There are plenty of K-dramas that garner low ratings, nowadays more than ever since the audience seems to be dwindling and there are so many other options beyond the Big Three networks including the rise of cable programming. Despite all that, I’m still stunned to see the current KBS Wed-Thurs drama Pretty Boy (Bel Ami) with Jang Geun Seok and IU hit a new drama low of 2.9% ratings for today’s episode 7. I don’t think I’ve seem a prime time drama with ratings that low since Playful Kiss, and funnily enough that drama starred Kim Hyun Joong who is on deck for his Age of Feeling to take over the time slot of PB. Even more coincidence between these two guys goes back years and years ago when they were both up for the role of Ji Hoo sunbae in Boys Before Flowers. Jang Geun Seok was actually offered the lead of Gu Jun Pyo but he wanted to play Ji Hoo but that role was already inked to Kim Hyun Joong so the rest is all Lee Min Ho career making history. I thought episode 1 of PM was much better and less stupid than I expected, but I was rather bored by episode 2 despite it still staying really watchable. Over the weekend I caught up on episodes 3-4 and the drama really isn’t bad at all. IU is wonderful here and reminds me of Jung So Min in PK but with her own flair and character tweaks that freshen up the obsessed girl trope. Jang Geun Seok is also decent and plays his character straight yet with a sense of irony and self-mockery of the whole “prettiest man alive” conceit. The story isn’t anything to write home about but there are stakes and acceptable reasons for why the characters go down certain paths, and the growing closeness of the OTP is slow and funny. I’m sad for this production to garner such low low ratings and I hope this drama stays good and ends up with a second life on video or overseas. I plan to keep watching but it doesn’t hook me to the point of having anything insightful to write about. Check out a well-made MV and see if maybe you want to give this one a try.
Fun Pretty Boy MV:
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Godddd i miss lee jang woo, please choose a better drama next time janggoon-nim
My friend enjoyed watching this drama and said that their interactions are funny. IU looks really cute! But somehow I just can't bring myself to watch Jang Geun Seok's dramas, he looks a bit too girl but I'm glad his eyeliner is not as thick as before.
i just think....curly top does not looks good with JGS.
I've been seeing that kind of hairstyle lately on drama actors ... lot of hair on top but the back and sides are almost a buzz-cut (JGS: Pretty Boy, KWB: Heirs, JJH: Medical Top Team).
Personally I don't like it on any of them.
i seriously don't know what's happened to jgs. seems he can't live without eyeliners since YB days. the hair.. trying too hard.
IU is terrific....pretty, sweet, vulnerable, quirky...while Jang Geon Seok is flat, preening, and sleazy. I kinda like the story but keep thinking how much better it would be with a talented actor like Park Shi Hoo.
I don't know... Park Shi Hoo has never been my cup of tea... actually I find him yawn inducing. And I think JGS has talent especially when he turns on the switch but sometimes it's not on, and I think it's fluctuating in this drama... sometimes he's so compelling and at other times I just speed through the scenes.
Other Flower boys who could play this part at the moment (JGS hasn't made an imprint of his character yet in my mind so for the moment he's interchangeable)... uri Jung Ilwoo? Song Joongki if he weren't in the army at the moment...Yoon Si Yoon also a good choice... aegyotastic Joowon, pretty pretty boy Lee Jong-seok, charismatic Choi Siwon (I would swoon at his feet, hahaha) also magnetic charisma Lee Jae wook or my handsome oppa Lee Junki :) so many to choose from! let me go drool over there by the corner. mwuahahaha
I vote for Song Joongki.. he is a very good actor, and he is very pretty too :-)
What happened to JGS's hair? He looked very tired and has aged a fair bit. He is a good actor but seemed to have taken on projects that limited his growth. IU is pretty funny here! Can't believe that ratings have gone so low.
JGS is a good actor but he's been choosing bad projects recently. He better make a better choice next time, the rating for his dramas are dropping and dropping.
Its sad cause after Love Rain he already said he would choose carefully for his next project and yet this happened! But not gonna lie, I knew this drama wouldn't get good ratings from the beginning as it seems similar to Playful kiss which those viewers did not enjoy. But I had no idea the ratings were gonna drop that low... Thought it would just hover around 5- 7% ratings.
It's really sad, but at least is quite popular overseas (well not as Heirs but its a second place). IU is doing a fantastic job, I love she isn't afraid of doing weird things. Even if her character is really weird.
Yes as of now. But in the long run, I think Pretty Man will make more lasting impression on international viewers. While only in its 4 episodes Pretty Man has made it into the 2nd place of this korean drama ranking site with the same percentage of vote like that of Heirs (very minimal difference), surpassing other k-dramas (most of them 0% votes) even those that are considered hits in Korea.
Agree, this story is absolutely nothing to write home about.
That said, it's a decent watch. What i will compliment this show on is its showcase of strong, fierce woman and the little(but smart) things we learn about life. Let's face it, when the synopsis first came out about this show, I scoffed at the part where they say he'd conquer several beautiful women. Okay maybe, maybe these women do end up falling head over heels in love with him, but these are independent, SMART, strong, likable women that don't get nearly enough fleshing out since show seems to be going with a woman-of-the-week format. One major issue for me is how disconnected both leads feel in terms of story and living. Ma Te seems to be embarking on this "mysterious" journey all the while learning what it's like to climb the social ladder, while Bo Tong and second lead Choi David are winning the hearts of viewers by doing their own thing. I thank Ma Te for that, because if not for his sock dilemma we wouldn't get cute Bo-Tong David moments. Everytime Ma Te comes barging in interrupting their cute no-one-understands-but-you kinda world, i sort of dislike him for it. Yup, second lead shipping syndrome leggo, and im sure I aint the only one.
The mystery is somewhat dull for me and rather predictable, but i like the characters we've been introduced to thus far.
Same here. I like Choi Davis more.
This is a rare story, and interesting. JKS's role, the character of seducing women with pretty face is unacceptable in the real life. JKS should not take this drama because his actions are all the same in Mary stay out night, Love rain, and You're beautiful. Pretty man is indicated to JKS. The director should not put LJW in the second lead who is equally handsome and more manly than JKS. So, second lead syndrome audience and idealistic audience won't happy much. I like the way LJW's expression changed whenever IU say oppa oppa. Both he and IU are cute. Han Chae-Young is prettier here than in Ad genius. Since only KBS is available in our place we have no other choice to watch on Wednesday and Thursday. I am going to watch till the end. This show is not so so great but entertaining.
The low ratings is not surprising at all. The Heirs got majority of the viewers right after Secret ended. For fans of Pretty Boy, might as well enjoy the show and just face the fact that it's being largely ignored by the Korean viewing public.
Don't worry we are enjoying the show. In fact not only the loyal fans of JKS are enjoying Bel Ami, non-eels had their share of fun as well watching it. By the way this is not the only drama being ignored by the Koreans, even Medical Top Team gets the same viewer rating. But what I'm happy about is that Bel Ami has been garnering millions of viewers via internet compare to other korean dramas that have suffered as well in ratings. And from the very beginning of production of this drama, the fact that the production has considered talking to TVN to air it, it seems not that obsessed in gaining the national (korean) viewer ratings favour. As for the other dramas with actors without that so much strong grip with overseas fans, then they have bigger problems. Well with Jang Geun Suk still hot overseas (several countries have already bought it in fact) then that helps a lot. Many fans of JKS have already face that fact after all not all of them are bunch of teenagers. But who knows, in the future strange things can happen.
secret was very lucky because they started first than heirs.. well... that's my opinion.. :)
lol other way around. Heirs is lucky Secret ended when it did.
I second your opinion, Melissa