Throughout the world of K-Dramas, various broadcasting stations bring numerous series to the home of fans all across the globe. One of these stations is the illustrious MBC. MBC is one of the most popular broadcasting channels, with its K-Dramas consistently placing in the best ratings list. The channel continues to deliver high-quality productions appealing to fans in South Korea and abroad. As such, MBC drama ratings rise to the very top, with many reaching record highs.

Here are the top MBC Dramas with the highest ratings since 2020!

 

1. "Knight Flower" - 18.4%

Starring Lee Hanee and Lee JongWon, the historical drama "Knight Flower" starred high in ratings and quickly reached high ratings. The drama gained even more popularity in its last weeks and reached the ratings of 18.4% with its final episode. In 2024, the drama broke the previous records held by "The Red Sleeve". The drama is available on Viki, Kocowa, Apple TV, and Prime Video.

 

2. "The Red Sleeve" - 17.4%

Among historical K-Dramas, "The Red Sleeve" was phenomenally made, filled with moments of romance and yearning that cannot be easily forgotten. Due to its massive success, it gained 17.4% ratings, making it the highest rated series among MBC K-Dramas from 2020 to 2023. Luckily for fans new and old, the K-Drama is available to watch on Rakuten Viki.

 

3. "Big Mouth" - 13.7%

"Big Mouth" made big waves during its initial run. The chemistry between Lee JongSuk and Girls' Generation's YoonA was magnificent, and combined with a compelling storyline, it became an immediate hit, reaching 13.7% ratings. The drama can be watched via streaming site Hulu.

 

4. "My Dearest (part 1 & 2)" - 12.9%

Starring NamKoong Min and Ahn EunJin, "My Dearest" gained massive success and tugged on the heartstrings of all its viewers with a total of 21 episodes. Reaching its highest rating of 12.9% with the final episodes, it puts the series as one of the most watched of MBC. "My Dearest" is currently available on Rakuten Viki and Kocowa.

 

5. "Wonderful World" - 11.4%

"Wonderful World" (2024) is a revenge and thriller drama starring Kim NamJoo and ASTRO's Cha EunWoo. The drama went viral on social media and the mysterious story caught attention. The drama peaked at 11.4% with its 9th, 11th, and 13th episodes. It started at 5.3%.

 

6. "Chief Detective 1958" - 10.1%

The retro crime drama "Chief Detective 1958" starring Lee JeHoon, Lee DongHwi, Choi WooSung, Yoon HyunSoo, and Seo EunSoo started with 10.1%. The drama started after "Wonderful World" and garnered a lot of attention to be able to start with such high ratings.

 

7. "The Veil" - 9.8%

Also starring NamKoong Min, "The Veil" kept audiences at the edge of their seats with its various twists and turns. Its captivating suspense allowed the drama to reach its highest ratings of 9.8%, landing it at number four among MBC dramas. "The Veil" is available to watch via Rakuten Viki or Kocowa.

 

8. "The Story of Park's Marriage Contract" - 9.6%

"The Story of Park's Marriage Contract" based on webtoon gained a lot of popularity. Bae InHyuk and Lee SeYoung's chemistry was amazing and the story was full of mystery so the drama gained a lot of viewers. The drama started at 5.6% and reached the highest rating of 9.6%.

 

9. "Tracer" - 9.0%

This MBC drama depicted the hard working performance of the National Tax Service. Featuring a cast with Yim SiWan, Go AhSung, Son HyunJoo, and much more, "Tracer" reached its highest rating at 9.0%, earning it the fifth spot among MBC dramas so far. "Tracer" is available on Rakuten Viki, Kocowa, and Wavve.

 

10. "The Golden Spoon" - 7.8%

"The Golden Spoon" is a webtoon-based drama that followed poor, yet studious Lee SeungCheon (BTOB's SungJae) and chaebol son Hwang TaeYong (Lee JongWon) as they switched lives during adolescence and adulthood. The drama explored the stark differences between the extremely rich and those living in poverty. While there were moments of crushing heartache, there were scenes of uplifting hope that lit up all the dark spaces in your heart. "The Golden Spoon" earned its highest ratings at 7.8% and is available on Disney+ and Hulu.

