JTBC's new weekend drama Final Table, starring Ahn Hyo Seop, has shown an early improvement in ratings, climbing into the 2% range after a disappointing premiere.
According to Nielsen Korea, episode 2, which aired on October 25, recorded an average nationwide rating of 2.4% among paid television households.
This marked a 0.5 percentage point increase from its premiere rating of 1.9%, giving the drama a positive boost just one week into its broadcast.
Although the increase was modest, it was an encouraging result for Final Table, which initially struggled to attract viewers during its first episode.
The drama stars Ahn Hyo Seop, Hong Hwa Yeon, Jang Ryul, and Jung Yoo Jin. It follows Korean chefs from around the world as they compete in The Table: K Chef 2026, a cooking competition designed to select the best Korean chef.
With its cooking competition storyline, Final Table has drawn comparisons to Netflix's popular reality series Culinary Class Wars.
Director Kim Do Hoon previously acknowledged the similarities during a press conference, explaining that the success of Culinary Class Wars brought both pressure and opportunities for his drama.
He said, "It would be a lie to say I wasn't conscious of Culinary Class Wars."
The director explained that although preparations for Final Table began earlier, the Netflix show's release led to repeated comparisons. However, he also recognized that its popularity helped increase public interest in Korean cuisine and professional chefs.
Meanwhile, episode 2 showed Ahn Hyo Seop's character Kang Han accepting an offer from Familia owner Choi Song Yi, played by Hong Hwa Yeon, to become the restaurant's head chef for the cooking competition.
The development sets up their partnership as the competition begins, without revealing major details about what comes next.
Despite its ratings improvement, Final Table continues to face strong competition from other weekend dramas, including tvN's 100 Days of Deception.
With its ratings rising from 1.9% to 2.4% in just two episodes, attention is now on whether Ahn Hyo Seop's new drama can continue gaining viewers and build stronger momentum in the coming weeks.
JTBC's new weekend drama Final Table, starring Ahn Hyo Seop, has shown an early improvement in ratings, climbing into the 2% range after a disappointing premiere.
According to Nielsen Korea, episode 2, which aired on October 25, recorded an average nationwide rating of 2.4% among paid television households.
This marked a 0.5 percentage point increase from its premiere rating of 1.9%, giving the drama a positive boost just one week into its broadcast.
Although the increase was modest, it was an encouraging result for Final Table, which initially struggled to attract viewers during its first episode.
The drama stars Ahn Hyo Seop, Hong Hwa Yeon, Jang Ryul, and Jung Yoo Jin. It follows Korean chefs from around the world as they compete in The Table: K Chef 2026, a cooking competition designed to select the best Korean chef.
With its cooking competition storyline, Final Table has drawn comparisons to Netflix's popular reality series Culinary Class Wars.
Director Kim Do Hoon previously acknowledged the similarities during a press conference, explaining that the success of Culinary Class Wars brought both pressure and opportunities for his drama.
He said, "It would be a lie to say I wasn't conscious of Culinary Class Wars."
The director explained that although preparations for Final Table began earlier, the Netflix show's release led to repeated comparisons. However, he also recognized that its popularity helped increase public interest in Korean cuisine and professional chefs.
Meanwhile, episode 2 showed Ahn Hyo Seop's character Kang Han accepting an offer from Familia owner Choi Song Yi, played by Hong Hwa Yeon, to become the restaurant's head chef for the cooking competition.
The development sets up their partnership as the competition begins, without revealing major details about what comes next.
Despite its ratings improvement, Final Table continues to face strong competition from other weekend dramas, including tvN's 100 Days of Deception.
With its ratings rising from 1.9% to 2.4% in just two episodes, attention is now on whether Ahn Hyo Seop's new drama can continue gaining viewers and build stronger momentum in the coming weeks.
