The ratings for tvN's ambitious space-themed drama When the Stars Gossip have hit an all-time low, leaving netizens and industry insiders stunned.

According to Nielsen Korea, the drama's fifth episode, aired on January 18, recorded a nationwide average viewership of just 1.8%, the lowest since its premiere. The Seoul metropolitan area fared only slightly better, with a rating of 1.9%.

This marks a steep decline for the show, which debuted with a respectable 3.3% rating. By its third episode, the drama had already dropped to the 2% range, and now it has dipped even further into the 1% range—a significant blow for a project of this scale.

With an incredible production budget of around 50 billion KRW (~$38 million USD) and five years of preparation, the series was expected to be a game-changer as the first Korean drama set on a space station.

However, despite featuring major stars like Lee Min Ho and Gong Hyo Jin, the show has struggled to maintain viewers' attention.

In comparison, other dramas airing on the same day saw much stronger ratings. KBS2's Darimi Family soared with a 17.4% viewership rating, followed by SBS's My Perfect Secretary at 11.4%, JTBC's The Tale of Lady Ok with 8.4%, MBC's Motel California at 3.6%, and Channel A's Check-in Han Yang at 2.5%.

The dramatic ratings drop for When the Stars Gossip raises questions about its future and whether the series can recover from this low point.

Source: [1]

Choi Si Hoon, known from Single’s Inferno and newlywed husband of singer Ailee, is facing backlash after being linked to a controversy from Wavve’s queer reality show ToGetHer.

Fans discovered that Choi is allegedly the CEO of the influencer agency representing Ri Won, a cast member now at the center of a growing scandal.

The situation started when castmate Han Gyeol spoke up, claiming Ri Won once suggested an overseas trip that felt more like a shady meeting than a casual hangout.

“I thought it was a fun vacation invite at first,” Han Gyeol said, “but when they started talking about meals and date-like things, I realized something was wrong. It felt like an inappropriate setup.”
Han Gyeol added, “Using someone’s sexuality as a shield for suspicious actions is not okay in this industry.”

Ri Won responded by saying it was all a misunderstanding and that the trip was mentioned casually during a conversation about food. “We joked about going to that country after talking about food,” Ri Won said.

However, things got more intense when Ri Won admitted to having a past as a 'beotbang' (adult streaming) BJ. “I know I’m not trustworthy right now, and I appeared on TV while hiding my past. That’s why I shared some proof—I was desperate,” Ri Won explained.

Ri Won also shared a blurred message from another cast member that accused them of fake dating and lying about knowing someone from Billboard. “You said you’d introduce me to a Billboard contact. Then give me their name and title,” the message read. “You just keep switching your targets.”

Ri Won replied, “He’s the team leader at Billboard Korea and also my influencer agency CEO.”
This comment led online users to dig deeper—and some claimed the CEO Ri Won mentioned is none other than Choi Si Hoon, Ailee’s husband.

Currently on his honeymoon with Ailee, Choi is now getting unwanted attention. Some netizens brought up his alleged past as an adult BJ and now, his possible involvement in this controversy.

On Ailee’s Instagram post from April 30, one fan wrote, “Unnie, sorry to bother you during your honeymoon, but please search Choi Si Hoon’s name. A female BJ said she’s signed to his company, and he supposedly arranged a meeting for her with a just-turned 19-year-old girl.”

As the issue grew, Ri Won spoke out again on May 1 to calm things down. “The person I mentioned in the messages was just someone who gave me advice,” Ri Won clarified. “He’s not my agency CEO, like some people assumed. I thought he could help with music, but he never made any business offer.”

Ri Won ended by saying, “I’m sorry for causing any confusion and discomfort to others with my personal remarks.”

So far, Choi Si Hoon and Ailee have not made public statements about the situation.

Source: [1]