 

11. "Tomorrow" - 7.6%

While this webtoon-based drama had various moments of uplifting comedy, it also did an excellent job at exploring hard-hitting topics. This involved aspects of mental health, life after death and those left behind, as well as the will to live on. At its highest peak, "Tomorrow" earned 7.6% in ratings. This MBC K-Drama is available on streaming platform, Netflix.

 

12. "Doctor Lawyer" - 7.2%

Starring the iconic actor, So JiSub, "Doctor Lawyer" is a fusion of medical and law, providing the best of both worlds. As Han YiHan (So JiSub) searched for the truth, viewers could not help but remain by his side. With the help of its loyal viewers, the MBC drama reached its highest ratings of 7.2%, placing it at eighth on this list. "Doctor Lawyer" is currently available on Disney+ and Hulu.

 

13. "Kkondae Intern" - 7.1%

Adapted from the winning script from MBC's 2018 drama writing contest, "Kkondae Intern" follows the reversal of roles between Ka YeolChan (Park HaeJin) and Lee ManSik (Kim EungSoo). The office comedy provided viewers a reason to smile and laugh, week after week, and reached its highest ratings of 7.1%. "Kkondae Intern" is available to watch via Rakuten Viki and Kocowa.

 

14. "Dinner Mate" - 6.1%

A story of strangers to lovers, Kim HaeKyung (Song SeungHeon) and Woo DoHee (Seo JiHye) unexpectedly meet on Jeju Island. Bonding over their respective heartaches and love of food, they remain in contact and gradually fall for one another. "Dinner Mate" earned its highest ratings at 6.1% and is available to watch via streaming sites iQIYI and Prime Video.

 

15. "Find Me In Your Memory" - 5.4%

"Find Me In Your Memory" is a moving story between Lee JungHoon (Kim DongWook) and Yeo HaJin (Mun KaYoung). While the drama had its fair share of romance, it also offered moments of healing that aided broken souls everywhere. The drama earned its highest ratings at 5.4%, landing at eleventh among MBC K-Dramas. It is available to watch via Rakuten Viki and Kocowa.

 

16. "The Forbidden Marriage" - 4.9%

"The Forbidden Marriage" certainly had it all: a budding romance, a swoon-worthy second lead, a love triangle that broke your heart, and so much more. Audiences certainly agreed, sticking with the drama for every new episode, helping it reach its peak at 4.9% ratings. "The Forbidden Marriage" is available to watch on Prime Video, Rakuten Viki, and Kocowa.

 

17. "Kokdu: Season Of Deity" - 4.8%

"Kokdu: Season Of Deity" was filled with quirky characters, electrifying chemistry, and a romance that withstood the test of time. Switching between historical and modern, "Kokdu: Season Of Deity" had fans constantly coming back for more, earning 4.8% ratings. The MBC drama is made available to watch via Rakuten Viki and Wavve.

 

18. "When I Was Most Beautiful" - 4.7%

"When I Was Most Beautiful" is a heartbreaking love story featuring Oh YeJi (Im SooHyang) who is caught between brothers Seo Hwan (Ji Soo) and Seo Jin (Ha SeokJin). As they navigated feelings of love and jealousy, audiences remained glued to their seats, watching the story unfold. With the help of its dedicated viewers, the series earned 4.7% ratings, placing it at number fourteen among MBC K-Dramas. "When I Was Most Beautiful" is available to watch via Rakuten Viki and Kocowa.

 

19. "From Now On, Showtime!" - 4.6% & "The Game: Towards Zero" - 4.6%

Comedic with a touch of mystery, "From Now On, Showtime!" was able to captivate viewers with its lighthearted storyline and incredible lineup of actors. On the other hand, there was the more serious, thriller series "The Game: Towards Zero" which kept viewers shrouded in suspense. While two different genres, these series earned its highest ranking at 4.6%, tying at number fifteen among MBC K-Dramas.

Which of these MBC dramas is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

 

As part of its global celebrations for International Women’s Day, Spotify is putting the spotlight on Korean women artists taking the world by storm.

According to Spotify data, music by Korean women artists has been steadily gaining popularity, recording phenomenal growth in streams amongst listeners worldwide. In 2023, there were over 24 billion global Spotify streams for Korean women artists, an increase of 602% since 2018, and testament to their growing influence as they continue to touch lives with their music.

