'The Tale of Lady Ok' sets viewership record and tops OTT topicality rankings after just three episodes

JTBC's Saturday-Sunday drama 'The Tale of Lady Ok' claimed the top spot in the combined TV-OTT buzz rankings just two weeks after its premiere.

According to the TV-OTT combined drama topicality survey for the second week of December, released by Good Data Corporation on December 10, 'The Tale of Lady Ok' ranked first with a 15.74% share, proving its immense popularity with viewers.

In the 'cast topicality' category, actors Lim Ji Yeon and Choo Young Woo also placed 1st and 2nd, respectively, significantly contributing to the drama's popularity.

'The Tale of Lady Ok' is the follow-up to 'A Virtuous Business,' and it began airing on November 30 as a Saturday-Sunday drama.

So far, three episodes have been released. The first episode recorded a national viewership rating of 4.2% and a metropolitan rating of 4.7%, signaling a strong start.

Since then, the second episode reached a national rating of 6.8%, and the third episode hit 7.8% nationwide and 8.1% in metropolitan areas, achieving new record highs in viewership ratings with each episode.

'The Tale of Lady Ok' tells the intense survival story of Ok Tae Young (played by Lim Ji Yeon), an outsider whose name, status, and husband are all fake, and Cheon Seung Hwi (played by Choo Young Woo), a wandering storyteller who risked his life to protect her.

Lim Ji Yeon plays the role of Gu Deok, a woman born to servant parents with a lowly background. However, she possesses extraordinary talents thanks to her wit, excelling in writing, arithmetic, work skills, athletic ability, and craftsmanship, making her a "jack-of-all-trades" character.

One day, she encounters Ok Tae Young, the daughter of a wealthy family. However, after a bandit attack, the real Ok Tae Young dies, and Gu Deok is forced to live as the fake Ok Tae Young. Choo Young Woo plays the role of Cheon Seung Hwi, a son born to a courtesan. He enjoys reading novels and indulging in daydreams and fantasies.

One day, he happens to see Gu Deok and falls for her at first sight. After discovering the secret of his own illegitimate birth, he changes his name to Cheon Seung Hwi and becomes a storyteller, wandering across the country to make a living.

In addition to Lim Ji Yeon and Choo Young Woo, actors Kim Jae Won, Yeon Woo, Kim Jae Hwa, and Oh Dae Hwan also appear in the drama, creating an even richer storyline.

Viewers who have watched up to episode 3 of The Tale of Lady Ok shared their enthusiastic reactions through Naver's open chat rooms. Comments included, "The Tale of Lady Ok is so fun!", "The fast-paced story, solid acting, and legendary supporting cast are all spot on," "It's so engaging that I get completely immersed while watching," "This seems like a work created by a united effort of the writer, director, and cast — I hope it ends well," "I'm excited these days because of how enjoyable it is to watch The Tale of Lady Ok," and "Finally, a drama worth watching after a long time."

Meanwhile, SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'The Fiery Priest 2' ranked 2nd in the TV-OTT buzz survey. It recorded a 10.61% share and continues to maintain strong interest from viewers, even as it nears its conclusion.

'The Fiery Priest 2' briefly ranked 1st in the final week of November but has stayed in 2nd place for two consecutive weeks. Lead actor Kim Nam Gil ranked 8th in the 'cast topicality' category.

Following behind were 'Squid Game Season 2' from Netflix, MBC's 'When the Phone Rings,' and Disney+’s 'Light Shop,' which ranked 3rd to 5th, respectively, maintaining their own levels of public interest.

Meanwhile, 'The Tale of Lady Ok' airs every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 PM.