Poster for MBC drama '21st-Century Grand Prince's Consort'. Provided by MBC

Gwangju responded first. MBC '21st-Century Grand Prince's Consort' (written by Yoo Ji-won; directed by Park Joon-hwa) recorded a 7.8% nationwide household rating on its premiere on the 10th, while Gwangju alone posted 12.8%, revealing a clear regional skew.

According to Nielsen Korea's regional ratings data on the 11th, Gwangju was the only one among the nation's 13 surveyed regions to reach double digits. In the same time slot, Gwangju's rating for KBS 9 o'clock News (11.5%) also trailed the drama. This contrasts with other major metropolitan areas such as Seoul (6.9%), the capital region (8.2%), Busan (6.0%), and Daegu/Gumi (6.4%), which fell short of or were similar to the national average.

Some in the industry are pointing to a combination of factors: the rallying power of IU (Lee Ji-eun)'s fandom in Jeonnam and Jeonbuk, the viewing patterns in the Gwangju/Jeonnam area, a traditional MBC stronghold, and the characteristics of the regional audience toward the constitutional-monarchy setting.

Also noteworthy is that on the same day, MBC Newsdesk's Gwangju household rating reached 15.1%, 2.4 times the national average (6.4%). Analysis suggests that Gwangju viewers' loyalty to MBC is extending from news to dramas.

Some experts believe the Gwangju figure from the first broadcast could be a leading indicator foreshadowing nationwide spread. MBC's constitutional-monarchy drama 'Goong', which recorded a peak rating of 28.7% in 2006, likewise first drew double-digit support in the Gwangju/Jeonnam area early in its run.

Whether '21st-Century Grand Prince's Consort' becomes the starting gun for an MBC drama revival is expected to hinge on the consecutive ratings for episodes 2 and 3.