Terrestrial broadcaster SBS’ new drama “The Killing Vote” is off to a strong start, topping ratings among all TV shows in the same time slot with the first episode.

The first episode of the 12-part thriller series, featuring “The Glory” star Lim Ji-yeon, recorded a viewership share of 5.2 percent when it aired Thursday.

Adapted from a popular Kakao Page webtoon of the same title created by author Um Se-yun, “The Killing Vote” revolves around police chasing a mysterious character named Gaetal, meaning “dog mask” in Korean.

When a criminals evade punishment from the law, citizens receive a text message, questioning whether the accused had committed a heinous crime that justified the death penalty.

Gaetal kills the accused person when more than 50 percent of those who respond favor a death sentence.

Lim plays a police inspector in the cybercrime bureau, who seeks to uncover the mysteries behind the killing vote and track down Gaetal.

The series was one of the most highly anticipated series in the latter half of the year with its star-studded lineup of actors and the renowned production company Pan Entertainment, which was behind smash-hit projects, including “Moon Embracing the Sun” (2012), “Fight For My Way” (2017), “When the Camelia Blooms” (2019) and more.

A new episode of “The Killing Vote” is released at 9 p.m. on Thursdays.