A drama can’t succeed on account of just being good, it needs to be nurtured properly and that is where a good marketing strategy comes in. Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love was rather haphazardly marketed from the get go and since it premiered its been playing catch up by hook or crook. The story has dramatically changed since the pre-filmed first few episodes, with Jae Hee‘s second male lead entrance delayed from episode 6 to episode 12 and the general narrative devolving into open plotting and slapfest weeping. It’s such a shame because all the pieces were there from great acting, wonderful cast chemistry, love directing, and a perfect paired soundtrack. I hate to give writing too much credit, but here it really is the lynchpin and when it goes downhill it takes the rest of the great stuff down it it. Gu Family Book trotted out its leads this week for a mid-point press conference which is a savvy strategy so I wondered why JOJ didn’t also plan something similar. Better late then never as SBS held an on-set press conference with Kim Tae Hee and Yoo Ah In dressed in character and meeting the media. Is it me or is the electric pink color of Ok Jung’s hanbok really out-of-place and jarring, which really sucks because the fashion of this drama has been outstanding this far. When I get bored or annoyed by the recent shenanigans I focus on the pretty and it brings me a modicum of happiness. I can’t imagine Joseon finding a way to dye that pink color in any possible way so boo on the color selection. I actually think Yoo Ah In and Kim Tae Hee continue to have great chemistry but that electric vibe seems to have gone away. Yoo Ah In recently tweeted his frustration in acting out a character he no longer understands (I feel you, dude) and I see him struggling in his portrayal of King Sukjung in recent episodes, all dramatic pauses and tics without the earlier comfort and connection. Kim Tae Hee is still wowing my socks off with her consistent acting even as her character is asked to behave in ways I’m sure she’s equally as perplexed by. Scheming to protect her love and survive is fine, being gleefully revengey about it is so not Ok Jung unless the near-death-experience cause a personality transplant somewhere. I wish I could quit this drama but honestly its quality decline actually doesn’t annoy me but for a sense of pity for the cast, so I’m sticking with it to spend more time with my new girl crush Tae Hee-shhi.
I will seriously cut a bitch in the Korean media if, when this drama ends, they dare attribute JOJ’s failure (ratings-wise) to Kim Tae Hee’s acting or performance as the titular Ok Jung. She was the main reason I got hooked and is the only reason I’m still watching. She can act in sageuks from now on and I’m cool with that. But pick a cable network, jTBC‘s War of the Flowers is genuinely awesome and I think she’ll fare so much better in a cable environment where ratings won’t dictate how a storyboard unfolds.
Yeah, KTH bowled me over with her acting in this drama.
My new girl crush of 2013 as well!:)
Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love did good on Philippine drama. It captures the people heart because of its excellent love story and the ACTOR speaks well too. KIM TAE HEE and YOO AH IN was indeed delivered perfectly well in their respective roles. Admittedly I too was addicted watching this drama on line. What I hope is a good ending for JOJ’s love to the King. Thanks too to KOALA for bringing an early update & Preview. Sincerely grateful to all the FANS support!
JANG OK JUNG, LIVE FOR LOVE actors and actresses CAN ACT!!! Unlike Gu family book they act like rookies but not to mention, some of them are really good though like that nasty old fart lol u know who im talking to.,wolryung,ginsaeng.
JOJ is currently airing in Malaysia and it seemed that lots of us love it. and yeah their costume especially KTH’s are extremely beautiful. Never watched any drama that have beautiful hanbok as JOJ
This is the FIRST DRAMA of KIM TAE HEE i felt the CHARACTER, not kimrae hee… SO i love her in this drama…
KTH. Where should I start? She potrayed JOJ perfectly and yeah I was mesmerized by her beauty. No wonder she is considered as nation’s beauty. I hope she will do more saeguk after this. She just GLOWS
I agree that KTH’s acting in here is actually quite spot on. I’ve always thought and felt that she was a weak actress, but she really portray her role in here well. Yoo Ah In fails in here. I actually don’t really feel the chemistry between these two either so I quite like midway already.
Is it me or is it KTH look like she has like 20 layers of make up on? Some of her pictures look really bad.
Loving KTH here!!! I am not liking the parts where they make her all smug as I mentioned before but what can I do. I also see the struggle with king sj… I don’t really know what he’s doing which leads me to all sorts of sighs. What could have been or what was.
