The South Korean sitcom Kick Kick Kick Kick has been making waves since its premiere on KBS2 on February 5th, 2025, but not for the reasons its creators probably hoped.
The office comedy, starring Ji Jin Hee and Lee Kyu Hyung, promised a zany, laugh-out-loud take on the chaotic world of a fledgling entertainment production company.
But, as the Korean drama goes on, it is struggling to capture the attention and hearts of viewers.
Kick Kick Kick Kick, Episode 7, which aired last night on KBS2, proved that struggle with yet another new low for the show as it pulled in an almost non-existent rating of just 0.4 percent nationwide.
A steep drop that is worse than even some critics and fans expected.
A promising start derailed
When Kick Kick Kick Kick first hit the airwaves, it brought with it a fresh premise: a once-popular actor Ji Jin Hui (Ji Jin Hee) and a scandal-ridden producer Cho Yeong (Lee Kyu Hyung), team up to revive their careers by founding the titular Kick Kick Kick Kick Company.
Their goal is an ambitious three million subscribers for the content they create.
The show leaned heavily on situational humor, generational clashes between its veteran leads and younger staff, and the inherent absurdity of its self-referential title.
And, while they were low-rated, early episodes did show potential. That is until the whole thing fell apart in the ratings pretty quickly.
So much so, just two weeks in and Kick Kick Kick Kick‘s, Episode 4 ratings had already set an unfortunate record of 0.7 percent —the lowest single-episode rating for a primetime drama on a free-to-air network since 2020’s Welcome.
Now, with Kick Kick Kick Kick‘s 0.4 percent rating collapsing even further, and with five episodes still to air, it now raises questions of whether the show will even make it to its end.
What’s behind the Kick Kick Kick Kick ratings drop?
Several factors might be contributing to Kick Kick Kick Kick’s dismal performance in its seventh episode.
For one, the fast-paced, frenetic style that characterized its opening episodes is likely wearing thin for audiences.
After all, while the show’s energy was initially a selling point, the constant clashes between Ji Jin Hee’s stubborn actor and Lee Kyu Hyung’s workaholic producer feel repetitive rather than refreshing.
The generational humor, while relatable in theory, also isn’t landing as the writer intended, and seems to be alienating both older and younger demographics instead of bringing them together.
The writing too is incredibly bad, with one viewer on My Drama List even pointing out “Dad jokes are funnier than this”.
The sitcom format itself also appears to be a mismatch for modern Korean drama audiences, who have grown accustomed to tightly plotted melodramas, gripping thrillers, or romances starring their favorite idols.
Instead, Kick Kick Kick Kick’s reliance on episodic gags, rather than on a strong overarching narrative, week after week is annoying.
Posts on social media have even echoed this sentiment, with some users expressing disappointment over the lack of depth in character development or a compelling storyline to tie the comedy together.
The cast and crew: A silver lining?
Despite the Korean drama’s abysmal ratings, the talent behind Kick Kick Kick Kick has remained a highlight.
Ji Jin Hee, a veteran of dramas like Romance in the House and Designated Survivor: 60 Days,brings a nice charisma to his role, while Lee Kyu Hyung (Uncle Samsik and All of Us Are Dead injects a frantic energy that complements the show’s tone.
The supporting cast, including Baek Ji Won and Lee Min Jae, also adds a quirky charm to the ensemble.
So much so, some critics have praised the actors’ commitment to the material, even if the script doesn’t give them a chance to shine.
However, with only 12 episodes planned, even that star power is struggling to turn things around and, with the clock ticking before the series wraps, let’s just say things don’t look that good.
Whether Kick Kick Kick Kick can kick its way back (sorry) into viewers’ good graces then remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear: in the cutthroat world of K-dramas, even a star-studded cast and a quirky premise aren’t always enough to guarantee success.
Michelle Topham 
