- Lee Junho × Lee Se-young portray King Jeongjo Yi San and Royal Consort Ui-bin Seong (Seong Deok-im)
- A key driver of Korea’s sageuk boom… establishing a new model for the Jeongjo–Ui-bin narrative
- A perfectly crafted series where writer, director, and cast aligned flawlessly

The acclaimed historical romance The Red Sleeve—a central force in Korea’s modern sageuk renaissance—has concluded with a heart-wrenching yet beautiful finale.

On January 1, Episodes 16 and 17 aired back-to-back on MBC, delivering an emotionally explosive “saepy ending” (sad + happy). The final scene, in which King Jeongjo (Lee Junho) and Ui-bin Seong (Lee Se-young) reunite in the afterlife, transformed a fleeting moment into something eternal.

True to its status as the prestige sageuk that dominated the second half of 2021, the drama ended with overwhelming viewer praise and an unforgettable emotional impact—signaling not only the full revival of MBC’s historical drama lineage but also establishing a new gold standard for historical romance.

# Ratings Tripled, All-Kill in Popularity Indexes, and 8 Wins at the MBC Drama Awards
The “King Sleeve” Phenomenon Proven by Record-Breaking Figures**
From its very first week, The Red Sleeve lived up to its reputation as a true “record-making machine.” Each episode shattered new benchmarks across multiple indicators, surprising both industry insiders and general viewers.

Starting at a nationwide rating of 5.7%, the drama surpassed the double-digit mark in just four weeks, launching into a runaway hit despite fierce competition. Fueled by glowing reviews, the finale closed at 17.4% nationwide, tripling its premiere ratings—a remarkable feat. (Nielsen Korea)

The show’s influence extended beyond traditional ratings:
No.1 in drama popularity for 7 consecutive weeks (Good Data Corporation)
Never relinquished the No.1 spot after its premiere
From late November, it topped all major platform charts:
Wavve: No.1 most-watched drama, IPTV Big 3 (KT, SKB, LGU+): No.1 paid VOD usage, SMR clips: No.1 in drama-related video views

The series swept across every measurable metric, confirming its impact as the undisputed “King Sleeve” phenomenon.