'Heart Signal 5' Lacks Presence, Relying on 'Drunk Driving Strikeout' Kim Hyun-woo [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

While the original dating program 'Heart Signal' continues its fifth season, it is struggling to make an impact. The production team succeeded in generating some buzz by once again leaning on Kim Hyun-woo, the 'drunk driving strikeout' figure, but the show remains mired in poor performance.

Aired for the first time on the 14th of last month, the Channel A dating variety program 'Heart Signal 5' observes, analyzes, and deduces the final couple among young men and women living in the Signal House. Since its first season aired in June 2017, the program has maintained a seasonal format for about 10 years.

This season, which returned after approximately three years following 'Heart Signal 4,' has failed to escape single-digit viewership ratings (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide data) through its fifth episode aired on the 12th. Compared to previous seasons that recorded ratings in the 2nd% range and generated significant buzz, the current performance of 'Heart Signal 5' is inevitably disappointing.

Its presence and buzz are also minimal. In past seasons, figures of discussion such as Seo Ji-hye, Bae Yoon-kyung, Kim Ji-young, Oh Young-ju, and Park Ji-hyun appeared, and some cast members have transitioned into influencers or actors and continue their entertainment careers. Additionally, viewers would deduce the love lines of the cast, anticipate shifts in the game with the appearance of 'magi' (unexpected participants), analyze emotional arcs, and immerse themselves deeply as if they were part of the cast.

However, this season is being analyzed as suffering from poor performance due to a slow-paced production that fails to keep up with recent dating variety trends, cast interviews that hinder viewer immersion, weak narratives among the cast, and a lowered age demographic of the participants. Although it carries the title of 'the original dating program,' this also means there are no visible signs of growth or development over the past 10 years.

Amid this, the production team once again summoned Kim Hyun-woo, a 'Heart Signal 2' cast member with three prior drunk driving convictions, inviting controversy. The team posted a video on its official YouTube channel titled 'Is there a secret in the Signal House? Is Kim Hyun-woo the interior designer?' announcing that Kim Hyun-woo had participated as the interior designer for the Season 5 Signal House.

In the video released at the time, Kim Hyun-woo shared his thoughts on participating in the interior design, stating, "I haven't actually seen the residents, but I can imagine their movements while spending time here. It's strange, but I feel a sense of attachment and a touching emotion."

The problem is that Kim Hyun-woo is a person with no fewer than three drunk driving convictions. Kim was caught for drunk driving a total of three times in November 2012, April 2013, and April 2018, sparking controversy. Yet, the production team cast Kim Hyun-woo in the 2021 spin-off program 'Friends' and even went so far as to recruit him as the interior designer for 'Heart Signal 5.'

Was this the production team's intention? 'Heart Signal 5,' which had struggled to make an impact, immediately garnered significant buzz as soon as Kim Hyun-woo's video was released. In fact, while clip videos of 'Heart Signal 5' cast members uploaded to the official YouTube channel average 100,000 views, with some cases recording fewer than 10,000 views, the clips featuring Kim Hyun-woo have recorded over 320,000 views.

This may well be the limit of the long-running dating program 'Heart Signal,' which can barely maintain its dignity by borrowing the buzz of 'drunk driving strikeout' Kim Hyun-woo. What the production team currently needs most is not Kim Hyun-woo's one-time buzz, but a new strategy planned with a long-term vision and fresh production direction.

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*This content was translated by AI.