Park Min-young and Confidence Man KR: Domestic Ratings Drop, But Global Viewers Show Warm Support

Park Min-young’s Confidence Man KR faces falling ratings in Korea.
TV Chosun shifts its schedule to survive weekend competition.
Global viewers, however, praise the drama with positive reactions.

Park Min-young’s latest drama, Confidence Man KR, is facing major challenges in the domestic market. Although it was ambitiously introduced as the first Amazon Prime Original drama from Korea, the series has had to shift its broadcast schedule after struggling with declining ratings amidst fierce weekend competition. Interestingly, while Korean media headlines emphasize its poor performance, international viewers are voicing positive reactions across forums like X (Twitter) and Reddit.

Broadcast Schedule Change and Declining Ratings

TV Chosun officially moved Confidence Man KR from 9:10 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. starting with episode 5. This adjustment was made after rival dramas continued to dominate: The Tyrant’s Chef on tvN surpassed 15% in viewership, while MBC’s Witchcraft climbed to 7.5%. Adding more pressure, JTBC’s newly launched A Hundred Memories secured 3.6% ratings in its opening week.

Meanwhile, Confidence Man KR debuted at 1.1% but quickly fell to 1.0% by episode 3, and dropped further to 0.9% for episode 4. Korean media even described Park Min-young’s latest performance as an “embarrassing decline” compared to her earlier success with Marry My Husband. The challenge intensified as the drama went head-to-head with series led by top stars like Im Yoon-ah and Go Hyun-jung.

Despite these setbacks, the production team continues to highlight the drama’s unique strengths. Confidence Man KR follows three charismatic swindlers—Yoon Yi-rang (Park Min-young), James (Park Hee-soon), and Myung Gu-ho (Joo Jong-hyuk)—with narrative epilogues that reveal mysterious backstories. Memorable scenes include Yi-rang lighting a cigar while playing chess, Myung Gu-ho’s photo marked with “The True Culprit,” and James appearing with a sorrowful expression in the middle of a police chase. These epilogues serve as suspenseful clues meant to hook viewers week after week.

Interestingly, the latest data from Good Data Corporation also shows that Confidence Man KR continues to stay on the public’s radar. In the second week of September 2025, the drama ranked No. 7 on the TV–OTT Drama Buzzworthiness chart, competing against major titles like The Tyrant’s Chef (tvN), Cicada: Murderer’s Outing (SBS), and A Hundred Memories (JTBC). This indicates that, despite its declining domestic ratings, the series still sparks curiosity and fuels lively discussions online.

A Contrast with International Audience Reactions

While the drama struggles domestically, global forums tell a different story. On X (Twitter), some viewers shared their enjoyment of the characters and on-screen chemistry.

“Just watched Confidence Queen KR and was so amazed by Joo Jong-hyuk, really love his acting and visuals,” one user wrote.

“Honestly, my K-drama mood came back again after watching Confidence Queen,” added another.

“Why isn’t Confidence Queen being talked about more when it’s actually so good?” another fan wondered.

On Reddit, discussions of episodes 3 & 4 were lively. Several users highlighted Rowoon’s cameo as a delightful surprise, while others praised Lee Yi-kyung’s ability to switch from comedic to dark, menacing roles in an instant. Some even compared the drama to its Japanese original and concluded that the Korean version feels stronger thanks to the acting.

“Was gonna give up on this drama but the special guest made me tune in again. He can look silly and then switch to a dark menace aura instantly.”

“I love love love when an actor has their signature acting style, and that’s why I love Lee Yi-kyung! Also, the Rowoon cameo took me out lol.”

“Great 3rd episode! Yi Rang’s eccentric personality is growing on me. And PMY is nailing the character. I hope they start exploring the backstories soon.”

These international impressions show that despite its domestic slump, the drama still resonates with global audiences. In fact, according to FlixPatrol data, Confidence Man KR ranked 7th worldwide in the Amazon Prime TV category as of September 15, consistently holding a spot in the global Top 10 against mostly American and Latin American titles.

This contrast highlights an intriguing phenomenon: a drama may falter in its home market, yet find unexpected success with international viewers. The key question now is whether global momentum will be strong enough to give Confidence Man KR a second wind.

Sources: Dispatch, Newsen, Xports News, Daum