Captivating the King is a historical romance drama centered on Lee In (Jo Jung-suk), a miserable King of Joseon haunted by past betrayals, who becomes entangled with Kang Hee-soo (Shin Se-kyung), a skilled spy whose hidden desire for revenge threatens to consume them both. As their past connection resurfaces, their clash of wills ignites a dangerous romance amidst the court’s ruthless power struggle.
The series, which portrays a love-hate relationship between a king and a spy, was helmed by Jo Nam-guk. Jo directed the two seasons of the crime drama The Good Detective (2020-2022). Meanwhile, writer Kim Sun-deok of The Crowned Clown (2019) wrote the screenplay.
Captivating the King is the second primetime tvN drama to premiere in 2024, following Marry My Husband.
Status: Completed
Main Cast:
Jo Jung-suk
Shin Se-kyung
Lee Shin-young
Director: Jo Nam-guk
Writer: Kim Sun-deok
Network: tvN
Release Date: January 21, 2024
Release Date (Final Episode): March 3, 2024
Schedule: Saturdays & Sundays at 21:20 KST
No. of Episodes: 16
Genre: Historical Drama, Romance
Korean Title: 세작, 매혹된 자들
Also Known As: Sejak, the Enchanted
Source Material: Original
Posters
TV Ratings
| Episode | Date Aired | Rating | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 21, 2024 | 3.089% | 641,000 |
| 2 | Jan 21, 2024 | 3.977% | 976,000 |
| 3 | Jan 27, 2024 | 3.286% | 704,000 |
| 4 | Jan 28, 2024 | 6.016% | 1,284,000 |
| 5 | Feb 3, 2024 | 3.868% | — |
| 6 | Feb 4, 2024 | 5.461% | 1,212,000 |
| 7 | Feb 9, 2024 | 4.162% | 903,000 |
| 8 | Feb 10, 2024 | 4.733% | 1,120,000 |
| 9 | Feb 11, 2024 | 6.369% | 1,623,000 |
| 10 | Feb 11, 2024 | 6.703% | 1,661,000 |
| 11 | Feb 17, 2024 | 4.100% | 982,000 |
| 12 | Feb 18, 2024 | 5.938% | 1,321,000 |
| 13 | Feb 24, 2024 | 4.942% | 1,099,000 |
| 14 | Feb 25, 2024 | 6.675% | 1,497,000 |
| 15 | Mar 2, 2024 | 5.609% | 1,213,000 |
| 16 | Mar 3, 2024 | 7.763% | 1,810,000 |
| Average | — | 5.168% | 1,203,000 |
Go to our main Korean drama ratings page for more viewership information. You might also be interested: the Top 20 Highest Rated Korean Dramas of All Time.
Rankings
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Star Rating Guide
- 1 Star — Terrible. I deeply regret watching it.
- 2 Stars — Poor. What did I even just witness? Ugh.
- 3 Stars — Average. It’s alright; nothing special.
- 4 Stars — Very Good. Pretty darn satisfying, gotta admit.
- 5 Stars — Excellent. Deserves a standing ovation, seriously.
