Channel A's weekend melodrama 'My Lovely Journey' is gaining recognition for its dramatic storylines and poetic cinematography but is stuck lingering under 1% in national ratings for its first three episodes.

The show concluded its first "proxy trip" storyline on Aug. 9, with Episode 3 tracking Kang Yeoreum (Gong Seung-yeon) as she assisted Hanbok in understanding Ji-sook (Kim Hye-hwa), a homely client who bore a striking resemblance to Kate.

The drama explained that Kate was Ji-sook's twin sister — left to die at birth by a rosary tree to save Ji-sook's life when she was critically ill.

The emotional reunion turned decades of bitterness into compassion for their late mother's sacrifice.

Buyeo's natural and historical sites such as the rosary tree grove, Baekma River, and hanok traditional homes were at the forefront, serving as healing and reunion metaphors.

The episode ended with Ji-sook embroidering a hanbok for Kate as the Ogu Entertainment clan geared up for the sisters' reunion after 50 years.

Even with good word-of-mouth, Episode 3 gained a 0.2% national rating, fewer than the premiere's 0.6% and Episode 2's 0.3%, Nielsen Korea reported.

Some viewers have demanded a faster pace, but most reactions are still upbeat, calling the drama "warm," "beautiful," and "well-made."

With Yeoreum scheduled to take a new proxy trip — this time for a retriever named Genie — Episode 4, which will be broadcast Aug. 10 at 9:20 p.m., will see if the sentimental series can lift out of its early-season rating slump.