'3 Meals' spinoff hits a record

A spinoff of popular TV show "Three Meals a Day" earned 11.3 percent of the overall viewership rating with its Friday episode, according to Nielsen Korea - the series' highest score yet.

Even TV shows and dramas that air on major broadcasters like KBS, MBC and SBS find it hard to earn more than 10 percent of the viewership rating these days because people have more platforms to watch shows other than sitting down in front of their TV sets.

The very first season of "Three Meals a Day", featuring actorLee Seo-jinand singerTaecyeonof boy group2PM, hit screens between last October and December.

The show earned immense popularity for its format in which its hosts feed themselves in a small farming village by raising animals and growing vegetables.

Based on the success of the first season, which was set in a typical farming community in Gangwon, the second season, dubbed "Fishing Village", is based in a small, remote fishing village six hours away from the mainland by ferry.

Unlike the first season, which featured two city guys who struggled to feed themselves, actorsCha Seung-wonand his long-time friendYoo Hae-jinmade everything they need from their surroundings, including furniture and spicy Chinese noodles.

Despite the sudden departure of actorJang Geun-seok, who was cast as one of the three main participants along with Cha and Yoo, the show has been setting records in terms of viewership every Friday night since first airing on Jan. 23.

Its next episodes will feature actorsJeong Wooof the film"C'est Si Bon"andChoo Seong-hoonof the reality show "Superman is Back".

The spinoff version of "Three Meals a Day" airs on Friday at 9:45 p.m. on tvN.

BY SUNG SO-YOUNG