Even Lee Hyori and Jennie Couldn’t Save “Will PD Kim Tae-ho Break His Ratings Slump with GD?”
This time, PD Kim Tae-ho’s main star is singer G-Dragon, who successfully returned to his main career after a long hiatus. As GD steps out of his mystique to present himself as both Kwon Ji-yong the person and G-Dragon the producer, all eyes are on whether PD Kim Tae-ho can finally break his streak of low ratings.
Set to premiere on February 16, MBC’s new variety show “Good Day” marks PD Kim Tae-ho’s first program on his home network since leaving MBC three years ago. The show is a music project that brings together figures from various fields to create the “song of the year”, with GD taking on the role of producer. Notably, this is GD’s first-ever fixed appearance on a variety show since his debut.
The connection between PD Kim and GD dates back to their time on MBC’s variety show “Infinite Challenge”. GD previously appeared as a producer for the “Infinite Challenge Song Festival”, generating massive buzz and high ratings.
A key point of interest is how GD will interact with different people. He has been shedding his aura of mystique ever since he was cleared of drug allegations. In December 2023, GD was officially acquitted of drug charges, after which he began making public appearances, including on “You Quiz on the Block” and the YouTube show “Zip Daesung”, where he openly addressed misunderstandings surrounding him.
His return to music was also a success. In October last year, he released his new solo song “POWER” after a seven-year hiatus. Then, in November last year, he reunited with Taeyang and Daesung to announce BIGBANG’s return with “Home Sweet Home”, which topped the music charts. He further proved his influence with outstanding performances at the “2024 MAMA Awards” and “SBS Gayo Daejeon”, garnering high viewership.
In the pre-release special of “Good Day” on January 26, GD reunited with comedian Jung Hyung-don and singer-broadcaster Defconn, whom he had worked with on “Infinite Challenge”. He also met fellow 1988-born stars like actors Kim Soo-hyun, Jung Hae-in and Im Si-wan, as well as broadcaster Hwang Kwang-hee. The show will also feature producer Code Kunst, broadcaster Kian84, actors Hwang Jung-min and Kim Go-eun, and chef Ahn Sung-jae. Given PD Kim’s past success with music projects such as “Infinite Challenge Song Festival”, “Refund Sisters” and “SSAK3”, there is growing anticipation for what kind of music “Good Day” will produce.
However, industry insiders have noted that PD Kim Tae-ho’s recent variety shows have failed to live up to his past success. His 2024 show “My Name is Gabriel” had an interesting premise—where celebrities lived as real people for 72 hours—but its poorly executed world-building clashed with the reality format, reducing engagement. Despite featuring major stars like Park Bo-gum, Ji Chang-wook and Jennie, the show never surpassed a 1% viewership rating, at times even dropping to 0%.
Similarly, “Dancing Queens on the Road” (2023), which starred Lee Hyori, Kim Wan-sun, Uhm Jung-hwa, BoA and Hwasa—female solo legends spanning four decades—failed to maintain its initial hype. The repetitive format led to dwindling interest, and despite its star-studded lineup, ratings stagnated at 3%. Considering the high expectations, the numbers were disappointingly low.
Neither Lee Hyori nor Jennie could deliver strong ratings, proving that a program’s success depends more on its direction than just its cast. Simply showcasing top stars without compelling content is not enough. If “Good Day” ends up merely repeating past music project formulas with GD as the centerpiece, it may face the same criticism and low ratings. With its upcoming premiere, viewers are eager to see whether “Good Day” will break PD Kim Tae-ho’s slump or add another chapter to his struggles.
