'Good Manager' maintains firm lead, 'Saimdang' gains little

"Good Manager" maintained a firm grip on its lead in the Wednesday-Thursday TV drama race while "Saimdang, Memoir of Colors," also saw a small uptick, data showed Friday.

Episode 10 of "Good Manger," which aired Thursday night, recorded 17.2 percent viewership, according to Nielsen Korea. It fell 0.6 percentage point from last week but still dwarfed its rivals in the same time slot.

SBS TV's "Saimdang" stood at 10.1 percent, up 0.3 percentage point, and MBC TV's "Missing 9" clocked in at 4.6 percent, also adding 0.5 percentage point. In a head-to-head matchup with mega "hallyu" star Lee Young-ae, actor Namgoong Min and his show "Good Manager" have pulled off one of the bigger upsets in recent Korean TV history.

Namgoong Min of 'Good Manager' (KBS)

The satirical comedy show stars Namgoong as Kim Sung-ryong, an accountant at the fictional TQ Group and a genius at embezzling corporate funds. An anti-hero, Kim ends up fighting for the rights of employees and against greater corruption within the workplace.

"Saimdang" made headlines for bringing Lee of "Daejanggeum" back to television for the first time in 13 years. But it's received an underwhelming reception due to what viewers say is a slow and discombobulated plot.

SBS TV has re-edited the entirety of the series for a more impactful viewing experience. But whether it can add more significant ground remains to be seen. (Yonhap)