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Which K-dramas are the hottest topics of conversation in Korea right now? As it does every month, the Korea Corporate Research Institute has released its «brand reputation» rankings for TV series. And for October, it’s « Four Hands, Two Sonatas », starring Song Kang and Lee Jun-young, which won by a wide margin.
How does this ranking work?
This ranking does not measure viewership, but rather a series’ overall popularity. It is based on an analysis of a vast amount of online data, using several criteria: user engagement, media coverage, social media interactions, recognition within fan communities, and viewership.
This month, 21 popular TV series were put under the microscope.
«Four Hands, Two Sonatas,» the big winner
At the top of the list, «Four Hands, Two Sonatas» has an index of 6,743,329. The words most commonly associated with the series are the names of its two lead actors, Song Kang and Lee Jun-young, as well as terms such as «growing up,» «understanding,» and «comfort.» A sign of true critical acclaim: 93.55 % of the analyzed reactions are positive.
Behind it, « Love on the Menu »has climbed to second place (5,600,003). The KBS 2TV series is also one of the most-watched shows right now, with a viewership of over 15 %.« The Ordinary Jackpot »rounds out the top three (3,770,699), just ahead of « Flex x Cop 2 » and « Our Happy Days ".
Some more recently launched series also appear in this top 20. « A Love Other Than Yours », which has divided fans since Episode 11, ranks 11th. « Dive into You », the fantasy romance starring Bona and Jang Se-hyuk, comes in at No. 15. « Take Charge of My Heart », the Netflix series starring Kim Young-kwang and Chae Soo-bin, ranks 18th. Finally, « Love in Disguise », even though it was launched just ten days ago, has already climbed to 19th place.
One absence, however, is surprising: that of « Doctor X », which is nonetheless breaking viewership records with nearly 20 %.
The Complete Top 20
- Four Hands, Two Sonatas
- Love on the Menu
- The Ordinary Jackpot
- Flex x Cop 2
- Our Happy Days
- Mommy to Mi Mi
- A Bona Fide Killer
- The Scandal
- Family Register
- A Trap Called Desire
- A Love Other Than Yours
- New Recruit 4: Sabotage
- The Affair Was Just the Beginning
- Mousetrap
- Dive into You
- Fly High Butterfly
- Early Spring
- Take Charge of My Heart
- Love in Disguise
- OK! Let's Get Divorced
What about you? Which of these dramas are you watching, and which ones would make your top picks for October?
Source: Korea Institute for Corporate Research
