The ratings for Marry Him If You Dare have been a huge disappointment with this drama and not necessarily warranted due to its quality (or lack thereof), but ultimately rather explainable. The rom-com genre has been by and large a crap shoot, with most garnering low ratings and few that really spark with the viewers. Conversely a sageuk usually has to majorly suck to get low ratings, and melodramas and makjangs generally have a greater percentage of success. While I love MYIHD, it’s not without its share of faults. The story is convoluted, and requires paying attention to watch otherwise it’s confusing and rather abruptly paced. Yoon Eun Hye did herself no favors by going for one of the worst perms in the history of television permed hair. It might have been some sort of sartorial statement in line with her character’s personality, but ultimately not necessary because thematically it’s always been silly to tie a hair style to a personality. Fans can decry the complaints about her bad hair, but it’s still valid because people need to like what they see. Channels have been flipped for less shallow reasons. The love quartet has been delightful but ultimately rather toothless. There is no viable second lead romance either way – Shin and Yoo Kyung aren’t interested in each other, and whatever early stirrings of interest form Se Joo has gone nowhere while Mi Rae has been mooning over Shin despite all attempts not to. The humor is sporadic, the pathos not yet visible, and the mystery is driven by an annoying future Mi Rae asking that viewers take her side when all signs point otherwise. I’m sad for the cast and crew but there is always an explanation for ratings. Won’t stop me from loving it though, and the first stills have been released for next week’s episode 5. It shows Mi Rae and Se Joo at the bus station saying goodbye to each other. I think the bus scenes between the OTP Sam Dong and Hye Mi in Dream High is one of the more iconic ones in K-dramas, and in general I like bus farewells because it always come with a sense of melancholy and being lost in the crowded bus saying goodbye to someone meaningful. Se Joo and Mi Rae are adorable here, and their feeling of camaraderie is palpable. Still no romantic chemistry from either side whichever way I look at it, but Mi Rae and Se Joo have a friend in each other at the network and that’s something special already.
I’m enjoying the series and can understand that it can be a bit confusing….I only have one issue: Kim Shin started having romantic interest in Mi Rae only after he saw that romantic dream with Mi Rae…that’s what the drama showed….I would have liked if he would have gotten attracted to her without it…
Please someone clear this doubt…….
i dont think so. i believe he’s attracted to her before the dream. like when they’re in the editing room together for haraboji’s story. we know he dont usually acted like that with his other female coworkers. the dream’s just accelerated his already existed feelings for her. if u know what i mean.
I have to agree with you. The plot is moving sooo slow, i thought it was initially a 20 ep. drama. But I see its a 16 ep drama. Things need to start happening faster…we have seen Shin and Mirae fall for each other, now let’s see it for the second leads since they are apparently destined for each other. Also let’s start to see what exactly future Mirae’s reason is for doing all this….all in all i think that the plot needs to move faster!
Slow? How? It might be convoluted but definitely slow, at least to me. So much has happened in mere 4 episodes.
not slow
So agree w/ you Lexie; I dont find anything wrong w/ this drama; the pacing is just fine, the OTP is so perfect, the characters are progressing and the story is just getting more and more interesting. Maybe in S.Korea its not working but in international market, the ‘Bigger market’, this drama will definitely work.
In my case it’s the exact opposite: I don’t find it slow at all, in fact this is the first drama in nearly two years that I’m watching without skipping a scene, even though I read two different recaps before actually watching a new episode. In my case that says a lot 😉 Also, I am soooo not eager to see a romance between second leads, I just can’t convince myself to like Young Hwa – yeah, I know he improved a lot from his previous attempts (pathetic, may I add) to act, but still I find him a bit too… stiff and unnatural, so I’d love it if his screen time was limited as much as possible. Him as a friendly co-worker I can handle, but being a passionate lover? Lol, naaaaaah.
Goodluck with hating Yonghwa 🙂
hahaha LoL> I get you. His scenes also feel bland to me. He did improve since his last try, and I can clearly see some emotion on his face but when he on screen with YEH and LDG he just naturally is lost looking. especially when LDG is on.
I am still loving this show, plot twist notwithstanding.
