Seo Kang-jun's 'Undercover High School' off to strong start

A poster for "Undercover High School" / Courtesy of MBC

"Undercover High School" is making waves among viewers and quickly gaining a strong following.

Premiering last Friday on MBC, the show captivated audiences with its immersive direction, unique storyline and intense plot. It follows a National Intelligence Service agent who goes undercover as a high school student to track down Emperor Gojong’s missing gold bars, setting off a series of unpredictable events.

Since its debut, "Undercover High School" has dominated popularity charts, thereby signaling a successful run ahead. According to the official FUNdex rankings released by Good Data Corp., the series ranked No. 1 in TV-OTT drama buzz for the third week of February. Lead actor Seo Kang-jun also topped the cast popularity rankings. On Monday, the show secured the No. 1 spot on Kino Lights' daily Tving rankings.

The drama’s strong performance extends to its ratings. The first episode garnered 5.8 percent viewership in the Seoul metropolitan area, according to Nielsen Korea. Its second episode saw an increase, reaching 6.6 percent nationwide. Notably, the viewership rating among viewers aged 20 to 49 — a key demographic for channel competitiveness and buzz — climbed to 2.8 percent, making it the most-watched drama of the day.

With stellar performances from Seo Kang-jun, Jin Ki-joo and Kim Shin-rok, "Undercover High School" has already won over audiences in just two episodes. The engaging character dynamics further enhance the show, setting the stage for continued success.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.