The Apartment Job Debuts at No. 1 — And It’s Already Beating Its Predecessor

A strong drama premiere is one thing. Beating the ratings of the hit show that occupied your exact time slot before you? That’s a real statement — and that’s precisely what The Apartment Job just pulled off.

The Apartment Job: The Premiere Numbers

JTBC’s The Apartment Job, starring Ji Sung, aired its first episode on July 11 and became the most-watched cable show of the entire day, scoring a nationwide rating of 4.6%. That’s notably higher than its predecessor in the same slot, Reborn Rookie, which opened at just 3.7% before eventually climbing into double digits.

It wasn’t the only drama having a big Saturday. KBS 2TV’s The Husband posted its highest rating yet with Episode 3, hitting 5.3% nationwide — a fresh high for the show. Meanwhile, KBS 2TV’s Recipe for Love held its ground steady at 14.1% for the night.

Saturday Ratings Snapshot

Why the Comparison to Reborn Rookie Matters

Time-slot comparisons are one of the clearest ways to judge a premiere’s real strength in Korean television — a show inheriting a strong lead-in still has to prove it can hold or grow that audience. The fact that The Apartment Job cleared Reborn Rookie’s opening number suggests genuine curiosity around Ji Sung’s new project, not just leftover momentum from the slot.

For context on how Nielsen ratings work as the industry benchmark for television audience measurement, these percentage figures represent the share of all households tuning in nationwide — meaning even single-digit numbers translate into millions of viewers in South Korea.

For more K-drama ratings coverage and entertainment updates, check out the latest trending stories on TechnoSports.

FAQs