KBS2’s Wednesday-Thursday drama My Girlfriend Is the Man! has suffered a humiliating fall in ratings, dropping to the 0% range just two episodes before its finale, despite casting some of today’s hottest idols.
Based on a popular Naver webtoon, the drama tells the story of Kim Ji-eun (played by Arin), a girlfriend who suddenly transforms into a handsome man overnight, and Park Yoon-jae (played by ASTRO’s Yoon San-ha), who refuses to give up on his love. Directed by Yoo Kwan-mo (Police University, Perfume) and written by rookie screenwriter Lee Haena, the series was billed as a fresh gender-change romance infused with youthful charm.
The cast also includes ASTRO’s Yoon San-ha, Chuu, rising actor Yoo Jung-hoo, and Arin from Oh My Girl, raising high expectations at launch. At the press conference, director Yoo said he aimed to create “a watercolor-like work filled with colorful episodes.”
From 1.7% to 0% – A Ratings Collapse
The premiere on July 23 garnered a nationwide household rating of 1.7%. However, the drama struggled to maintain momentum, hovering around 1% before crashing to 0% in episodes 9 and 10—a devastating result with only two episodes left. Industry insiders have even dubbed it part of the “curse of KBS Wednesday-Thursday dramas,” as previous titles like Kick Kick Kick Kick and The First Night with the Duke also ended with lackluster ratings despite buzzworthy casts.
In hopes of turning the tide, the actors had made pledges during the press conference—San-ha promised a fan meeting if ratings surpassed 10%, while Chuu vowed to produce and gift drama merchandise at 12%. Unfortunately, My Girlfriend Is the Man! has failed to become the genre’s savior.
Overseas Popularity Surges
Despite poor domestic performance, the drama is finding success abroad. On Japan’s NTT Docomo OTT platform Lemino, it ranked No.2 in the Hallyu/Asia popularity chart after both its 1–4 and 7–8 episode releases. According to global platform Rakuten Viki, the drama entered the Top 10 across 64 countries in its third week of streaming. Overseas viewers praised it as “cute,” highlighting San-ha’s improved acting and enjoying the bromance subplots.
My Girlfriend Is the Man! will air on August 27 at 9:50 p.m. KST on KBS2.
Sources: Nate
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