After a year of programming delays, the first broadcast of 'Resident Playbook' has kicked off with a viewership rate in the 3% range. Can tvN break the 1% nightmare it has been recording?
According to Nielsen Korea, on the 13th, the first episode of 'Resident Playbook' (creators Shin Won-ho and Lee Woo-jung, directed by Lee Min-soo, written by Kim Song-hee, planned by CJ ENM Studios) recorded a national viewership rate of 3.7%. This is 2 percentage points higher than the viewership rate of 1.7% for the previous show 'The Potato Lab' and also 1.9 percentage points higher than its final episode viewership of 1.8%.
The episode of 'Resident Playbook' that aired that day depicted the beginning of hospital life for first-year residents Oh Yi-young (played by Go Youn-jung), Pyo Nam-kyung (played by Shin Si A), Eom Jae-il (played by Kang Yoo-seok), and Kim Sa-bi (played by Han Ye-ji), who joined the obstetrics and gynecology department at the Jeongyu Hospital.
'Resident Playbook,' produced by PD Shin Won-ho and writer Lee Woo-jung, who worked on the 'Reply' and 'Seulgi's Life' series, was originally scheduled to air last year but was postponed for more than a year due to the prolonged aftermath of a strike in the medical sector.
Despite facing criticism for being 'a residency without residents' and controversy over glamorization before it even started, 'Resident Playbook' has captured attention as its first episode signals a start with a viewership rate of 3%, possibly allowing tvN to recover from its 1% humiliation.
The tvN show 'When the Stars Gossip,' which ended its run in February, invested 50 billion won in production, scripted by Seo Sook-hyang and directed by Park Shin-woo. The collaboration of Gong Hyo-jin, returning to drama after six years, and Hallyu star Lee Min-ho generated great expectations before its premiere.
However, 'When the Stars Gossip,' which started with a viewership rate of 3.3%, dropped to 1.8% by the fifth episode and continued to hover between 1% and 2% in ratings, ultimately concluding with a final viewership rate of 2.6%. Following 'When the Stars Gossip,' its successor 'The Potato Lab' also started with a low viewership of 1.7%, experiencing embarrassment with a minimum of 1.1% and a maximum of 2%.
The reason why tvN faced even harsher criticism is that newly launched entertainment shows at the same time also recorded similar results.
'The Country Cook of Edward Lee,' which ambitiously recruited Edward Lee, the runner-up of 'Culinary Class Wars,' along with actors Byeon Yo-han, Go Ah-sung, and Shin Si A, started with a viewership of 2.1% but showed a steady decline, recording 0.8% by the seventh episode. Meanwhile, 'Handsome Guys,' a collaboration between PD Yoo Ho-jin from 'Occasionally a CEO' and Cha Tae-hyun, also started amid expectations but is currently stuck with ratings of 1% to 2%.
If there is 'Resident Playbook' in dramas, on the entertainment side, 'Fresh off the Sea 2' and 'When the Stars Gossip 3' are waiting in the wings. In 'Fresh off the Sea 2,' Ahn Eun-jin and Dex are leaving, and Lim Ji-yeon and Lee Jae-wook are joining the cast. It remains to be seen whether 'Fresh off the Sea,' which boasted high popularity and ratings, can deliver again in season 2.
'When the Stars Gossip 3' is also preparing to meet viewers following 'Fresh off the Sea 2.' In season 3, it is expected to depict members transformed into secret agents tracking down a character named Torongi, who has run away with the corporate credit card of the Jade Emperor.
With new dramas and entertainment shows launching, attention is focused on whether tvN can escape the 1% humiliation.
[Photo] tvN, broadcast capture
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