I also am not loving the pink on her. My favorite was the red one on her. 🙂
KTH in a cable sageuk? That would be great!!! Drama gods… Make it happen. 🙂
Opps… I meant my post to be a new comment and not a reply to the previous comment. Sorry
Kim Ta Hae acting still can’t even bring 1% more audience every week, something wrong here.She can’t pull it actually, seemed forced. Ahjuhma have seen better.
Really watching joj is like watching a drama with new character. I swear I’m not recognize ok jung at all. It seems not absurb at all until ep 11 airing
Maybe korea love evil ok jung ? I don’t know. I confuse
It makes my watching joj experience no longer as exciting. The element that I love the most between otp has gone.
Nah…I don’t agree with ockoala’s appraisal here. I mean, to begin with, I find it pointless to compare the actors/actresses in the same drama. Korean news reporters until this week still put down KTH by way of praising YAI, which I find utterly unfair and unproductive. (Oh yes. I was shocked..poor KTH).
The thing is, acting is not an individual’s undertaking. It depends on the synergy effect from your acting partners, the entire cast, characterization and cohesiveness of the script, directing, editing among other factors. Now the drama is shifting its center to OJ and in fact, her character is relatively sensible compared to others. (Even IH is becoming a demonized prop to glorify the “victimized” OJ, which is maddening and infuriating. What a waste to HSH’s talent!) I am not saying that KTH is not doing great here. She is. But she has an advantage of being a better-written character at this point. I actually like KTH in earlier episodes since she still manages to portray her character with subtleties when she is not the dramatic center. Now her habit of diluting her pupils is back and it’s difficult to stomach that residue of her acting from Stairway to Heaven. Therefore, I still hold my reservation toward KTH and I wouldn’t call her a revelation–definitely not yet- as Song Hye Kyo did in TWTWB.
As for YAI, since he is calling in all honesty and urgency for critiques and suggestions in his tweets, I kind of forgive him and he kind of earns my respect. The worst type is the one who is complacent and doesn’t know what he has done wrong. He knows he is all about technique now since he cannot find any substance in the character. Anyway. He is young and still learning by making mistakes. YAI is gifted but his acting is not stable. If he can pull of an understated, sincere and ultimately brilliant performance when he plays off Kim Yoon Seok in Wandeuki, it means that he has that special something in him. But he needs to cope with the terrible live-shooting TV system of Kdrama. It is no wonder that someone like Kang Dong Won vows not to come back to dramaland because you just don’t know what would become of your character and the script.
I’m inclined to agree with your food for thought…
I’m with your thought, since most of us don’t understand Korean or knowing what is going on there about poor KTH, looks like they want to execute her there, which crime? And as YAI’s fan I’m really dying to know what did he say in his last 4tweets, only guess that he must be frustrated about the show has to change from the original script, means PD no longer believed in ability of the casts which their believed in themselves that they can slowly pull the viewers episode by episode, he knew it won’t be that easy at the beginning but it’ll happen, that what he’s taken this project. He dares for the challenge, it’s his attitude (same as Fashion King), he’s young with gift but still learning as you have said.
Nope… I beg to disagree with you here. I think KTH did this role with flying colors. I always believe regardless how awesome the script would be if not delivered well it will just end in vain, and vice-versa. I find her acting very convincing. I could feel how JOJ suppose to feel in a scene. Regarding deluting of pupils, I find it normal to dilute your eyes(HSH is doing it often though) or should I say express your feelings through your eyes if you’re in JOJ’s situation. I don’t find it irretating or beyond normal, I even find it effective. You know what, regarless how good or awesome KTH’s acting would be, at the end of the day it’s still not enough simply because of biases. The same way I look at her performance/acting, which is always awesome because she’s my bias. So Kim tae hee don’t mind the haters. Be strong and keep on improving… always remember that you can never please everybody…
I don’t have a problem with the pink hanbok. I think it’s really pretty, but there’s definitely the danger of looking washed out when one wears a colour as bright as that. That said, I much prefer Kim Tae Hee in the greens and purples she usually wears in the show.
