0% Ratings in Korea — But This Fresh K-Drama Is Blowing Up in the U.S.

SBS’s new K-drama Spring of Youth is catching the attention of international audiences just episodes into its run, continuing the global K-drama craze. In particular, the show is climbing the charts on major OTT platforms in North America and Southeast Asia.

According to data from ranking site FlixPatrol, Spring of Youth ranked No. 5 in the TV SHOW category on Rakuten Viki in the United States as of May 12. It’s a rare feat for a Korean drama to chart in the highly competitive U.S. market for Asian content.

The response has been just as strong in Indonesia. From May 8 to 12, the show stayed in the Top 10 on Netflix Indonesia, and also reached No. 2 in the TV SHOW category on local streaming platform Vidio.

While Spring of Youth premiered in Korea with a modest 1.4% viewership rating, and dropped below 1% in its second episode, the drama’s growing popularity overseas is raising hopes for a domestic rebound in the coming weeks.

The drama follows Sa-gye (played by Ha Yujun), a former top K-pop band member who starts a new life as a college student after being ousted from his group. There, he meets Kim Bom (played by Park Ji-hoo), and the two begin a journey of healing and new beginnings. The combination of music, youth, and romance, along with stylish direction, seems to have resonated strongly with international fans.

The series stands out for its solid character dynamics and fast-paced storytelling. In Episode 2, Seo Taeyang (Lee Seung-hyub) moves into Kim Bom’s boarding house, kicking off the beginnings of a love triangle. The upcoming Episode 3, airing on May 14, will feature a dramatic rooftop confrontation between Sa-gye and Taeyang.

In the teaser, Sa-gye provokes with the line, “Just because you like someone first doesn’t mean you get to have them,” while Taeyang responds with a fiery glare — a moment already gaining buzz online.

On set, the two actors reportedly delivered intense performances with laser focus, contrasting with their friendly banter between takes. The production team commented, “From Episode 3 onward, the love triangle kicks into high gear. The explosive charisma of both actors will captivate viewers, not just in Korea but around the world.”

Viewers have shared glowing reactions online, describing the show as “a healing watch” and “like spring in drama form.” Many expressed how refreshing it is to see a youth romance again, calling it “a little cheesy at first, but really cute once you get into it,” while others noted that “it’s giving Dream High vibes” and praised the series as “genuinely charming despite the low ratings.”

Spring of Youth airs every Wednesday at 10:40 p.m. KST on SBS.

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