunite on screen after 23 years. Ha Ji-won expressed her excitement, saying, "It really feels like a dream," while Lee Seo-jin remarked, "It's the first time since then that we are in the same camera angle." Upon news of their reunion, the teaser video recorded approximately 1 million views, and a special pre-release video released on the 27th surpassed 3 million cumulative views in a single day. Anticipation was further raised by a released scene where Lee Seo-jin teases Ha Ji-won, saying, "Ji-won has become much prettier than before. Actually, she wasn't this pretty back then."

The Ha Ji-won episode will also feature the first overseas business trip in 'My Secretary.' Lee Seo-jin, Kim Kwang-kyu, and Ha Ji-won will head to Singapore to watch an F1 race. A key point of interest will be how the two actors, meeting after a long time, will evoke past memories while showing their chemistry on a new trip. Attention is focused on whether 'My Secretary,' which has driven up ratings and online topicality, can connect this momentum to the reunion of the 'Damo' duo after 23 years. The Ha Ji-won episode will air on the 30th at 11:10 PM.

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