The Wednesday-Thursday dramas of three main broadcasters (KBS, MBC, and SBS) are still struggling to catch the viewers’ attention. Which of the three dramas will pull itself up first? According to Nielsen Korea, KBS 2TV’s “The Fugitive of Joseon” and MBC’s “When a Man Falls in Love” each recorded 9.5% in the nationwide viewer’s rating measurement on May 1.  

For “The Fugitive of Joseon,” the figures increased by 0.6% from the previous day, while the rating for “When a Man Falls in Love” fell by 0.7%. SBS’s “All about My Romance” was at the bottom with 4.9%. “The Fugitive of Joseon” climbed to the top with “When a Man Falls in Love,” but it is still too early to feel safe in the spot. In fact, it does not look easy for any of the three dramas to pass the 10% mark.  

“When a Man Falls in Love” generated a lot of attention in the beginning as a deep romance series, starring Song Seung-heon and Shin Se-gyeong. Contrary to the buzz, the viewer’s rating has not yet passed the 10% mark. Moreover, its viewership is actually falling and has a shaky hold of the top spot. Prospects are positive, however, because the story has just taken a new twist as the inter-relationship among Han Tae-sang (Song Seung-heon), Seo Mi-do (Shin Se-gyeong), Lee Jae-hee (Yeo Woo-jin), and Baek Seong-ju (Chae Jeong-an) is becoming more complex.

Meanwhile, KBS has high hopes for “The Fugitive of Joseon” that first aired on April 24. This new series comes after “IRIS 2,” a highly anticipated series that fell behind SBS “That Winter, the Winter Blows.” KBS hopes to make up for the disappointment with “The Fugitive of Joseon,” but even this drama is still lumbering below the 10% mark. On the positive side, the viewer’s rating is climbing, albeit a little, so KBS can look forward to a better result.     

SBS’s “All about My Romance” starring Shin Ha-gyun and Lee Min-jeong is a romantic comedy about politicians from two different parties. Despite the high expectations it received before the series started, it is clearly getting left behind in the race. To this date, the viewer’s ratings have remained in the 4–5% margin.