The Husband and The Apartment Job Hit New Ratings Highs as Weekend Drama Race Tightens

The weekend Korean drama race became more competitive on July 12, as two series still early in their runs posted their strongest numbers to date. According to figures reported by Nielsen Korea and cited by Soompi, KBS2’s The Husband and JTBC’s The Apartment Job both climbed to personal bests, giving broadcasters a clearer sign that viewers are beginning to settle into the current Sunday lineup.

The Husband, now four episodes into its run, recorded an average nationwide rating of 7.2 percent. The figure represented a jump of nearly two percentage points from the previous episode and marked the drama’s highest rating so far. It also made the episode the most-watched drama in its time slot across all channels, a meaningful distinction in a crowded weekend schedule where broadcast dramas often depend on momentum from week to week.

For a series at the fourth-episode mark, that kind of rise is especially important. Early episodes tend to establish the show’s premise, central conflict, and audience expectations; a visible ratings increase suggests that viewers who sampled the drama may be returning, while new viewers may be joining through word of mouth. It does not guarantee a long-term trend, but it gives The Husband a stronger position heading into the middle portion of its run.

JTBC’s New Drama Finds Early Momentum

JTBC’s The Apartment Job also delivered an encouraging result. Its second episode rose to an average nationwide rating of 5.4 percent, up by nearly a full percentage point from its premiere. For a cable drama, crossing the five percent range this early is a useful sign of traction, particularly when the increase comes immediately after the first episode rather than later in the season.

The second-episode result was also notable because The Apartment Job ranked as the most-watched program of any kind on cable on Sunday. That means the drama was not only performing well within its own genre, but also standing out against variety shows, news programming, and other cable offerings airing the same day. For JTBC, that gives the series an early talking point as it works to broaden its audience beyond initial curiosity.

Ratings are only one measure of a drama’s impact, and they do not capture overseas streaming, online discussion, or delayed viewing. Still, in the Korean television market, nationwide ratings remain a highly watched indicator of domestic audience attention. A sharp early gain can help shape the perception of a show, encourage more press coverage, and turn a series into part of the weekly conversation.

Recipe for Love Remains the Sunday Leader

While the newer dramas made gains, KBS2’s Recipe for Love remained Sunday’s biggest overall performer. The drama rose to an average nationwide rating of 15.5 percent, keeping its place as the most-watched show of the day overall as it approaches the final week of its run. Its continued strength shows that established dramas with loyal audiences can still dominate the broader Sunday lineup even as newer titles begin to build momentum.

The contrast between the three results gives the weekend drama field a layered picture. Recipe for Love is operating like a mature hit near its finish line, while The Husband and The Apartment Job are still proving how high they can climb. That difference matters because audience behavior often changes once a major drama ends. Viewers leaving a finale may look for the next series to follow, creating an opening for newer shows that have already built positive attention.

For now, The Husband appears to have gained a stronger broadcast foothold, while The Apartment Job has made a promising cable start. Both dramas will need to show consistency in the coming weeks, but their latest numbers give them more room to compete in a schedule where small changes can quickly alter the weekly rankings.

The next few episodes will be important for both titles. If The Husband can hold near or above its new high, it may establish itself as one of the season’s steadier broadcast performers. If The Apartment Job continues to rise after its second episode, JTBC could have a cable drama with enough domestic pull to sustain wider attention. Either way, the July 12 ratings suggest that the weekend drama conversation is no longer centered on a single title.