tvN’s highly anticipated Korean drama When The Stars Gossip is facing a major crisis after recording disappointing ratings for its third episode. Despite a hefty ₩50 billion production budget, the show has seen its ratings drop to the 2% range within just three episodes.
According to Nielsen Korea, the January 11 broadcast of When The Stars Gossip garnered a nationwide viewership rating of 2.2% and 2.6% in the Seoul metropolitan area. This marks a 262,000 viewer decrease and a 1.087% drop compared to the previous week. The drama's performance pales in comparison to last year’s The Queen of Tears, which saw ratings soar from 5.8% to 8.6%.
Meanwhile, its weekend competitor, SBS’s Love Scout, starring Han Ji-min, Lee Jun-hyuk, Kim Do-hoon, and Kim Yoon-hye, continues to rise in popularity. The drama's fourth episode achieved a nationwide rating of 11.3% and a peak of 14%, solidifying its position as the top Friday-Saturday drama.
Despite its star-studded cast, When The Stars Gossip is struggling to generate buzz. According to the January Week 1 TV-OTT Drama Popularity Index by Good Data Corporation, it ranked fifth behind The Tale of Lady Ok (JTBC) and Love Scout (SBS). In terms of cast popularity, lead actor Lee Min-ho ranked ninth, while Gong Hyo-jin failed to make the top 10.
The 16-episode drama follows Eve Kim (Gong Hyo-jin), the boss of a zero-gravity space station, and Gong Ryong (Lee Min-ho), an unexpected visitor on a secret mission. Touted as Korea’s first space-office drama and a unique blend of sci-fi and romantic comedy, its lackluster ratings and lukewarm reception have sparked concern about its fate.
Viewer reactions online highlight disappointment:
Recap of Episode 3 & Preview of Episode 4:
In the third episode, Eve Kim finds herself in a life-threatening situation while on a spacewalk. She and fellow crew member Kang Kang-soo (Oh Jung-se) were tasked with repairing a damaged solar panel on the space station G.O-10. During the mission, Kang’s shoe is damaged, forcing him to retreat, leaving Eve to complete the task alone. She is eventually flung into space, clinging to a solar panel, but her torn glove causes her to lose consciousness.
Meanwhile, Gong Ryong reads Eve’s will in her private quarters, grappling with his emotions. He also uses the space station’s systems to retrieve a stolen egg from Kang Kang-soo, securing a critical element for Chairman Choi Jae-ryong’s (Kim Eung-soo) artificial insemination project.
With the stakes rising, viewers are eager to see if Gong Ryong can complete his mission. Episode 4 of When The Stars Gossip airs tonight at 9:20 p.m. on tvN.