[Diary Point=Reporter Park Bo-young] tvN's weekend drama "100 Days of Lies" overtook "Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia" to claim the No. 1 spot in combined TV and OTT drama buzz rankings for the week of October 19-25. The show reached the top of the buzz chart in its third week on air, while Episode 6 also hit a series-high rating of 9.5%.
According to data tracking firm Pundex, "100 Days of Lies" held a 23.47% buzz share compared to 23.15% for "Doctor X." The gap was just 0.32 percentage points, but the shift drew attention because it ended "Doctor X"'s two-week run at the top.
A Pickpocket and an Interpreter's Masquerade in 1932 Gyeongseong
Set in Gyeongseong (present-day Seoul) in 1932, "100 Days of Lies" follows Lee Ga-kyung, a pickpocket who dreams of escaping to America. After striking a deal with independence activists, she infiltrates the Japanese Governor-General's office under a false identity. Kim You-jung stars as Lee Ga-kyung, while Park Jin-young plays Kim Tae-woong, a Korean-born elite interpreter who goes by the Japanese name Sato Hideo.
As Lee Ga-kyung carries out her espionage mission, she grows closer to Sato Hideo inside the Governor-General's office. The two conceal different motives and secrets as they get swept up in an intelligence war, and the relationship that began as a deception gradually turns into real emotion, forming the drama's core narrative.
The buzz surge was triggered directly by the Episode 6 storyline. Geum Seok-jung is shot and killed by Sato Shinichi, and Lee Ga-kyung, who witnesses the killing, breaks down in Kim Tae-woong's arms, heightening tension in both the characters' relationships and the independence movement storyline. Whether Lee Ga-kyung will continue her espionage work, and what choice Kim Tae-woong will make between his true identity and his current position, remain key questions for upcoming episodes.
Buzz Leads, But 'Doctor X' Still Wins on Live Ratings
In terms of ratings alone, the gap between the two shows is clear. Episode 6 of "100 Days of Lies" scored 9.5% nationwide among paid-platform households per Nielsen Korea, while Episode 6 of "Doctor X" posted 19.5% nationwide. "Doctor X" continues to hold double-digit ratings, while "100 Days of Lies" stands out more for its online buzz and episode-by-episode momentum.
The two metrics diverge because they measure different things. Buzz reflects online interest and reactions across broadcast and OTT platforms, while ratings tally households that actually watched the broadcast at that time. So topping the buzz chart doesn't mean having the largest overall audience, but it is a clear signal worth noting for anyone considering a binge-watch.
It's worth catching up on now. With a setting that blends period drama, espionage and romance, the evolving relationship between Kim You-jung and Park Jin-young's characters, and the assassination and betrayal plot that kicked into gear in Episode 6, it's easier to follow the story by starting from Episode 1 rather than jumping in partway through. The series airs on tvN every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 p.m. KST and is also available on Tving, with Episode 7 set to air on October 31.