Viu

‘Phantom Lawyer’ has swept major Asian charts, once again proving the strength of K-content.

According to the weekly chart for the first week of April (Mar 30-Apr 5) released by Viu, a leading Asian OTT platform, the SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Phantom Lawyer’ (Phantom Lawyer) ranked No. 1 in Thailand, No. 2 in Indonesia·Hong Kong, No. 3 in Singapore, and No. 4 in the Philippines·Malaysia, placing among the very top across Asia.

Riding a hit streak at home with ratings near 10%, the series has fully captivated overseas viewers with its original universe that fuses law and the occult. In particular, Yoo Yeon-seok, who plays lead character Shin I-rang, renders the bold setup of seeing ghosts and even becoming possessed with deeply honed acting, drawing praise from global fans, while his polar-opposite partnership with Esom as elite lawyer Han Na-hyeon serves as a key engine heightening the tension of the story.

The achievement is meaningful in that it goes beyond romantic comedy, long a mainstay of K-dramas, to succeed as a “hybrid genre” that combines courtroom drama with occult elements. The freshness of blending the distinctive shamanistic hues unique to Korea into a modern legal drama, together with the universal realization of justice that relieves the grievances of the wronged, is analyzed to have delivered strong catharsis to Asian viewers.

Viu, operated by Hong Kong’s PCCW, is a leading Asian OTT platform that showcases Korean content to global markets including Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. It is currently presenting a variety of Korean titles, including ‘Climax’, ‘Phantom Lawyer’, and the variety show ‘After-school Teacher Taeri’.