'The Potato Lab,' starring Kang Tae Oh and Lee Sun Bin is garnering much global attention on Netflix.
Despite not receiving much attention in South Korea, the drama quickly entered the Netflix Global Top 10, making an impressive impact.
According to Nielsen Korea, the premiere episode of 'The Potato Lab,' which aired on March 1, achieved a viewership rating of only 1.7% nationwide. The second episode saw a slight increase to 1.8%, leaving some room for improvement. However, the global response has been entirely different.
As of March 3, FlixPatrol reported that 'The Potato Lab' ranked 7th on Netflix's Global TV Show rankings in its first week. The drama also achieved the impressive feat of ranking 9th in Netflix's largest market, the United States. Furthermore, it entered the Top 10 on Netflix in 52 countries around the world. On the same day, 'The Potato Lab' ranked 6th in South Korea's Netflix chart but climbed two spots to 4th by March 4.
'The Potato Lab' marks the first comeback project for Kang Tae Oh after his military service, following his popularity as a law firm employee in 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo.' In this drama, Kang Tae Oh plays So Baek Ho, a principled executive from Wonhan Retail’s Strategic Planning Department, aims to shut down the Potato Research Lab due to budget cuts. From the very first episode, Kang Tae Oh delivers an intense performance, engaging in a physical confrontation with a dismissed employee.
Lee Sun Bin plays Kim Mi Kyung, who is nicknamed the "Potato Obsessed" for her fierce determination to protect the Potato Research Lab. The drama is directed by Kang Il-soo, known for his work on The Kingdom of the Winds and Warrior Baek Dong Soo, and written by Kim Ho Su, who has penned scripts for 'Solomon's Perjury' and 'My Sassy Girl.'
The first episode of The Potato Lab follows Kim Mi Kyung’s struggle to survive a company restructuring after Sunyeo Foods is acquired by Wonhan Retail, and So Baek Ho conducts an internal investigation. The intrigue builds as the drama unfolds.
By the second episode, the relationship between the two main characters takes a sharp turn. Kim Mi Kyung begins a strategy to protect the Potato Research Lab but unexpectedly becomes closer to So Baek Ho. A particularly memorable moment occurs during a company dinner when Kim Mi Kyung, after seeing So Baek Ho drunk, suddenly kisses him, recalling the "sexy director" from a romance novel she admired. This surprising turn of events has raised viewers' heart rates and heightened anticipation for their unpredictable romance.
As the drama progresses, Kim Mi Kyung finds out that her ex-boyfriend, Park Gi Se (played by Lee Hak Ju), is involved with the Potato Research Lab, introducing new sources of conflict.
Despite its lackluster ratings in South Korea, 'The Potato Lab' has been recognized in the global market, serving as an example of how the value and influence of a drama cannot be solely judged by its domestic ratings.
Meanwhile, episode 3 of The Potato Lab will air on March 8 at 9:20 PM. Viewers are eager to see what happens next after the surprising kiss between Kim Mi Kyung and So Baek Ho, and what new twists may arise with the introduction of her ex-boyfriend, Park Gi Se.
SHARE
