KBS 2TV’s drama The First Night With The Duke wrapped up its 12-episode run on July 17, ending with a nationwide viewership rating of 3.2%, according to Nielsen Korea. Despite a rebound from the previous episode’s 2.6%, the series closed without making significant waves in the ratings or cultural impact.
Starring Seohyun, Ok Taecyeon, Kwon Han-sol, and Seo Bum-june, the fantasy romance follows a university student who becomes possessed by a minor character in a historical romance novel and unexpectedly spends a night with the obsessive male lead. The series promised a unique blend of light-hearted escapism and fantasy romance, supported by a visually rich historical setting and the cast’s strong performances.
However, the drama’s launch was marred by controversy. Earlier this year, the production faced harsh criticism after it was revealed that the filming team had driven nails into wooden pillars at Byeongsan Seowon, a UNESCO World Heritage site. KBS promptly issued an apology, discarded the footage, and implemented new filming guidelines for heritage sites. The scandal forced the production to open its press conference with a formal apology, casting a long shadow over the drama’s debut.
Despite an initially promising start recording a peak of 3.4% during its second episode, the show struggled to maintain viewership, dipping into the 2% range before slightly recovering for the finale. The scandal, compounded by lukewarm viewer reception, meant the drama failed to deliver the breakthrough needed to revitalize KBS’s Wednesday-Thursday lineup.
Nevertheless, the finale offered a happy ending, tracing the protagonist’s journey from a sidelined character to a woman taking control of her destiny. Critics praised the show’s inventive premise, brisk storytelling, vibrant hanbok costumes, and a well-blended soundtrack, but these strengths were not enough to overshadow the early missteps.
Actors Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon were noted for their committed performances, with Seohyun portraying the emotional arc of a growing heroine and Taecyeon delivering charm as the intense male lead. The supporting cast contributed to the show’s layered narrative, though viewer engagement remained tepid.
KBS had hoped The First Night With The Duke would reinvigorate its long-dormant Wednesday-Thursday drama slot, which it resumed in 2024 after a two-year hiatus. Unfortunately, the show joins a list of underperformers, such as Face Me and Pump Up the Healthy Love, unable to break through a trend of declining ratings.
Following its conclusion, KBS will air a new Wednesday-Thursday series, My Girlfriend Is the Man!, premiering July 23. Starring Yoon San-ha, Arin, Yoo Jung-hoo, and Chuu, the drama is based on a popular Naver webtoon and features a gender-bending romantic comedy setup.
Interestingly, KBS clarified that it will discontinue the Wednesday-Thursday drama slot after this new series. Instead, the network plans to focus on weekend dramas, launching high-profile productions like Twelve starring Ma Dong-seok and Eun Soo Good Day starring Lee Young-ae and Kim Young-kwang.
Whether this new strategy can restore KBS’s reputation as a drama powerhouse remains to be seen. What’s clear is that The First Night With The Duke will be remembered less for its fantasy romance and more for the real-world controversy that overshadowed it.
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