The synergy between Korea’s flagship hip-hop survival show Show Me the Money 12 and its parallel-universe spin-off Show Me the Money 12: Yacha – The World has translated into tangible success, with viewer data confirming explosive growth across both programs.
According to data analysis, following the release of Episode 2 of both series on January 24, the number of “heavy users” who watched both shows increased dramatically compared to January 17, when Yacha: The World premiered. The cumulative unique viewers (UV) who consumed both programs surged by 4.2 times in just one week, demonstrating that the interconnected narrative, where survivors from Yacha: The World re-emerge in Show Me the Money 12, successfully retained and concentrated audiences on the TVING platform.
Notably, more than 80% of Yacha: The World viewers were also watching Show Me the Money 12, signaling a strong core fandom. Conversely, the proportion of Show Me the Money 12 viewers who also chose Yacha: The World rose by approximately 2.5 times, highlighting rapidly expanding crossover engagement.
Audience demographic analysis further underscored the programs’ cultural impact. Show Me the Money 12 ranked No. 1 for two consecutive weeks in Good Data Corporation’s FUNdex TV buzz rankings, confirming its mainstream popularity. The show also recorded the highest real-time viewership among teens of both genders and males in their 20s, including terrestrial broadcasters, based on AGB Nielsen’s paid household ratings in the Seoul metropolitan area.
On TVING, both programs showed a notably high 10–20s viewership ratio of around 40%, reflecting strong appeal among Gen Z and young millennials. The raw, underground battle concept combined with hip-hop culture resonated strongly with younger viewers seeking authenticity and intensity.
With Show Me the Money 12 returning after nearly three years and Yacha: The World introducing a fresh format, expectations are rising that the narrative connection between the two series will generate even stronger momentum. TVING has already demonstrated a successful OTT formula for hip-hop survival content through original productions such as Rap: Public, and Yacha: The World continues to reinforce that strategy.
Sources: wikitree