MBC Show Stumbles With 0% Rating Despite Star Cast Featuring BLACKPINK’s Jennie and Go Young Jung
BLACKPINK’s Jennie and star-studded cast fail to save MBC’s variety show The Secret Friends Club from dismal ratings.
The show ended its run on April 26 with a nationwide household rating of just 0.9%, hitting a new low. It never climbed out of the 0% rating range, despite kicking off in February with a 2% rating. Fans had high hopes thanks to the lineup, which included Jennie, Park Bo Young, and Jung Hae In, but the show couldn’t build momentum.
Ratings briefly improved to the 1% range when Go Youn Jung appeared, but that was the only highlight before the series closed with its lowest numbers yet.
The Secret Friends Club featured celebrities going undercover to send gifts to other stars, inspired by a “Secret Santa” concept created by Jennie. The show was also produced by Kim Tae Ho, the legendary director behind Infinite Challenge, raising expectations for a hit.
The cast included variety favorites like Cha Tae Hyun, Hwang Kwang Hee, Park Bo Young, Lee Sun Bin, and Kang Hoon. Still, viewers felt the show failed to capture the cast’s chemistry or deliver engaging entertainment.
Critics pointed to the show’s unclear genre as a major flaw. Though based on a Secret Santa-style game, it mixed “healing” and observational reality elements without a clear focus. Many found the format slow and uninspired compared to today’s fast-paced variety trends.
The disappointing ratings run of The Secret Friends Club proved that star power alone can’t carry a variety show without strong direction and entertainment value.