Gong Yoo from 'Guardian' (tvN)

A cable TV series about a millennial goblin and his human bride-to-be topped a TV popularity chart for the second consecutive week, data showed Tuesday.

"Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," a Friday-Saturday series on tvN, scored 313.9 points on the Content Power Index (CPI) to rank No. 1 among TV programs in the week of Dec. 5-11. A week earlier, the fantasy-romance opened at the top of the CPI chart with 302.8 points.

Starring Gong Yoo and Kim Go-eun in the lead roles, "Guardian" has kept viewers spellbound with its state-of-the-art computer graphics and cinematography, not to mention the original storyline by star writer Kim Eun-sook. Gong is at once charismatic and charming as the 939-year-old goblin under the spell of eternal life, while Kim is simply endearing as the high school senior clinging to him for recognition.

Kim Go-eun and Gong Yoo in 'Guardian' (tvN)

With 254.1 points, the SBS TV series "Legend of the Blue Sea" trailed behind in second place, demonstrating the star power of its two lead actors Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Min-ho. The drama itself has increasingly received mixed reviews, with some critics saying it offers nothing more than pretty pictures of Jun as a mermaid who stumbles her way through the real world and Lee as a dashing con man with exceptional skills.

The SBS medical series "Dr. Romantic" fell one spot to fifth place despite maintaining strong viewership ratings of around 20 percent. Starring veteran actor Han Suk-kyu in the lead role of legendary surgeon Boo Yong-joo, the drama has received wide critical acclaim for its portrayal of upstanding doctors.

Of note was the MBC TV series "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo," which rose three places to rank ninth with 211.5 points.
The sports drama has suffered in terms of viewership ratings, not least because it airs in the same time slot as "Legend of the Blue Sea," but it has carved out a niche with its bright story of young and spirited athletes.

A variety of entertainment and music shows completed the top 10, with MBC talk show "Radio Star" jumping four places to rank third (233.7 points).

In its Dec. 7 edition, the show featured Moon Hee-joon and Tony An of first-generation K-pop band H.O.T. engaging in a friendly tit-for-tat with revelations about their pasts.

CPI, developed by entertainment company CJ E&M and media ratings agency Nielsen Korea, measures TV shows' popularity based on the number of views of related news stories, keyword searches and mentions on social media. (Yonhap)

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