Hyde, Jekyll, Me Becomes First K-drama of 2015 to Pass SARFT Approval and Will Air July 13th in China

The biggest K-drama dud of 2015 so far has to be Hyde, Jekyll, Me, or at least the drama has to be the current front runner for that ignominious crown. A combination of sky high expectations with the drama being Hyun Bin‘s comeback drama since Secret Garden and then going off to the military coupled with one of the worst written nonsensical plots in recent memory, the drama felt like a crash and burn watch experience way more painful than other equally bad dramas that didn’t come with the same level of hopeful anticipation.

Hyde wrapped up in March and shuffled off to my watch dustbin, but it still has plenty of life left in it with respect to milking more money from the stinking mess. The drama was sold for overseas airing on the power of Binnie alone, but the biggest market remained under lockdown this year when China’s SARFT passed new regulation requiring all overseas shows to have completed airing and be submitted for SARFT approval prior to internet airing, just like the process all Chinese dramas go through. After four months, Hyde recently became the first K-drama of 2015 to pass approval and will hit the online portals of China’s biggest video streaming sites Youku and Tudou on July 13th.

I don’t begrudge the production trying to make the most out of the disappointment that is Hyde, but I do wish the drama isn’t put out there like some sorta of great drama to lure in unsuspecting viewers. Youku and Tudou are providing all episodes for ad-free immediate viewing for paying viewers, otherwise those want to watch for free with ads will have to wait as one episode will be released a day. Hyde does have a shiny 0001 SARFT approval number to flash around for being the first K-drama to be approved under this new edict, which does beg the question of what SARFT’s approval standards are? No boobs or violence or love triangles or cursing or time traveling, of which have been banned currently and/or in the past, but okay with stories that are bat shit crazy and make zero sense? Binnie actually survived this mess and came out relatively unscathed, but if I were a Han Ji Min fan I would be cringing that more viewers are going to encounter her performance here because it’s certainly the nadir of her acting career.


Comments

Hyde, Jekyll, Me Becomes First K-drama of 2015 to Pass SARFT Approval and Will Air July 13th in China — 25 Comments

  1. They don’t mind love triangles with a person’s non-existent split personality, but they mind them with actual separate characters? Time traveling is bad, but romancing someone’s disorder is not? Oh China…

  2. I seriously doubt there’s any die-hard fan who is actually concerned with either their biases’acting skills nor their poor performances! How more obviously could that be when untalented idols-turned-actors receive praising comments on their practically non-existent performances and/or their “growing” and “improvement”?!
    Besides, HJM is not the worse actress-not-idol out there.
    On the sidenote, Chinese Laws on time-travelling? Really?? What does that mean? As a person who respects the Law on a worldwide scale, I myself understand the real essence of restrictions but what’s wrong with time-travelling? Sounds so confusing :-/

  3. Dear journalist(???). Maybe yourte don’t like this drama but wë really love It. Please check viewers on youtube and their comments and yourte can realize that there are many loves for this drama.

    We continue to love and support it.

  4. Dear journalist(???). Maybe you don’t like this drama but wë really love It. Please check viewers on youtube and their comments and your can realize that there are many loves for this drama.

    We continue to love and support it.

  5. I dont see any problem with Han ji min’s acting in Hyde ~ I’m not even HJM bias before watching the drama though I like her in RTP, Her and HB like them a lot after watching Hyde. Jang Hana’s character and JM portrayal just fit the story esp with a man with dual personalities. I personally love and was hooked to this drama, yes it has flaws but there are people who really love it.

  6. I haven’t watched Hyde Jekell and Me yet because of the bad reviews and low ratings although I liked HB and Han Ji Min is my favorite Korean actress, now I’m grateful for the comments here so I’m going to watch it asap.

  7. Lovesjs _ ï Think that hyun Bin was victim of bad communication like with this article. So many people ‘delayed’ to watch It. Exactly like your case
    Despite this, the Best remain the best. The buzz on bad rating on this drama is currently the same score of current another drama which benefits Good articles

  8. SARFT will just approve bad drama so that china people will lose interest in foreign drama like korean drama so that their people will just stick to chinnese drama

  9. althoug so late. nice news to hanjimin fans and of course me, after the bad rating… (hate the writer).to so many people dislike this drama…need to appraise..excellent acting from hanjimin and they really hard work in the freezing weather…to show perfect drama, even..the result so sad.once againt… trully fans always suport her star in any situation. since Rooftop,china fans always beside hanjimin and suport her ..thats amaze. No wonder ..come Good news from SARFT APROVAL

  10. I have no problem with HJM and HB. I’m not ashamed at all of being a HJM fan and she is certainly not the worst. I’ved watched Mainland Chinese productions and HK dramas, there were productions far worse than Hyde in terms of acting and scripting. This year 2015 is not a good year for both HJM and HB careers, who are born in the year of Dog. They will strike back in time to come.

  11. enjoy chiness!!
    you have a big chance now to watch Binnie
    Hyun Bin forever
    Ha ji Min forever
    Hydejekyllme forever

    Haters behid :p

  12. They did get permission before and the story is no harm, still it really gives scary potential from psychiatrist but I think the reception will just okay since many critics or flaw detected of HJM is magnifying because the drama that aired at the same time. HJM is quite okay if audience stop try to analyse and enjoy the moment as it is presented.

  13. If you repeatedly criticize someone for liking something you don’t, they won’t stop liking it. They’ll stop liking you.

    So i don’t like you koala’s redactor ihihi

    fighting hyun bin and hydejekyllme teamd

  14. wow just wow. is chinese people really into this drama? i could not even get pass ep 5.
    that saying alot . since this is the only drama that have hyun bin in that i could not finish watching.

  15. I finished watching Hyde Jekyll Me. I admit being a little inluence by all the reviews that I read on that but in the end I had a good time. It’s Hyun Bin as I loved like in Secret Garden. Unpredictable and romantic

  16. this article really is not at all objective. When you read that, you tell yourself that the drama is the worst in the world. Treated the worst disappointment drama is going too far. Really. I looked Jekyll Hyde Me and I have no complaints. The scenes are beautiful and the actors play their roles. Too bad if the journalist Koala is not of the same opinion as me.
    And have you seen the record with the current series ??????? Jekyll Hyde me not be ashamed. It is true that it is not the secret garden score but it’s better compared to ‘good drama’ (sick) current. Jekyll Hyde Me has already found 8.6% as National record high, while the scholar Who walk the night only 7% or 5% for the assembly or 3% identity hidden ….. Then a joke t ‘we? As they say it is us that there are large trees that are hated by the wind so do not worry the evil wind Koala my Hyun Bin

  17. Hyde jekyll me isn’t the worsts neither the best kdrama. But a SMART viewer can see the depth of each of the characters’ portrayals. Some people hated Han Ji Min or even the writer, and that is too insensible. We commented as if we’re more better than them. Some even using the name of our KEEPER. How can a person with a sensible mind say that to destroy one’s image. Let us all be responsible netizens. Have a great day everyone!

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