Shocking Slump: Korean Drama Faces Humiliation with Three Consecutive Episodes Below 2% Ratings

tvN’s latest weekend drama has been struggling to gain traction, failing to recover from its disappointing debut. By its third episode, the show hit a new low with a nationwide rating of just 1.4%, marking its worst performance yet.

The drama in question is The Potato Lab, which premiered on March 1 as the successor to When The Stars Gossip. Directed by Kang Il-soo and Shim Jae-hyun, with a script by Kim Ho-soo, the 12-episode romantic comedy follows Kim Mi-kyung (Lee Sun-bin), a passionate potato researcher, and So Baek-ho (Kang Tae-oh), a rigid, rule-abiding figure who disrupts her life like a whirlwind.

According to Nielsen Korea on March 9, Episode 3 of The Potato Lab recorded a nationwide rating of 1.4% and a metropolitan area rating of 1.5%. The show started with a 1.7% rating for its first episode and saw a slight uptick to 1.8% in Episode 2 before dropping again, struggling to break out of the 1% range.

The underwhelming performance of The Potato Lab is largely attributed to the disastrous run of its predecessor, When The Stars Gossip. Starring Gong Hyo-jin and Lee Min-ho, the sci-fi rom-com was a highly anticipated production with a reported budget of 50 billion KRW (~$34M). However, it set an unfortunate record by dropping to 1.8% within its first five episodes—the first tvN weekend drama to hit 1% ratings in six years. Despite improving slightly towards the end, its finale only managed 2.6%.

Even When The Stars Gossip started with a more respectable 3.3% in its premiere. In contrast, The Potato Lab became the first tvN weekend drama in eight years to debut in the 1% range since the network introduced the timeslot in 2017.

The odds of a ratings rebound seem slim, as The Potato Lab faces stiff competition. SBS’s Buried Hearts starring Park Hyung-sik and MBC’s Undercover High School starring Seo Kang-joon are dominating the Friday-Saturday drama slot. Treasure Island, in particular, has been breaking its own records, reaching 11.2% for its sixth episode.

On the Sunday drama front, The Potato Lab competes primarily with Channel A’s The Witch, which has been steadily climbing in viewership. While The Potato Lab dipped to 1.4% in its third episode, Witch saw an increase from 1.5% in Episode 5 to 2.8% in Episode 6, highlighting their contrasting trajectories.

Despite the slow start, there is still hope. With nine episodes left, the drama has room for improvement, especially as its romantic storyline between Kim Mi-kyung and So Baek-ho picks up steam. Additionally, global streaming data suggests that The Potato Lab is performing well on Netflix. According to FlixPatrol, the series entered the Top 10 rankings in 52 countries during its premiere week, hinting at strong international appeal.

Meanwhile, Episode 3 saw the start of an unpredictable “love-hate” romance between Mi-kyung and Baek-ho. Baek-ho briefly confessed his feelings but quickly followed up with a shocking dismissal notice, leaving Mi-kyung reeling. After a drunken kiss, Baek-ho demanded she repay him for a designated driver and gas expenses, leading to a tense confrontation.

As Mi-kyung focused on preparing for the Potato Love Cooking Contest, Baek-ho unexpectedly lent a helping hand, further entangling their fates. Though he initially seemed like a thorn in her side, Baek-ho’s actions suggested otherwise. From setting up tables to handling ingredients with precision, he proved to be an invaluable asset.

The tension escalated when Baek-ho formally asked Mi-kyung out: “Will you officially date me?” Taken aback, Mi-kyung rejected him, overwhelmed by his directness. However, Baek-ho remained undeterred, promising to “keep trying.”

Meanwhile, corporate conflicts over the future of The Potato Lab began to surface. Business tycoons Wang Hwae-jang (Cha Mi-kyung), Yoon Sa-jang (Son Ji-yoon), and Park Ki-se (Lee Hak-joo) visited the lab, leading to a heated debate between Baek-ho and Ki-se over management philosophy. Ki-se insisted that the lab should be shut down, while Baek-ho unveiled a restructuring plan—naming Mi-kyung as the first employee to be laid off, further complicating their growing romantic entanglement.

With the drama still in its early stages, the question remains: Can The Potato Lab turn things around and reclaim tvN’s weekend drama audience? Or will it go down as another ratings flop?

tvN Weekend Drama Ratings – The Potato Lab (Nielsen Korea, Nationwide)

Episode 1 (03.01): 1.7%

Episode 2 (03.02): 1.8%

Episode 3 (03.08): 1.4%

Stay tuned to see if The Potato Lab can defy the odds!