'24-Hour Health Club' continues to face viewer ratings decline despite popular lead actors

Despite featuring popular lead actors, the drama '24-Hour Health Club' is drawing attention as it's at risk of dropping into the 0% viewership range.

The Wednesday-Thursday series '24-Hour Health Club' starring Lee Jun Young and Jung Eun Ji continues to face a decline in viewer ratings. Episode 5, which aired on May 14, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of just 1.1%, according to Nielsen Korea, a new personal low.

'24-Hour Health Club' premiered on April 30 with a 1.8% rating, dipped to 1.5% in episode 3, slightly rebounded to 1.7% in episode 4, but plummeted again to 1.1% in its third week. This sharp decline has raised concerns about the show's future.

Directed by Park Joon Soo and Choi Yeon Soo, and written by Kim Ji Soo, the drama is set in a fitness center and follows the episodes that unfold when gym director Do Hyun Joong (played by Lee Jun Young) meets member Lee Mi Ran (played by Jung Eun Ji).

In episode 5, the comedic struggles of parenting and dieting were portrayed through "gym fanatic" director Do Hyun Joong and gym newbie Lee Mi Ran. A shocking moment occurred when Hyun Joong was suddenly called “Dad.” The gym members were startled by the child’s words, but the situation was soon clarified when the child’s mother, Hye Bin (played by Han So Hyun), appeared. The child had wandered into the gym while Hye Bin was momentarily distracted. To support her, Hyun Joong showcased his “super trainer” side by handling both childcare and personal training at once.

Meanwhile, Mi Ran began a diet after being invited to appear on a live market show promoting a Hawaii travel package. Particularly stung by her friend Kim Ye Jin’s comment, “People look twice as big on TV compared to real life,” Mi Ran vowed to quit flour-based foods. However, Hyun Joong warned, “Flour used to be your joy, your energy, your best friend. If you cut it out completely, it might disrupt your daily life.”

Feeling challenged, Mi Ran countered, “If I can’t quit flour, I’ll dance on the live show. If I succeed, let’s eat tteokbokki together.” But as time passed, she became increasingly irritable from withdrawal symptoms.

Hyun Joong also found himself defeated by the challenges of parenting, realizing that raising a child is harder than working out. He even faked illness to cancel Hye Bin’s PT session and take a break. Eventually, he realized the problem wasn’t the mother’s lack of stamina, but the child’s boundless energy. This inspired him to set up a kid-friendly fitness zone in the gym, allowing Hye Bin a moment of freedom.

Mi Ran, too, reached her limit with the flour withdrawal and tearfully admitted to being a "slave to flour" as she accepted a bagel from Hyun Joong. Though she failed to quit flour, she took time to reflect on the deeper meaning of self-care and emotional liberation.

At the end of the episode, Mi Ran successfully completed the live market appearance, but was shocked by a sudden message from her ex-boyfriend, Yeom Joon Seok (played by Jung Wook Jin).

While viewership ratings remain sluggish, '24-Hour Health Club' has been gaining traction on OTT platforms. In its second week, it ranked #1 on Disney+ Korea’s Top 10, and #2 on Wavve’s Top 20 Drama Chart, proving its buzzworthiness online.

Director Park Joon Soo previously stated at a production press event, “Of course, it would be great if ratings were high, but we aimed to create a comedy that resonates with users across various platforms.” With growing OTT popularity, there’s interest in whether this can offset the poor TV ratings.

Episode 6 of '24-Hour Health Club' airs on May 15 at 9:50 PM. With strong chemistry between Lee Jun Young and Jung Eun Ji, attention is now on whether the show can recover from the brink of a 0% viewership slump in the remaining episodes.