The Evolution of Blind Dating: 5 New K-Drama Formulas Han Ji-min's 'A Practical Guide to Love' 3.1% Premiere Proved

Han Ji-min is back. This time, it's blind dating — and viewers were hooked from the very first episode.

TL;DR

• JTBC weekend drama 'A Practical Guide to Love' premiered on February 28, 2026 with a nationwide rating of 3.1% (metropolitan 3.4%, per-minute peak 4.3%)
• Cast: Han Ji-min (Lee Ui-young), Park Sung-hoon (Song Tae-seop), Lee Gi-taek (Shin Ji-su), Jung Hye-seong, Kim So-hye
• Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by author Tari, 12 episodes total, airing every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 PM
• A coming-of-age romance about a single woman transitioning from 'natural encounters' to 'arranged meetings'
• The Samiljeol substitute holiday (March 2) long weekend effect + anticipation for Han Ji-min's comeback worked in tandem

1. The Facts: What Happened

'A Practical Guide to Love' Episode 1 aired on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 10:30 PM on JTBC. Based on Nielsen Korea paid household data, it recorded a nationwide 3.1%, metropolitan 3.4%, and a per-minute peak of 4.3%, successfully launching in the 3% range.

In the first episode, Lee Ui-young (played by Han Ji-min), a senior buyer at The Hills Hotel, confesses her feelings to a colleague named Kang Do-hyeon (played by Shin Jae-ha), only to be rejected. She is then pushed by those around her to try blind dating. The opening line from blind date prospect Song Tae-seop (played by Park Sung-hoon) — "Ms. Ui-young, do you agree to meet with the intention of marriage?" — sparked buzz and drew both laughter and empathy from viewers.

2. Why It Went Viral: The Spread Mechanism

① The Han Ji-min Comeback Effect

Han Ji-min returned to JTBC drama for the first time in about a year since 〈More Beautiful Than Heaven〉 in 2025. Known as the 'Queen of Romantic Comedies,' she is a proven actress who achieved a 35.5% rating in MBC's 〈Yi San〉 in 2007. The anticipation for her comeback drove a surge in pre-release search volume.

② The Samiljeol Substitute Holiday Effect

As Samiljeol (March 1) fell on a Sunday in 2026, March 2 (Monday) was designated a substitute public holiday, creating a 3-day long weekend. Viewers who chose to stay home instead of going to theaters over the weekend flooded in.

③ Webtoon Fandom Conversion

As a drama adaptation of artist Tari's Naver webtoon of the same name, the webtoon readership naturally transitioned into drama viewership. This secured an initial ratings base driven by the 'source loyalty' of original fans.

④ The Relatability of 'Modern Blind Dating' Codes

Marriage-oriented opening questions, app-based blind dates, workplace crushes — settings that sharply captured the dating realities of Korea's MZ generation in 2026 spread rapidly on social media.

3. Context and Background

The production team consists of directors Lee Jae-hoon and Lee Yi-jin, and writer Hwangbo Sang-mi. As part of JTBC's SLL production lineup, industry expectations for production quality are high.

4. Outlook: How Far Will It Go?

• Strengths: Han Ji-min's solid fandom, webtoon fan base, the pull of a love triangle dynamic
• Weaknesses: Ongoing TV exodus among the core viewing demographic (women in their 30s–40s), limitations of broadcast-style tallies due to simultaneous TVING streaming
• Wildcard: Pre-released reaction to the 'caught in the act' scene between Park Sung-hoon in Episode 2 — already going viral on social media

5. Checklist: What It Takes for This Drama to Stay in the Conversation

Reference Links

• Yonhap News — Han Ji-min's 'A Practical Guide to Love' Opens in the 3% Range
• Chosun Ilbo Review — Han Ji-min's Blind Date Gamble Paid Off
• JTBC Official Program Page
• Wikitree — Peaked at 4% From the First Episode, Sweeping the Weekend Home Theater

Image Credit

• Han Ji-min (2022 Asia Artist Awards) — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0