BLACKPINK emerged as 2023’s top-streamed Korean women artist globally followed by NewJeans, TWICE, LE SSERAFIM, and FIFTY FIFTY. The most streamed track by a Korean female artist worldwide was 'Cupid - Twin Ver.' by FIFTY FIFTY, followed by NewJeans' 'OMG,' 'Ditto,' and 'Super Shy,' and JiSoo's 'FLOWER.'

“It's been thrilling to witness the growth of Korean women artists on Spotify. With the sheer talent they present, there's no denying their influence on shaping the industry and the power of music in driving the movement for gender equity. Beyond celebrating them this International Women’s Day, we hope listeners will join us in supporting women artists on Spotify all year long as we continue to bring you the best of their music on playlists like EQUAL Korea,” said Park JungJoo, Spotify’s Head of Music, South Korea.

On International Women’s Day in 2021, Spotify launched the EQUAL Hub to bolster its commitment to fostering equity for women in audio and celebrating their global contributions. From spotlighting music from all corners of the world to podcast recommendations, the EQUAL Hub serves as a one-stop destination for listeners to discover and tune into the music and diverse voices of women artists and creators all year long.

Also on the EQUAL Hub is the EQUAL Korea playlist, which spotlights the vast talent of Korean women artists. Approximately 1,400 songs by Korean women artists have been featured on the EQUAL Korea playlist over the past three years, and JiSoo's 'FLOWER' is the most streamed track to date.

Beyond EQUAL Korea, Korean women artists have also been featured in wider EQUAL initiatives. As part of the global 2022 EQUAL campaign, Spotify launched a 'Spotify Singles’ project with SunMi, and in January 2023, NewJeans was the ambassador of the month for the platform’s EQUAL Global Music Program, which gave their music exposure on the EQUAL Global Playlist.

Most of the Korean actors have Instagram and some have an impressive amount of followers! Some have been using Instagram actively while some do not really keep it updated. Some actors also just created their Instagram recently and are still gathering followers.

Here are the most followed Korean actors on Instagram and then a rough ranking of over 100 actors' Instagram accounts. If you are not following your favorite actors' Instagram, it is time to do so.

All data were updated on February 22 (latest update), 2024, at 3 PM KST. We regularly update as the numbers keep on increasing and the ranking is changing.

Important Notice: only a few acting-dols have been included according to our criteria (January 2022) made with readers. Check them down the page. 

 

1. ASTRO's Cha EunWoo - 42.6m followers - @eunwo.o_c

Note: Cha EunWoo has over 2 main lead roles including "Rookie Historian Goo HaeRyung" and "True Beauty".

 

2. Lee MinHo - 34.9m followers - @actorleeminho

 

3. Lee JongSuk - 26.5m followers - @jongsuk0206

 

4. Ji ChangWook - 26.8m followers - @jichangwook

 

5. Park SeoJun - 25.9m followers - @bn_sj2013

 

6. EXO's ChanYeol - 24.1m followers - @real__pcy

Note: ChanYeol was the lead actor in the movie "The Box" and had supporting roles in "Missing 9" and "Memories of the Alhambra".

 

7. Song Kang - 21.1m followers - @songkang_b

 

8. Hwang InYoup - 19.4m followers - @hi_high_hiy

 

9. Nam JooHyuk - 19m followers - @skawngur

 

10. Lee DongWook by his agency - 18.1m followers - @leedongwook_official

 

11. T.O.P - 17.7m followers - @choi_seung_hyun_tttop

Note: T.O.P was the lead actor in the movies "Commitment", "Tazza: The Hidden Card", and more.

 

12. Kim SooHyun - 14.5m followers - @soohyun_k216

 

13. Ahn HyoSeop - 13.6m followers - @imhyoseop

 

14. Park HyungSik - 12.4m followers - @phs1116

Note: Park HyungSik was the lead actor in "Strong Girl BongSoon", "Happiness", and more.

 

15. Song JoongKi by his agency - 11.9m followers - @hi_songjoongki

 

16. Jung HaeIn - 11.3m followers - @holyhaein

 

17. EXO's SuHo - 11.1m followers - @kimjuncotton

Note: SuHo was the lead actor in the drama "Rich Man" and the movie "One Way Trip", among other projects.

