MBC’s I Live Alone saw a sharp ratings rebound following actor Kim Min’s first appearance on the variety show.

According to Nielsen Korea, the October 2 episode recorded a nationwide rating of 6.0%, rising 2.5 percentage points from the previous episode’s 3.5%.

The episode also recorded 6.3% in the Seoul metropolitan area, ranking No. 1 among all Friday programs. Among viewers aged 20 to 54, an important demographic for advertisers, the show recorded 3.4% and also ranked first among Friday programs.

The highest-rated moment reached 8.4% as Kim Min showed another side of himself while working as a Hapkido instructor. His strict and charismatic approach to martial arts contrasted with his warmer interactions with young students.

The rebound is particularly notable because I Live Alone had recently been experiencing declining ratings. After recording 6.5% on August 21, the program gradually fell to 3.5% on September 25 before returning to 6.0% with Kim Min’s episode.

During his first appearance, Kim Min introduced viewers to his unconventional life in Dongducheon, where he lives in a house that is more than 90 years old.

The actor showed how he handles many things himself, including operating a generator, repairing parts of his home with cement, woodworking, and practicing martial arts.

Rather than focusing on the inconvenience of his lifestyle, Kim Min explained why he enjoys living that way.

“I think you can be happier when things are a little lacking,” he said. “It’s fun to fill in what’s missing.”

Kim Min also revealed that he spent around eight years living in countries including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia after initially traveling abroad to learn languages. Those experiences eventually led him toward acting.

He has also studied several martial arts since childhood and holds a combined rank of 10th dan across different disciplines.

Sharing his approach to life, Kim Min said, “Being handsome isn’t what makes you cool. The time you’ve spent is what makes you cool. I want to live by doing what I want without regrets.”

While his unusual home and lifestyle attracted attention, the biggest development for I Live Alone was the ratings turnaround: the show jumped from 3.5% to 6.0% nationwide in just one week, with Kim Min’s segment reaching a peak of 8.4%.