JTBC's weekend series 'Heavenly Ever After' has secured the top spot in the drama brand reputation rankings for May 2025. The show surpassed another highly popular drama that had a 20% viewer rating.

The Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute analyzed over 51.34 million data points on 19 drama series over the last month. They considered various factors like brand participation, communication, media consumption, community engagement, and viewership.

Despite an overall 28% drop in data compared to the previous month, 'Heavenly Ever After' managed to maintain a strong presence and topped the list with a brand index of over 6.06 million.

In second place was 'The Haunted Palace,' a historical fantasy drama renowned for its combination of dynasty politics and mythology, which attracted a loyal fan base. It achieved a brand reputation index of approximately 4.98 million. 'For Eagle Brothers' secured the third spot, previously holding the top position among weekend dramas with over 20% viewership but lagging in brand rankings, with a brand reputation index of around 4.37 million.

'Heavenly Ever After' excelled in the brand reputation rankings due to its positive and cheerful atmosphere, commendable performances by the cast, and overwhelmingly favorable feedback from audiences. Keywords such as “pleasant,” “heartwarming,” and “well-received” were prominent in the link analysis, along with mentions of Son Suk Ku, Kim Hye Ja, and Lim Young Woong. The sentiment analysis revealed an impressive positivity rate of 93.8%, indicating that the drama's message and the synergy among its cast significantly impacted its brand image.

On the other hand, 'For Eagle Brothers' experienced a disparity between its high viewership ratings and its brand reputation performance. This might be attributed to family dramas typically generating less active discussions on social media and online platforms. The drama lagged behind 'Heavenly Ever After' particularly in participation and communication indices.

The results underline that a drama's impact on the public cannot solely be measured by viewership numbers. Engaging with audiences across various channels and platforms plays a vital role in shaping brand reputation. The Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute emphasized, “Despite the overall decline in consumption, buzz, communication, and dissemination within the drama brand category, 'Heavenly Ever After' maintained a robust presence amidst the downturn.”

Other noteworthy dramas in the top echelons of the rankings included 'Resident Playbook' and 'Cinderella Game,' showcasing diversity across genres and target demographics. This further emphasizes that viewership ratings do not always align with brand influence.

UPDATE: In a historic moment at the Baeksang Arts Awards, 'Culinary Class Wars' became the first variety program to win the grand prize in 60 years.