Park Shin Hye Finally Bounces Back: From Shattered Ratings to Top Spot

In the 8th episode of the JTBC weekend drama “Doctor Slump” (written by Baek Sun Woo, directed by Oh Hyun Jong), which aired on the 18th, Nam Ha Neul (played by Park Shin Hye) and Yeo Jung Woo (played by Park Hyung Sik) entered into a serious relationship, only to face tearful separation shortly afterward. The viewership ratings for this episode were 6.2% nationwide and 6.8% in the capital area (based on Nielsen Korea’s paid households), making it the top-rated program among cable and satellite channels.

Starting at 4.1% in the first episode and reaching a peak of 6.7% in the fourth episode, the ratings had dropped to the 3% range but were now rising again. After the Lunar New Year holiday, they recovered to the 6% range.

Competing with “Doctor Slump” are MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “Knight Flower,” SBS’s Friday-Saturday dramas “Chaebol X Detective” and “Doctor Slump,” and tvN’s “Captivating the King.” “Knight Flower” ended on the 17th. However, after a one-week break, Kim Nam Joo’s starring drama “Wonderful World” will start as the follow-up to “Knight Flower.”

“Wonderful World” is a human mystery drama about Eun Soo Hyun (Kim Nam Joo), who personally takes down the murderer who killed her son, uncovering mysterious secrets. The meeting of Kim Nam Joo (as Eun Soo Hyun) returning to the drama after six years and the drastic acting transformation of Cha Eun Woo (as Kwon Sun Yul) is attracting attention day by day.

“Chaebol X Detective” only needs to avoid Saturday, as it is a Friday-Saturday drama, and “Captivating the King” is in a completely different time slot. As “Captivating the King” ends, “Doctor Slump” will begin, so there are no direct competitors after the end of “Knight Flower.” Therefore, the biggest challenge for “Doctor Slump” at the moment is “Wonderful World.”

“Doctor Slump” is a total of 16 episodes, and it has now reached a turning point. In the upcoming weekend episodes 9 and 10, efforts should be made to delve into Park Shin Hye’s past and reignite the love line. So far, the focus has been solely on the characters’ narratives. The contents of Park Hyung Sik’s medical accident and lawsuit, and Park Shin Hye’s workplace harassment and depression, have been repeated until almost the 6th episode. It was expected that the love line would start at this point, but it turned into a separation immediately.

In episodes 9 and 10, they should depict the two becoming true lights for each other and providing healing. Park Hyung Sik and Park Shin Hye’s visuals, romance, and healing should be emphasized to maintain the upward trend in ratings. Park Shin Hye, who has restored the ratings from the brink, is expected to continue to show her ‘mom power’ in future broadcasts. With “Doctor Slump,” Park Shin Hye has once again been reborn.