 

18. Wi HaJun - 10.8m followers - @wi__wi__wi

 

19. Lee DoHyun - 9.8m followers - @ldh_sky

 

20. SHINee's Key - 9.8m followers - @bumkeyk

Note: Key was the lead actor in the drama "The Guardians" and had supporting roles in the drama "Drinking Solo" and the movie "Hit-and-Run Squad".

 

21. Kim SeonHo - 9.8m followers - @seonho__kim

 

22. GOT7's JinYoung - 9.6m followers - @jinyoung_0922jy

Note: JinYoung was the lead actor in "He Is Psychometric", "The Devil Judge", and more.

 

23. Kim MinGue - 9.2m followers -  @mingue.k

 

24. Choi WooShik - 9m followers - @dntlrdl

 

25. SUPER JUNIOR's SiWon - 8.8m followers - @siwonchoi

Note: SiWon was the lead actor in "Revolutionary Love", "My Fellow Citizens!", and more.

 

26. SUPER JUNIOR's DongHae - 7.1m followers - @leedonghae

Note: Donghae was the lead actor in "Miss Panda and Mr. Hedgehog", "Oh! Young-shim", and more.

 

27. 2PM's JunHo - 7.1m followers - @le2jh

Note: JunHo was the lead actor in "Wok of Love", "The Red Sleeve", etc

 

28. Kim Beom - 6.9m followers - @k.kbeom

 

29. RoWoon - 6.7m followers- @ewsbdi

Note: RoWoon was the lead actor in "Extraordinary You", "She Would Never Know", and more.

 

30. Lee JoonGi - 6.7m followers - @actor_jg

 

31. Hwang MinHyun - 6.5m followers -@optimushwang

Note: Hwang MinHyun was the lead actor in the drama "Live On" and "Alchemy of Souls" (Parts 1 and 2).

 

32. Lee JaeWook - 6.5m followers - @jxxvvxxk

 

33. Lomon - 6.4m followers - @lomon991111

 

34. Ji Soo - 6.3 m followers -@actor_jisoo

 

35. Woo DoHwan - 5.8m followers - @wdohwan

 

36. Choi HyunWook - 5.3m followers - @_choiiii__

 

37. Kim WooBin - 5.1m followers -@____kimwoobin

 

38. Kim YoungDae - 5m followers- @youngdae0302

 

Here are more actors' Instagram followers numbers and accounts.

Over 4m followers

Lee KwangSoo (@masijacoke850714), Yeo JinGoo (@yeojin9oo), Yoon ChanYoung (@yooncy1), Lee SeungGi (@leeseunggi.official), Lee JungJae (@from_jjlee), Park JiHoon (@0529.jihoon.ig) [Park JiHoon was the lead actor in "Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency" and "At a Distance, Spring is Green"], Lee SooHyuk (@leesoohyuk), CNBLUE's Kang MinHyuk (@mr_kanggun) [Kang MinHyuk was the lead actor in the drama "Hospital Ship" and the movie "The Princess and the Matchmaker"], Seo InGuk (@seo_cccc), Gong Yoo (@gongyoo_official), Park BoGum (@bogummy), Byeon WooSeok (@byeonwooseok), Ahn BoHyun (@bohyunahn)

 

Over 3m followers

Ahn JaeHyun (@aagbanjh), Ong SeongWu (@osw_onge) [Ong SeongWu was the lead actor in "At Eighteen" and "More Than Friends"], BTOB's Yook SungJae (@yook_can_do_it) [Yook SungJae was the lead actor in "Who Are You: School 2015", "Mystic Pop-up Bar", etc], Ryu JunYeol (@ryusdb), Kim MyungSoo (@kim_msl) [Kim MyungSoo was the lead actor in "Angel's Last Mission: Love", "Royal Secret Agent", etc], Kim JongKook (@kjk76), Jang KiYong (@juanxkui), Kwak DongYeon (@kwakdongyeon0), Jung IlWoo (@jilwww), SHINee's MinHo (@choiminho_1209) [MinHo was the lead actor in movies "Derailed", "The Battle of Jangsari", and more], Seo KangJoon (@seokj1012), Lee HyunWoo (@hihyunwoo), 2PM's TaecYeon (@taecyeonokay) [TaecYeon was the lead actor in "The Game: Towards Zero", "Secret Royal Inspector & Joy", etc], EXO's D.O. (@d.o.hkyungsoo) [D.O. was the lead actor in "100 Days My Prince" and "Bad Prosecutor"]

