Yum Jung Ah struggles as 'Unnie's Direct from the Farm 3' viewership rating hits 2.6%

tvN's variety show 'Unnie's Direct from the Farm 3', which features a newly reorganized lineup centered around Yum Jung Ah, attempted to shift the momentum by bringing in guest Cho Jung-seok, but failed to stop a downward trend in viewership ratings. Regardless of the cast's performance, the viewership rating fell into the mid-2% range, recording its lowest point for the season.

In the 4th episode of 'Unnie's Direct from the Farm 3' broadcast on the 20th, Yum Jung Ah, Kim Sun-young, Kang You-seok, and Roh Yoon-seo visited Taean, Chungnam, their second production site, to harvest manila clams. Cho Jung-seok joined the group as a surprise guest, adding his variety skills to the mix.

The four siblings arriving in Taean were greeted by a lavish spread of seafood. When the production team suddenly announced they were heading to a "Rock Festival" regarding the day's work, the cast's curiosity grew, and Cho soon made his entrance walking a red carpet. Cho welcomed the four siblings by singing his hit song 'Aloha,' and Kang, who has frequently cited him as a role model, could not hide his excitement, saying, "I won't be able to sleep tonight."

The "Rock Festival" of the day was a pun referring to the representative manila clam harvesting in Beopsan-ri, Taean. A banner reading "Manila Clams are Rock too" appeared in the vast tidal flat, and the scene of dozens of cultivators crossing the mudflats provided a unique spectacle.

To harvest as many manila clams as possible before the tide came in, the four siblings and Cho rushed into the tidal flat with rakes and sieves. Yum showed fast working speeds with the dexterity of a veteran, while Kim and Roh also actively participated in the harvesting. Kang emerged as the "Manila Clam Ace" by displaying unexpected talent, and Roh acted as a "Breathing Hole Hunter," searching for the clams' breathing holes.

Cho also made his presence felt, alternating between labor and comedy. In a role-playing skit, he even summoned a female alter-ego to engage in impromptu flirting with Kang, and he showcased extraordinary athletic ability in the "1st Unnie's Tidal Flat Long Jump Competition" organized by the production team. In a mission where 50,000 won was paid if the five participants' jump distance exceeded 5m, the cast earned a total of 90,000 won including bonus rounds.

Afterward, the four siblings focused on harvesting until the last moment, collecting a total of 30.4kg of manila clams. Having harvested the ingredients themselves, the cast realized the value of the food on their table through labor, saying, "I didn't know eating manila clams was this hard. We should eat this with gratitude."

Dinner was prepared with a Chinese cuisine concept called "Unnie's Restaurant." Yum took on dishes including Taean manila clam Jjamppong, sweet and sour pork (tangsu-yuk), stir-fried pork with peppers (gochu-japchae), and cucumber salad (oi-tangtang-i), while Kim and Roh handled the ingredient preparation. Kang tried cucumber salad for the first time, and Cho transformed into a "Warrior of Fire" in charge of the stove, boosting the kitchen atmosphere.

In particular, Cho made up for his past experience on tvN's 'Wholesome Village Life' where he became a hot topic for burning sweet and sour pork. This time, he fried the sweet and sour pork at exactly 170 degrees after precise temperature measurement, earning high praise from Kim, who said, "This is the best sweet and sour pork I've ever had in the world." The stir-fried pork with peppers completed by Yum also received a great response, making the dinner at the second production site plentiful.

However, the positive reception of the broadcast content and the viewership ratings showed different trends.

According to Nielsen Korea, the 4th episode of 'Unnie's Direct from the Farm 3' recorded a viewership rating of 2.6% based on nationwide paid platforms. This is a 0.3 percentage point drop from the 2.9% recorded in the previous 3rd episode, marking the lowest viewership rating for Season 3.

The viewership rating trend is also noteworthy. Starting at 3.2% in the first episode, 'Unnie's Direct from the Farm 3' rose slightly to 3.3% in the 2nd episode, but then fell for two consecutive weeks to 2.9% in the 3rd episode and 2.6% in the 4th episode. While the absolute numbers are higher than the previous season, the pressure is mounting as the show has failed to maintain an upward trend since the launch of the new season.

In particular, 'Unnie's Direct from the Farm 3' faces the challenge of establishing a new cast combination and the program's identity, as most of the main members from the previous season were replaced, with only Yum remaining. The fact that even a highly recognizable guest like Cho could not trigger a viewership rebound is significant.

Of course, variety show ratings are difficult to judge based solely on a single guest or a specific episode. Various factors, such as viewer attachment to the fixed cast, fatigue with the format, competitive programming, and online buzz, all play a role. However, with the decline continuing through the 4th episode in the early stages of the season, it appears the format may need adjustments to facilitate a rebound.

The key will be how quickly the new 'Unnie's Direct from the Farm' lineup can build a unique narrative and chemistry centered around Yum. As shown by the manila clam harvesting in Taean and Cho's participation, the program's subject matter and the cast's variety skills remain strong. What is now needed is a sustained momentum that makes viewers look forward to the next episode beyond the entertainment of individual segments.