'Chief Kim' surpasses 'Chaebol Family' and 'Lawyer Yoo Young-woo'.. Gallup's highest preference rating ever

*This content was translated by AI.

'Chief Kim' topped the list of 'Broadcast/Video Programs Most Watched Recently,' as surveyed by Korea Gallup.

According to a survey conducted by Korea Gallup from the 21st to the 23rd targeting 1,003 adults aged 18 and over nationwide (with up to two free responses) on 'Broadcast/Video Programs Most Watched Recently,' SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Chief Kim' secured first place with a preference rating of 18.9%.

Based on a webtoon of the same title, 'Chief Kim' tells the story of former North Korea's elite special operations agent Chief Kim (played by So Ji-sub), who lived as an ordinary office worker and single dad, becoming entangled in a school bullying incident and setting out to find his missing daughter Min-ji (played by Seo Su-min). Alongside his longtime friends Sung Han-soo (played by Choi Dae-hoon) and Park Jin-cheol (played by Yoon Kyung-ho), Chief Kim tracks down wealthy businessman Ju Kang-chan (played by Joo Sang-wook), who kidnapped his daughter, while also becoming entangled with the Special Assignment Bureau trying to stop him and North Korean forces seeking to eliminate him, delivering a tense storyline in every episode.

'Chief Kim's' popularity is confirmed even in historical preference records. According to Korea Gallup, this 18.9% rating is the highest preference rating ever recorded across all channels and genres since the 'Favorite Broadcast/Video Programs' survey began in January 2013 (until 2022, it was called 'Favorite TV Programs'). This record is particularly significant as it belongs to a terrestrial drama rather than a Netflix original.

The previous highest records were held by JTBC's 'Chaebol Family Youngest Son' (December 2022, 16.6%) and ENA's 'Lawyer Yoo Young-woo' (August 2022, 16.4%). Both works were simultaneously released via Netflix during their broadcast periods.

Second place in this survey was taken by the Netflix series 'Reform Education' (4.7%). Although 'Reform Education,' which had topped the list last month with a 10.7% preference rating, dropped one rank, it continues to maintain strong interest and steady viewership even after some time has passed since its release.

'Reform Education' is a drama based on a webtoon of the same title, depicting how inspectors Na Hwa-jin (played by Kim Mu-yeol), Im Han-rim (played by Jin Ki-joo), and Bong Geun-dae (played by Pyo Ji-hoon), all belonging to the School Rights Protection Bureau established by Ministry of Education Minister Choi Kang-seok (played by Lee Sung-min), solve problems in the education field, including school bullying and infringement of teachers' rights. The premise that the School Rights Protection Bureau punishes perpetrators with extra-legal authority on behalf of victims who could not be protected under existing laws and systems brought strong catharsis to viewers and also sparked social interest in educational realities.

Following this, Netflix's occult historical drama 'Donggung' (3.4%) took third place, and JTBC's weekend drama 'Apartment' (2.3%) secured fourth place. KBS 1TV's daily drama 'Happy Our Good Day' and MBN's 'I Am a Natural Person' each recorded 2.1%, tying for fifth place. They were followed by JTBC's 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator since 2014' (2.0%), MBC's 'I Live Alone' (1.9%), EBS's 'World Theme Travel' (1.7%), and KBS 2TV's weekend drama 'Prescribing Love' (1.6%).

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*This content was translated by AI.