The trot music TV show “Romantic Call Centre” and the K-drama “Penthouse” topped a survey of favorite TV programs in South Korea in December.
Gallup Korea held a survey from Dec. 15 to 17 among 1,000 respondents in Korea aged 18 and above and asked them to name their favorite TV shows.
Trot music dominated Korea’s TV landscape in 2020. The hit drama “Crash Landing on You” was the No. 1 TV show in January but for the rest of the year, trot shows were the clear favorite. “Mr. Trot” was No. 1 from February to April and “Romantic Call Centre” was the top pick from May to December.
The music genre blossomed in Korea when it was under Japanese occupation and in the last two years, trot music surged in popularity thanks to TV shows like “Miss Trot.”
In the December survey, TV Chosun’s “Romantic Call Centre” got first place with 11 percent, maintaining its top position.
The SBS drama “Penthouse,” starring Kim So-yeon, Eugene and Lee Ji-ah, placed second with 7.6 percent, leaping from 12th place in November.
TV Chosun’s “Ppong School,” another trot show, placed third with 5.1 percent followed by tvN’s “New Journey to the West” season 8 with 4.1 percent and the KBS 2 daily drama “Man in a Veil” with 3.4 percent.
The top 20 favorite TV shows in South Korea in December 2020, according to a Gallup Korea survey, are:
- “Romantic Call Centre” (trot show) - 11 percent
- “Penthouse” (drama) - 7.6 percent
- “Ppong School” (trot show) - 5.1 percent
- “New Journey to the West” Season 8 (reality show) - 4.1 percent
- “Man in a Veil” (drama) - 3.4 percent.
- “Hangout with Yoo” (reality show) - 3.3 percent
- “Homemade Love Story” (drama) - 3.2 percent
- “No Matter What” (drama) - 3.1 percent
- “You Quiz on the Block” (variety show) - 2.7 percent
- “I Live Alone” (reality show) - 2.3 percent
- “I Am a Natural Person” (reality show) - 2 percent
“Sing Again” (variety) - 2 percent
- “The Uncanny Counter” (drama) - 1.9 percent
- “Running Man” (variety) - 1.8 percent
- “2 Days & 1 Night” Season 4 (variety) - 1.7 percent
“Knowing Bros” (variety) - 1.7 percent
- “The Return of Superman” (reality) - 1.2 percent
- “My Little Old Boy” (reality) - 1.1 percent
- “Unanswered Questions” (investigative) - 1 percent
- “Word Theme Travel” - 0.9 percent