Han Ji Min and Park Sung Hoon’s The Practical Guide to Love Faces Uncertain Future
JTBC’s weekend drama The Practical Guide to Love has entered its second week of broadcast, showing a modest rise in ratings but struggling to generate the level of buzz expected from a series led by Han Ji Min and Park Sung Hoon. While the drama’s premise and cast initially drew attention, recent data highlights a gap between viewership numbers and overall popularity.
Ratings Performance
According to Nielsen Korea, The Practical Guide to Love began with a 3.1% rating for its premiere episode on February 28. Episode two climbed slightly to 3.3%, while episode three reached 3.8%. The fourth episode, aired on March 8, recorded 4.8%. Although these figures show incremental improvement, they remain modest compared to the expectations for a JTBC weekend drama.
Competition has also played a role. On March 8, The Practical Guide to Love aired opposite KBS2’s Gag Concert, which achieved a 3.0% rating. The narrow margin between the two programs underscores the challenge of securing dominance in the time slot. Despite the absence of major rival dramas during its first two weeks, the series has not managed to achieve a significant ratings surge.
Popularity Index Results
Good Data Corporation’s FUNdex report for March 1–8 placed The Practical Guide to Love sixth in the combined TV-OTT drama buzz rankings, a slight improvement from the previous week. In the TV-only category, the drama held steady at fifth place. However, newer releases such as Netflix’s Monthly Boyfriend and JTBC’s Shining outperformed it in terms of audience engagement.
Netflix’s Monthly Boyfriend dominated the charts, ranking first in both drama buzz and actor buzz categories. Lead actor Seo In Guk placed third among drama actors, while BLACKPINK’s Jisoo sparked debate over her performance, further fueling the show’s visibility. In contrast, The Practical Guide to Love saw its lead actress Han Ji Min drop from fourth to ninth place in the actor buzz rankings. Other cast members failed to secure positions in the top ten, highlighting the drama’s struggle to maintain momentum.
Challenges Ahead
The drama’s lukewarm buzz is particularly concerning given the upcoming competition. TV Chosun’s Doctor Shin, written by renowned screenwriter Phoebe (Im Sung Han), is set to premiere on March 14 in the same weekend slot. With its bold storytelling and strong pre-release anticipation, Doctor Shin poses a serious challenge to The Practical Guide to Love.
Adding to the difficulty is the current decline in audience enthusiasm for the romance genre. While The Practical Guide to Love attempts to blend humor and heartfelt storytelling, the broader market trend suggests viewers are gravitating toward thrillers and unconventional narratives. Without a surge in ratings or a breakout storyline, the drama risks being overshadowed by competitors.
Outlook
Two weeks into its run, The Practical Guide to Love finds itself in an ambiguous position. Ratings have shown incremental improvement, but the lack of strong buzz and declining actor rankings highlight the drama’s struggle to connect with audiences. Whether it can overcome these challenges and establish itself as a hit remains to be seen. The coming weeks, especially with new rival dramas entering the same time slot, will be critical in determining its trajectory.
Read: Park Sung Hoon and Lee Ki Taek Rival for Han Ji Min in JTBC’s The Practical Guide to Love
