tvN’s Saturday-Sunday Drama Considers 2% Ratings a Victory? “The Humiliation Continues”

Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin Couldn’t Save tvN’s Weekend Slot, Can Kang Tae-oh and Lee Sun-bin Revive It?

The press conference for tvN’s new weekend drama “The Potato Lab” was held on Feb 27th at Ramada Hotel in Sindorim, Guro-gu, Seoul. Attending the event were actors Lee Sun-bin, Kang Tae-oh, Lee Hak-joo, Kim Ga-eun, Shin Hyun-seung and director Kang Il-soo.

Set in a mountain valley at a potato research center, “The Potato Lab” is about a woman named Kim Mi-kyung (Lee Sun-bin), a potato-crazy researcher who is starting a fresh life again, and So Baek-ho (Kang Tae-oh), who energizes her fighting spirit. The drama depicts two people with completely opposite personalities navigating their “hot” romance against the backdrop of a potato research center.

Director Kang Il-soo, known for “Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung” (MBC) and “Solomon’s Perjury” (JTBC), reunites with writer Kim Ho-soo to create a romance as fresh as new potatoes.

Director Kang Il-soo commented, “It’s a heartwarming romance about ordinary people who may not be glamorous but are charming like potatoes. At first, I was puzzled by the title ‘The Potato Lab’, but the unexpected combination of words intrigued me. The unique concept drew me in.“

The drama is set to follow “When the Stars Gossip”, a high-budget ₩50 billion production starring Hallyu stars Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, which ended disappointingly with a rating of just 2.6%. Despite initial buzz, “When the Stars Gossip” faced harsh criticism and failed to make an impact.

Adding to the challenge, tvN’s weekend drama slot now faces stiff competition from SBS’s “Buried Hearts” and MBC’s “Undercover High School”, both of which have already gained traction with their unique storylines and strong narratives. Whether Kang Tae-oh and Lee Sun-bin can break through and stand out remains a key focus.

Director Kang Il-soo emphasized that the drama’s charm lies in its warm, slightly bland yet endearing romance just like potatoes. He shared, “When I visited a real research center, I found that it wasn’t a rigid environment at all. The researchers, all PhD holders, had a laid-back and almost countryside-like vibe, which was quite amusing. I was curious to see how this would translate on screen, and the script turned out to be just as entertaining.“

Lee Sun-bin plays Kim Mi-kyung, a passionate potato researcher who has dedicated her life to potatoes. Despite her tough exterior, she is warm-hearted and deeply emotional. Her life takes a dynamic turn when she encounters the unpredictable Baek-ho.

She described her character, “Mi-kyung speaks her mind but is also incredibly compassionate and emotional. Whenever a situation arises, she handles it in her own unique way, making her a multifaceted character.” She added, “It’s been a long time since I read a script where there wasn’t a single unlikable character. The entire cast is charming in their own way, making filming enjoyable.”

Director Kang also praised Lee Sun-bin’s professionalism, “An actress needs to get enough sleep to look her best on screen, but even with late-night shoots followed by early morning calls, she never complained. In fact, I had to tell the staff not to push her too hard. Everyone on set adored her.”

Kang Tae-oh takes on the role of So Baek-ho, Wonhan Retail’s organizational innovation director. Though he has a bright smile reminiscent of a first love, he is actually a ruthless enforcer of capitalism. When he arrives at the research center, he finds himself facing the unpredictable variable that is Kim Mi-kyung, leading to the biggest upheaval of his life.

Kang Tae-oh said, “The words ‘potato’ and ‘lab’ felt like complete opposites to me. I was curious how they would blend together.” He also expressed excitement about his return to acting, “It’s been a while since my last project, and I’m thrilled to channel that excitement into this drama.“

Regarding his character, he noted, “Baek-ho is a strict, principle-driven man who struggles with anything that deviates from his rules. But after meeting Mi-kyung, he starts to experience unexpected changes. When I read the script, I found him to be quite a sexy character—I just hope I portrayed him well.“

Coincidentally, Kang Tae-oh will be competing with fellow former 5urprise member Seo Kang-joon, who is starring in another drama. Kang Tae-oh commented, “I hope both dramas do well so that we can all smile in the end. I’d love for this to be a friendly competition.”

tvN’s Weekend Drama Woes Continue

Premiering on March 1st, “The Potato Lab” debuted with a shocking 1.7% viewership rating (based on nationwide Nielsen Korea figures). This marked a historic low for a tvN Saturday-Sunday drama—since the network began airing Saturday-Sunday dramas in 2017, “The Potato Lab” became the first to start with a mere 1% rating.

Although episode 2 saw a slight increase to 1.8%, it was hardly a sign of recovery. When the first episode aired on Saturday, major terrestrial dramas such as SBS’s “Buried Hearts” and MBC’s “Undercover High School” dominated the time slot. However, on Sunday, the competition shrank significantly, leaving only “The Potato Lab” and Channel A’s Saturday-Sunday drama “The Witch”. Despite the lack of competition, the show managed to increase by only 0.1%, signaling deeper trouble.

To make matters worse, episode 3 plummeted further to 1.4%, setting a new personal record for lowest ratings. The drop coincided with the premiere of JTBC’s Saturday-Sunday drama “The Art of Negotiation”, which debuted strongly at 3.3%. The addition of another competing drama made “The Potato Lab”’s already shaky Saturday even more precarious.

Fortunately, episode 4 rebounded slightly, reaching 2.0%. While this technically means the drama has escaped the 1% range, calling it a success would be a stretch. For tvN’s prestigious Saturday-Sunday drama slot, celebrating a 2.0% rating feels embarrassing rather than encouraging.

“The Potato Lab” isn’t just struggling on television—it’s also underperforming on streaming platforms like TVING and Netflix. It has failed to achieve any notable success worth boasting about. Even in Good Data Corporation’s FUNdex, which measures TV and OTT buzz, “The Potato Lab” is barely making an impact. In the TV-OTT drama category, it only managed to scrape into 8th place. In the TV drama category alone, it placed 5th, which is far from reassuring.

With only 12 episodes in total, “The Potato Lab” has already aired 4 episodes. At this point, a miraculous turnaround seems highly unlikely. The road ahead remains an uphill battle, and tvN’s weekend drama woes continue.