It’s impossible to hit a home run in every at bat but base hits are fine until the percentages start to decline precipitously. The stunning depths of the failure of thriller K-movie Real puts Kim Soo Hyun in the position of the first major egg on face moment in his career, which I think is totally fine and easy to overcome because all my faves have fallen on hard times or had dud projects in their resume. For example, if Gong Yoo can move beyond Big to double mega hits like Train to Busan and Goblin then anyone can come back from the worst possible project of an acting career.
What is curious to note is that both Kim Soo Hyun and Jeon Ji Hyun hit career highs with K-drama You From Another Star and since then both, and also YFAS screenwriter Park Ji Eun, have noticeably been involved with dud projects in terms of ratings. This leads me to think the key factor is screenwriter Park Ji Eun herself as Kim Soo Hyun did Producer with her and she also wrote Jeon Ji Hyun’s recent Legend of the Blu Sea. This makes more compelling the argument that YFAS really was a weak story elevated by the performance and chemistry of the leads, but then conversely said leads also better written dramas to succeed as they alone can’t bring in high ratings for a lackluster narrative.
With Park Ji Eun’s relative fall from grace with two dramas that failed to hit high ratings, this leaves only Kim Eun Sook as the behemoth screenwriter in K-drama land still consistently delivering hits for the networks.
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It’s true that good actors alone can’t always bring in the ratings. You need the right ingredients to a hit. Plot and premise of the drama, acting, chemistry and even season can affect to drama’s success. Both JJH and KSH were unable to replicate their MLFAS success because they appeared in dramas that didn’t have as great plot (also were at times overhyped) and they were riding too much on their previous success and trusted Park Ji Eun too much (who is a mediocre writer). I also think chemistry wasn’t as great as what JJH and KSH had in MLFAS.
well both of their respective performances too is lacking
I agree, they were a little lackluster to me, but international kdrama viewers keep putting them on pedestal...
MLFAS is one of the rare hit in K-drama land that occur only every few years (meaning: a drama other than kim eun-sook's drama that becomes a big hit), so it's normal that they aren't able to replicate the success easily.
JJH had Assassination right after though, and that was a major hit. While I do agree that KSH is on a downward trajectory... Hopefully his comeback drama will be a huge hit so he doesn't get labeled as a flop.
He had like 1 flop. Lmao he won't be labeled as a flop because of 1 movie. If that logic if true, then everyone's a flop in general. As well, producer hit 17% so the way I see it, that was a decent hit. Maybe not as big as they wanted but definitely not a fail by any means. Same with LOBS
Legend of the Blue Sea is merely a rehash of My Love From the Star - very unoriginal. They just switched Jun Ji-hyun's role around.
It had ratings most K-dramas can only dream of, so I wouldn't say it flop. It just didn't achieve "mega hit" status like Goblin.
Producers, while it's nowhere near a flop, doesn't deserve the Daesang award for Kim Soo-hyun. Even IU outshined him there.
No actor has 100% success. There are probably many reasons why YLFAS was so successful and their follow-up projects were not as spectacular. For example,
a) YLFAS was JJH's first drama comeback after a long hiatus so it was fresh to the audience and there was lots of anticipation. However, for LOTBS she just reprised her previous role so nothing new. People lost interest gradually. (Not that I think it does any dent in her career, she is still the much loved goddess in East Asia)
b) The story of YLFAS was different to its predecessors (at the time). I felt the writer became lazy for LOTBS.
c) YLFAS was broadcast right after Heirs and we all know how bad the writing of that drama was but it was popular too, so I felt there was lots of comparisons between the male leads and YLFAS rightly ended up comparatively more loved than Heirs.
I haven't watched Producers or Real so I can't comment on KSH's choice. We can't say he didn't go out of his comfort zone. At least he tried other things and sometimes it's a success, sometimes not. Does it harm his status in the industry? That is the question I would like to know. I still remember how much they loved him during 'METS' broadcasting period but SK seems to have so many talented and handsome actors around his age and younger, competing. Hopefully, his next project will be better.
Me too, Im a big fan of Jjh and I think Lotbs is trash, I hope next time she considers her projects well(no more sassy roles please..) I 've read before that she accepted the offer on Lotbs without reading the script first because of Park ji eun...
LOTBS is tiring for jjh bec of those underwater shots.. and the script is so bad... I wasn't happy with her comeback project and I just watch it for the sake of watching her... but I remember thinking that it has such a childish and pointless plot... now if there is no good projects for her in the near future, I think I might like it better for her to just focus on her children than wasting her time on this pointless projects..but I do hope she make an appearance and interviews once in a while "sigh" I really miss her so much...
There Koala goes again...Kim Eun Sook again?. Ok, she's a hitmaker but let's face it that her writing is nowhere better than Park Ji Eun. Does not mean that her dramas are so popular and widely received that her writing is superb. I guess too many are crazy of the cheese that she threw in even cheese dumped in dustbin lile "The Heirs".
Kim Eun Hee (Signal) is a way better writer and hit-maker too!
Agree Kim Eun Hee is a better writer and on another level compare to Kim Eun Sook. But many k-viewers and international ones buy KES cheese lol.
'Nowhere better'? Well lotbs was so meh. It was in the same level with the heirs. Just bcuz one meh drama, dont say this one is better than that one.
On air is still my fave from all KES' dramas. Second probably DOTS (it's rare to see the same social status couple. No more rich man poor woman).
Just like other mentioned, i do ljke Kim Eun Hee too. But she's still not in the same Hitmaker level as KES. Lets see her new project than.
Im a fan of producer. And even KSH didn't deserve daesang but he was good in it. And it wasnt a flop tho.
Sorry typo. *like
**then
Many saying Heirs was trash of trashes, but it was the most viewed, loved , and made their OTP the most loved , known , popular, Kartists worldwide, still up to today, after 4 years. Even DramaFever said they made them rich. I wonder why? Maybe it was the natural never seen chemistry between LMH and Park Shin Hye?!? Or ?
Heirs sucked
Because kids love that kinda of cheesy drama. No need to think, just easy romance & romance. And it's from actors that kids love so much.. Young, popular and whatever it is
KSH just need to do a good drama with Park Shin Hye, and everything will be forget. I don't see any other actress that he can work with that will create an explosive synergy, they match made in heaven, with strong work ethics, people will forget everything and just appreciate his act again. He is a good actor. And, yes good actors, I said actors, can save a bad plot, by recognized it and make intelligent changes that will benefit the projects and the artists in it, making it understandable to the public and successful. KRW and Park Shin Hye did with the drama Doctors.
I agree! Well said.
I want a drama KSH and Nam Ji Hyun ! I loved them so much in Will it snow for Christmas !
For KSH, a career has ups and downs... And if Real doesn't have succcess, it's more about the story than his acting.
Personaly, I loved Producer, it was very original and his character was so funny ! The 4 leads were great.
He has a lot of talent, so I'm not afraid for him in the future :)
Me too. I would love to see KSH and NJH again. Maybe they can do a sageuk together? I would love to see NJH in a sageuk playing the lead female. They were adorable in WISFC. I also want to see NJH with Kang Haneul as well as with Yoo Seung Ho too. I'm still sad that Suspicious Partner is over.
I actually liked Legend of the Blue Sea so I wouldn't call it a flop either. Maybe the writing towards the end was not the best but I loved it, warts and all. I couldn't get into Producer or YLFTS so maybe I'm in the minority...