K-Drama With A-List Cast Sinks to 0.9%—tvN’s Biggest Flop Since 2018

tvN has once again suffered the dishonor of a Monday-Tuesday drama falling into the 0% viewership range. Just one day before its final episode, the drama The Divorce Insurance (이혼보험) hit rock bottom in ratings, marking one of the worst performances in the channel’s history.

According to Nielsen Korea on May 6, the 11th episode of tvN’s Monday-Tuesday drama The Divorce Insurance, which aired the previous day, recorded a nationwide cable household viewership rating of 0.9%. This is the drama’s lowest rating to date and one of the poorest among all tvN Monday-Tuesday dramas.

The show premiered on March 31 with a decent 3.2% rating, but plummeted to 1.4% by its fourth episode and never managed to recover above the 1% range. Ratings continued to decline—1.0% for episode 10 and ultimately 0.9% for episode 11—without any signs of a rebound as it neared its conclusion.

This rating is even lower than the 1.1% recorded by A Piece of Your Mind (반의반) in 2020 and is now one of the lowest-rated Monday-Tuesday dramas on tvN. It's the first time in about seven years a tvN show has fallen into the 0% range since About Time registered 0.887% for its ninth episode in 2018.

Despite high expectations due to its star-studded cast—Lee Dong-wook, Lee Joo-bin, Lee Kwang-soo, and Lee Da-hee—and its creative team, the show failed to deliver. Directed by Lee Won-seok (How to Use Guys with Secret Tips, Killing Romance) and built on a unique premise involving a divorce insurance plan created at an insurance company, the drama initially drew interest.

However, viewer reactions were mixed from the start. Many felt that early episodes focused too much on explaining the premise rather than building emotional depth, making it hard to immerse in the story. Critics also pointed out that the romance was flat and the narrative lacked tension or twists. The very novelty of the concept seemed to act as a barrier to entry, contributing to the plummeting ratings.

Even with just one episode left, disappointed reactions continued:

“This cast and this is all they could do?”

“I was enjoying it, so it’s frustrating to see such low ratings.”

“I gave up halfway through.”

Such comments flooded online communities and social media.

What makes this even more painful is that low ratings have become a trend for tvN’s Monday-Tuesday dramas. A Piece of Your Mind began with 2.4% but ended at 1.2%, and other dramas like About Time and Record of Youth also struggled to surpass the 1-2% range.

The cast, nonetheless, was composed of solid performers:

Lee Dong-wook earned praise from past hits like Goblin, Tale of the Nine Tailed, and Bad and Crazy.

Lee Joo-bin made a mark in Be Melodramatic and Money Heist: Korea.

Lee Kwang-soo, known for Live and Running Man, has wide public appeal.

Lee Da-hee gained attention through The Beauty Inside and Search: WWW.

Despite this, The Divorce Insurance failed to connect with viewers. Some found the structure too unfamiliar to engage with, and even as later episodes focused more on emotional arcs, the audience that had already left didn’t return.

In the 11th episode, emotional developments between Noh Gi-joon (Lee Dong-wook) and Kang Han-deul (Lee Joo-bin) took center stage. After revealing the scars of his past divorce, Noh Gi-joon resolved to move forward with a new chapter in life. The story reached a pivotal point in exploring changes in relationships through the lens of divorce. The production team previously shared their intent “to portray relationships and life through the warm perspective of divorce.”

The final episode of The Divorce Insurance airs on May 6 at 8:50 p.m. KST. The production team hinted at “a heart-fluttering moment” between Noh Gi-joon and Kang Han-deul, as well as between Ahn Jeon-man and Jeon Na-rae. They added, “An unexpected turning point will keep things interesting until the very end.” Viewers are now watching closely to see if the last episode can achieve any form of ratings recovery.

Up next in the tvN Monday-Tuesday slot is Second Shot at Love (금주를 부탁해), premiering on May 12. Starring Choi Soo-young and Gong Myung, the drama follows a woman who loves drinking as she reunites with her first love, a man who hates alcohol. Marketed as a “sober-minded romance,” the drama will tackle the challenges of quitting alcohol.

It remains to be seen whether Second Shot at Love can break the Monday-Tuesday ratings slump and reconnect with audiences where The Divorce Insurance failed.

Viewership Ratings for The Divorce Insurance (Nielsen Korea, nationwide):

Ep.1 (03.31): 3.2%

Ep.2 (04.01): 2.4%

Ep.3 (04.07): 2.0%

Ep.4 (04.08): 1.4%

Ep.5 (04.14): 1.6%

Ep.6 (04.15): 1.3%

Ep.7 (04.21): 1.4%

Ep.8 (04.22): 1.0%

Ep.9 (04.28): 1.4%

Ep.10 (04.29): 1.0%

Ep.11 (05.05): 0.9%

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