I seriously don’t think it’s moving too slow… a lot of people think too fast. 2nd lead is already out of the running as far as romance goes, not that he ever had much of a chance in the first place. The only thing we need to figure out is FMR’s mystery and see YK and Seju fall in love. I sort of wonder how they’ll fit that into 12 more episodes.
I think its slow in that while we have seen the sparks fly between Shin and MiRae, we haven’t seen the same for Yoo Kyung and SeJu since they are apparently destined for each other. We also have no more insight, than we did in episode 1, into why future MiRae is doing what she is doing. Also i feel like the episodes r really padded by what’s happening at the workplace, which is fine, but i need equal amounts of stuff happening outside the workplace..
compare to other kdramas, MHIYD is the fastest paced kdrama ive ever watched.
lol I though is moving fast for me, I like her curly hair…I can’t picture YEH in straight hair now…I am enjoy watching this drama, well acting and quality…fighting FC..
The Rom-coms this year actually did well. TMS and IHYV were ratings hit. But the ratings for this drama has been dismal. Sometimes it’s not even in the top 20 and is yet to break double figures. On the other hand, heirs isn’t doing all that great too, so I guess no ones in the mood for romance.
Good doctor did really well – but medical top team is sinking. Even all the sageuks did horrible this year – sword and flower, jang ok jung, goddess of fire. Haven’t had much melo this year – Secret’s the only one I can think of and that’s doing well. The family dramas have been a hit though. Mostly all the makjangs did well – as always I suppose.
Why does it feel like the entire drama audience pool is sinking? Even the ratings “hits” are not at the kind of ratings hits they used to be at. 30% marking success is a bygone era, let alone 40-50%
Young people don’t really watch stuff on TV anymore so they’re always vastly underrepresented in TV ratings but older females tend to be in charge of a household’s disposable income so it makes sense from an advertising perspective to still use the old TV box method to calculate ratings.
I totally agree. Before, 20% wasn’t anywhere close to being good. Now the main goal is to break it. There hasn’t been a miniseries this year that broke 30. In fact – at the top of my head I can only remember around 4-5 that broke 20 (overall or in Seoul).
I do agree with Rina that the younger audiences are watching more internet than TV – who can blame them when it’s much more convenient. This year, the hyped dramas online had/have really dismal ratings, and the ones that went under the radar were pretty well rated. I can only think of GFB, TMS and IHYV getting both ratings and attention. And it’s mid October already!
@emil
I think that’s really all there is.
I went and looked at the only dramas that did well
KBS – Good Doctor. God of the Workplace did decently, School 2013 had more buzz than ratings, but it ended up Jan.
SBS – Yawang, IHYV, TMS
MBC – GFB.
Poor MBC, though they had a successful weekend drama.
Heirs is doing all right for SBS, but has to be a disappointment all things considered.
@Melissa: Heirs will never be a disappointment because the show was aimed internationally and they sold all the advertising slots. That’s all that matters. Since SBS made money, ratings are irrelevant.
Good Doctor did not get the buzz Internationally but it was (and still) a big hype in Korea.
@mellisa
Yea I think you pretty much covered it. SBS had another decent-ish one – that winter. But MBC has been seriously struggling in the weekdays. Their dramas have been in single digits – all of them since (and even before GFB).
In the weekends though, SBS has had no success. KBS leads there as well – with King Family, YTBLSS and MDSY. They’ve had a good year overall I think.
Oh yeah, forgot That Winter. I’m worried about Ha Jiwon getting stuck in a 60 episode show on MBC … I hope the trend reverses.
I love the show. I don’t think the ratings do them justice especially the cast. Rarely, do you get a drama where each character actually shines and the chemistry between the 4 leads is something enjoyable too. I hope ratings would pick up in the coming weeks because I feel that the show genuinely deserves it.
I think the perm she got looks so cuteee!
I agree that the pacing of this drama is a little strange. It’s kind of jumpy somehow. I also don’t like story arcs where one character is repeatedly humiliated, as Mi Rae is in the early episodes. But this show has its charm, perhaps because both leads are great actors. I enjoyed the prop room scene.
