As the year-end approaches, award season should be a time of excitement and speculation—but for MBC, it has become a thorny challenge. Some industry insiders even suggest, half-jokingly, that “it might be better to skip this year.”
Once celebrated as the “kingdom of dramas,” MBC’s 2025 lineup now looks embarrassingly weak in retrospect. New shows underperformed at the box office, and ratings fell far short of expectations. Analysts note that “none of this year’s productions, whether in the first or second half of the year, were strong enough to become hits.”
Poor ratings across all MBC dramas
This year, MBC ambitiously premiered eight series across genres: 'Motel California' (peak rating 6.0%), 'Undercover High School' (8.3%), 'Crushology 101' (1.5%), 'A Head Coach's Turnover' (1.6%), 'Oh My Ghost Clients' (5.6%), 'Mary Kills People' (3.2%), 'To the Moon' (2.8%), and 'Moon River.' (6.1%).
Yet, not a single show surpassed the so-called “double-digit curse” of 10% nationwide ratings (Nielsen Korea). At the low end, 'A Head Coach's Turnover' and 'Crushology 101' ended their runs with humiliating ratings of 0.9% and 0.8%, respectively.
The embarrassment didn’t stop there. Disney+’s original series 'Big Bet,' which aired in rerun format on MBC, recorded a 4.8% rating—higher than several of MBC’s own new dramas—highlighting the broadcaster’s waning competitiveness.
While terrestrial TV ratings have generally weakened due to OTT platforms, MBC’s performance pales even when compared with competitors.
Competitor channels show higher ratings overall
BS, for instance, had four shows—'Love Scout,' 'Buried Hearts,' 'The Haunted Palace,' and 'Taxi Driver 3'—surpassing double-digit ratings, with 'Queen Mantis' earning critical acclaim. The currently airing 'Dynamite Kiss' topped Netflix globally, gaining recognition from both domestic and international audiences.
KBS showed weakness in its Wednesday-Thursday mini-series but maintained double-digit ratings in weekend and daily dramas, retaining a loyal viewer base. Meanwhile, pay channels such as tvN, ENA, and JTBC produced high-profile dramas—'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty,' 'Ms. Incognito,' and 'Head Over Heels'—that rival OTT originals in both production scale and buzz.
Given this context, MBC faces a difficult reality: instead of choosing a winner through genuine competition, the network may have to base its awards on “who performed the least poorly.” Industry insiders warn that “the normal competitive structure has collapsed,” eroding the very purpose of the ceremony.
Without a rightful contender for the top prize, there are concerns that a hollow, “everybody gets something” approach would leave winners, presenters, and even viewers with a sense of bitterness—a festival only for the insiders.
Experts caution that “if the ceremony’s authority and fairness aren’t restored, both audience trust and brand value will inevitably decline over the long term.”
The 2025 MBC Drama Awards will air on December 30.
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