One-Third of Koreans Have Watched "Infinite Challenge" in New MBC Report

On November 27, MBC revealed its viewership ratings for 16 programs during the third quarter of 2015. Of the programs surveyed, variety programs “Infinite Challenge” and “King of Mask Singer” and weekend drama “Make a Woman Cry” averaged more than 10 million viewers.

In a previous report, “Infinite Challenge” had set a record of 16.7 million viewers, or about one-third of the population of South Korea (approximately 50.2 million). Since then, they have broken the record by five million more viewers, making it MBC’s most-watched program.

MBC uses the self-developed CAMI (Cross-platform Audience Measurement Index) to look at various ways in which audiences watch their programs, including real-time broadcasts, reruns on terrestrial cable, IPTV, reruns on digital cable, or online through PC or mobile.

At No. 2 in their viewership ratings is the show “King of Mask Singer,” which started broadcasting this past April. In its debut month it recorded 5.4 million viewers, but within three months it had more than doubled to 12.7 million. By the third quarter, the show had set a new record of 14.3 million viewers. Both “Infinite Challenge” and “King of Mask Singer” also took first and second place respectively in viewership ratings for non-real-time broadcasts, or VOD (video on demand).

In the world of dramas, “Make a Woman Cry” took third place among all MBC programs at a record of 11 million viewers. In September, “My Daughter, Geum Sa Wol” and “Mom” recorded about 8 million viewers, following MBC’s strong performance in weekend dramas. Historical fantasy drama “Scholar Who Walks the Night” was popular among younger audiences, drawing in high viewership ratings on video on demand.

This report shows a clear difference in program preference according to the platform used. “Make a Woman Cry,” “Infinite Challenge,” and “Mom” had strong real-time broadcast viewership ratings, but youth audiences on mobile platforms preferred “Infinite Challenge,” “King of Mask Singer,” “We Got Married,” and “Radio Star.”

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