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Drama viewership ratings for the week of Aug. 21-27, 2017

I don’t know why I thought we’d go at least a week without a new premiere, but the turnover rate in dramaland still manages to surprise me. Age of Youth 2, the sequel to the critically acclaimed, well, Age of Youth premiered to a decent 2.2%, though I was half-expecting higher numbers if only because the slot it took over was netting insane numbers for JTBC. I guess it goes to show that no one’s ever attached to a time slot, only the show airing in it.

The only new development early in the week is that Bride of the Water God 2017 ended at an okay 3.2%, and we had another show end in Man Who Dies to Live, which earned yet another series high of 14.0% for its final episode. Reunited Worlds continues to stay the same, while Criminal Minds continues to not pull in any new viewers. (Which is kind of surprising for a case-based show, because isn’t the idea that you can pop in at any time and not have missed much? I guess no one’s worried that they’re missing anything.)

While Manhole continues to flounder with absolutely miserable ratings in the middle of the week, Strongest Deliveryman saw an uptick with its Friday episode, with the kinds of numbers it usually only earns on Saturday, and did even better on Saturday. Rescue Me may not be making waves with its numbers at 2.3%, while Live Up to Your Name seems to be evening out some (though it’s still pulling in fair-to-good numbers at 4.3%).

 
Drama viewership ratings for the week of Aug. 21-27, 2017

Ep. # Station Rating
Monday, Aug. 21
School 2017 11 KBS 4.7%
The King Loves 21 MBC 6.2%
The King Loves 22 MBC 7.0%
Falsify 17 SBS 9.7%
Falsify 18 SBS 11.2%
Bride of the Water God 2017 15 tvN 2.2%
Tuesday, Aug. 22
School 2017 12 KBS 4.1%
The King Loves 23 MBC 7.2%
The King Loves 24 MBC 7.7%
Falsify 19 SBS 10.2%
Falsify 20 SBS 11.6%
Bride of the Water God 2017 16 tvN 3.2%
Wednesday, Aug. 23
Manhole 5 KBS 2.0%
Man Who Dies to Live 21 MBC 10.7%
Man Who Dies to Live 22 MBC 12.8%
Reunited Worlds 21 SBS 5.6%
Reunited Worlds 22 SBS 6.7%
Criminal Minds 9 tvN 2.3%
Thursday, Aug. 24
Manhole 6 KBS 2.1%
Man Who Dies to Live 23 MBC 12.0%
Man Who Dies to Live 24 MBC 14.0%
Reunited Worlds 23 SBS 5.9%
Reunited Worlds 24 SBS 7.1%
Criminal Minds 10 tvN 3.1%
Friday, Aug. 25
Age of Youth 2 1 JTBC 2.2%
Strongest Deliveryman 7 KBS 6.2%
Saturday, Aug. 26
Father Is Strange 51 KBS 28.6%
Strongest Deliveryman 8 KBS 7.2%
You’re Too Much 49 MBC 13.2%
Thief-nom, Thief-nim 31 MBC 8.7%
Sister Is Alive 39 SBS 10.9%
Sister Is Alive 40 SBS 19.0%
Age of Youth 2 2 JTBC 2.4%
Rescue Me 7 OCN 2.3%
Live Up to Your Name 5 tvN 4.3%
Sunday, Aug. 27
Father Is Strange 52 KBS 33.7%
You’re Too Much 50 MBC 16.6%
Thief-nom, Thief-nim 32 MBC 12.1%
Rescue Me 8 OCN 3.0%
Live Up to Your Name 6 tvN 5.6%

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I'm happy for Strongest Deliveryman and Rescue Me for hitting 7% and 2% respectively! Yay!

The King Loves is such an underrated saeguk drama. I hope words of mouth from people from time to time will eventually make people forget about their skeptical towards Yoona and Hong Jong Hyun because they're really good in TKL.

I predict that Hospital Ship might get good ratings (though I don't plan on watching it) because Manhole and Reunited Worlds are not that strong competitors.

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I too think that Hospital Ship will get reasonably good ratings but I am still left with no dramas to watch for Wed-Thurs.

