Legend of the Blue Sea and Scarlet Heart Beat Rivals Descendants of the Sun and Goblin as the Top Korean Dramas of 2016

SINGAPORE (January 17, 2017) Sony’s powerhouse ONE Channel dominated the Korean entertainment genre in 2016, doubling the ratings of its closest competitor in Singapore and Malaysia.

Unleashing an arsenal of groundbreaking Korean dramas throughout the year, including the epic blockbusters Legend of the Blue Sea and Scarlet Heart, ONE commanded a 66 per cent share of viewing among the four Korean channels in Malaysia, and was ranked #2 during primetime viewing (6pm-1am) among all pay-TV channels on Astro.

ONE mania extended to Singapore where it scooped a 51 per cent share of the Korean genre and took the crown as the #1 pay-TV channel among female audiences. The allure of ONE and its premium programming also secured its place as the #3 pay TV channel in Singapore, ahead of movies and kids’ channels.

In Indonesia, ONE was consistently the #1 entertainment channel on leading platform, Indovision, in 2016. It was also among the top three pay-TV channels on the platform.

“ONE’s channel name consistently lives up to expectations, bringing viewers Korea’s hottest content first to South East Asia. Our viewers know and trust that ONE is the top destination for the latest in Korean talent, storytelling and high value productions and they expect only the best. We’ll continue to deliver on this expectation so viewers do not need to go anywhere else for their daily fix of Korean entertainment,” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production and Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia.

Despite fierce competition from other high profile dramas, ONE’s 2016 epic showstoppers Legend of the Blue Sea and Scarlet Heart were the undisputed new darlings of Korean entertainment.

In Malaysia, the average rating of Legend of the Blue Sea was three times the average rating of rival Descendants of the Sun and more than 10 times the average rating of Goblin.¹ 

The series performed equally well in Singapore, with both Legend of the Blue Sea and Scarlet Heart doubling the average ratings of Love in the Moonlight and Goblin. ²

“ONE is not just a TV channel it’s a lifestyle for lovers of Korean entertainment and culture. We go beyond the screen to immerse viewers in the world of Korean drama via fan meets, roadshows and social conversations. ONE is South East Asia’s gateway to Korea,” said Lim.

Source: Kantar Media, Malaysia DTAM 2016, combined HD and SD ratings for channels with same HD and SD content / Singapore SG-TAM Oct-Dec 2016, combined rating of ONE Mandarin/Malay and Oh!K Mandarin/Malay / Indovision Nielsen Rating Report. Target: Pay TV 4+. Consolidated activities run on Jan 9 2017.

1. Average consolidated premiere timeslot ratings of Legend of the Blue Sea until episode 13 and Goblin until episode 10, full season of Descendants of the Sun
2. Average consolidated premiere timeslot ratings of Legend of the Blue Sea until episode 13 and Goblin until episode 10, full season of Love in the Moonlight

The post ONE Reigns Supreme as the #1 Korean Entertainment Channel in South East Asia appeared first on CASBAA.