"No more Jennie effect?"— 'Apartment 404' Starring BLACKPINK's Jennie and Yoo Jae Suk Struggles to Keep Viewers Hooked
tvN's new variety show 'Apartment 404,' featuring BLACKPINK's Jennie and Yoo Jae Suk, has witnessed a gradual decline in viewership ratings.
On March 8th, the third episode of the variety show aired, revealing a decline in nationwide viewership ratings. Starting with 2.7%, the ratings dropped to 1.7% after a slight dip to 2.1% in the second episode.
Despite the initial excitement surrounding the collaboration between BLACKPINK's Jennie and the seasoned entertainer Yoo Jae Suk, the show has struggled to maintain its early momentum.
It's worth noting that 'Apartment 404' was initially planned for a 12-episode run, with new episodes releasing every Friday at 8:40 PM KST.
The show's production team may be looking at ways to engage viewers and boost ratings in the remaining episodes.
Seo Ye Ji shocks fans with controversial jokes about her scandals on 'SNL Korea' after 8 years away from variety shows but fans are not buying it
Seo Ye Ji is facing major backlash after her surprising appearance on SNL Korea 7.
On April 12, Seo Ye Ji made her long-awaited return to variety shows by guest-starring on Coupang Play's SNL Korea Season 7.
Before the show started, she made jaws drop by joking, "I'll gaslight the SNL crew and make it fun," referencing her own past controversies.
During the "Seo Ye GPT" segment, Seo Ye Ji played an AI that helped Kim Won Hoon nail a company presentation. She then made a sharp comment, saying, "The truly embarrassing thing is sitting quietly and being talked about behind your back. I've experienced that a lot," hinting at the criticism she’s faced.
In the "Eve Hair Salon" skit, Seo Ye Ji acted as a salon director and joked about her past "Kim Ddak Ddak" scandal, where she was accused of controlling her then-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun. When a character mentioned her stiff neck, she responded, "It's firm," making everyone laugh but also stirring mixed feelings.
Fans were shocked to see Seo Ye Ji using her past scandals as comedy material, especially since it’s been eight years since her last variety show appearance. Many pointed out that joking about serious accusations like gaslighting and academic fraud might have gone too far.
The controversy over Seo Ye Ji’s education also came back into the spotlight. She had previously claimed she studied abroad in Spain, but in 2021 it was revealed she never actually attended the university she mentioned.
Her agency explained she was accepted but didn’t attend because of her career in Korea, but many netizens weren’t convinced.
On SNL Korea, Seo Ye Ji even played a character who lied about her past to impress a boyfriend, making fans think of her real-life academic background scandal.
After the episode aired, reactions online exploded. Some comments included, "Falsifying academic background is a crime," "This was too much," "It was funny though," "Let’s forgive it since it’s black comedy," and "Why was Seo Ye Ji the first guest?"
Seo Ye Ji’s bold jokes have definitely split public opinion, with some calling it brave and others saying it only reopened old wounds.
