I AM BOXER has continued a two-week streak of rising buzz, foreshadowing the revival of K-boxing.
Aired every Friday at 11 p.m. on tvN, I AM BOXER (director Lee Won-woong, writer Kang Sook-kyung) is a massive blockbuster boxing survival show designed for the revival of K-boxing.
From the first fight, 90 contestants aiming for the championship faced off in 1-on-1 boxing matches regardless of weight class, age, or occupation, producing thrilling classic bouts. Then, in the second fight, the 6-on-6 punch race saw skilled contestants eliminated en masse as teams, raising expectations for the 1-on-1 death matches to be held on the 5th (Fri).
Thanks to the participants' sincerity toward boxing and the fierce psychological battles fueled by their desire to win, I AM BOXER's program buzz has recorded a two-week high.
On the 2nd (Tue), according to a FUNdex investigation by Good Data Corporation, a K-content competitiveness analysis organization, I AM BOXER ranked first in the TV non-drama buzz category for the fourth week of November and achieved the top buzz among Friday TV non-dramas for two consecutive weeks. Despite injuries, participant Jang Hyuk, who showed fighting spirit as a boxer and received support such as "He could lose, but it's cool that he challenges without thinking about that" and "This isn't variety, this is real," ranked 10th in the non-drama cast buzz category.
I AM BOXER also showed steady upward momentum on FlixPatrol, a site that aggregates viewing rankings for global OTT platform content, ranking seventh worldwide in the Disney+ TV show category as of the 1st (Mon). In addition, weekly video views counted from Nov. 24 (Mon) to Nov. 30 (Sun) surpassed 98 million. This demonstrates that the appeal of K-boxing has begun to resonate not only domestically but also with global viewers.
Above all, according to the FUNdex report for the fourth week of November, I AM BOXER ranked first both in first-week buzz and weekly average buzz among TV sports variety shows that captivated the entertainment world this year. The production team said, "There is no script and no prior coordination, so boxing feels more honest and primitive. We believe boxing is the most energetic and dramatic of sports, and we will continue to provide viewers with thrilling experiences through it," expressing ambitions that added curiosity about the remaining missions.
Meanwhile, in episode 3 of I AM BOXER, which airs on the 5th (Fri), the death matches for 24 eliminated contestants begin following the latter half of the 6-on-6 punch race. Because all punch race losers earn a chance at the death match, anticipation is rising for the strong contenders' 1-on-1 confrontations.
[Photo] tvN
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