The MBC Wednesday-Thursday drama "W" has captured the attention of many viewers with its exciting and suspenseful storyline. The drama that stars Lee Jong Suk and Han Hyo Joo has even toppled Kim Woo Bin's "Uncontrollably Fond" in the viewership rating war.
Many Korean drama lovers have been talking about Lee and Han's new series "W" that features characters from both the real world and a webtoon that bears the same name as the drama. The MBC series was written by Song Jae Jung, known for her unique time traveling dramas such as "Nine: Nine Time Travels." The new MBC drama has managed to keep its viewers entertained, as compared to its rival "Uncontrollably Fond" that featured the usual drama plotlines of tragic love, incurable illnesses, birth secrets and family misfortunes, according to a report posted on Korea Times.
Despite the KBS2 drama's list of famous Hallyu stars such as Kim and Miss A girl group member Bae Suzy, the show's ratings were unable to withstand the growing popularity of Lee's MBC drama. Viewership ratings for "W" has been at 12.9 percent, for both its third and fourth episodes that aired on the week of July 27, as indicated in the same report. On the other hand, "Uncontrollably Fond" only had an 8.6 percent share of the viewers during the episode that aired on July 27.
The MBC drama's popularity has prompted some fans to request for the release of the "W" webtoon comic book props that were shown in the series. Critics also applauded writer Song for her unique storyline and plot twists, as stated in the same report. Culture critic Jung Duk Hee complimented Song for her ability to present unpredictable story plots and creating "distinct characters."
Critic Kong Hee Jung also commended the writer for her writing style. Kong made mention of how Song would be able to fully maximize the time and dimension traveling element of the MBC drama to deliver a more diverse story.
Meanwhile, the fifth episode of the MBC drama that aired on Wednesday, Aug. 3, has posted nationwide viewership ratings of 13.5 percent, according to Nielsen Korea. It also recorded a rating of 14.3 percent within the metropolitan area of Seoul.
Watch the highlight preview of the drama below: