That’s exactly what happened over the weekend of September 12-13. MBC’s assassin thriller “A Bona Fide Killer” closed out its run at its highest ratings ever, while KBS2 quietly welcomed a new melodrama into its coveted weekend slot. Add in a food-and-family saga, a piano rivalry drama, and a chaebol-cop sequel, and it’s a genuinely packed scoreboard.A Bona Fide Killer
A Bona Fide Killer: Saturday Night Ratings at a Glance
| Drama | Network | Rating | Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Bona Fide Killer | MBC | 10.7% | Series-high finale; most-watched Saturday miniseries |
| A Love Other Than Yours | KBS2 | 2.6% | Series premiere |
| Love on the Menu | KBS2 | 15.3% | Highest-ever Saturday rating; top show of the night |
| Four Hands, Two Sonatas | tvN | 4.2% | No. 1 in its cable timeslot |
| Flex x Cop 2 | SBS | 7.2% | Rising ahead of finale week |
A Bona Fide Killer: Going Out on Top
Few dramas manage to peak on their very last episode, but “A Bona Fide Killer” pulled it off. According to Soompi’s report, the finale hit a nationwide average of 10.7%, per Nielsen Korea — making it the most-watched miniseries of any Saturday during its run.
Starring Gong Hyo-jin as “Kingfisher,” a suburban working mom secretly moonlighting as a legendary vigilante sniper, the 14-episode series turned a wild premise into something genuinely grounded. What made it click wasn’t just the double-life twist — it was pairing her against a husband who’s an investigative journalist chasing the very story that could expose her, and a detective best friend closing in from the other side. That structural tension, more than the action itself, is what kept audiences hooked from a 7.4% opening all the way to a series-best finish.
A Love Other Than Yours: A Quiet but Loaded Premiere
KBS2’s newest weekend drama opened modestly at 2.6% for episode one, a natural starting point for any freshly launched series. Starring Seo Kang-joon and Ahn Eun-jin as a couple ten years into their relationship, the show asks an uncomfortable question: what happens when both partners start noticing someone else right as marriage is finally on the table?
Rather than leaning on melodrama tropes, the series is being pitched as a grounded, character-first look at long-term love — closer to a slow burn than a plot-twist thriller. With Amazon Prime Video carrying it to more than 240 countries, its international reach could help build momentum even as domestic ratings find their footing.
Love on the Menu: The Real Star of Saturday Night
While the new premiere grabbed headlines, it was “Love on the Menu” that actually topped the night. The KBS2 family drama, starring Hani and Ha Seok-jin, scored 15.3% — its best Saturday number yet, and the most-watched program of any genre that evening.
The story follows Han Gyu-rim, who gave up her own ambitions to hold her family together after their financial collapse, and Kim Mu-jin, her ex-boyfriend who returns from Italy as an accomplished chef eight years later. It’s a classic second-chance romance, but one built on specific, believable reasons the couple broke up in the first place — which is likely why the slow-burn reunion keeps climbing instead of plateauing.
Four Hands, Two Sonatas and Flex x Cop 2: Steady Climbers
tvN’s “Four Hands, Two Sonatas” claimed first place in its cable timeslot with 4.2%. The music drama, starring Song Kang and Lee Jun-young as rival piano prodigies at an elite arts school, turns classical competition into genuine emotional stakes — helped by the real off-screen chemistry the two actors built in an earlier project together.
Meanwhile, SBS’s “Flex x Cop 2” rose to 7.2% heading into its final week. The action-comedy sequel sees Ahn Bo-hyun reprise his role as a chaebol-turned-detective, this time paired with a new partner played by Jung Eun-chae, as the show barrels toward a finish that fans hope will match Season 1’s double-digit peak.
For more Saturday night ratings roundups and drama premieres, browse Soompi’s Drama section and their TV/Film coverage.
