Lee Je-hoon and Jung Ji-sun dominate home screens, sweeping both viewership ratings and buzz.

SBS's Hit Lineup Breaking Its Own Records

SBS dramas and variety shows are dominating living rooms as they consecutively break viewership ratings and buzz indices. The Friday-Saturday drama 'Taxi Driver 3' (written by Oh Sang-ho, directed by Kang Bo-seung, produced by Studio S, Group 8, and BA Entertainment) has reached its climax with only two episodes left before its finale. This series, which recorded the highest premiere ratings among mini-series aired this year (peak 11.1%, average 9.9%), recently reached 14.2% nationwide and 15.1% in the metropolitan area, with peak ratings soaring to 18.5%. It also proved its powerful impact by recording a peak 2.4% in the 2049 viewership rating.

The SBS drama 'Kissing for No Reason!', launched in November, is also creating a sensation. Along with 'Taxi Driver 3', it has ranked first in viewership ratings, buzz, and OTT rankings. Recording peak ratings of 6.8% (5.6% in the metropolitan area) for episode 3 and 7.8% (6.5% in the metropolitan area) for episode 4, it took first place in its time slot and among all weekday mini-series. It is also attracting international fans by reaching second place in the Netflix non-English series category. Both works are dominating all time slots on Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday-Saturday by breaking their own records every week.

Lee Je-hoon and Jung Ji-sun, the Protagonists Sweeping Buzz Indices

The popularity of content is directly linked to the buzz of the cast. Lee Je-hoon, the protagonist of 'Taxi Driver 3' (playing Kim Do-gi), ranked first in the integrated TV-OTT cast buzz category. Lee Je-hoon proved he is the key figure leading the success of the work by winning his second Grand Prize at the 2025 SBS Drama Awards for the 'Taxi Driver' series. 'Taxi Driver 3' is maintaining its first-place position in the Netflix Korean TV show category and also ranked first in the drama category of the Kinolights integrated content rankings for the third week of November.

In the variety show category, Jung Ji-sun from tvN's 'Undercover Chef' rose to the top of the non-drama cast buzz category. Since its first broadcast, 'Undercover Chef' has continued its unstoppable hit syndrome, ranking first in its time slot, including cable and general programming channels, for five consecutive weeks.

The Unique Survival Method of 'Undercover Chef'

tvN's 'Undercover Chef' is a variety show with a radical concept that sends star chefs who have conquered the Korean culinary scene, such as Sam Kim, Jung Ji-sun, and Kwon Seong-jun, back to the position of the youngest apprentice in overseas restaurants. Stripping away their illustrious resumes, they present a survival story of starting from the bottom in unfamiliar overseas kitchens. The recently aired 5th episode broke its own record again, recording an average of 4.3% and a peak of 5.5% in the metropolitan area. The sight of veteran chefs struggling while hiding their identities and facing unfamiliar ingredients and exotic kitchen cultures is driving both viewership ratings and buzz.

The Completion of Revenge, the Climax of 'Taxi Driver 3'

'Taxi Driver 3' is a private revenge agency drama where Rainbow Transport and taxi driver Kim Do-gi complete revenge on behalf of unfair victims. Returning two years after Season 2, this season has garnered acclaim through its solid world-building and an all-time great lineup of villains. Studio S CP Cho Young-kwang analyzed the reason for its success, stating, "It is because viewers feel a sense of vicarious satisfaction and the pleasure of clear justice being served, which resolves the frustrations of reality."