KBS "Song Hae Era 9.4%... Ratings Decline After Kim Sin-young, National Singing Contest in Crisis"

"Decision to Replace MC as a Solution"

Broadcaster Kim Sin-young was unilaterally notified of her departure from KBS 1TV's 'National Singing Contest,' sparking controversy, and KBS stated, "Faced with a crisis in the 44-year-old program, we had no choice but to decide to replace the MC as part of a countermeasure."

Broadcaster Kim Shin-young. Photo by KBS

On the 7th, KBS responded to a petition on the Viewer Rights Center website requesting to keep the 'National Singing Contest' host unchanged, explaining the reason for the decision to replace the host. KBS said, "Since Kim Sin-young was appointed as the successor, the viewership ratings have been declining, and concerns about the program's competitiveness have also been raised through viewer complaints," adding, "The average viewership rating for the one year when the late Song Hae hosted 'National Singing Contest' before the COVID-19 pandemic was 9.4% (based on the metropolitan area), while the average viewership rating for the one year and five months during which Kim Sin-young hosted was 4.9% (based on the metropolitan area)."

They continued, "To enhance the program's competitiveness, the production team planned various special episodes and made multifaceted efforts together with Kim Sin-young, but it was insufficient to meet the expectations of viewers who have loved the program for many years," and added, "Knowing well the hard work Kim Sin-young has shown so far, the production team also feels regretful, but Kim Sin-young expressed at a meeting with the production team that she understands the entire situation and intends to support the program."

Recently, KBS announced that Kim Sin-young, who had been hosting 'National Singing Contest' since October 2022, would be stepping down from the program, and comedian Nam Hee-seok was appointed as the new host. However, some viewers filed a petition opposing Kim Sin-young's departure at the KBS Viewer Rights Center, and some posts exceeded 1,000 supporters, prompting KBS to issue an official response.