Much as I am also disappointed with the rating of MHIYD, but all I can think now is that I can see Yoon Eun Hye every week on tv and I am enjoying every series of it, sometimes I get annoyed with the future Mi Rae and the brother, but if it’s their character and necessary in the story, then I can accept. The rating game is so unpredictable, I am dismayed with the reception of Korean viewers on this romcom project, but what matters to me is that Yoon still unbeatable actress in Korea in terms of acting and popularity. She gives life to any character she portrays and that is all that matters to me. Now that her being a Hallyu queen has been certified, I am hoping that next time she will be offered a movie that can compete internationally, in terms of awards, why not, anything can happen under the sun.
I’m enjoying this show Mi Rae’s curly hair and all. It’s too bad ratings are low because this drama is keeping my attention. Yes it’s convoluted but entertaining none the less. The actors have proven to portray their characters well and the script has enticed viewers (internationally) to tune in thus far. Too bad the locals in SK are not.
I think it’s been a nice follow-up rom-com for those of us who were enjoying Master’s Sun. Not as well done as TMS, of course, but with the lean pickings for rom-coms this year, it’s nice to have one airing now.
Ironic how international fans are enjoying this more than SK. Ilove this show, it’s so original to me, I don’t have a clue of what will happen and I love that. The only thing that I can think of as to why the rating is that even though it is a romcom, some of the points getting across are more for mature audiences. Dealing with relationships and what make two individuals right for eachother.As opposed to the usual “cinderella” story. It also has this feminist approach to it to, like future MR is trying to change her life by marrying a rich guy while present MR wants to make it on her own and improve herself. Also I LOVED that both KS and SJ told YK to cut it with the cute/sexy act and show self respect. This drama is just female empowerment vs the usual cliches.
hahahaha. i agree with bus scenes, there is a sense of leaving one and bidding farewell. There are some pretty memorable BUS scenes in drama history. First and most memorable for me would be from Meteor Garden. That drama was eons ago but from where I come from, it started all my drama obsession. and the BUS scenes was pretty memorable. It made me go and cry a river for that sense of departing and separation.
Another scene would be that of Jeremy from You’re beautiful. Then from Shut Up flower boy Band. those scenes are seared to my brain and eyes as a cryfest.
But from Reply to me 1997 and winter sonata, BUS scene are quite bitter sweet. where in Bus scenes are used as the initial moment of meet and where OTPs form their own little world.
Honestly when I started reading this post I was really surprised because until now you’ve only dished on how great the drama is… and suddenly all that critique.
I have to say that I do agree about some things that I hope would be developed … but I would say that the drama is fresh and I love it too.
I love your baby recaps! =]
I’m one of those having a hard time watching the show for all of the reasons Ms. Koala mentions above. I had to force myself to watch episode 4 and used the fast forward quite a bit. I plan to stick it out, but it shouldn’t be such a chore.
This drama is absolutely for fans of all the casts, that’s why the rating is like that-majority of ahjumma don’t buy the so called cute acting by YEH, because they have seen more than that from other actresses, well most actresses in Korea acted like that in romcom.
i dont see your point? have you seen other sites in korea and outside korea who are not fans of either the casts? they love the drama, they love the plot, they love the story, esp theyre even praising the casts for portraying the role so well, other K actresses dont have the talent to make others laugh, excuse me, try harder to convince us. So your opinion like you know koreans is worthless haha
it is not just the cute acting by YEH that impress me but the actual expression, be that sad, happy, cute or anything in between. Even when she cries she does it realistically including looking not very attractive, red nose and all. I have seen too many Korean actresses who act cute but totally not realistic. Her expression in portraying a character to me is superb.
Agree Mamadua, when YEH cried on the bathroom w/ YongHwa where Kim Shin had just splashed a water on her face because of the doing of her antagonist future self, I also cried. It was really heartfelt. YEH is the Best!
correction, not sure if its in the Bathroom or just another room in YBS.
