Romance Scenes Boost "Jang Ok Jung" Ratings

Although "Jang Ok Jung" has trailed behind the competition since it first began, the SBS historical drama is finally inching back up in the ratings. At 9.3 percent it still has a long way to go to catch up with "Gu Family Book" and "God of the Workplace," but at least it is gaining some more fans.

When the month began "Jang Ok Jung" started off with a healthy 11.3 rating. The anticipated drama, starring Kim Tae Hee, seemed like it could easily become the popular viewing choice, as it promised a new take on the much-despised concubine, Jang Ok Jung. Although the historical figure of Jang Ok Jung had been portrayed in a half dozen dramas and films, this series promised a new look at her motivations, which might make her seem like less of a villain. The new angle would also highlight Jang Ok Jung's talents as a designer.

It was a novel point of view but the audiences either didn't like it or were tired of the subject matter. After the first week, ratings plummeted, falling as low as 6.9 percent. The low ratings show how difficult it can be to predict the success of a drama.

One reason for this week's increase in ratings may be the romance that is heating up between Kim Tae Hee's character and King Suk Jong, played by Yoo Ah In.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the clear winner of the ratings race continues to be the fantasy historical drama, MBC's "Gu Family Book," which this week earned 15.4 percent. The drama about a half-human, half-mythical creature wanting to become more human has consistently held the lead since its second week on the air. "Gu Family Book" stars popular actor Lee Seung Gi and idol-turned actress Suzy Bae, who did not even appear until the drama's third episode.

Viewer ratings for "Gu Family Book" fell slightly from last week's percentage, but it still easily trumped the KBS drama, "God of the Workplace," which scored 13.6 percent this week. "God of the Workplace" is a comedy about the effect that a super temp has on her office coworkers and it has been praised for its accurate portrayal of office daily life.

Ratings for the variety shows were 9.5 percent for the KBS show "Hello" and 7.6 percent for the SBS show, "Healing Camp."