MBC's "Less Than Evil" was unseated by tvN's "Encounter," the chart-topper from two weeks earlier, slipping to ninth place on the weekly TV chart after briefly topping the list, data showed Wednesday.

The crime thriller earned a Content Power Index score of 216.4, trailing far behind Song Hye-kyo and Park Bo-gum's romantic drama, which recorded a score of 268.8 for the week of Dec. 10-16.

(tvN)

The crime thriller, the Korean adaptation of the British television series "Luther," was highly anticipated within the terrestrial network to attract television viewers in the Monday-Tuesday primetime slot in which MBC has performed badly over the years.

Although the drama performed worse-than-expected in terms of a CPI number that measures not only viewership ratings but also the volume of trending and influence on social media, it still maintains the best rating among the dramas aired in the same time slot.

On Tuesday, it recorded 8.7 percent in viewership rating, outperforming other competitors, including tvN's "Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter," also known as "Tale of Fairy," which came second with 3.9 percent.

Meanwhile, "Encounter," which airs at 9:30 p.m. every Wednesday and Thursday, consolidated its No. 1 spot on the chart, as the blossoming, tantalizing romance between a female hotel CEO (Song Hye-kyo) and an ordinary younger employee (Park Bo-gum) started to unfold.

The CPI, created by CJ E&M and Nielsen Korea, measures the level of popularity, social media presence and influence on consumer behavior of entertainment TV programs aired on the three major terrestrial networks -- MBC, SBS and KBS -- and the seven cable channels owned by CJ ENM, including tvN, Mnet and OCN, during prime time. JTBC, another cable network that airs some highly popular entertainment shows and dramas, is not included in the measurement.
Yonhap