I agree with you about The King Loves. I was one of those who didn't think Yoona or HJH would be good but now I am won over.

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I watch Reunited Worlds and Manhole, but both dramas are kinda meh to me. I just watch them mainly because supporting characters that are more interesting that the first leads.

I'm glad that you're finally on board with The King Loves! No worries, I was one of those as well when I read the casting news, but I still gave it a try because of Siwan; however, I'm now more attracted to HJH and Yoona because I'm all on board for Rin x San's ship.

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I loved Reunited Worlds first week so much and then my interest just crashed and died. I can't even pin point why. I was hoping Manhole would be funny but reading the negative reviews doesn't excite me to try.

I am very impressed with Siwan but my heart is with Rin. It's kind of strange because I never had SLS before. This is probably my first.

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I totally get ya with Reunited Worlds. I keep on watching it because of Hae Sung's friends and siblings. It's getting draggy and boring too at some point, but the feeling that I'm getting watching this drama is kinda similar to weekend family drama, so I don't know if it's a good thing or not.

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They're playing that very well. Even Won has said that the love line is between San and Rin.

I find Won's character compelling a standalone basis. He has everything, yet he has nothing. He longs to cast aside the trappings of social position with his friends, yet he has to develop his social position to protect them. He wants to have normal relationships with people, yet is unaware of how his imperial upbringing is causing him to be domineering and alienating. He is truly a tragic character.

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i am some how bother with jin goo kiss older woman, and there is no more flash back. The lead actress is boring, everything is so vanilla, suddenly I just dont bother to continue watching it

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I also really impressed with Siwan but in the story projection, I prefer Rin - San.

I never really pay attention to HJH before but I think the director really knows how to make him shine so he is shining on his role but not overshadowed Im Siwan [I don't think he supposed to either]

I've been saying this plenty of time and I hope you don't get bored but TKL gazes to each other really precious.
They have this way of making we notice the little gestured and the little looked in the eye.
Perhaps it means nothing but I am glad to notice it.
It feels like my pet peeves that I didn't know that important until now.

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The thing is I absolutely hate
1) meaningful gazes
2) intense looks
3) angsty male leads
One example would be Moon Lovers. Yeah, HJH happened to be in it and I couldn't stand his evil glare then, LOL. While fans were over the moon with those intense longing stares Wang So and Hae Soo were giving each other, it moved me not a single bit. So I am very surprised why TKL is on paper doing the same thing but the effect is totally different!

Maybe it's the nuanced acting Im Si Wan and HJH are doing here. I can see that both Won and Rin loves San very much but neither are burning holes in her face by their stares. Rin is mostly poker face but every time, a flicker of concern, tenderness or pain crosses his face, my heart breaks for him.

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Stares and musical segues bother me when they're superfluous or vacant expressions of longing. But I love them when they're used to show character development.

The reason why I like them here is that they seem to convey the development of secret acknowledgement and changing intentions between Rin and San

Another drama that I thought did this really well was Goblin. (I know, I know. I'm in the minority on this.). Each time they used those devices the characters were going through periods of self-questioning and shifting intentions. And I could almost hear their inner debates, even though no words were being spoken.

One of the things I love about books is that we get to know the characters inner thoughts and fill in the visuals with our imagination. The silent sequences in dramas have a similar effect on me if they're done well. I get cues from sight and sound, but can use my imagination to fill in the details on what's going on inside the character's mind. If the writer has done a good job in laying the groundwork, its easy for the audience to do. And so much more interesting and satisfying than making everything super obvious by an excessive / tedious use of dialogue.

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@outofthisworld
I don't mean to make the other bad but the love story in TKL is kinda what I want in ML.

I think TKL has very short pace glances but emphasied and it looked like an interaction.

San saw Won and Rin comes - Won saw San eyes, San smiles - san looked at Rin - Rin changing his gaze to the floor - San talk and looked at Won - Rin looked at San.

This how it played. It played really well.

