With only one episode left before its finale, SBS Wednesday drama 'Spring of Youth' has failed to rebound from its low viewership rating, recording four consecutive episodes in the 0% range up through episode 9.
Despite the ninth episode, which aired on June 25, featuring explosive plot twists and emotional climaxes, it was unable to escape its prolonged slump in viewership.
'Spring of Youth' is a musical romance drama that tells the story of the rise, fall, and comeback of a K-pop star, interwoven with themes of youthful growth and love. The drama follows the former leader of the popular band 'Sagye' who, after being ousted from the group, begins a new life as a university student. There, he meets a girl named Kim Bom and experiences a second "spring" in life. Written by Kim Min Chul and directed by Kim Sung Yong, the series stars rookie actor Ha Yoo Joon, Park Ji Hu, and N.Flying’s Lee Seung Hyub.
The show garnered industry attention as SBS’s first attempt at a Wednesday-only drama since 2019. The once-a-week airing schedule was a bold experiment, sparking curiosity about its potential success. However, the continued drop in ratings ultimately led to the perception that the strategy had failed.
The drama premiered on June 6 with a 1.4% rating. Since then, except for episode 5 (1.1%), every episode has remained in the 0% range, with the most recent four episodes (6 through 9) continuing the downward trend. The 10-episode series is set to conclude on July 2.
Episode 9, which aired the previous day, was packed with emotion, plot development, and urgent events. In the climax, the character Seo Taeyang (Lee Seung Hyub) throws himself at Sagyé (Ha Yujun), resulting in a simultaneous collapse, an intense moment that heightened the drama’s tension.
In the episode, Sagye accompanies Kim Bom (Park Ji Hoo) to Seo Taeyang’s alma mater for a broadcast appearance. Meanwhile, Seo Taeyang introduces a new group, the “Hanju University Band,” causing subtle tension with his former teammates. Kim Bom, torn between gratitude and pain, recalls Taeyang’s support after her mother’s death, but ultimately delivers a cold goodbye, saying, “Don’t contact me anymore.”
The plot thickens as Sagyé, struggling financially, tries to sell his guitar but ends up receiving 100 million won from Gong Jin Gu (Kim Sun Min). Tension rises when the hidden truth behind Kim Bom’s mother’s fatal accident is revealed. The cover-up of the drunk-driving incident involving CEO Jo (Jo Han Chul) and Seo Min Chul (Kim Jong Tae) comes to light, placing Sagyé in danger.
Additional moments on the day of filming, Seo Taeyang’s intuition, Secretary Kang’s sudden appearance, and a dramatic flicker at the tip of a microphone kept viewers deeply engaged. However, these gripping scenes did not translate into a ratings increase.
The cast had initially drawn strong interest. Ha Yoo Joon, a member of FNC Entertainment’s rookie band AxMxP, made his acting debut, Park Ji Hu had been recognized for her roles in 'All of Us Are Dead' and 'Little Women,' and Lee Seung Hyub had been expanding his screen presence with 'Lovely Runner.' Nevertheless, the drama struggled to convert acting skills and star power into viewership success.
Online reactions remain divided. Some viewers expressed disappointment, saying, “The emotional lines were good. Why didn’t it take off?”, “This drama is disappearing too quietly,” “Hope both Sagye and Taeyang make it out okay,” “The final episodes were gripping, too bad about the ratings,” “Can’t believe the last episode is already here,” and “It’s on a major network, but the ratings are just too low…”
With only one episode remaining, it remains to be seen whether 'Spring of Youth' can pull off a dramatic recovery in its final act, or whether it will quietly bow out. The final episode airs on Tuesday, July 2, at 10:40 PM KST.
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