KBS dramas are suffering from extreme ratings slumps in the first half of 2024. Even the traditionally strong weekend dramas have not surpassed the 20% viewership mark. Experts attribute this to the failure to meet the changing environment and audience expectations.

The decline of KBS dramas is becoming more serious by the day. While competing broadcasters like MBC, SBS, and tvN are producing hit dramas, KBS dramas are struggling. This contrasts with last year's successes in both critical acclaim and viewership with works like 'Korea–Khitan War,' 'Oasis,' and 'My Perfect Stranger.'

Especially, KBS weekend dramas are in a slump. The KBS 2TV weekend drama 'Beauty and Mr. Romantic,' which premiered on March 23, had high expectations due to the reunion of actor Ji Hyun Woo and writer Kim Sa Kyung from the mega-hit 'Young Lady and Gentleman.' However, despite surpassing 24 episodes, 'Beauty and Mr. Romantic' has yet to break the 20% rating barrier.

'Beauty and Mr. Romantic' has particularly drawn criticism for its provocative settings and sensational plot. The female protagonist's mother (portrayed by Cha Hwa Yeon) suggests her daughter (played by Lim Soo Hyang) take nude photos to pay off gambling debts and pressures her to get engaged to a rich man. The female protagonist refuses, attempts suicide, and loses her memory as a result. Viewers, tired of the clichéd storyline, can no longer relate.

The situation is even more dire for KBS's Monday-Tuesday dramas. Since the airing of 'My Perfect Stranger' in May last year, not a single show has surpassed 5% viewership. The currently airing drama 'Dare to Love Me' had a decent start with a 2.3% rating for its first episode, but ratings have dropped to the 1% range as the series progresses. The main reason is the uninspiring storyline of a romance between a teacher and a student, which failed to resonate with viewers.

Experts have analyzed that the slump in KBS dramas is due to their failure to meet the expectations of viewers.

Professor Yoon Seok Jin from Chungnam National University (a drama critic) said in an interview with Wikitree that KBS dramas are struggling because "the broadcasting platform environment has changed significantly, altering viewing habits. However, KBS weekend dramas continue to simply repeat previous patterns, which is problematic."

Professor Yoon pointed out, "They keep reproducing the same fixed formats, just changing actors and directors, and repeating the same stories. While legacy media could unilaterally broadcast in the past (unchallenged), this approach no longer meets the viewers' standards in the current environment."

However, Professor Yoon did not agree that the family drama genre of KBS weekend dramas has reached its limit.

He explained, "With the numerous stories coming from various OTT platforms, addressing everyday family issues in family dramas has reached its limit. However, I don’t think the family drama genre itself is the problem. Past weekend dramas like 'Seoyoung, My Daughter' and 'My Golden Life' dealt with contemporary issues and were successful, but we don’t see that anymore. Without comprehensive innovation, the slump in weekend dramas will continue."

Professor Yoon also commented on the poor performance of KBS miniseries, "Unlike weekend dramas, KBS miniseries face strong competition from cable and OTT platforms, and despite various experiments, they are not meeting viewer expectations, resulting in low ratings."

Regarding whether KBS is losing in casting power, Professor Yoon said, "The recent KBS miniseries 'My Perfect Stranger' received good ratings and reviews despite not featuring star actors like Kim Dong Wook and Jin Ki Joo. Even though time-slip genres don't typically do well in Korea, it was a hit. The notion of casting power is a relic of legacy media. If the story is interesting and well-made, viewers will follow."

For KBS dramas to recapture viewers' hearts, it seems necessary to abandon sensational storylines and clichéd themes and attempt new approaches that reflect the changing times.

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