KBS Dramas Dominate With Highest Viewer Ratings in 2013

Dec 29, 2013

On December 26, viewer rating research company Nielson Korea released a summary of the viewer ratings for shows broadcast in 2013 based on 3134 households from January 1 to December 22.

According to their report, of the top 20 dramas, KBS‘s “My Daughter Seo Young” received the honor of the most-viewed drama of the year, with a whopping 40.7% viewer rating. Following in second place is the currently-airing KBS drama “King’s Family” with 29.0%, and then it is KBS’s “Cheer Up, Mr. Kim” with 28.5%, and KBS’s “You’re the Best, Lee Soon Shin” with 25.8%, in third and fifth places, respectively.

1. KBS “My Daughter Seo Young” (40.7%)

2. KBS “King’s Family” (29.0%)

3. KBS “Cheer Up, Mr. Kim” (28.5%)

5. KBS “You’re the Best, Lee Soon Shin” (25.8%)

6. KBS “Love Rides the Song” (24.1%)

7. MBC “A Hundred Year Legacy” (22.2%)

8. KBS “Sincerity Moves Heaven” (21.4%)

10. MBC “The King’s Doctor” (19.3%)

So it’s been a pretty good year for KBS, sitting in 6 of the top 10 spots for 2013 shows!

The remaining spots that weren’t covered above are non-drama shows. In fourth place is SBS Sports “Brazil World Cup: Asia Final Qualifying Round: Korea vs. Iran” (26.7%), and also in eighth place is KBS Sports “Brazil World Cup: Asia Final Qualifying Round: Korea vs. Uzbekistan” (21.4%).

Even in a comparison of the top 10 single broadcasts, we see a KBS trend.

KBS “My Daughter Seo-young” (March 3, 54.4%)

KBS “King’s Family” (December 22, 45.7%)

KBS “A Hundred Year Legacy” (May 12, 38.8%)

KBS Sports “Korea vs. Uzbekistan” (38.4%)

KBS “You’re the Best, Lee Soon Shin” (July 7, 38.1%)

KBS “Cheer Up, Mr. Kim” (February 19, 36.4%)

And it doesn’t stop there. For variety programs, too, KBS takes the win, with “Gag Concert” in first place with 17.4%.

In the overall rankings, “Gag Concert” is in 16th, the only variety program to make it to the overall top 20.

Behind “Gag Concert” are the following shows:

SBS “Rules of the Jungle” (15.0%)

MBC “Infinity Challenge” (13.5%)