‘Filing for Love’ Surpasses 11% Ratings in Just 6 Episodes With Wild Plot Twists

tvN’s weekend drama has completely taken over the small screen, surpassing 11% viewership ratings in just six episodes.

According to Nielsen Korea on May 11, episode 6 of tvN’s Saturday-Sunday drama 'Filing for Love,' which aired on May 10, recorded its highest ratings yet with an average of 10.3% and a peak of 11.8% among households in the Seoul metropolitan area. Nationwide, the drama achieved an average of 9.4% and a peak of 10.6%, ranking No. 1 in its time slot across all channels, including terrestrial broadcasters.

The achievement is drawing even more attention as the drama not only broke its own ratings record within six episodes, but also outperformed major terrestrial network programs in the same time slot.

What Is ‘Filing for Love’ About?

'Filing for Love' tells the story of Ju In Ah, a ruthless head of the audit office played by Shin Hye Sun, and elite employee No Gi Jun, portrayed by Gong Myung, who gets demoted to a special disciplinary task force. The series humorously explores the reversed dynamics between the two characters.

The drama stands out for blending realistic workplace issues such as affairs, rumors, and office bullying with comedy while still maintaining emotional depth. Viewers have praised the fresh concept of combining office audits with romance.

The screenplay was written by Yeo Eun Ho, directed by Lee Soo Hyun, and created by Yang Hee Seung. The drama premiered on April 25, 2026, succeeding 'Mad Concrete Dreams.'

Star-Studded Cast Draws Attention

The series stars Shin Hye Sun, Gong Myoung, Kim Jae Wook, and Hong Hwa Yeon.

For Gong Myung, the drama marks his return to tvN about a year after 'Second Shot at Love,' while Kim Jae Wook returned to tvN dramas for the first time in seven years since 'Her Private Life.' Hong Hwa Yeon also made her comeback to tvN four years after 'Mental Coach Jegal.'

Meanwhile, Shin Hye Sun returned to tvN for the first time in roughly three years since 'See You in My 19th Life.' Earlier this year, she received rave reviews for her performance in 'Art of Sarah,'  with viewers calling it “Shin Hye Sun’s acting masterclass.”

Filming Wasn’t Entirely Smooth

The production faced difficulties during filming when Gong Myung temporarily halted filming and was hospitalized in December last year due to sudden hearing loss. His agency explained that he had been admitted because of dizziness and was expected to return to filming within the week. As a result, filming was reportedly delayed for several days.

Despite the setback, Gong Myung seamlessly returned to production and has continued receiving praise for his performance.

Cast Shares Key Viewing Points

Shin Hye Sun jokingly teased viewers by saying, “You’ll see Gi Jun looking cool at first, but you’ll also notice his flaring nostrils and wide-open mouth quite often. I laughed a lot while monitoring the scenes myself. It might be fun to count how many times his mouth drops open in each episode.”

Gong Myung highlighted the chemistry among the Audit Team 3 cast members, saying viewers would enjoy the drama even more by paying attention to their teamwork.

Kim Jae Wook added, “Since it’s an office drama, we wear suits often. The different office styling in each episode could also be fun inspiration for people interested in fashion.”

Ratings Continue to Climb

Since its premiere, 'Filing for Love' has shown a steady upward trajectory in ratings.

Episode 2 recorded a nationwide average of 6.3% and a peak of 7.1%, ranking No. 1 among cable and general programming channels in its time slot. Episode 3 maintained first place with a nationwide average of 4.8% and a peak of 6.1%. Episode 4 then jumped to a nationwide average of 7.9% and a peak of 9.1%, setting a new personal best. Episode 5 maintained strong momentum with a nationwide average of 5.9% and a peak of 6.9%.

Finally, episode 6 topped all channels, including terrestrial broadcasters, cementing its status as one of the hottest dramas currently airing.

In the latest episode, Gong Myung’s character boldly confessed his feelings to Shin Hye Sun’s character, sending viewers’ heart rates soaring.

No Gi Jun confessed, “Stop pretending not to know. You already noticed that I like you, didn’t you?” However, Ju In Ah rejected him using a claw machine metaphor, saying, “The claw only stays strong for three seconds. No matter how many times you try, it won’t work.”

Still, No Gi Jun ultimately succeeded in grabbing the prize doll and told her, “So it’s not impossible after all,” creating a powerful ending scene.

Viewers React Enthusiastically

After the broadcast, viewers flooded online communities with reactions including, “The male and female lead casting is perfect,” “Shin Hye Sun’s acting is insane,” “It’s been a while since I watched a drama live every week,” and “Their chemistry is unbelievable.”

Others commented, “Shin Hye Sun always picks great projects,” “The love triangle is getting crazy,” and “Now I understand the hype around younger men.”

What Makes the Drama So Appealing?

Critics say the drama’s biggest strength lies in how it handles the unusual concept of workplace misconduct investigations without making it feel overly lighthearted. Writer Yeo Eun Ho’s witty dialogue gains extra life through director Lee Soo Hyun’s stylish direction, while the sharp chemistry between Shin Hye Sun and Gong Myung transforms even formal boss-subordinate interactions into romantic tension.

Kim Jae Wook and Hong Hwa Yeon also add strong synergy that helps balance the drama’s suspense and emotional depth.