 

Over 2m followers

CNBLUE's Jung YongHwa (@jyheffect0622) [Jung YongHwa was the lead actor in "Heartstrings", "Sell Your Haunted House", and more], Lee HongKi (@skullhong12) [Lee HongKi was the lead actor in "Bride of the Century", "Modern Farmer" and more], Jin Goo (@actor_jingoo), Song IlGook (@songilkook), Yoo AhIn (@hongsick), Park HaeSoo (@haesoopark_official), JinYoung (@jinyoung0423) [JinYoung was the lead actor in the movie "The Dude in Me", the drama "Police University" and more], Kim MinJae (@real.be), TVXQ's YunHo (@yunho2154) [YunHo was the lead actor in "Heading to the Ground", "Meloholic", etc], Kim HyunJoong (@hyunjoong860606) [Kim HyunJoong was the lead actor in "Boys Over Flowers", "Playful Kiss", etc], Kang TaeOh (@kto940620), Bae InHyuk (@inhyuk_bb), Yoo YeonSeok (@yoo_yeonseok), Lee JeHoon (@leejehoon_official), Yoo InSoo (@k.a_innsoo), Kim JaeJoong (@jj_1986_jj) [Kim JaeJoong was the lead actor in "Triangle", "Manhole", etc], Jo ByungGyu (@bk_arta), VIXX's N (@achahakyeon) [N or Cha HakYeon acted in "Tunnel", "Ms. Perfect", "Familar Wife", "Children of Nobody", "Mine", "Bad and Crazy", etc], RyeoUn (@_ryeoun)

 

Over 1m followers

Hong JongHyun (@hjonghyun), Sung Hoon (@sunghoon1983), Kim YoungKwang (@aksakfn12), Kim DongHee (@kim_d.he), NamKoong Min (@min_namkoong), Highlight's Yoon DooJoon (@beeeestdjdjdj) [Yoon DooJoon was the lead actor in "Radio Romance", "Let's Eat 3", etc], Lee SangYeob (@sangyeob), Ji Sung (@justin_jisung), Kim MinGi (@mingi_1122), Choi JinHyuk (@real_jinhyuk), Kim JungHyun (@jhkim0405), Song SeungHeon (@songseungheon1005), Choi TaeJoon (@actorctj), Gong Myung (@0myoung_0526), Im SiWan (@yim_siwang) [Im SiWan was the lead actor in "Misaeng: Incomplete Life", "Strangers from Hell", etc], Kim DoWan (@kimdwan_), Ham SungMin (@hsm_0314_vv), Chae JongHyeop (@chaejh_), Kim JaeUck (@jaeuck.kim), Nam YoonSu (@nam_yoonsu), Heo SungTae (@heosungtae), Kim SungCheol (@sungcheol2), Go KyungPyo (@kopular), Jo WooJae (@ophen28), Lee YiKyung (@luvlk89), Kim JiHun (@jiraishin99), Moon SangMin (@_sangmxn_), Kim JiHun (@jiraishin99), Shin SeungHo (@seungho__shin), Jung GunJoo (@jrjswn), Lee ShinYoung (@leesin_y), Jung KyungHo (@jstar_allallj), Kim HyunJin (@pat8mat), VICTON's ByungChan (@b__yccn) [ByungChan was the lead actor in "Live On" and "The King's Affection"], Highlight's Lee GiGwang (@gttk0000) [GiGwang was the lead actor in "Lovely Horribly" and "Circle"], Kim JaeWon (@rlawodnjs_), Lee TaeRi (@tae_rii_), Na InWoo (@10042n00), Zo InSung (@zoinsung_official),

 

