'Confidence Man KR', which has fallen into the 0% ratings swamp, has ultimately changed its broadcast time.
On the 15th, TV Chosun announced, "'Confidence Man KR' has changed its broadcast time from the original Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 PM to 10:30 PM."
It is an unusual case for the schedule to change after airing four episodes since its first broadcast on the 6th.
'Confidence Man KR' is a con artist drama featuring three versatile con artists seeking revenge against the villains of this era. It was anticipated as a 'K-caper' that cleverly exploits the flaws in the social system and playfully breaks the conventions of the existing crime genre. It also gained attention as Amazon Prime Video's first original work in Korea.
However, the viewership ratings have not met expectations. It started with 1.1% (Nielsen Korea, based on paid households) for the first episode, slightly rising to 1.5% for the second episode, but then falling to 1% for the third and 0.9% for the fourth.
Industry insiders cite comparisons with the already successful original from Japan, lack of character appeal, and directing that diminishes immersion as reasons for the poor performance. In particular, the simultaneous release on OTT platforms has also been analyzed as a factor contributing to the decline in ratings.
Additionally, it is struggling in competition with tvN's weekend drama 'The Tyrant's Chef', which is airing at the same time.
'The Tyrant's Chef', which premiered on the 23rd of last month, recorded 4.9% for its first episode, followed by 6.6% for the second, 7.6% for the third, and 11.1% for the fourth, showing a steep upward trend. Notably, the eighth episode aired on the 14th recorded 15.4%, setting a new record for its highest viewership.
Park Min-young, after the controversy with her ex-boyfriend, returned with 'Marry My Husband' and proved her stable acting skills. However, there are reviews stating that she did not show her presence in this work. While there is no disagreement among viewers regarding Park Min-young's acting skills, there have been criticisms that the plot development and character settings did not meet expectations.
While 'The Tyrant's Chef' airs at 9:10 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, 'Confidence Man KR' has moved its schedule to 10:30 PM right after the end of that program.
Although they avoided direct competition, it remains uncertain whether a turnaround is possible. Considering the recent viewing habits where viewers switch channels if their attention is not captured early on, a reversal in ratings seems unlikely.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
