It had a disappointing run overall.
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MBC’s ambitious variety show, The Secret Friends Club, saw a disappointing conclusion after failing to make it out of the 0% rating range, even with its final episode.
The show aired its concluding episode on April 26, wrapping up its run with a nationwide household viewership rating of 0.9%, marking a new low for a series. Its first episode, which aired in February, had a rating in the 2% range. However, it failed to generate any upward momentum despite a star-studded cast that included BLACKPINK’s Jennie, Park Bo Young, and Jung Hae In, among others.
The only redemption the show saw was during a brief moment when Go Youn Jung was featured, and the ratings remained in the 1% range consistently. However, it ended its run with its lowest rating to date.
The Secret Friends Club is a variety show where celebrities go undercover to send gifts to other celebrities, like a “Secret Santa.” The concept reportedly originated from an idea by BLACKPINK’s Jennie, garnering significant attention for the show initially. The producer behind the project, Kim Tae Ho, was also a huge reason why viewers had high expectations from the show. Kim is the iconic director behind the legendary series, Infinite Challenge, and hence, many anticipated another huge hit.
The show boasted a heavyweight star cast, with its latest season including Cha Tae Hyun, Hwang Kwang Hee, Park Bo Young, Lee Sun Bin, and Kang Hoon— all popular for their entertainment skills on variety shows. Despite the combined star power and talent, many viewers felt that the show failed to do justice to the cast members’ dynamic and build any meaningful chemistry within its framework.
One of the major reasons for this show’s failure is said to be its inability to commit to one specific genre. Though the concept is close to a Secret Santa-style game show, in reality, it leaned more toward a hybrid format, blending elements of “healing” and observational reality. Some also complained that the format felt uninspired and lacked the fast-paced narrative that is currently the prevailing trend in variety shows.
Critics have concluded that the disappointing run of The Secret Friends Club served as a stark reminder that variety shows cannot be carried solely by the star power of cast members unless the entertainment value is established through the director’s execution.