K-Drama Ratings Round-Up: Phantom Lawyer Surges to a Series High While Perfect Crown Dominates Friday Night

It’s a great time to be a K-drama fan. As we roll into May 2026, two shows are dominating the conversation — and the ratings charts. Here’s everything you need to know about this week’s biggest movers.

Phantom Lawyer — The Perfect Finale Build-Up

SBS’s legal thriller Phantom Lawyer is going out on a high note, and the numbers prove it. On May 1, the penultimate episode of the drama jumped to an average nationwide rating of 7.3 percent, marking the drama’s highest viewership in over a month.

There’s something deeply satisfying about a show that saves its best for last. Audiences are clearly tuning in ahead of the finale, and if this momentum carries through, it’s set to close on a truly memorable note.

Perfect Crown — Friday’s Undisputed Champion

Meanwhile, MBC’s romance drama Perfect Crown is proving it’s a whole different beast on weekends. Kicking off the second half of its run, Perfect Crown hit an average nationwide rating of 10.8 percent on Friday — its highest Friday rating ever and the most-watched show of any kind to air that night. soompi

That’s a landmark number, especially for a Friday slot where competition is fierce and audiences are typically more spread out.

Ratings at a Glance

Why This Matters for K-Drama Fans

Korean television ratings are one of the most closely tracked barometers of a show’s cultural impact — and both these dramas climbing simultaneously signals a genuinely exciting period for the K-drama landscape. With Phantom Lawyer wrapping up and Perfect Crown only hitting its stride at the halfway mark, there’s plenty more drama ahead for viewers this month.

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