‘The Undateables’ Gains Higher Ratings Amidst Hwang Jung Eum Acting Criticisms
The Undateables recently saw a slight increase in viewership shares after failing to keep its premiere episode rating of more than five percent. The uptick in ratings is also a welcome change following the negative feedback that Hwang Jung Eum received from netizens.
The latest episodes of Hwang Jung Eum's romantic comedy series recently showed a small improvement in viewership shares. Released on June 20, The Undateables Episodes 15 and 16 posted nationwide average ratings of 3.3 percent and 4.4 percent, according to Nielsen Korea.
Compared to the SBS drama's previous episodes, the June 20 broadcast of Namgoong Min and Hwang Jung Eum's series registered slightly higher ratings. The Undateables Episodes 15 and 16 is higher by 0.2 percentage points and 0.8 percentage points than Episodes 13 and 14, respectively.
However, the increase in viewership shares can be attributed to the preemption of the said series' competitor dramas. KBS and MBC did not release new episodes of its Wednesday primetime dramas to give way to the said South Korean channels' 2018 FIFA World Cup telecast.
At this time, it is still unclear if The Undateables will continue to see improvements in its viewership shares. MBC is set to resume its normal primetime drama schedule on June 21 with the release of Come and Hug Me Episodes 17 and 18. Despite both productions recording average ratings of three to four percent, one of the two series might receive a bigger share of viewers following the recent conclusion of Park Hyung Sik drama Suits.
Suits previously reigned over the weekly rating race between Wednesday and Thursday primetime dramas. Given that KBS decided to release its replacement series for the said Park Hyung Sik starrer in July, The Undateables and Come and Hug Me now have a bigger chance of taking the number spot in ratings.
Meanwhile, Hwang Jung Eum recently commented on the criticisms she received from avid viewers. Several netizens described the actress' acting performance as poor and highlighted the SBS drama's cliché storyline.
Speaking at a press conference held on June 7, Hwang Jung Eum shared that acting in similar drama genres might have negatively affected the netizens' current impression of her. Known for her roles in hit romantic comedies such as Kill Me, Heal Me and She Was Pretty, fans previously praised the actress for her comedic timing and funny expressions. Despite the criticisms, The Undateables star promised to take better care in portraying her role in the SBS drama.
The Undateables Episodes 17 and 18 will be released on June 21. The drama airs every Wednesday and Thursday on SBS.
