The First Night with the Duke EP4 ratings rise back up – international viewers still split on love it or hate it

I will admit when I am wrong and, yep, I was mistaken about the ratings for The First Night with the Duke, Episode 4 after Episode 3 plummeted to its lowest audience share yet on Wednesday night.

I fully expected the latest episode of the K-drama to remain at its low, or to fall even further.

But, in reality, the ratings for The First Night with the Duke, Episode 4 actually shot back up — almost back to the highest nationwide rating it earned for Episode 2.

Those ratings for the drama’s latest episode on Thursday night were 3.30 percent nationwide — only a sliver below the 3.40 percent it earned for Episode 2 — and a new all-time high of 3.10 percent from viewer’s in Seoul, overtaking its previous all-time high of 2.70 percent in that region for Episodes 1 and 2.

International audiences still split

Interestingly, however, the rating of 8.1 out of 10 over on My Drama List has not moved in the last 24 hours, and viewers seem to be as split as they were before on whether they love the drama or hate it.

Even after Episode 4 has aired.

Some are enjoying the goofiness of the Korean drama, while others detest everything about the female lead (played by Seohyun), with some even disliking the actress’ performance.

Comments range from the defiantly positive:

KEEP THE HATERS MAD I am loving it. I read the manhwa and a little bit of the novel and the adaptation is phenomenal. I tried to hate it, but just couldn’t.

I just love the random surprises I would have gotten bored if it was the same sh*t after re-reading the manhwa. Again KEEP THE HATERS MAD.

to the annoyed:

Leave it to K-dramas to start with the same tired high school bully cliché—like seriously, can we get some originality for once?

And don’t even get me started on the random tiger and the little boy. What was the point of that?

It feels like they’re just throwing in symbolism with no real purpose. I can already tell this is about to get on my nerves.

Just like yesterday, I can’t comment on who, if anyone, is correct, as I have had the Korean drama on hold since Episode 2. In other words, you decide.

It also appears, at least for now, we may have a “love it/hate it” situation going on with The First Night with the Duke as new episodes continue to drop.

Although, while the number of people who marked they had dropped the drama after Episode 3 was at just 72, it is only at 86 after Episode 4.

Meaning, at this point, with almost 10,000 people saying they are watching the Korean drama, that drop rate is still very low.

Next Wednesday and Thursday — June 25th and 26th — then, may be a little more telling as viewers decide whether they will stick with it or pass.

I’ll keep you posted.

The First Night with the Duke stars Seohyun, Ok Taec yeon, Kwon Han Sol, Seo Bum June, and Ji Hye Won.

You can watch the first four episodes now on Viki.