tvN Amid Netflix’s strong presence and significant capital behind it, the drama has managed to successfully balance both high ratings and buzz, employing a clever dual-track strategy.
“The Queen Who Crowns” tells the story of Queen Wongyeong, who helped her husband, King Taejong Lee Bang-won, take power. The series explores the complex dynamics of their marriage and the intense emotions between the king and queen, starring Chae Joo-young and Lee Hyun-wook.
On TVING, 19+ versions are released every Monday, while 15+ versions air on tvN at 8:50 PM (KST) on Mondays and Tuesdays. Despite concerns that the 15+ version may lose viewers due to the early release of more explicit content, both versions have successfully attracted audiences, earning praise for targeting different viewing habits.
According to Nielsen Korea, the first episode earned an average rating of 5.1% in the Seoul metropolitan area, peaking at 5.9%, marking the first time in over a year that a tvN drama series Monday through it had surpassed 5% in its debut on Tuesday. On TVING the episodes also ranked first in terms of contributions made by subscribers on pre-release day.
“The Queen Who Crowns” also showed smart direction, not only omitting explicit scenes in the 15+ broadcast, but replacing them with alternate versions. The key is to prevent viewers who watch the tvN version from feeling disappointed that they won’t see the “original.”
On tvN, the drama omits excessive exposition to encourage comfortable viewing, while on TVING, bold directorial choices create an immersive experience. Comparing the two versions adds to the fun, and viewers who watch the TVING preview can satisfy their curiosity with the TV version. This strategy allows actresses to maintain their dignity, even with challenging content.
