(Facebook)

The last TV episode of the talent competition program “Sixteen” witnessed a sharp increase in viewership thanks to its screening method for finalists.

According to Nielsen Korea and CJ E&M on Tuesday, the final episode of “Sixteen” saw its contents power index ranking jump by 20 notches from a week earlier to No. 7 among all programs aired in the second week of July.

“Sixteen,” launched in May this year, is designed to screen out nine finalists out of 16 girls. The final candidates will debut as Twice, a new idol group of JYP Entertainment.

(Mnet)

JYP’s CEO Park Jin-young handpicked Momo, a contestant who fell out of the race early on, as one of the ultimate members of
Twice in the final episode aired July 7, sparking a dispute among viewers concerning its evaluation standards.

JYP later apologized for failing to clarify the evaluation standards.

MBC programs dominated Nielsen’s CPI rankings: “King of Mask Singer” topped the list followed by “Scholar Who Walks the Night” and “Infinite Challenge.”

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

Related article: JYP selects final members for new girl group Twice