Top stars like Cha Seung-won and Jung Hae-in are useless
Travel entertainment programs such as tvN’s “Mayaro: Nine Keys,” JTBC’s “Travel to Learn,” and Channel S’s “Hidden Food Road-Ttubeok Taste Guns” have each put top stars at the forefront, but they have failed to meet expectations one after another. Regarding this, some criticize that the fatigue of viewers has increased as similar formats have been poured out at once.
“Older Brother Mayaro” depicts actor Cha Seung-won, a “ancient civilization fan,” visiting Pyramid Chichenite Temple, designated as one of the world’s seven wonders, and a village where Maya tradition remains, along with his junior Kim Sung-kyun and a member of the group THE BOYZ. It also tried to differentiate itself by using Mayan civilization exploration as the subject.
In particular, Cha Seung-won, who showed a witty appearance through tvN’s “Three Meals a Day” series, appeared on entertainment programs for the first time in three years, raising expectations, but the ratings are on a downward curve every day. After recording 3.8 percent (Nielsen Korea) in its first broadcast on the 4th, it fell to 2.9 percent on the 25th. Some viewers expressed regret by posting comments on their official YouTube channel, such as “It’s no different from other travel formats that have been broadcast so far” and “It’s too calm.”
The two-part series “Learning Travel,” in which actors of the same age, Im Si-wan and Jung Hae-in travel to Scotland, also ended with a viewer rating of around 1% on the 30th. Analysts say that it lacked buzz compared to the youth stars with thick fandom. Actors Kwon Yul, Yoon Doo-joon, and Lee Seo-joon’s ambitious “Ttubeok Taste Gunsa” on the 26th, and tvN’s “Wild Exploration Three Million Years Ago: Sondong Cave,” starring Park Hang-seo, soccer star Ahn Jung-hwan and martial artist Choo Sung-hoon, are also hovering below 2% of viewership.
The related trend was also reflected in the topical ranking. In the non-drama category of “TV Topics” announced by Good Data Corporation, a topical research company, not a single entertainment program based on travel was listed in the top 10. In response, Ha Jae-geun, a pop culture critic, pointed out on the 30th, “Related topics such as repeated eating shows and travel information have become difficult to give interest and freshness to viewers.”
