BEIJING, Oct. 16(Xinhuanet)-- Zhou Li, an employee of a Shanghai based electrical appliances company, says she has since early September declined all appointments or invitations staying home at night so that she can sit in front of the television in time for"Dae Jang Geum," a Republic of Korean TV series that has become a runaway hit this year.

Like a magnet, the seemingly common stories set in the Chosun Dynasty about 500 years ago demand every minute of her attention, as if they were"life experiences of my own," says the stylish 27-year-old.

She is just one of the millions of Chinese viewers fascinated by the ROK historical TV drama Dae Jang Geum since it debut on Hunan TV on Sept. 1.

According to a latest rating by CVSC-SOFRES Media, a Sino-French media research corporation, the audience rating of the series averages 3.15 percent in 31 large and medium-sized cities and is still climbing.

What's the magic spell behind the story of a female master chefin the royal palace who later became the only private doctor of the king?

TRADITIONAL VALUES REGAINED

Before it debuted on the mainland's screen, Dae Jang Geum had scored big in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The series finale reportedly drew a record 3.2 million of Hong Kong's nearly 6.9 million potential viewers for Television Broadcasts Ltd., a local television broadcaster. Lee Young-ae, the star of the show, drew huge media attention when she visited Hong Kong in May.

"ROK 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 others' suit."That's why TV viewers complain they often tune in the same historical drama on every channel for months," said Chen.

On the other hand, ROK TV dramas grip the viewers with everlasting themes that people never find boring, he says."Dae Jang Geum, for example, focuses on Jang Geum's optimism and persistence. Such qualities are very much called-for in our personal development in the present-day society."

In the meantime, most Asian countries cherish such traditional ethical values as patriotism, loyalty, filial piety and brotherly love.

"Unfortunately, some of these values are fading as the Chinese society undergoes restructuring and competition heats up under the market economy," says Chen."Dae Jang Geum has reminded the Chinese viewers of these values."