(SBS)

A TV series about a mermaid's adventures on land surpassed 20 percent in viewership in the capital area, data showed Friday.

"The Legend of the Blue Sea," starring top "hallyu" actors Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Min-ho, recorded 22.1 percent in viewership in Seoul and nearby cities after its sixth episode Thursday, according to media ratings agency Nielsen Korea. Viewership nationwide reached 18.9 percent.

The Wednesday-Thursday series on SBS TV tells the story of a mermaid (Jun) from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) who travels to the modern world in search of her lover (Lee). Lost and confused, she meets a genius conman who is the doppelganger of her past love and follows him around from Europe to Seoul.

Despite a weak plot and forced laughing points, the fantasy romance has attracted viewers with the star power of its cast. Both Jun and Lee are leaders of the hallyu phenomenon, which refers to the rising popularity of Korean pop culture worldwide. The actress last appeared in the megahit TV series "My Love from the Star" in 2013-2014.

Meanwhile, "My Fair Lady" on KBS 2TV and "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo" on MBC TV, which air in the same time slot as "The Legend of the Blue Sea," gained viewership ratings of 5.5 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively. (Yonhap)

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