SBS K-Drama Season Ends With “Humiliating” Viewership Ratings

It ended with ratings in the 3-4% range.
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Koreaboo

SBS’s The Escape of the Seven concluded with a disappointing nationwide viewership rating of 4.1%, as reported by Nielsen Korea.

The series, despite its ambitious production, failed to captivate its audience, ending on a low note as even its most dedicated fans lost interest due to its unrealistic storyline.

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The Escape of the Seven, penned by Kim Soon Ok — the writer behind the hit Penthouse series — was a major production with a budget of ₩46.0 billion KRW (about $34.0 million USD). This figure is nearly double the cost of producing the Netflix original series Squid Game, which had a budget of ₩25.3 billion KRW (about $18.7 million USD). However, the K-Drama’s ratings were only a third of those achieved by Penthouse, which approached a 30% viewership.

Season 1 of The Escape of the Seven already received harsh criticism, with average ratings hovering between 5-7%. Hopes for a rebound with Season 2 were dashed as it ended with ratings in the 3-4% range.

Following a split with director Joo Dong Min, who directed all three seasons of Penthouse, Kim Soon Ok collaborated with director Oh Joon Hyuk to continue the “Seven” series. However, despite maintaining the core revenge plot, the narrative structure closely mirrored that of Penthouse, failing to offer fresh intrigue.

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From the beginning, The Escape of the Seven showcased provocative developments, such as protagonist Geum Ra Hee (played by Hwang Jung Eum) assaulting her daughter Bang Da Mi (played by Jung Ra El) and high school student Han Mo Ne (played by Lee Yoo Bi) experiencing pregnancy and childbirth.

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The series lacked the charm that had driven the success of Penthouse, which skillfully blended villainous and heroic roles in a compelling narrative about art school corruption. Additionally, Uhm Ki Joon’s overuse as a villain across three characters led to viewer fatigue. The excessive number of characters and complex plot further weakened the impact of key figures like Min Do Hyuk (played by Lee Joon).

Unlike Penthouse, which featured standout supporting characters such as Shin Eun Kyung’s dual-role character, The Escape of the Seven did not offer equally engaging secondary characters. All these criticisms from netizens have made the show end its second season with disappointing viewership ratings despite its big budget.

Source: Sports Seoul
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