Korean Drama Delivers Killer Ratings With Its Best Kiss Scene Yet

With just three episodes remaining, a popular Korean drama is shaking up living rooms with its explosive developments, reaching a peak viewership of 13.8%—a new record for the series.

According to Nielsen Korea on February 2, SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama Love Scout (directed by Ham Joon-ho and Kim Jae-hong, written by Ji Eun, produced by Studio S and EOCON Content Group) recorded 11.8% nationwide and 11.8% in the Seoul metropolitan area, with a peak moment of 13.8%. This marks a 0.9% increase from the previous 10.9% rating, setting a new series high. The drama’s 2049 target audience rating also rose to 4.2%, making it the top program of the day.

In the February 1 broadcast of Love Scout, viewers were hit with a mix of shock and emotional depth. As the hidden past connection between Kang Ji-yoon (Han Ji-min) and Yoo Eun-ho (Lee Jun-hyuk) came to light, their love story took a dramatic turn. What began as a sweet romance evolved into a tale of fate, complex human relationships, and unexpected twists.

The episode revealed that Ji-yoon’s father, Kang Kyung-tae (Jo Wan-gi), had saved Eun-ho from a fire, a heroic act that led Ji-yoon to grow up in loneliness. Upon discovering that Ji-yoon is Kyung-tae’s daughter, Eun-ho becomes determined to protect her. However, the revelation leaves Ji-yoon in shock, throwing their relationship into turmoil and sparking curiosity about what lies ahead.

Eun-ho’s jealousy also added a layer of intrigue. The appearance of successful interior design CEO Jung Hyuk (Kwak Si-yang) ignited Eun-ho’s possessiveness, creating tension and injecting fresh excitement into the plot. His playful jealousy amused viewers, while his genuine love left them deeply touched.

Following the broadcast, viewers flooded online forums with reactions such as:

“I expected a twist, but this was next-level. I’m still shaken.”

“Even when they just look at each other, my heart races.”

“The ending of episode 9 had me in tears.”

“Is there anyone who didn’t cry?”

“Please tell me this ends happily!”

“This drama is perfection. Definitely a life-changer.”

Beyond the romantic entanglements, Love Scout explores deeper themes of human emotion and connection by weaving the past and present into its narrative. This approach has elevated the show from a standard romance to a thought-provoking drama, garnering critical acclaim.

With three episodes left, anticipation is high for how Ji-yoon and Eun-ho will overcome their crisis and whether their love will endure.

Meanwhile, Love Scout will be succeeded by the highly anticipated SBS Friday-Saturday drama Buried Hearts (written by Lee Myung-hee, directed by Jin Chang-gyu, produced by Studio S, AtoZ Entertainment, and Pru Mir Workshop). The drama follows Seo Dong-joo (Park Hyung-sik), a man who hacks a slush fund worth 2 trillion won and wages an all-out war against the forces that tried to kill him.

Starring Park Hyung-sik and Heo Joon-ho, the project has been creating buzz since its production phase. With writer Lee Myung-hee of Money Flower and director Jin Chang-gyu of Military Prosecutor Doberman teaming up, the show promises to deliver gripping suspense and is poised to be one of 2025’s most anticipated dramas. The first episode airs on Friday, February 14, at 10 PM.