New MBC drama Motel California, Episode 1 aired last night to extremely good ratings.
Especially considering the K-drama aired directly opposite SBS drama Love Scout, which doubled its ratings last night.
Motel California, Episode 1 ratings were 4.5 percent of the nationwide audience, and the same 4.5 percent from viewers in Seoul.
Excellent ratings for a first episode.
What is Motel California?
The Korean drama is directed by Kim Hyung Min (Love Scene Number), and written by screenwriter Lee Seo Yoon (365: Repeat the Year).
It stars an absolutely stellar main cast comprising Lee Se Young (What Comes After Love?), Na In Woo (Marry My Husband), Choi Min Soo (Numbers), Kim Tae Hyeong (Love with Flaws), and Choi Hee Jin (Strong Girl Namsoon).
The K-drama tells the story of two former childhood friends reuniting.
Both were each others’ first loves but, due to Ji Gang Hui (Lee Se Young) being the daughter of a motel owner and her mother being mixed-race, she wasn’t treated very well by others in her community while growing up.
As soon as she became an adult, she moved to Seoul, but is now back in her home town where her former friend/first love Cheon Yeon Su (Na In Woo) is now the village vet.
Motel California is streaming outside South Korea on Viki, where Episode 2 is already out and where it is receiving the very high rating average of 9.7 out of 10 so far from almost 300 viewers.
Brit-American journalist based in Austria,. Former radio DJ at 97X WOXY, and Founder/CEO of Leo Sigh. I’ve covered K-drama, K-pop, anime, and manga news for over a decade.