'I Live Alone' delivered emotion and laughter through the performances of actor Ku Sung-hwan and Park Kyung-hye while holding onto ratings in the 5% range.
According to TV ratings company Nielsen Korea on the 18th, the MBC entertainment program I Live Alone (aka I Live Alone), which aired on the 17th, recorded a 5.1% nationwide household rating. That is a 1 percentage point drop from the 6.1% I Live Alone recorded the previous week.
Nevertheless, that day I Live Alone held onto ratings in the 5% range, and its momentary peak rating soared to 6%. In particular, it recorded a 3.5% rating among the key 20-54 demographic, ranking first among entertainment programs aired the same day, drawing attention.
Among them, the highest "best minute" was shared side by side by Ku Sung-hwan and Park Kyung-hye. Ku Sung-hwan's moment when he encountered a romantic cherry blossom path during his national walking journey, and the scene in which Park Kyung-hye revealed a shocking 6-pyeong one-room apartment where rust and mold coexisted, both recorded the best minute.
That day Ku Sung-hwan revealed his challenge of a national walking journey from Seoul to Busan. Although Ku Sung-hwan had attempted the national walking journey twice in his 20s, he had never succeeded. Recently, after seeing off his companion dog Kkot-bun who felt like a daughter, he resolved himself and attempted the national walking journey a third time, and toward the end of the schedule the I Live Alone production team joined him to capture the finale of that journey.
Having completed the 446 km journey from Seoul to Busan, Ku Sung-hwan showed he had lost an astonishing 12 kg, suggesting the emotional hardship he felt after seeing off Kkot-bun. Since Kkot-bun had been like a daughter for the 11 years they were together, it was only natural that it was hard. Accordingly, Ku Sung-hwan walked the national journey wearing a Kkot-bun key ring and leash.
The leash was an object that made him feel traces of Kkot-bun not in this world. Ku Sung-hwan said, "When I wear that leash it really helps me a lot when I'm having a hard time. Even when it's truly hard, looking at it strangely gives me strength," and his description of Kkot-bun as a presence that gave him a reason to live even after leaving this world moved viewers.
The romantic cherry blossom path beautifully enveloped that part of Ku Sung-hwan's journey. Ku Sung-hwan himself said, "I don't think I will be able to forget it until I die," recalling that moment. Attention again focused on the conclusion of Ku Sung-hwan's national walking journey, which he completed after a final leg in wind and rain.
Meanwhile, Park Kyung-hye appeared on I Live Alone as Ku Sung-hwan's friend and a four-month novice living alone. Although a novice at living alone, she was full of energy. Even in a 6-pyeong one-room apartment where rust and mold covered many places, Park Kyung-hye radiated her characteristic positive energy, saying, "If it's well maintained, I think I could live well here."
From the bunk bed she had dreamed of since childhood, to the kimchi gift sent by senior actor Park Joon Myun, various health foods sent by senior actor Kim Hye-soo, and cosmetics taken care of by her close friend Hyeri. Park Kyung-hye felt romance and joy even in the small items that filled her rented room.
To maintain that, she was even juggling part-time work in addition to her acting activities. She had been working a cafe part-time job for two full years. Park Kyung-hye's gritty perseverance, saying, "It can't help but be hard to make money," convinced I Live Alone viewers.
Such honest yet small daily moments had driven I Live Alone viewers into a frenzy. While last week comedian Kim Shin-young offered laughter and emotion with a body-positive mentality that happily accepted herself as she is, the daily lives of Ku Sung-hwan and Park Kyung-hye added empathy through realistic, small happiness.
[Photo] Provided by MBC.
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