Shining Solo () is a South Korean reality television show in the format of a dating show revolved around the members of K-pop boy band Treasure and a cast of female individuals. It was broadcast on SBS on March 3, 2024, and is simultaneously aired on OTT platforms in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. It is also available for streaming on Wavve in South Korea and on Viki and YouTube in selected regions.
Overview Shining Solo adds to the list of self-produced content created by YG Entertainment and K-pop boy band Treasure, paired with South Korean broadcasting channel SBS. It embodies the format of a dating show, wherein members of the band split into two groups of five and appeal their charms to the female participants over the course of four days amidst their stay at the "Treasure Castle". At midnight, the members are evaluated by the female cast through jewels and voice recorders to earn the title "Mr. Treasure", a term for the most popular member.
Part Episodes Originally aired Treasure members Time slot (KST) First aired Last aired 1 5 Jihoon, Junkyu, Yoon Jae-hyuk, Asahi, Haruto Sunday 12:30 2 5 Choi Hyun-suk, Yoshi, Doyoung, Park Jeong-woo, So Jung-hwan
Cast Part 1
Name Korean age Notes Lee Ji-yeon () 1999 (age 25) College student Works as an actress and model Hong Ju-hee () 2000 (age 24) Nursing major at Yonsei University Appeared from episode 3 onward Lee So-won () 2001 (age 23) Canadian nationality Works as an actress Jo Hyun-seo () 2001 (age 23) Clothing major at Seoul National University Appeared from episode 3 onward Yoo Mi-ho () 2003 (age 21) Works as an actress Kim Ye-won () 2004 (age 20) K Plus model Starred in Romance Before Debut ()
Part 2
Name Korean age Notes Lee Ha-yul rowspan="3" rowspan="2" Han Seung-ji Lee Min-ye Studied Chinese at Seoul National University On leave from Law school Appeared from episode 7 onward Jo Min-ji 1999 (age 25) Works as a ballet instructor and K Plus model Studied ballet at Hanyang University Park Ji-soo 2001 (age 23) Studies Korean dance at Korean National University of Arts
Reception Critical response With the rarity of idol-produced content including the opposite gender due to K-pop fans placing themselves into parasocial relationships with the idols they support, Shining Solo sparked displeasure from such fans in Korea prior to its airing, expressing: "It makes no sense for an idol to appear on a dating show" and "I don't necessarily wish to see an idol with someone of the opposite gender". Its first episode earned a rating of 0.5% (based on Nielsen Korea) due to its late time slot and the domestic fandoms' reaction; however, its virality in Korean community sites piqued favorable reviews from the public recording a viewership of 1% by the sixth episode.
Shining Solo was commended for breaking walls within the industry and setting an exemplary method to display boundaries in idol fandoms. It particularly attained positive response from the international audience. Its success in Japan allowed the series to expand on eight additional streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime Video.
Viewership Shining Solo ranked first on Lemino following its premiere and received warm reception, quickly spreading by word of mouth. It recorded the highest daily viewed content amidst all K-pop variety productions in its history, and soon ranked first for four consecutive weeks, maintaining a high amount of views on the platform. In Korea, the show received attention on social media after it aired, and found success in Taiwan and Thailand competing against local content. Shining Solo ranked first on Thai OTT platform OneD's entertainment category for four consecutive weeks, and seventh in its overall category by the third week. In Taiwan, the series placed first on friDay Video's entertainment category.
+ Average TV viewership ratings (audience share) Original broadcast date Nationwide(Nielsen Korea) 1 March 3, 2024 0.5% 2 March 10, 2024 0.7% 3 March 17, 2024 0.6% 4 March 24, 2024 0.5% 5 March 31, 2024 6 April 7, 2024 7 April 14, 2024 0.5% 8 April 21, 2024 0.7% 9 April 28, 2024 10 May 5, 2024 0.5% In the table above, the represent the lowest ratings and the represent the highest ratings.
References