‘Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim’ Series Earning Almost 15 Percent Viewership Four Episodes In — SBS Continues To Earn Success With Medical K-Dramas [Video]
https://youtu.be/FTvapdAo2cs
The 2016 Winter Season for K-dramas is shaping up to be very entertaining with series that will cap off a very successful year. For those who loved the light-hearted, romantic comedies, especially Shopping King Louis andJealousy Incarnate, we now have Weight Lifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo and My Wife’s Having an Affair this Week. For something a bit out of the norm, Sweet Stranger and Me might be preferred. And for those who want to watch a K-drama that will really pull on heartstrings, Oh My Geum Bi is sure to dig deep into K-drama fans’ emotions.
The aforementioned K-dramas are good, but the ones getting the most attention are produced by the Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS). At this moment, SBS is airing a new series that is getting plenty of attention, a medical K-drama titled Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim. After four episodes, it has already reached almost 15 percent in viewership making it one of the more popular K-dramas this season. Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim‘s success also marks the continuation of SBS’ success with medical K-dramas.
Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim, which is also known as Doctor Romantic and Romantic Doctor Kim, is the newest medical K-drama series airing in the time slot previously occupied by Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. It stars Han Suk Kyu (Secret Door) as Teacher Kim, Yoo Yun Suk (Warm and Cozy) as Kang Dong Joo, and Seo Hyun Jin (Another Oh Hae Young) as Yoon Seo Jung. It is about a famous surgeon who leaves his former workplace to work in a small hospital. There he becomes Teacher Kim as he teaches two young doctors who pursued their passion for selfish reasons, Kang Dong Yoo and Yoon Seo Jung, the true meaning of being a doctor.
Apparently, the domestic Korean viewership is in love with the newest medical K-drama by SBS. According to the viewership ratings provided by TNmS Media Korea, the fourth episode recorded a viewership rating of 13.1 percent for the nation and 16.8 percent for Seoul National Capital Area. As for AGB Nielsen Korea, the same episode recorded 13.8 percent for the nation and 14.9 percent for Seoul National Capital Area. However, AGB Nielsen Korea also recorded its peak viewership, a particular moment in the fourth episode that had the highest viewership rating, at 17.38 percent. Needless to say, Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim is starting out more than well, a good sign for the remaining 18 episodes in the 20-episode long series.
If Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim continues to be a success throughout its run, it will be the fourth popular medical K-drama by SBS to air within consecutive years. The streak began back in 2014 with Doctor Stranger. Starring Lee Jong Suk and Jin Se Yun, it averaged at over 11 percent in viewership for the nation and over 13 percent for Seoul National Capital Area. In 2015, it would be followed up by Yong Pal. Starring Joo Won and Kim Tae Hee, it averaged over 16 percent viewership for the nation and almost 20 percent viewership for the Seoul National Capital Area. The numbers show Yong Pal did better than Doctor Stranger. And on a side note, it was also the most-popular K-drama of 2015.
This year, Doctors would follow up after Yong Pal. Starring Kim Rae Won and Park Shin Hye, it averaged over 16 percent for the nation and over 20 percent for the Seoul National Capital Area. It continued the trend of beating its predecessor in viewership ratings, but it beat Yong Pal only by a mere fraction of a percent for the Seoul National Capital Area. It is hard to say if Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim will continue such a trend. It is airing about five months after Doctors. But as mentioned earlier, it is only on the fourth episode. This gives Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim time to build up its popularity and fan base.
Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim airs on Mondays and Tuesdays at 10 p.m. KST on SBS. For those who do not have access to Korean free-to-watch channels, the medical K-drama series can be viewed for free, with ads, on DramaFever as Doctor Romantic and on Viki as Romantic Doctor Kim depending on your location.
[Featured Image by Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)]