Over 500k followers

Yoon HyunMin (@yoonhyunmin), Shin SungRok (@shin_sung_rok), Joo Won (@zu.won_moon.jun.won), INFINITE's SungYeol (@sungyeol_827) [SungYeol was the lead actor in "Hi! School: Love On" and "Love Returns"], Kim DongJun (@super_d.j) [Kim DongJun was the lead actor in the movie "A Way Station", the drama "More than Friends", and more], Lee TaeHwan (@leetaehwan0221), Ju JiHoon (@_jujihoon), Jang GeunSuk (@_asia_prince_jks), UKISS's Jun (@real_2junyoung) [Jun or Lee JunYoung was the lead actor in "Imitation", "Let Me Be Your Knight", and more], Im JuHwan (@uhwan__lim), Nam DaReum by his mother (@namdareum_mom), Lee TaeVin (@taevin.lee), Yoon JongHoon (@yoonjongactor_official), Kim JaeYoung (@darealkjy), Im JaeHyuk (@jhyuk.im), Ahn SeungGyun (@tmdrbs782), Son SangYeon (@02s_sy), Bae HyeonSeong (@baehyeonseong_), Choi SiHun (@choi_hun2), Park JungWoo (@jjung_woo_), Choo YoungWoo (@cu.young), Lee JongWon (@wonjong_), Park SungHoon (@boxabum), Yoon SeoBin (@seobin.1214), Shin JaeHa (@shin_jae_ha), Park JiBin (@impactorpjb), Choi MinYeong (@choi_minyeong), Kim SuGyeom (@su_gyeom_), Seo JiHoon (@jihux), Ahn JaeHong (@aahnjaehong), Lee ChanHyeong (@nakktaa_), Lee JungHa (@jungha.km), Yang SeJong (@bell.ysj), Yoo SeungHo (@dandyoo93_official), etc.

 

Over 250k followers

Lee HoWon (@isayhousayya) [Lee HoWon or Hoya was the lead actor in the drama "Reply 1997", the movie "HIYA", etc], Yoon ShiYoon (@moa_ent), Bong TaeGyu (@taegyu_bong), Um KiJoon (@werther777), Kang Hui (@kanghui_), Han GiChan (@han_gi_chan), Song GeonHee (@songgeonhee), Sung Jun (@thuggyduck), Lee WonKeun (@lilyjardin), Jang EuiSoo (@jesoo122), Han SeJin (@ahoi_ing), Yoo Jun (@yyjjun_xx), Lee SaeOn (@leesaeon), Ki DoHun (@kidohun), Song JaeRim (@jaelim_song), Soon WooHyun (@sonwoohyeon7), Kim KangMin (@______kangman), Kang InSoo (@insoo_casper), Jung GaRam (@rram_iiii), Kang YouSeok (@youseok_), Lee JungJun (@right_jun_), Ryu KyungSoo (@ryurudtn), Park HeeSoon (@park_hee_soon), Kim NamGil (@namgildaero), Yoon HyunSoo (@hyvn_soo), etc.

 

No Instagram

Kang DongWon, Won Bin, Yang SeJong, Hyun Bin, Lee SeoJin, Jo JungSuk, Lee JangWoo, Yoon KyeSang, Shin HaKyun, and more have no Instagram.

Yoon KyunSang and Park HaeJin accounts are no longer available.

So JiSub (@soganzi_51), Jang DongYoon (@dongyoon_0712), and Kang HaNeul (@kanghaneul_official) have Instagram too.

 

Acting-dols criteria (January 2022): 

Due to the huge number of idols in the acting field, we have tried to limit the list to idols genuinely active in acting and not to all the idols acting. At Kpopmap, we always prioritize the opinions of our readers first. That is why these criteria have been made out of readers' opinions. We held a poll (here) and we opened an open discussion on Reddit (here). You've asked us to be stricter in our criteria and so here are the new rules.

. In a K-Drama, Netflix Original drama, or a movie: 

• Two lead roles (was clearly one of the main characters)

or

• One lead role and 2 supporting roles

or

• More than 4 supporting roles

. Guest roles can't be considered supporting roles

. Only dramas over 6 episodes (special and short dramas are excluded)

. Only movies released in Korean theaters (not just online) (at the exception of Netflix original movies)

. No web dramas (exception for Netflix)

. Only Korean releases

Kpopmap's criteria for acting-dols are not absolute or the right answer. It is just criteria applied in the content of Kpopmap. And these criteria can change according to the trends or fans' opinions.

 

The other acting-dols have been included in the following article:

 

Did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments!