The new drama The East Palace and its lead actor Nam Joo-hyuk have taken the top spot in buzz rankings.
Good Data Corporation released the buzz rankings for the third week of July on July 22, revealing that the Netflix drama The East Palace claimed the number one position among Television-Over-The-Top (TV-OTT) dramas.
The East Palace dominated the rankings, showing a significant lead over the second-place program in both the Voice of Netizen (VON) and social media categories. This demonstrates the show’s ability to generate diverse opinions among viewers.
Premiering on July 17, The East Palace follows Gucheon (played by Nam Joo Hyuk), who can traverse the world of spirits, and Saeng-gang (played by Roh Yoon Seo), a palace maid with secrets. Under the king’s (Jo Seung Woo) orders, they investigate a curse haunting the Eastern Palace.
Nam Joo Hyuk also topped the cast member buzz rankings for TV-OTT drama actors, with Jo Seung-woo and Roh Yoon Seo securing the third and fourth spots, respectively. Jang Young Nam and Kwak Dong Yeon also made it into the top 20.
Marking his return to television after a three-year break since the 2023 drama Vigilante, Nam Joo Hyuk portrays Gucheon, a character who has lived detached from society but is now tasked with unraveling the palace curse. His performance skillfully balances a playful, free-spirited exterior with hidden emotional depth.
The rankings released by Good Data Corporation cover TV non-dramas and OTT original non-dramas that aired or were scheduled to air from July 13 to July 19, 2026, including cast members and guests of each program.