• 'Resident Playbook' hits its highest ratings yet — is it Go Youn Jung’s magic or the 'Hospital Playlist' cameos that fans love?

    tvN’s weekend drama “Resident Playbook” is getting more and more love each week — and its latest episode just broke the 5% ratings mark!

    On April 20, episode 4 of Resident Playbook recorded 5.8% average viewership in Seoul (with a peak of 6.5%) and 5.1% nationwide (with a peak of 5.7%), according to Nielsen Korea. This made the show No.1 in its time slot across all cable and general programming channels, including public broadcasters.

    Among tvN’s main target audience — men and women aged 20 to 49 — it also scored high with 2.9% average and 3.3% peak nationwide, showing strong support from younger viewers.

    Fans are now asking: is this the “Go Youn Jung effect” at play, or are viewers tuning in for the emotional storytelling and cameos from Hospital Playlist characters?

    In the latest episode, the rookie residents — Oh Yi Young (Go Youn Jung), Kim Sa Bi (Han Ye Ji), Pyo Nam Kyung (Shin Si Ah), and Eom Jae Il (Kang Yoo Seok) — continued growing closer as teammates and friends. Their emotional ups and downs, along with heartfelt moments between characters, touched the hearts of many.

    One major moment was when Yi Young, dealing with a difficult case, bravely asked Kim Sa Bi for help despite earlier tension between them. The two ended up working together and comforting each other — and viewers were moved to tears.

    Another scene that drew attention was the cameo by Kim Jun Wan (Jung Kyung Ho) from Hospital Playlist, who joined the medical team for a rare case. His appearance brought back nostalgia and added even more depth to the story.

    Fans are loving the mix of emotional healing, growing friendships, and realistic hospital life, calling the show a warm follow-up to the Hospital Playlist universe.

    With ratings rising and buzz building, many are wondering just how high Resident Playbook will climb. New episodes air every Saturday and Sunday at 9:20 PM KST on tvN.

    Source: [1]

  • Yook Sung Jae and Bona’s new drama ‘The Haunted Palace’ dominates Netflix charts and beats all SBS shows with double-digit ratings from the start

    SBS's new fantasy historical drama The Haunted Palace is already making waves both in South Korea and around the world.

    Starring Yook Sung Jae and Bona, the show exploded in popularity during its very first week — topping Netflix charts in multiple countries and hitting double-digit TV ratings straight out of the gate.

    On Korean television, The Haunted Palace shocked viewers with a strong start. Episode 1 pulled in a peak nationwide rating of 10.7%, instantly breaking the double-digit barrier.

    The Seoul area rating and the national average were both 9.2%, making it the highest-rated premiere of any SBS drama in 2025 so far.

    It also beat out other SBS dramas like Love Scout and Buried Hearts, and even took the #1 spot among all mini-series aired that week, showing that this drama isn’t just trending — it’s leading the pack. (According to Nielsen Korea)

    And the success didn’t stop on TV.

    As soon as The Haunted Palace dropped on Netflix, it jumped straight to #1 on “Today’s Top 10 TV Shows in South Korea”, proving its massive popularity on streaming platforms.

    Globally, it also ranked #1 in the TV series category in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, showing that international fans are just as hooked.
    (According to FlixPatrol, April 21)

    The drama is also doing incredibly well on South Korea’s own streaming trend charts. On KinoLights — a platform that tracks trends across all streaming services — The Haunted Palace ranked #1 overall, beating both films and dramas. (As of April 19)

    Fans are loving the unique story, which mixes fantasy, comedy, and creepy mystery. The drama follows Yeori, a shaman who denies her fate, and Kang Cheol I, a mythical Imoogi spirit trapped inside her first love’s body. Together, they face off against a terrifying ghost called Palcheok Gui — who has a dark grudge against the royal family.

    Episode 2 added even more excitement, with Kang Cheol I hilariously struggling to live like a normal human after 1,000 years.

    At the same time, Yeori starts hearing the voice of Yoon Gap’s spirit and tries to save him. By the end of the episode, it’s revealed that Prince Wonja (played by Park Jae Joon) is going mad due to Palcheok Gui — and that the ghost has already consumed Yoon Gap’s soul. The showdown between Kang Cheol I, Yeori, and the evil spirit is just getting started.

    With high ratings and top OTT rankings, The Haunted Palace is quickly becoming one of the biggest drama hits of the year.

    Episode 3 of The Haunted Palace airs on Friday, April 25 at 9:50 PM KST on SBS.

    Source: [1]