I agree, her red nose always amuses me everytime she cries, her face so natural that’s why the red nose is happening, i love it also when she cries and looking not very attractive coz thats more humane way of crying! haha YEH is such a pro!!!
i think yeh’s hairstyle is backfire.
i read on the article- that she specifically did this hairstyle becos it is difference and wants to give the character carefree look-
but the hair is not carefree looking in anyway and it tooks all the attention from me when i see the drama..
cos gosh- no girl in the right mind will perm their hair like this intentionally unless she want to look funny.
because of the ridicul hair – i can’t believe that kim shin will fall for her– and i also cant believe sejoo will either..
and mirae now and mirae from the future is just not the same –
the fashion style is just going totally opposite direction..
anyway, she should have do her hair normal- it would have been so much better than this – it’s too distracting and unrealistic…
i understand she needs to create some hype for the drama.. but it just not worth it..
I dont see anything wrong with her hairstyle. Does it say in any rule book that every korean actress should only have straight hair? What’s up with asians and their obsession for straight hair?
My hair is frizzy like that and there are actually many people with that kind of hairstyle.
People are so shortminded. So what if her hair is like that, shouldn’t the acting be more important? She is acting in this not modelling for a shampoo commercial. As far as acting is concerned, she is getting very positive feedback from drama critics so that’s all that matters, instead of these nonstop shallow obsession about her hair.
sarixiana: totally agree with you 100%!
hahaha this! so PSH’s famous fans are everywhere now! LMAO! They will really do everything to bash any K Actress that will block the popularity of their bias, My god!
This is drama for heaven sake, KS will falls in love with whomever the writer wants same as Sejoo..not because of the hair..OMG!
troll lol bash her all you want if that makes you happy, but you are nothing bua a troll.
Are you one of Park Shin Hye’s famous fans who is known in every site as someone who made 70 accounts just to bash other actresses? I wouldn’t doubt if it’s you.
oops that was meant for lol.
haha! if thats your reason if you want a guy to fall in love with you, a mere hairstyle?!? you must be kidding me? LMAO!! You’re not serious right? ‘coz your opinion just made it to my No.1 list of worthless comments! haha
i agree with this comment- her hair is the worst plus her acting is horrible –
yeh international fans has to accept it-her prime time is over..
her drama will never be popular again/.
she’s overrated actress to begin with.
lol you are nothing but a troll. Are you one of Park Shin Hye’s notorious fans who everyone knows as someone who made 70 accounts and got caught for bashing other actresses? I know it’s you.
So this LoL is a Park Shin Hye crazy fan attempting to destroy our YEH??? First, let me tell you, Park Shin Hye is so uncomparable to Yoon Eun Hye; YEH is most beautiful, most sexy and most talented Korean actress. Capable of reinventing herself even w/ this curly hair, is your PSH capable to do that, all she does is copy YEH. Also, does your Park Shin Hye ever received an award??? Moon Geum Young is even a better actress than her in same generation as her. So, dont ever ever messed up on our YEH, we’re not even doing anything wrong w/ PSH.
@lol how could you say YEH’s acting is horrible..that horrible actress your talking about just received an award in japan last week and many more awards under her name, dont speak rubbish if you don’t want to be thrash.
To kfan and lol – What the hell are your problems with YEH?! If it’s true that you two are PSH fans doing all these bashing then you are such a disgrace to her. I won’t be surprised if you two are just one person.
The only issue I have with her hair is it’s obviously taking a lot of work to look that bad. It’s dyed and permed. If she were so carefree why does she spend some much time on her hair. I get what YEH is saying, but I think the hair is the wrong choice. Though I’m used to it by now. When she has it up it’s actually not that bad.
It’s one thing to criticize with the aim of helping to improve, it’s totally another thing to criticize with the intention of destroying a person…the latter is vile and inhuman, not worthy of a person with reason.
I love YEH but I am grounded in the truth that she’s not perfect…but you know what? She knows about it, too, and talks about it in the open and asks that we be patient with her as she will try to improve…with that attitude, it’s unlikely that her days are over as an actress because for such a humble attitude, things will only get better.
I pity those who stoop so low as to see nothing but flaws in a person. Such a person must be miserable herself because her heart is consumed by negativity.
Agree with everything you said and by that I want to eat bibimbap! lol
I like this still pic! btw YEH , MGY, PSH are in different generation.