Contrary to its high anticipation, 'The First Night With the Duke' is seeing a decrease in viewership ratings.
KBS2's Wednesday-Thursday drama 'The First Night With the Duke' (written by Jeon Sun Young, directed by Lee Woong Hee and Kang Soo Yeon) recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 2.7% according to Nielsen Korea for its third episode aired on June 18. This marked a sharp drop compared to its premiere episode, which started off at 3.3% and peaked at 3.8% during its second episode.
The drama's story unfolds when a college student is suddenly transported to a fantasy novel, where she assumes the body of a minor character named Cha Sun Chaek (played by Seohyun). The drama's plot of placing a nameless extra at the center of an already-established narrative was praised for its originality. On top of that, episode 1 ended with Cha Sun Chaek waking up next to the male lead, Lee Beon (played by Taecyeon).
The story quickly picked up pace. The aftermath of “that night” unfolded over two episodes, during which the male lead developed a deep obsession with Cha Sun Chaek. He attempted to force a wedding, while Cha Sun Chaek desperately tried to escape using various methods, each one failing. Notable scenes included her face being posted at the palace gates like a wanted criminal with the warning, “You’ll regret pretending not to know,” and a moment when she was told she couldn’t become a Buddhist nun because she had already consummated her marriage.
Episode 3 marked a turning point in the romance. When Cha Sun Chaek fainted, Lee Beon climbed a mountain to find medicinal herbs and even faced off with a tiger. He returned covered in dirt, holding the “fox bead herb,” and the sight of him stirred unexpected emotions in Cha Sun Chaek. However, memories from her real-life past caught up with her, particularly a traumatic incident where she was blamed for “stealing someone else’s boyfriend” after her best friend’s boyfriend in college confessed to her.
Trying to follow the novel’s original plot, Cha Sun Chaek attempted to return the male lead to the original female lead, Jo Eun Ae (played by Kwon Han Sol). She deliberately stuck to her supporting role, dressing plainly and complimenting Eun Ae’s refreshments at a tea ceremony in hopes of highlighting the main character. However, things didn’t go as planned as Lee Beon’s attention remained fixed on Cha Sun Chaek.
When someone tried to introduce themselves to Cha Sun Chaek, Lee Beon cut them off coldly. He ignored Jo Eun Ae’s refreshments but willingly accepted food from Cha Sun Chaek. During a treasure hunt game, Cha Sun Chaek tried to orchestrate a moment where Jo Eun Ae would fall into Lee Ibeon’s arms, but he avoided her, and she ended up falling into a pond instead. Then came a pivotal scene: rather than help the soaked Jo Eun Ae, Lee Beon rescued his sword first, even pointing it at her afterward, leaving viewers stunned once again.
As the tea ceremony dissolved into chaos, Cha Sun Chaek played her final card. The mood lifted temporarily, but new twists followed. Jung Soo Gyeom (played by Seo Beom Joon) got drunk, and Jo Eun Ae attempted a sultry “dark heroine” transformation, further tangling the romantic web. Then came an unexpected incident, an explosion from the bomb shots caused a fire. Without hesitation, Lee Beon ran into the flames and rescued Cha Sun Chaek, holding her in his arms.
Meanwhile, 'The First Night With the Duke' airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:50 PM KST.
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