MBC's 'Save Me! Holmes' Achieves Top Ratings Amidst 'Reckless Property Tour' Special

On the October 19th episode of MBC's 'Save Me! Holmes' (hereafter referred to as 'Holmes'), a special segment titled 'Reckless Property Tour' was featured. Previously, regular cast member Park Na-rae stepped down from the show following a controversy over illegal medical procedures in December last year, halting her broadcasting activities.

According to Nielsen Korea, the household viewership rating for 'Holmes' on the 19th was 3% in the metropolitan area, marking the highest figure in 2026. Additionally, the 2054 viewership rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness reflecting changes in the media environment, recorded 1.3%, securing the top spot in its time slot nationwide with a 2.7% rating, making it the number one entertainment program in its time slot. The highlight of the episode was when Im Woo-il and Im Ji-yoon visited Seongsan-dong to inspect a rooftop studio apartment with a deposit of 3 million won and a monthly rent of 400,000 won, capturing the best moment of the show.

During the episode, Im Woo-il received a real estate request from his KBS comedian junior and embarked on a 100% real property tour with Holmes coordinator Kim Dae-ho and KBS comedian Um Ji-yoon. Without prior arrangements, they searched for properties that met the client's conditions, providing insights into the current real estate market. Im Woo-il's active participation, from various property tours since his first appearance on Holmes in 2024 to the red carpet at the Entertainment Awards, drew attention.

What were the client's house-hunting conditions?

The client this time was Ahn Hyun-woo, a 34th class KBS comedian from 2025. Before the main property tour, the team visited his home in Sinjeong-dong, Yangcheon-gu. Contrary to expectations that he would live frugally as the youngest member, the client exhibited spending habits that exceeded his income, causing concern among the participants.

Subsequently, the team headed to Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, to see the home of Son Yu-dam, a fellow 34th class KBS comedian from 2025 known for her frugality. Unlike Ahn Hyun-woo's home with a deposit of 5 million won and a monthly rent of 750,000 won, Son Yu-dam lived on half the cost. She revealed that she lived in a cozy studio apartment with a refrigerator extending to the entrance and saved half of her salary, earning admiration from the studio. Ahn Hyun-woo then requested a house with a deposit of 5 million won and a monthly rent of 500,000 won, initiating a full-scale property tour to find a 'ground-floor two-room in Mapo-gu.'

What properties were explored in the Mapo-gu tour?

The team visited Sangsu-dong in Mapo-gu, a place dear to Im Woo-il. Despite visiting several real estate agencies, they were met with responses like "That price is impossible" and "No properties available," hitting the reality wall. They explored a multi-family house two-room with a deposit of 10 million won and a monthly rent of 750,000 won in Changjeon-dong and a rooftop studio apartment with a deposit of 3 million won and a monthly rent of 400,000 won, but these did not meet the client's conditions.

In Seongsan-dong, they found a two-room property with a deposit of 5 million won and a monthly rent of 300,000 won, marking a turning point in the tour. Despite the unique feature of a shower space in the kitchen, the team showed interest in the structure, ideal for content creation as broadcasters, and completed the tour meticulously. The episode concluded humorously with the revelation that client Ahn Hyun-woo's mother was actually a licensed real estate agent, wrapping up the amateur team's 'Reckless Property Tour' on a light-hearted note.

'Holmes' airs on Thursday nights at 10 PM.

Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr

Related Topics: Save Me Holmes, Im Woo-il, Park Na-rae Exit, Viewership Ratings, Real Estate Tour