Top Actor Returns After 9 Years… But This K-Drama Plummets to 0% Ratings in Just 4 Episodes

Actor Ji Jin-hee, who made headlines with his return to network television after nine years, is facing a downward trend in viewership ratings for his latest drama, 'KICK KICK KICK KICK'.

According to Nielsen Korea on February 14, the fourth episode of KBS2’s Wednesday-Thursday drama 'KICK KICK KICK KICK' recorded a nationwide rating of 0.7%, marking a 0.5% drop from its previous episode (1.2%) and setting a new series low.

'KICK KICK KICK KICK' follows the story of Ji Jin-hee and former star producer Jo Young-sik (Lee Kyu-hyung) as they establish a content production company and strive to reach three million subscribers. Ji Jin-hee’s return to KBS, nearly a decade after 'Blood', initially generated anticipation, especially after the actor expressed his desire to try sitcom acting during an interview on JTBC’s Newsroom last September.

Co-star Lee Kyu-hyung, also making his sitcom debut, returned to television drama for the first time in three years and seven months since 'Voice 4' and his first KBS project in eight years since 'Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth.'

The fourth episode, which aired on February 13, depicted the turbulent journey of the 'KICK KICK KICK KICK' Company as they launched their official content series KkoKkoCam. The series successfully surpassed 400,000 subscribers, but tensions escalated when one of their featured “campers” was revealed to be an amnesiac serial killer.

Amid the chaos, a drunken Wang Jo-yeon (Jeon Hye-yeon) found herself face-to-face with the camper at a temple, leading to an intense confrontation. With the help of their skilled slingshot expert Ga Ju-ha (Jeon So-young) and other staff members, they successfully cornered the camper. This unexpected sequence, which was live-streamed by monk No So-yu (Yoon Sung-ho), resulted in a shift in public opinion, ultimately allowing the company to gain 100,000 new subscribers and receive YouTube’s Silver Button award.

Toward the end of the episode, a flashback revealed Ji Jin-hee and Lee Kyu-hyung’s past from 10 years ago, showing their camaraderie in a variety show setting. The episode also introduced a romantic subplot involving Kang Tae-ho (Kim Eun-ho) and Wang Jo-yeon’s unexpected kiss, as well as Lee Mark (Baek Sun-ho) grappling with his growing feelings for his friend Ga Ju-ha, setting up further intrigue for future episodes.

At a 2025 drama press conference on February 13, KBS production staff acknowledged the drama’s underwhelming performance. Kim Young-jo, the head of KBS’s drama department, admitted, “Perhaps we were too ambitious with our creative approach. Even our target audience, MZ viewers, found the pacing overwhelming, so we have adjusted the editing accordingly.”

Kim further explained, “Compared to other networks, we have a smaller production budget, so we rely heavily on creative ideas. We believe sitcoms can provide much-needed laughter amid the struggles of everyday life.”

Despite 'KICK KICK KICK KICK'’s struggles, KBS remains committed to expanding its drama lineup, with upcoming projects spanning romance, fantasy, short-form 30-minute romances, and historical sagas.

Industry experts cite multiple factors contributing to the decline of terrestrial dramas, particularly the 10 PM time slot, which competes with audiences’ work schedules and popular cable variety shows. The rise of streaming platforms has also altered viewership habits, making traditional TV broadcasts less dominant.

'KICK KICK KICK KICK' is written by Jung Soo-hyun, Nam Eun-kyung, and Jung Hae-young, and directed by Goo Sung-joon. It airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:50 PM KST on KBS2.

Viewership Ratings for 'KICK KICK KICK KICK' (Nielsen Korea, Nationwide)

Episode 1 (Feb 5): 2.1%

Episode 2 (Feb 6): 1.0%

Episode 3 (Feb 12): 1.2%

Episode 4 (Feb 13): 0.7%