Viewers Have Strong Armed Media

written by 20125 Choi Seoyeon

Why did the program change?

This is because the viewers’ perceptions vastly influence the programs, especially Korean dating programs.

We Got Married is a fictional dating program about married celebrity couples that was broadcast in 2008. On the program, a man and woman who were popular stars fictitiously dating each other appeared.

Generally, many viewers cheered for their relationship and enjoyed their dating life. Also, these fans have various levels of approval with them. Some viewers even want them to become a real couple.

However, the viewership changed from regular people into idol fans because of who the celebrities were. Idol’s fans are sensitive and reactive.

K-pop idols have global popularity now. Some groups even target overseas countries. They perform on the bigger world stages so they can have a wonderful career globally compared to past idols. They couldn’t perform like now because their position in the universal music market was so small.

So, the success of these idols was common in Korea. But now, the success of these idols requires them to be globally successful and not just domestically successful.

A date or relationship attacks the idol’s career. Idol’s career involves sharing their emotions with each other and communicating with fans. It can make relationships stronger and more personal between idols and fans. Therefore, idols dating someone is not tolerated by their fans.

Shining SOLO, the program that was broadcast in 2024, had Jihoon, Junkyu, Asahi, Yoon Jaehyuk and Haruto from Treasure (a K-pop boy group) and some women who are influencers dating.

When the preview appeared, however, their fans were outraged. These Treasure’s members had to say to their fans, “Don’t worry.” Moreover, the program’s rating was 1%.

For this reason, the main characters of dating programs began to shift from celebrities to ordinary people.

I’m SOLO, broadcast in 2021, had ordinary men and women who were forever single. The program is similar to others, but they have more comical and joking things. Since it is their almost first date, it turns into a funny situation.

One of the female participants had to pay approximately 300,000 won for the meal because a certain male participant took a long time to put on his shoes and did not help pay for the meal. It was a comical and shocking situation. Watching it, the audience can just share emotions like joy and anger.

Single’s Inferno, broadcasted in 2021, had men and women with attractive looks and good careers. They lived on a tropical island, and when they chose other participants, the man and woman who selected each other moved to a luxury hotel for one day.

In the program, viewers could watch dating of charming persons, and like I’m SOLO, the viewers shared anger in furious situations and enjoyment in funny situations. After the end of the program, many participants became popular; they worked as influencers and developed into real couples.

Korean dating programs are changing due to viewer perceptions again and again. If Hallyu’s global position was the same as in the past, then programs like We Got Married would still exist.

Viewer perceptions and preferences have changed countlessly, so it is important to supply various types of programs corresponding to the viewers.