Marketed as a traditional melodrama starring Song Joong-ki and Chun Woo-hee, it nonetheless settled into the 2% ratings range.
The show drew praise for its restrained emotional arc and its warm, tidy ending, but it failed to secure wide public attention.
This column approaches the low ratings calmly, tracing causes, consequences, and industry meaning.
“An Aesthetic of Emotion — but the Numbers Say Otherwise”
Overview and context
My Youth premiered in 2025 on JTBC, a South Korean cable broadcaster known for mixing prestige dramas and variety shows.
The series stars Song Joong-ki (a well-known Korean film and TV actor) and Chun Woo-hee (an acclaimed actress with arthouse and mainstream credits).
Its story follows a first love reunited after 15 years, with the plot pivoting around a life-altering illness to drive emotional stakes and character choices.
Across its run, official ratings ranged between roughly 1.5% and 2.9%, never breaking the 3% threshold.
Broadcasters and producers entered the season hoping the cast and the show's sentimental core would draw viewers.
However, the numeric outcome fell short of those expectations.
This column separates artistic achievement from ratings performance, weighs pro and con perspectives, and analyzes the likely industry effects so readers can judge for themselves.
“A kind of old-fashioned melodrama is rare these days — yet the ratings reflect the market reality.”
Broadcast performance summary
Ratings are the practical measure here.
Official numbers put the low at about 1.5% and the peak near 2.9%.
On many nights it trailed competing shows in the same time slot, and a clear mid-season dip is visible in the data.
Analysts have expressed concern about whether production costs can be recouped under these results.
That gap matters beyond a single production.
It signals the challenge faced by melodrama as a genre in winning back younger viewers and digital-native audiences.
As a result, broadcasters will likely revisit promotion, scheduling, and digital distribution strategies.
Affirmative view: the value of craft and feeling
The emotional core still resonates.
Supporters point to the actors’ chemistry and the script’s subtlety as distinguishing features.
Song Joong-ki and Chun Woo-hee elevated scenes with quiet, layered performances that many viewers said left a lingering feeling after the final episode.
A measured pace and attentive emotional detail adhered to the classic melodramatic aesthetic.
Advocates also argue for artistic merit and genre diversity.
If every project were judged solely on immediate commercial returns, more experimental or emotionally focused work could disappear.
This argument stresses balance between short-term profit and long-term cultural value, and recommends stronger early collaboration with digital platforms during production to broaden reach.
“High-quality work can be reappraised over time.”
Critical view: a failure to secure mass appeal
Mass appeal is essential.
Critics see low ratings as evidence of the show’s limits and of marketing missteps.
They argue that big-name casting and high production values are not enough to overcome weak viewer acquisition strategies.
In a media environment where younger viewers favor fast pacing and high visual stimulus, a slow burn melodrama struggles to compete.
Practical realities matter as well.
Friday nights are crowded with popular variety shows and buzzworthy series, making it hard for a quietly told romance to stand out without bold, differentiated promotion.
Analysts also flagged insufficient coordination with streaming platforms and a limited social media campaign aimed at younger demographics.
Investors and producers may rethink business plans given the revenue uncertainty.
Root causes
The causes are multiple.
First, the melodrama format—slow tempo and emotional focus—naturally limits broad audience pull.
Second, scheduling and strong competitors reduced the show’s opportunity to find viewers.
Third, changing digital viewing habits mean linear TV ratings are generally suppressed compared with past eras.
Marketing execution was also a factor.
Early momentum did not expand as hoped because social campaigns and OTT (streaming) tie-ins were underdeveloped, and viral hooks attractive to younger viewers were weak.
Consequently, promotion needs to be platform-specific rather than one-size-fits-all.
Producers’ cash management and investors’ expectations must be aligned with those distribution plans.
“A good show remains invisible if people never hear about it.”
Online reaction and community signals
Responses were mixed.
Fandoms and some critics praised the acting and fine-grained direction.
At the same time, some viewers criticized the slow pace and conventional plot beats.
Comments ranged from “a rare, old-school melodrama” to “difficult to sustain interest.”
Community data shows interest declined after early episodes, suggesting the series lacked retention hooks to keep casual viewers engaged.
That split—devoted fans versus a hesitant majority—matters for genre marketing: dedicated viewers can build long-term cultural value, but only if initial exposure reaches a wider audience.
Discussion continued even after images and clips circulated online.
Passionate supporters rewatched and recommended episodes, helping build slow-burning interest.
Yet without broader first-wave viewership, that word-of-mouth has limits in scale and timing.
Industry implications
The production ecosystem feels the impact.
Low ratings directly affect the odds of recouping budgets and can prompt more conservative financing going forward.
Studios may tighten belts, reducing appetite for risk and potentially narrowing creative experimentation.
Broadcasters are likely to strengthen risk management around scheduling and marketing spend.
On the other hand, failure can teach useful lessons.
Producers should adopt data-driven audience analysis and craft distribution plans tailored by platform type.
Policymakers and industry bodies can also consider support measures to preserve content diversity so the market does not become wholly profit-driven.
Practical measures include diversified financing, clearer IP (intellectual property) plans for secondary revenue, and smarter promotional windows.
Alternatives and recommendations
Strategies should have several tracks.
First, early promotion must use digital platforms aggressively: short-form clips for TikTok, curated highlights for YouTube, and snack-sized trailers for OTT homescreen features.
Second, consider flexible scheduling—testing less competitive slots or staggered premieres to reduce direct clashes.
Third, diversify funding so producers and investors share risk: co-financing, sponsorships, and planned IP extensions for secondary sales (soundtracks, adaptations) can create follow-on revenue.
Fourth, keep narrative ambition but design episode arcs to include retention hooks—small climaxes or reveals that invite continued tuning-in.
Above all, decisions should be guided by audience data at every production stage.
Conclusion
In short, My Youth achieved meaningful artistic results in acting and storytelling, but it remained in the low 2% ratings bracket.
That outcome reflects a mix of genre limits, scheduling competition, shifting digital consumption, and gaps in marketing execution.
For the industry, the result raises concerns about recouping production costs and potential investment pullback, while also offering a chance to learn and adapt.
Producers, broadcasters, and investors ought to pursue risk management alongside platform-specific distribution strategies.
The practical question is how to expand a program’s value in the marketplace.
Which should you prioritize: emotionally driven, craft-focused dramas or shows engineered for mass appeal?
