Premiering on the 25th, 'Legend of the Unknown' achieved a peak rating of 7.213% (according to Nielsen Korea, based on all paid households), ranking first among programs aired at the same time and securing the top spot among all entertainment programs broadcast on Wednesday.
The show is also proving its popularity on online video service (OTT) platforms. On the 27th, it ranked 3rd in 'Today's TOP20' on Wavve, and on the same day, it secured the 5th spot in South Korea's 'TOP10 Series' on the global platform Netflix. Just two days after its broadcast, it has already climbed high in OTT rankings, receiving immense love from viewers.
On social media, where viewer reactions can be seen more directly, 'Legend of the Unknown' content is receiving a significant response. The story of 9-year-old contestant Kim Han-yul, partially revealed as the last segment of episode 1, turned living rooms into a sea of tears. The video surpassed 3.7 million views on SNS channels within two days of airing, marking high popularity. The intersecting emotions and lingering impressions have heightened anticipation for the next episode.
Additionally, contestants like Han Garak, who secretly participated against his family's wishes and received an 'All Top' with overwhelming talent, Haru, who combines princely visuals with skill, Lee Dae-hwan, who formed a fan club from his first stage, and Irune, who proved to be a master with his voice and rhythmic movements, are drawing high viewership and gathering a fanbase.
The emergence of contestants with visuals, talent, and stories is expanding interest beyond the existing trot fandom to the 20s and 30s demographic. Particularly on SNS platform X (formerly Twitter), which has a high usage rate among the 20s and 30s, mentions related to the show increased rapidly, with real-time reactions following the broadcast.
In episode 2, Kim Han-yul's heartbreaking story and stage will be unveiled, alongside contestants who have evolved in performance, direction, and vocal skills. Despite the strengthened judging criteria of the two main judges, Kim Jin-ryong and Lim Han-byeol, stages that lead to 'All Top' are emerging, with reports of tension and cheers filling the scene. Attention is focused on what twists the desperate battles of the unknowns will create.
'Legend of the Unknown' episode 2 will air on the 4th of next month at 9:40 PM.
Ryu Ye-ji, Ten Asia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr