'Cheese In The Trap' Attracts Middle-Aged Audiences

"Cheese in the Trap" is taking over the legacy left by "Reply 1988," as a cable series that is trending towards record-viewership. 

On January 18, "Cheese in the Trap" recorded its highest ratings to date. According to Nielsen Korea, the fifth episode of the web toon adaptation received 6.490 percent in viewership, with the sixth episode experiencing a slight dip to 6.27 percent. 

An article published by jTBC on the Joins platform examined the growing audience of the drama, which combines romantic comedy with the ominous notes of a thriller.  

"It seems that 'Cheese in the Trap' is receiving an explosive reaction from middle-aged audiences," said the Joins writer. 

The emerging series currently has higher ratings than its predecessor, "Bubblegum," which reached 1.76 percent of cable viewers on October 27, 2015.

Led by Lee Dong Wook (Blade Man) and Jung Ryeo Won (The King of Dramas), "Bubblegum" received paltry viewership of 2.5 percent by female audiences in their thirties and 2.3 percent for female viewers in their forties.

By contrast, "Cheese in the Trap" attracted 6.3 percent of female cable viewers in their thirties and up to 10.8 percent of women in their forties.

The author noted the elements that differentiate the cable program from terrestrial series, including the slightly creepy love triangle that is developing between Park Hae Jin (You Who Came from the Star), Kim Go Eun (Coin Locker Girl), and Seo Kang Joon (Cunning Single Lady). 

Older audiences are likely drawn by the cunning charismatic presence of Park Hae Jin, who brilliantly portrays Yoo Jung, a brilliant collegian with a dark past who seemingly stalks Hong Seol (Kim Go Eun) and coyly manipulates her life until she agrees to date him. 

Seol is wary of her newfound boyfriend and her situation is compounded when his step-brother, Baek In Ho (Seo Kang Joon), a recovering drug addict and former professional pianist, insinuates himself into her life. 

As noted by one of the KDramaStars writers in a recent conversation, Seol is like Bella from the "Twilight" series. She is an intelligent introvert who develops a romantic relationship with a young man who appears to be perfect, but deep down, she knows that something is not quite right with the model scholar. 

"Cheese in the Trap" airs tvN on Mondays and Tuesdays in the 11 p.m. KST time slot. The series is available with English subtitles on DramaFever.