I’m sad about the quality decline but I plan to continue watching it just because I liked the premise and I do feel connected to the show even though some of the characters aren’t quite making sense anymore.
i wonder why so many people are so surprised at the effectiveness of KTH being a villain. i mean have u guys not watch Stairway to Heaven? she nailed the evil b***h part so well i’m surprised she doesnt play those type of characters more often.
No one is surprised, they just don’t like the shift in the storytelling.
Yay for girl crush, KTH, will stay until the end!
I dont know why everyone keeps hating on Kim Tae Hee. Her characters are always believable and she always has great chemistry with her partners. Is that not a great actress? She is my favorite!
I agree with you. I was thinking, she is pretty, smart, easy to work with(as what I read from her co-actors), and seems like has nice personality… and people by nature are fault finder, where else can they find fault? that even she did amazing job in this drama but still some people are just not accepting it simply because of biases… which is understandable. So let`s continue supporting KTH, our bias, and don`t mind the haters. KUDOS KTH…
It is infinitely more slapdash, just as the characters and plot twists of the original derive from a whole range. 🙁
Omg, KTH looks stunning.
Oh, and this now crap drama is totally the writer’s fault.
KTH is so strong I guess. People insanely bashing on her everytime her new drama came out. How can she stand all the criticisms? Its not that she the ONLY one who can’t act ( which I think she can. I enjoy MP). But people like to put her down.Such a strong girl.
so with you Koala sis on KTH! love her in this. 🙂
Now it’s MakJang Ok Jung.
This. +1000 internetz to you, good feline.
For Me, YAI and KTH the best ever. I just hope the best ending for all this story.
I really like kim tae hee that’s why im watching joj. i saw all her drama maybe if she is not a good actress she can’t be the lead actress but why so many offers and all her dramas very popular.and she always had a good chemistry with her partner. i think the drama ratings low because the korean people knows already the story and many version. joj beautiful drama story unlike the old version looks boring. This drama so exciting, i don’t care about the rating this in korea only but in other country many viewers love to watch this drama. i hate the press who always criticism kth acting,well if you don’t like her sorry for you but she has many supporter.
I actually stopped watching the drama because I hear Dong Yi appeareance is coming and I can’t bear watching Ok Jung becomes heartbroken (and goes evil full throttle).
Everytime I watches Ok Jung, I can’t image a better actress to play the main lead besides Kim Tae Hee. It’s as if she embodied Ok Jung in her act in this drama.
Thank you for the tribute to KTH. I’m also watching JOJ because of KTH. She is amazing, the brightest star of this drama. If there’s still criticisms from the Korean media now about her acting, then they must be a bunch of blind, dumb prejudiced morons (excuse the language). Validation for her hard work would be a world of moral support so I hope she gets acknowledged and continues to shine.
I am fall In love with this drama and this is my first time to search on google look up for Jang ok Jung,Jang hui bin and Kim Tae hee,I just want to learn more about Korean history and also this is really my first time to see Kim Tae hee acting,and she is great for what she does.so fighting JOJ and KTH.
I love KTH, her acting is quite good and attract me. I am Vietnamese, a women of 38 years old. I do not know Korean language, but every MON & TUES night, I wait for the JOJ damma from Broad cast on Internet and watch it in Korean at night. And the next day, I watch it again in Vietnamese version. Some episodes, teasers with KTH’s acting, I have watched up to 3 times. I love you, KTH. Many people are love you, too.
Unfortunately, there wont be a happy ending in this drama. Jang Ok Jung was well known for being the prettiest concubine but but also as the one executed for her crime. She changed the norm and she will always be remembered…
I personally hook to this drama. I watch it because of Kim Tae Hee. I think both Kim Tae Hee and Yoo Ah Inn acted well in this drama.
Congratulations to KTH and YAI, both of you are great in this Drama….
If you love Yoo Ah In (Yoo Ain) vote once per day at http://kpopdrama.info/kstaren50
Let’s raise him!
I was glued to this show and it tore me apart and I cried so hard and I just replayed on hulu (whatever) and the 24 series gee just done. They could have extended it more so. Flipped over the King that played in this series and now I have to go elsewhere. This was a FINE movie to watch and I don’t get what everyone is talking about the ratings were low? You got to be kidding? It only aired on Monday’s and Tuesday’s here and a few too many commercials I do say.
Now I am hooked on I hear your voice but it is not the same.
how many times do i have to type this.