The current romantic comedies on general programming channels are struggling to meet viewership expectations.
TV Chosun’s DNA Lover, MBN’s Bad Memories Eraser, and Channel A’s Cinderella at 2 AM—all airing on general programming channels—are experiencing disappointing viewership ratings, often in the 0% range. Despite the expanded market influence of these channels since their inception over a decade ago, their primary audience remains largely middle-aged and older viewers. This trend is especially notable for TV Chosun, MBN, and Channel A, which have faced challenges in broadening their appeal, unlike JTBC, which has found relative success in both dramas and entertainment.
DNA Lover (TV Chosun), which began airing on September 17, is a romantic comedy about genetic researcher Han So-jin (played by Jung In-sun), who, after numerous failed relationships, finally finds love through genetic matchmaking. The show features a young cast including Choi Si-won, Jung In-sun, Lee Tae-hwan, and Jung Yoo-jin. As TV Chosun’s first foray into romantic comedy, it marks a significant departure from the channel’s usual focus on dramas appealing to older audiences, such as Marriage Lyrics and Divorce Music and Red Balloon. Despite this bold move, DNA Lover has struggled, with viewership ratings dropping to 0% after an initial peak of 1.1%. The most recent episode recorded a 0.6% rating.
Similarly, MBN’s Bad Memories Eraser, which premiered on August 2, features Kim Jae-joong’s return to acting after seven years. The series follows Lee Gun (Kim Jae-joong), whose life is altered by a memory eraser, and his romance with Gyeong-ju Yeon (Jin Se-yeon). Despite its high-profile cast and long development period, the show has not performed well. It debuted at 1.0% and peaked at 1.7% but has since fallen to 0% ratings, with the 10th episode hitting a record low of 0.3%.
Channel A’s Cinderella at 2 AM (which revived the network’s weekend drama slot after six years) is also facing similar challenges. This romantic comedy, which airs simultaneously on Coupang Play, stars Shin Hyun-bin and Moon Sang-min. Despite its intriguing premise, the series has failed to break the 1% viewership barrier, starting at 0.6% and fluctuating between 0.4% and 0.8%. On a brighter note, it has performed well on international OTT platforms, topping viewership charts in 122 countries, including major markets like the US, Brazil, and the UK.
The recent push for romantic comedies by these terrestrial channels appears to be a strategic move to capture the growing interest in this genre. However, the lackluster results suggest that the shows may not have been compelling enough to attract a broader audience. A broadcasting official commented that these youthful romantic comedies are failing to resonate with viewers, indicating that a more effective strategy or higher quality content may be needed to achieve better results.
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