'Dream to You' starring Hyeri and Hwang In Youp continues with disappointing 2% viewer rating in latest episode 7

04 Aug 2026, 19:38 by K-Soul · allkpop

ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama 'Dream to You' recorded its lowest viewership yet with Episode 7, despite delivering a long-awaited romantic reunion between its lead characters.

According to Nielsen Korea, Episode 7 of 'Dream to You' drew a nationwide household rating of 2.0%, down 0.3 percentage points from the previous episode's 2.3%, marking the series' lowest rating to date.

The episode saw Woo Soo Bin (played by Hwang In Youp) and Joo Yi Jae (played by Hyeri) finally confront the feelings they had suppressed for years and rekindle their romance. However, new conflicts surrounding the film 'Gyeongseong Love Song' threatened their future together.

To protect Joo Yi Jae's dream of becoming a film director, Woo Soo Bin reluctantly agreed to cast Shim Yoo Geon (Baek Sung Chul) as the film's lead after producer Ahn Soo Hee (Park Ji Young) pressured the production, warning that Joo Yi Jae would be removed as director otherwise.

Fearing Joo Yi Jae would blame herself, Woo Soo Bin asked Shim Yoo Geon to keep the decision a secret. But Shim Yoo Geon, understanding Joo Yi Jae's dreams better than anyone, ultimately revealed the truth himself.

After learning the sincerity behind Woo Soo Bin's sacrifice, Joo Yi Jae decided to stop dwelling on the past. She confessed, "I loved you when I was 18 and 19, and I think it's still love now."

With those words, she confessed her feelings before accepting Woo Soo Bin's heart by telling him, "Don't stop."

The two sealed their reconciliation with a kiss, creating one of the drama's most romantic moments so far. Afterwards, Joo Yi Jae returned to the set of 'Gyeongseong Love Song' alongside Woo Soo Bin and resumed pursuing her dream as a director, confidently calling out, "Ready, action!"

Meanwhile, other characters also experienced significant turning points.

Oh Ha Na (Lee Yul Eum) decided to break free from her mother Ahn Soo Hee's control and pursue her own acting career by expressing her determination to join 'Gyeongseong Love Song.' After recognizing her genuine passion, Woo Soo Bin cast her in the role.

In contrast, Shim Yoo Geon pushed Oh Ha Na away in order to protect his own career. Bound by the terms of his exclusive contract with Ahn Soo Hee, he hid his true feelings and coldly told her that "there was never anything between us," leaving Oh Ha Na devastated. Their complicated relationship is expected to become a key storyline in upcoming episodes.

Hyeri and Hwang In Youp's chemistry continues to win praise

'Dream to You' is a romantic comedy that follows genius film director Woo Soo Bin (Hwang In Youp), who returns after achieving his dreams, and struggling reporter Joo Yi Jae (Hyeri), who has long abandoned hers. The series generated considerable buzz before its premiere thanks to the pairing of Hyeri and Hwang In Youp, with viewers anticipating their on-screen chemistry.

Despite those expectations, ratings have remained underwhelming. Through seven episodes, the drama has now fallen to a series-low 2.0% and has yet to establish upward momentum.

Viewer reactions, however, have been far more positive, with many commenting that the drama "feels like a movie" and praising its emotional storytelling.

Chemistry between the leads has been one of the drama's strongest selling points. During the production press conference, Hyeri confidently said she hoped audiences would praise their chemistry, adding that she believed their teamwork deserved "100 points."

Director Yoo Sun Dong also emphasized that the series is about more than romance.

"Once I entered my thirties, words like dreams and love began to lose their meaning for me. But after reading the script and completing this project, those emotions became exciting again. I hope viewers can experience that same feeling."

Hyeri returns to another youth-focused romance

Hyeri remains best known for starring in the smash-hit drama 'Reply 1988,' which peaked at 19% viewership and cemented her popularity with audiences. Since then, she has built a diverse acting career through dramas including 'Two Cops,' 'Miss Lee,' 'My Roommate Is a Gumiho,' 'Moonshine,' and 'Friendly Rivalry.'

In 'Dream to You,' Hyeri plays Joo Yi Jae, a hardworking reporter whose youthful dreams were crushed by reality before she finds the courage to dream again.

The character reflects Hyeri's greatest strengths as an actress: relatable performances, effortless comedy, emotional sincerity, and natural portrayals of everyday people. Her ability to balance humor with heartfelt emotional scenes has become one of the drama's highlights.

Director Yoo Sun Dong revealed that Hyeri was his first and only choice for the role.

"After reading the script, I wanted Hyeri without hesitation. I believed she was the only actress who could portray Joo Yi Jae's realistic struggles while also delivering the character's positive energy."

Hwang In Youp's Woo Soo Bin is a gifted film director who returns to fulfill a promise he made to his first love, Joo Yi Jae. Having spent his youth following the path his parents laid out for him, he discovered both love and his own dream after meeting her, eventually achieving success before returning 15 years later to help her rediscover her own aspirations.

Hwang In Youp described the character by saying that Woo Soo Bin had once lived only according to his parents' expectations but began chasing his own dream after meeting his first love, ultimately returning years later to give that dream back to her.

Although Joo Yi Jae and Woo Soo Bin have vastly different personalities, Episode 7 finally brought them together emotionally after years of misunderstandings.

The remaining question is whether 'Dream to You' can recover from its disappointing ratings and finish its run on a stronger note.

Earlier, the cast promised that if the drama surpassed 7% viewership, they would work as concession stand employees at a movie theater for a day and hold a free-hug event for fans.

Episode 8 of 'Dream to You' airs on August 4 at 10 PM KST on ENA and is also available via KT Genie TV and TVING.

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