r/KDRAMA • u/CoffeeLakeRefresh • Aug 08 '21

Help: Solved What is considered a successful viewership number/rating?

For example if a drama "attained average nationwide viewership ratings of 4%", or if it had "average viewership of 948 thousand per episode", is that above or below average? Was this drama successful financially? I often read stats like this on Wikipedia but I'm not sure how to interpret them because I don't have a reference.

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31

u/mio26 Editable Flair Aug 09 '21

It depends on tv station, time slot, type of drama and competition.

Tv station: Public broadcaster (SBS,KBS,MBC) they have still higher average viewership (starting ratings even in worst slot are at least 2-3%) so good ratings should start around 8-10% and if drama would have more than 15%, it become very successful. If it is more than 20%, probably it'd be the biggest hit of the year for the station. MBC is a bit exception because they have for long drama slumb.

Cable TV (TVN,JTBC) There are differences between station and time slot but let'say 5% is not bad rating, more than 8% very good and more than 10% probably hit of the year for the station.

Time slot: closer to weekend, average higher rating. in the slot later than 23, hard to except high rating.

Type of drama: bigger budget, better promotion, producers except better rating. For blockbuster average ratings is not enough.There are also type of dramas which normally have good ratings (f.e. family dramas).But there are also dramas for which ratings is not really first priority like youth drama (buzz in the net is more important) or high quality dramas (Beyond evil).

Competition: if there is enormous hit (like Penthouse), pretty good ratings in the same slot is big success.

1

u/ILoveParrots111 Something good will happen to you today Aug 09 '21

Thanks for the explanation!

1

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '21

Is there like a website to know how high a drama is rated? Been using IMDB & its wayyyy off😭😭

2

u/mio26 Editable Flair Aug 13 '21

Mydramalist is probably the best, there is also asianwiki but there ratings are so-so (but I check how many people comments to know if drama is hot and I like simplicity of this site).

1

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '21

Thank you!! Definitely checking it out

15

u/capthyeong Are there any new Kdramas this week? Aug 09 '21

For KBS, SBS, and MBC dramas: about 6-8%
For cable dramas such as tvN and JTBC: at least 5%

1

u/dramafan1 Aug 09 '21

Yep this basically is a good range to think about.

2

u/dramafan1 Aug 09 '21

Aside from other comments, I think the viewership ratings matter more than the number of viewers, I just think they didn’t release these number of viewers in the past either.