Famous Korean Variety Show Ratings Suffer Following The Departure Of Two Key Cast Members Due To Controversies
The crisis theory surrounding “I Live Alone” continues following the departure of comedian Park Na Rae and singer Key. The show has plummeted back into the 4% viewership range, hitting its lowest ratings in four years.
According to the viewership rating research company Nielsen Korea on the 7th of March, the household rating for the 637th episode of the MBC variety program “I Live Alone,” which aired on the 6th, recorded 4.9% in the Seoul metropolitan area. The 2049 viewership rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness reflecting changes in the media consumption environment, stood at 3.0%.
Additionally, the nationwide rating for the 637th episode of “I Live Alone” recorded 4.6%. This ranks 2nd among Friday variety programs and 8th overall. This figure is a 1.1 percentage point drop from the previous week’s rating of 5.7%.
While the show has been maintaining its rating in the 5% range for some time, it hit a new record low just two months into this year’s broadcasts. As this marks the lowest rating in approximately four years, concerns regarding the downward trend of “I Live Alone” are mounting.
In particular, “I Live Alone” faced a crisis last December when core members Park Na Rae and Key stepped down due to controversies. Park Na Rae became the subject of controversy when her former managers raised allegations of workplace harassment and special injury, and she subsequently halted all activities when the so-called ‘Injection Auntie’ scandal broke. Following this, Key also stepped down from all programs he was appearing in after being swept up in the ‘Injection Auntie’ allegations.
Since Park Na Rae and Key were popular core members who sustained “I Live Alone,” the blow following their departure was significant. Three months have passed, but the reaction is that the aftermath of their departure continues.
Attention is focused on whether the show “I Live Alone” can be saved from its current crisis in the coming weeks.
Source: (A)
