A 9.7% Ratings Miracle: Shin Hye-sun and Gong Myung’s “Secret Appreciation” Delivers, Closing on the Highest Ratings

A 9.7% ratings miracle: the overwhelming finale left behind by ‘Secret Appreciation’ and a global syndrome

tvN’s weekend-and-holiday drama ‘Secret Appreciation’ has finally wrapped up with an astonishing viewership rate that nears double digits. According to Nielsen Korea’s announcement on the 1st, the final episode (Episode 12), which aired the previous day, reached ‘9.7%’ nationwide based on household ratings. That figure is more than twice the ‘4.4%’ it recorded at its first broadcast, demonstrating the show’s explosive momentum and the level of public trust it earned.

The final episode delivered a catharsis in which ‘Joo In-ah’ (played by Shin Hye-sun) and ‘No Ki-jun’ (played by Gong Myung) perfectly captured the two prizes of work and love. Amid the ‘Hae-mu Group sale’ crisis, No Ki-jun sincerely convinced ‘Jeon Jae-yeol’ (played by Kim Jae-wook) and protected the company’s continued existence. After this fierce battle, ‘the Office of Appreciation’ was finally upgraded into an independent core organization, and the two lead characters reaffirmed their unwavering affection, unveiling the essence of a flawless happy ending.

Their high-density, office-based romance across generations swept beyond living rooms at home and into global markets as well. The drama not only took ‘No. 1 on the Hallyu Asia Drama Ranking’ on Japan’s U-NEXT, but also pulled off a remarkable feat by holding onto weekly No. 1 for three straight weeks on the global OTT platform Rakuten Viki across ‘103 countries worldwide’, including the Americas and Europe. This is a symbolic indicator that goes beyond simple popularity, once again imprinting the overwhelming status of K-dramas.