Lee Hyori's Dating Show Claims #1 Search Spot and an All-Time Ratings High in One Week

JTBC's Love War had a week that most reality shows can only aim at: a #1 non-drama search ranking, a new personal best in viewership, and a Top 10 Disney+ placement, all at once.

According to GoodData Corporation's Fundex rankings for the third week of September (the 14th to the 20th), Love War took the top spot in TV and OTT non-drama search response. It ranked 9th in overall non-drama buzz and claimed the #1 position in the Monday TV time slot. Its buzz ranking has climbed for seven consecutive weeks, with only a single break in August when the show did not air.

Search keywords tell the full story

The depth of audience engagement shows up clearly in the keyword data. During that same tracking period, four Love War related search terms cracked the non-drama search issue rankings: Love War OTT at 1st, Love War rerun at 3rd, Love War Nasolro at 6th, and Love War Episode 12 at 10th. Four separate audience behaviors, all pointing to the same show.

Episode 13, which aired on the 21st, went on to set the series' highest ratings yet. JTBC did not release a specific viewership figure in its press materials, but the milestone was confirmed. Two days later, on the 23rd, the show entered Disney+'s Today's Korean Top 10 Series chart at number 2.

What the show is

Love War is a relationship variety show built around couples who are considering breaking up. Hosts Lee Hyori, Seo Jang-hoon, and Kim Heechul hear each couple's story and weigh in with their own takes, creating the kind of panel dynamic where the hosts are often as entertaining as the couples themselves. Episode 14, airing on the 28th, focuses on a couple tagged in the press materials as a "clown boyfriend" and a "manager girlfriend."

The show airs every Monday at 9:50 p.m. on JTBC.