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I usually don't comment on this thread--I know, shocking--but @gidget hit the nail squarely on the head about longing looks and intentional stares done well in both Goblin and in The King Loves. We CAN hear the internal dialogue of these characters just by an eye twitch! But the music scores in both these dramas are also integral to our interpretation of their thoughts as well, which is another reason I enjoy watching The King Loves--its beautiful music.

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I'm so happy for Rescue Me :D

Hospital Ship has indeed strong chances to lead the Wed-Thurs time slot.

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Hospital Ship is strong because of Ha Ji Won, but I've my doubt towards Kang Min Hyuk being a doctor and the other two rookies actors as doctors are not helping. Plus, I'm not into noona romance which add more to the reasons why I'll not be watching this drama unless I hear some good reviews on this drama. Who knows, the director might work some wonders to make the rookie actors shine. Let's just wait and see.

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I am so like you! I really have an aversion of noona romance in drama and real world. I don't know why, but I just have a really weird feelings about it. Maybe I will try Hospital Ship if the series is more focused on helping the patients and friendship between the doctors. However, I doubt that kind of story would be enough to sustain 16 episodes.

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I don't really see a noona romance in the promotion posters and teasers but since it's Korean I don't know what will happen. In BTS clips there's a lot of focus on the island and doctors' work than on romance.

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I was wondering why TKL's rating is considered as bad? It ranks second after Falsify.. 7% vs 9-10% imo is not that bad. Scarlet heart with all the hype and star actors-idols combined only got 4% (if I am not mistaken). TKL only has 2 idols.. Yoona herself is known as a not that good idol-turned actress. I read that many netizens hate her in K2. So I think 7.7% (recent rating) is pretty decent...

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I don't think TKL's ratings are bad. When beanies say it's underrated, I just assume they mean it's not that popular on DB. Moon Lovers had an average of 7% which isn't bad in absolute terms but disappointing because it was hyped and had more popular cast than TKL - Moon Lovers had saeguk prince Lee Jun Ki whereas TKL has Siwan. Talking about Siwan, I read a comment that Siwan lacks the charisma of a leading man, I hope that's a minority opinion.

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It's pretty decent, but it could potentially be higher with such good writing from Song Ji-na writer-nim and the director is also doing splendid job. It only got 7.7% this week when it'd been stagnant in 6% ratings in previous episodes.

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I think Korean viewers are more inclined to follow actors than writers unless it's Kim Eun Sook.

There were dramas with mediocre writing and directing and yet they pulled in fairly decent ratings because the leads are popular.

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Korean viewers are used to sageuks that are based heavily on to their history like what you would expect from a real historical drama.

That's why the ratings for conventional sageuks were pretty much insane back then.

There is nothing much historical to follow with the current sageuks so might as well support those whom they love for years in the genre.

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Goryeo sageuk are usually under-rated domestically... most of the successful sageuk are about Joseon era.

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@persianrose
Yes it may seems that way but I think it's because there are more Joseon sageuks than Goryeo sageuks.
Around 100 or so Joseon sageuks and just over a dozen sageuks based on Goryeo era. Some of it overlaps with Joseon.
Joseon's history was well documented so there is a lot of primary materials for writers to work with.
Goryeo's history was written later by Joseon scholars from 2nd and 3rd hand materials so it's kind of vague with less details.

I think Goryeo sageuks did fairly well in ratings. "Taejo Wang-gun" (Goryeo) is still the 2nd highest sageuk of all time with 60% (200 eps). "Tears of the Dragon" was almost in the 50% but that was back in the days.
I think "King's Love" and " 7 Day Queen's" last few episodes (after Ruler) is a fair comparison.

I don't know what to make of the ratings lately because sageuks has changed a lot and more people are watching shows online these days.

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The rating is decent for TKL, if bad it will go lower than 5%. Not sure if it is underrated in this site, I saw many beanies are talking about this drama, so I guess it is not the case in this site.

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@alyad

Just for the records, TKL has 3 idols

Im Shi Wan , Yoona, & Hong Jung Hyun are all idols?

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The King Loves is the best drama on right now - and you didn't even mention in this article that it came in second. Yoona and HJH are SO good in this drama. It starts out fluffy but it's really about the psychology of the characters and how they interact, and the court intrigue is because of the resentment for the mixed blood crown prince. The music is beautiful too.

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Sageuks these days are geared towards young viewers. Based heavily on romance and far from being traditional. Politics if there is any is usually revolves around the love triangle love square instead of the history.
So I guess they got their target audience. Young viewers and idol fans who mostly watches their show on the net.

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They targeted the young audiences, so it makes sense if it will be more popular online.

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Probably Manhole will see better now that MWDTL ended.
I have not seen much hype for Hospital Ship, so it migh be a chance to make the wed-thu timeslot more normal again.

BOWG finally ended, however the next drama kind of leaves me "meh" , so better hope for October.
Age Of Youth 2 , to my non-surprise has 2% around ratings. I actually told you guys back at Onew's problems that all the people whining on the internet would not watch it anyway, and guess what.., I am RIGHT!

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I thought AOY first season didn't have high ratings, did it? It was one of my favorites but I remember that the show didn't fare very well.

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Exactly. It went as far as 0.8% at one point.
And that's why I knew that all those k-netz whining on the internet would not watch it when the time to air came.

However I do think it will fare better than season 1 since there is not the "kang jina is a ****" issue.

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Medical dramas usually have good ratings, especially when it's helmed by Ha Ji Won who is a familiar name to ahjummas (who I assumed made up most of the ratings target). Judging from the past few month's ratings, it seemed like they don't care / know so much about young idols. Excluding those who can actually act, I hope PDs will start casting real actors and actresses as leads instead of idol.

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Manhole is my total fun drama...I don't see why ratings so low. It moves fast, characters are fun and keep changing, and I look forward to it every week.

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Wooohooo for Strongest Deliveryman!!! I kind of like the pacing of the show; the story moves along quickly so it doesn't feel boring. Just give Jin-gyu and Ji-yoon more screen time and I'll be a happy camper (Show, help me out a bit because I'm running out of scenes to replay here).

Live Up to Your Name continues to be entertaining, and Kim Nam-gil's expressions are the best. I actually enjoyed Age of Youth's first episode better than the second, but that's probably because I haven't warmed up to the new girl Jo Eun yet, compared to Kang Yi-na.

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The lead actor on that show always picks good parts FOR HIM. Even in Tomorrow's Cantabile he was very good even though the show was wobbly. So when he went with this show as lead I thought, "Ok sounds weird but he'll probably knock it out of the park" and yeah, he has.

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Aww, I'm so happy that Strongest Deliveryman is doing well and getting new viewers! It was a show that I was surprised captured my attention with their wacky but relatable characters, laugh out loud moments, and lots and lots of heart! I'd recommend for anyone who needs a new K drama in their life!

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I haven't watch anything this week besides The King Loves so it's nice to see that Live up to your name getting a higher number.

Live up has this strange attraction for me because it's easy to watch and followed and the acting is so approachable, I know it sounds strange but it isn't over the top but still awesome. It felt real and natural but also down to earth.

The King Loves is just works for me, it's a slow burn and at one point I am surprised that I feel them. The story seems like something familiar but hell this director captured a lot of things like they read me.

The editing is lowes this week than before but those shots remains as beautiful and as good as I want to.

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Love the King Loves!

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Hospital Ship might premier in a good number next week. Ha Ji Won + medical drama have probability to attract more audiences. I am not really looking forward to it, the teasers left me with no impression but I might check the first two epi at least.

As for Age of Youth, the rating is decent. If the storyline is good, it will increase. Woman of Dignity also started around 2% and see how much it got at the end. No one should say high rating for WOD because viewers want to watch the veteran actors as it didn't started with high number. Based on the current rating, with good plot + solid actors, viewers can keep increasing. Falsify is another example. I didn't watch Man Who Dies To Live so I can't comment but I guess the storyline must be captivated enough to make the viewers stayed and increased each epi.

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Agreed with you about Hospital Ship. I was looking forward to Ha Ji Won and a noona romance (one of my catnips) but the teasers, and the long preview left me unimpressed. I wonder if Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim ruined any near-future medical dramas for me.

I am still waiting for Age of Youth 2! English subs please!

Considering watching Woman of Dignity, but then because of the Revisiting Dramas post, I picked up Reply 1988. AND boy, am I hooked. Also, I've gone in knowing who gets the girl, so while I feel for the one who doesn't, by episode 12, am able to see why the one who does, does. [No names even though everyone knows.]

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RTDK kinda ruined other medical drama for me as well. lol. But I think it can still get good number.

AOY is taking a very long time to be subbed. sigh...

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I love "Age of Youth" but I don't expect very high ratings from it. I think the 2% range and maybe 3% is just about right.

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Hmmm.. these are really dismal ratings. When will PBG come back??

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I dont have a drama to watch after Father IS strange...
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is that good or bad?....

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ohh ManH. Man who lives deserves applause. Live upto is the only onethe can compete against Starnger. ManH should exchange ratings with School.
Man who Lives proved himself. hehe

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How is TKL? I haven't been able to keep up with anything and now I just feel drowned with missed dramas.

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The King Loves is the best drama on right now - and you didn't even mention in this article that it came in second. Yoona and HJH are SO good in this drama. It starts out fluffy but it's really about the psychology of the characters and how they interact, and the court intrigue is because of the resentment for the mixed blood crown prince. The music is beautiful too.
-Linda Palapala

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I am so happy about my beloved Rescue Me getting 2.3. I said last week that for the type of drama is is, 2.0 would be a great fleet. Then they go ahead and accomplish/beat it. I hope it stays the same and of rises a bit more. I am also happy to see Strongest DelIveryman doing well as the only other drama I'm watching and enjoying right now.

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Actually, for super dark of Save Me. 2% is super good, it higher than 'Duel' now, I hope they can reach 5% in final ep.

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Sad to see a drop in school 2017 , but happy that living up to your name is climbing the ladder each episode.

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Reunited worlds is a cute and a stress relieve kind of drama. Love it!

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I'm Glad Ep 10 ...the rating is higher ...( 3.1 %)

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CM is worth watching and I don't care about comments or rating .

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I don't know Why I can't like any Korean medical drama... I really wanna try one but which one ? Nothing interest me... i think because I'm into Japanese medical drama style so watching Korean one I feel much drama and sometime makjang going on then the hype about medical etc

Hospital ship Japanese version is really good and funny tbh so heartwarming, should I try watch the korean version too

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have you tried romantic doctor, teacher kim?

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There is a 2007 medical drama based on japanese medical drama too, titled white tower. It stars kim myung min and lee sung kyun. I personally like this drama, u might want to try a few episodes to know if it suits your taste.

For me, Golden time is good too.

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So glad that strong deliveryman is rising in ratings! It needs much more love from the viewers and deservingly so. Love this show. I love all four of the leads. And I wish oh jin gyu gets paired up with the rich girl, they look too cute together, so adorbs. <3 I think it has been ages since I loved all the characters in a drama. Can't wait for more hijinks from oh jin gyu, and the new blossoming romance lol.

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Bride of the Water God was awful. Poor acting, weak storyline, just generally meh...
I wish Live Up to Your Name was more accessible here in the US. I've liked it so far but then again Kim Nam-Gil is the guy who turned me on to K-Dramas so I'm his forever.
Reunited Worlds is starting to drag a bit. I hope they perk it up a bit.

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Looking at this drama chart I suddenly remembered that another drama premiered this week, and that's Single Wife on DramaX. Could you please tell me if it's good and maybe its ratings if possible?

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Yay for Strongest Deliveryman!!

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The dramas I'm currently watching are Live Up to Your Name and Father Is Strange. I usually don't watch dramas as they're airing because waiting week after week makes me lose interest but I loved the teasers for Live Up a lot that I decided to just go for it. While waiting for weekends I decided to check out Father Is Strange to keep me entertained. Now I haven't had time to watch ep 4-6 of Live Up because I'm hooked on FIS. LOL. But glad to see Live Up's numbers doing pretty well although last week's Saturday ratings were higher than this week's. This is a good one -- solid acting, funny, easy watch.

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Should I watch falsify? i am currently watching rescue me.any suggestions?

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