South Korean actor Namgoong Min plays the lead character of Kim Sung Ryong in the KBS 2TV drama 'Chief Kim.' (Photo : YouTube/KBS World TV)
KBS 2TV's "Chief Kim" is gaining more popularity day by day. The Wednesday-Thursday drama ranked the highest on the Content Power Index (CPI), beating SBS' "Saimdang, Light's Diary" and MBC's "Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People."
On Feb. 14, Tuesday, CJ E&M and Nielsen Korea released the CPI rankings from the week of Jan. 30 until Feb. 05, Yonhap News Agency reported. CPI measures the popularity of TV shows based on the number of online search tallies, views of related news stories and buzz on social media.
"Chief Kim" took the top spot on the list with a recorded 241.8 points, pushing KBS 2TV's "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth" to the second place with only 238.9 points. Placing third is the SBS historical drama "Saimdang, Light's Diary," while MBC's " Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People " and SBS's "Defendant" settled in the fourth and fifth place, respectively.
"Chief Kim's" success came as a surprise to many as it bested several Korean dramas with larger budgets and bigger star power, notably its direct competitor "Saimdang, Light's Diary." The latter stars veteran actors Lee Young-Ae and Song Seung-Heon as Shin Saimdang and Lee Gyeom, respectively.
Earlier this week, actor Namgoong Min, who plays Kim Sung Ryong in the KBS drama, shared his honest thoughts on what makes "Chief Kim" so popular. Since it is a satirical comedy series, the actor believed viewers can enjoy it without thinking too much.
"The secret to the popularity of 'Chief Kim' is in its humor and how relatable it is," Soompi quoted Namgoong as saying before a group of local media. "It's not hard to watch; viewers can enjoy it without thinking much, which I think is why it gained attention."
Also starring Nam Sang-Mi, Lee Jun-Ho and Jung Hye-Sung, "Chief Kim" airs on KBS 2TV every Wednesday and Thursday at 10:00 PM (KST). Check it out below:
