South Korean television show "Dae Jang Geum" has become a runaway hit in China this fall.
It's so popular that legions of fans schedule their free time around the drama.
Zhou Li, an employee at a Shanghai-based electrical appliances company, says she declines all appointments or invitations at night so she can be at home to see what happens next on the show, which is set about 500 years ago during the Chosun Dynasty.
She is drawn like a magnet to "Dae Jang Geum" and says it's as though she is "living and feeling their experiences."
Zhou is just one of millions of Chinese viewers fascinated by the period piece since its debut on Hunan Satellite TV on September 1.
According to a latest rating's report by CVSC-SOFRES Media, a Sino-French media research corporation, the series averages a 3.15 percent rated in 31 medium and large-sized cities and is still climbing.
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Before it debuted on the mainland, "Dae Jang Geum" was popular in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The series finale reportedly drew a record 3.2 million viewers in Hong Kong. The SAR's population is about 6.8 million.
Actress Lee Young-ae, star of the series, drew huge media attention when she visited Hong Kong in May.
"South Korean dramas are often based on human-interest stories," says Chen Gang, vice president of Hunan Economic TV. "They capture details of everyday life and reveal the true meaning of life."
Chinese domestic producers, in contrast, tend to follow trends.
"Domestic TV viewers complain they often tune in to the same historical drama on every channel for months," Chen says.
On the other hand, South Korean TV dramas grip viewers with universal themes that people never find boring, he says. "'Dae Jang Geum' focuses on Jang Geum's optimism and persistence. Such qualities are very much called-for in our personal development."
In the meantime, most Asian countries cherish values such as patriotism, loyalty, filial piety and brotherly love.
"Unfortunately, some of these values are fading as Chinese society undergoes restructuring and competition heats up in the market economy," says Chen. "'Dae Jang Geum' has reminded Chinese viewers of these values."