New Recruit 4: Sabotage Signs Off at 5.2%, the Highest Finale in the Franchise’s History

Some dramas fade toward the end, and others save their best for last. ENA’s New Recruit 4: Sabotage did the latter. On September 29, the season finale earned an average nationwide rating of 5.2 percent, according to Nielsen Korea. That’s the highest rating of all four seasons of New Recruit, so the series ended on an all-time high.

Tuesday’s Most-Watched Cable Show

The number is even more impressive in context. The finale was the most-watched cable show of any kind to air that Tuesday. Beating every other cable programme in its time slot, whether drama, variety or otherwise, shows how strongly viewers had connected with this season. It’s the sort of send-off that any production team would want.

A Steady Climb All Season

This didn’t come out of nowhere. Just a week earlier, the 10th episode reached an average of 4.8 percent, which at the time was already the series’ best. The finale then pushed past that, so the ratings grew right through to the end. That’s a rare pattern for a fourth season, when franchises often lose steam rather than build it.

New Recruit 4: Sabotage- The Competition

The night was a busy one on Korean TV. tvN’s The Ordinary Jackpot kicked off the second half of its run at 5.0 percent, just below the New Recruit finale. The two dramas have been in a close battle for weeks, and it’s good news for viewers that both are performing so well. For a quick look at the rival channel’s background, see tvN on Wikipedia.

What’s Next for New Recruit?

The team is celebrating with a reward vacation to Jeju Island, and stars Kim Min Ho and Kim Dong Jun have promised to return with Season 5 “soon.” There’s no official date yet, but a series-high finale is the best argument a production could make for a continuation. If you missed the season, you can still watch it with subtitles on Viki. For more, follow our K-drama news on Technosports and our Korean TV ratings updates.

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