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| Scenes from "The Greatest Love" on Hunan TV / Courtesy of Blue Flame, Hunan TV |
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| Kim Young-hee / Korea Times file |
The variety show's first episode posted a 1.59 percent rating on Hunan TV, according to Yonhap news agency, which cited China's TV rating monitoring agency CSM.
"Korean TV shows whose formats were exported to China and became blockbuster hits, namely, ‘I Am a Singer,' ‘Dad, Where Are We Going?' and ‘Running Man,' all recorded a 1.4 to 1.5 percent rating with their first episodes and more than 2 percent with the following episodes," Kim said.
"I will do my best to get the same result with my show."
Kim emphasizes "filial piety" in the reality show. Under this central theme, six Chinese celebrities ― Huang Xiaoming, Joe Chen, Zheng Shuang, Du Chun, Bao Beier and Gary Chaw ― each visited their home towns and spent five nights with their parents.
Kim's debut in China is considered a dream come true for Korean directors because the Chinese TV industry has lots of money available.
Kim was quoted as saying in Hankyoreh that the production cost for "The Greatest Love" was 40 billion won, equivalent to an annual budget for a Korean broadcaster.
"Many Korean program directors have creative ideas, but they struggle to go further because Korea's comparatively small market has too many competitors," Kim said. "They are therefore pushed to survive the competition by producing low-budget shows.
"For them, the Chinese TV industry, which is worth about 200 trillion won ($166 billion) is a paradise."
Kim, who founded his own media company in China ― Blue Flame & Rice House ― said several fellow directors would leave Korea to join his company this year.
Other Korean directors with small-screen credits have moved to China to broaden their careers.
Jang Tae-yoo, who directed the Chinese megahit SBS TV drama "My Love from the Star" (2013-2014), took temporary leave to join the Chinese movie industry in 2014.
KBS drama "Full House" director Pyo Min-soo and SBS drama "Secret Garden" director Shin Woo-chul will also introduce their dramas in China this year.
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