"Hwarang" gained a loyal fanbase since the KBS series aired its first episode in mid-December 2016. Recently, the historical series bested two of the most popular South Korean dramas namely "Goblin" and "Legend of the Blue Sea," in terms of TV popularity.
"Hwarang" posted impressive numbers on a TV popularity chart during its debut week. The KBS drama reached a Content Power Index score of 292.4 points in the week period Dec. 19, 2016 until Dec. 25, 2016, according to entertainment firm CJ E&M and Nielsen Korea, as cited by Yonhap News.
The KBS drama even dethroned the hit tvN fantasy series "Goblin" that has been on the top of the said chart for several weeks. With a score of 282.9 points, Gong Yoo's drama landed at number two followed by Lee Min Ho's mermaid series "Legend of the Blue Sea."
Other dramas that made it to the top ten of the Content Power Index included the medical series "Romantic Doctor Kim" that nabbed the fourth spot. The MBC series "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo" also jumped 11 spots to claim seventh place.
To come up with the list, CJ E&M and Nielsen Korea looked at the various South Korean TV programs airing at a specific week period. Tracking the said programs' online popularity, the Content Power Index measures a show's social media activity, the number of keyword searches, online news stories and other data.
Meanwhile, "Hwarang" tells the story of a group of young men training to become some of the Silla dynasty's greatest warriors and leaders. Its cast members include several idol singers and talented actors such as the "She was Pretty" star Park Seo Joon, ZEA singer Park Hyung Sik, BTS' V, SHINee's Min Ho, Kim Tae Hyung and more.
Despite its star-studded cast, the KBS drama posted mostly low single-digit TV ratings. To-date, the historical series' reached its highest viewership share during episode 3 with a rating of 13.1 percent, according to Nielsen Korea, as cited by TV Report.
"Hwarang" airs every Monday and Tuesday on KBS. Watch some of the scenes from the drama's episode 6 below: