Despite a strong cast featuring Lee Jun Young and Jung Eun Ji, the drama ‘24-Hour Health Club‘ is struggling, facing the possibility of slipping into the 0% viewership range.
The series, which airs Wednesday-Thursday, recorded a new low with a nationwide rating of just 1.1% for its fifth episode on May 14, as reported by Nielsen Korea. After starting at 1.8% when it premiered on April 30, the ratings fell to 1.5% in its third episode. Although there was a slight rebound to 1.7% in episode 4, the steep decline has raised concerns about its future.
Directed by Park Joon Soo and Choi Yeon Soo, and written by Kim Ji Soo, the drama unfolds in a fitness center, highlighting the relationship between gym director Do Hyun Joong (Lee Jun Young) and member Lee Mi Ran (Jung Eun Ji).
Episode 5 showcases the comedic challenges of parenting and dieting, particularly through Hyun Joong’s unexpected label of “Dad” by a child, which led to a surprise visit from the child’s mother, Hye Bin (played by Han So Hyun). In a bid to assist, Hyun Joong juggled childcare and personal training.
Meanwhile, Mi Ran began a diet after an invitation to appear on a live market show promoting a Hawaii travel package. Motivated by a friend’s comment regarding her appearance on TV, she aimed to cut out flour from her diet. However, Hyun Joong cautioned her against a complete elimination, noting it might disrupt her daily life.
In a moment of humor, Mi Ran challenged herself: “If I can’t quit flour, I’ll dance on the live show.” Yet, as she faced withdrawal symptoms, Hyun Joong struggled with the realities of parenting, even faking illness to cancel training sessions, realizing that managing a child is more challenging than workouts. He eventually set up a kid-friendly area in the gym to allow Hye Bin some respite.
Despite her flour cravings, Mi Ran reflected on self-care and emotional freedom after accepting a bagel from Hyun Joong. By the end of the episode, she completed her live market appearance but was taken aback by a sudden message from her ex-boyfriend, Yeom Joon Seok (played by Jung Wook Jin).
While viewer ratings remain low, ’24-Hour Health Club’ is gaining popularity on OTT platforms, ranking #1 on Disney+ Korea’s Top 10 and #2 on Wavve’s Top 20 Drama Chart during its second week. Director Park previously mentioned the aim was to create a comedy that resonates across various platforms, leading to speculation whether this online traction can compensate for dwindling TV ratings.
Episode 6 of ’24-Hour Health Club’ is set to air on May 15 at 9:50 PM. With the strong chemistry between Lee Jun Young and Jung Eun Ji, all eyes are on whether the show can rebound from its current ratings slump.
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