New Ratings Low of 7.0% and 8.1% in Episode 7 of The King: Eternal Monarch Despite the Narrative Starting to Clarify and Coalese
There is A LOT packed into what Kim Eun Sook wanted to do with The King: Eternal Monarch and I’m probably going to lay the majority of the blame for this drama being her first ratings flop on her above all the other problems. Sure there are directing lacks and acting inability to deliver depth and chemistry, but I cannot got for the life of me easily watch her drama which should be an easy watch. She is not writing a dissertation, and that is not her strength, she’s about the witty dialogue, the strong OTP chemistry in personality and overcoming conflict, and above all else a core reason to care about the events unfolding. None of that is happening in The King and the ratings from domestic viewers in South Korea reflect that disconnect, this episode 7 is the lowest ratings yet with 7.0% and 8.1%.
I’m someone who thought Heirs worked if taken as a subversive twist on Boys Before Flowers type tsundere plus makjang so never saw it as a true flop but this drama will have a hard time proving itself with only a little over half remaining. But narratively it’s the strongest episode since the first episode started off so promising, if we cut the middle episodes out the leads are finally just being adult and cute with each other (forget there isn’t a logical progression for them getting there) and the drama had the best comedic sequence so far with Woo Do Hwan‘s two dopplegangers Jo Yeong and Eun Seob finally milking the parallel universe built in hijinks to the max.
Episode 7 was on its own probably the strongest episode to date but sadly the viewers are gone and likely not coming back even if the production succeeds in the directorial Hail Mary. When the drama starts to work is when it’s clear where the earlier weaknesses are – the King is disjointed like many different dramas (and genres) happening and spliced together into the same episode so nothing works still. It’s an investigative drama, a fantasy yarn, a meet cute fate romance, a bromance, a birth secret makjang, a palace inheritance fight sageuk – every time the scene switches the mood changes with it and so there is never the sense of smooth development and continuity, just jump to jump to jump. But individually I can feel it especially the strongest element which is Lee Min Ho as Sherlock Holmes as King, impassive and implacable, strong and royal, protecting his Kingdom and satiating his intellectual curiosity if this was just about his “quest” to avenge and vanquish his enemy. But throwing it with a nonexistent romantic line interrupts his story line, and it also puts the plucky cop Kim Go Eun‘s Jung Tae Eul into a wonky spot as she is perfectly cool and interesting solo in her own world but comes across stubbornly frustrating when interacting with Lee Gon. Until this episode 7, they finally just act like intelligent and thoughtful adults but I can’t forget this came with prior 6 episodes of lack of emotional growth padding. Still they are here and it is nice because I’m finally not annoyed seeing them interacting anymore. I think the final 9 episodes should be worth watching for those like me who were so excited for this drama, confused as to why it’s not good (why why, it could have been so EPIC!) and wish to see it to conclusion.
I hope it doesnt decrease anymore and keep the 8%-9% average at least.
And WOW on how tall LMH is.
6’2
Yeah its just like every time I see him on pics next to someone else I still wonder despite knowing the number haha
Cast LMH with tall actors like IJH, TY, JJS, he will look average. KGE is short. PSH is also short. No one said anything when he acted with JJH bcoz they are comparable and they look visually matched height-wise. Actors have a way to look taller by being around short actors. WDH is too short to be a bodyguard.
What’s with all the hullabaloo.
I’m really enjoying it.
Relax folks.
While a junior actors than him like Kim Soo Hyun, Song Joong Ki, Lee Jong Suk, and Joo Won already win a daesang award for their acting talent.,Lee Min Ho still couldn’t do a damn things and stay with his crappy acting..the most overrated actor Korea ever had…!
I love all the actors you mentioned but I also think lmh is a great actor as well. Watch him in City hunter and Legend of the Blue Sea.
It’s mostly writer Kes fault for underwriting his character and most of the cast, but I’ll admit it’s partially his fault too.
It’s 90 percent Kes fault but 10 percent lmh for his character.
—for Lmh next role, I would love to see him do a revenge melodrama or a thriller or star in a webtoon adaption.
@lah
Agreed!
Hopefully producers/directors will pair him with better co-stars (male or female. Just like they did in City Hunter and Legend of the Blue Sea.
Honestly speaking I think you are completely right. Actually my personal opinion says that there is no new thing in watching Lee min Ho on screen in different projects. He must be a good actor as he is getting paid well for long time (may be) but there was s nothing new about him. His every character is obvious and predictable. He always plays same type of characters like he will be rich or king or richest to richest or rich heir, having atitude (same in every role- hands back and attitude on face).he never try something new. And most importantly a actor on screen should be character on screen like nobody can say that the person in screen is x y z actor.he should be the character.but in Lee min ho’s case , when you see him on screen you find Lee min Ho on screen than the character ( kim tan,Lee gon etc.
I think the fault is not on himself 100% as he is being typecasted. When you’re being typecasted, there’s nothing that you could actually do because after all, you’re being asked to play the same kind of character. Maybe if he accepts another kind of role, only then we can compare his acting. But I would say that I like his performance in LOTBS a lot!
Well he is good in his own way!not 1/2 &1/2 but 100%
Why are you spreading false news huh?? I just googled and found that kim soo hyun, lee jong suk, song jong ki and joo won won baeksang award, not daesang award,, Lee min ho also won baeksang award,,apart from this award, lee min ho also won many other awards. So if you don’t like lee min ho, that’s fine,,no one cares for your opinion,, but you should not spread false news,, it shows you are a liar and cheap.
@Lah the reply i gave,was for your post.
@Zara lol….i said Daesang.,the highest award at year-end drama award..not baeksang! Why should i spread the false news..i just state a fact which is the other 4 got their grand award for their acting..No wonder Lee Min Ho acting sucks as hell..His fans really dumb like so clueless about what is acting skill..
@lah the four actors you mentioned did not get daesang award,, so type a post after knowing everything,, and Lee Min Ho haters are actually dumb and cheap and liar because they can even spread false news to demean him,,, actually what can they do?? They have to show their hatred and so spreading false news has become their only weapon.
@zara get your facts checked. LJS got Daesang in MBC drama awards for W, SJK got it in KBS I guess , for DOTS, KSH got it for the Producers in KBS drama awards and Joo Won got it in SBS drama awards for Yong pal.
That was a harsh comment , I though he’s a good actor. I watch many of his series and of course he also very good looking so I am a big fan.
Are you seriously kidding me…Lee Min Ho is not an overrated actor pls…his talents got him where ever he is today..
Guys relax the drama has not ended nd don’t blame the drama on Lee min ho pls
So fucking true unlike other actors you’ve mentioned ..lee Min Ho does not explore into other genres of acting .. his capability is only only playing a rich guy with handsome looks . His contemporaries have all acted in critically acclaimed dramas and movies but he is always playing safe ..taking advantage of his looks and only playing roles suitable for his looks . Let’s hope that This will be an eye opener to him to come out of his comfort zone and explore his acting capability .
It is not a flop as a lot of people are watching and anticipating this. Love Lee min ho as a king. I love him in all his roles from Mackerel run as a ordinary student, BOF as a rich chaebol, Personal taste as a pretending gay man, Cityhunter as a ruthless assasin, Faith period drama as a brave warrior, heirs as an underage student (great acting by the way bec he was in his late 20s when he did this role). Gangnam blues when he went down and dirty as a poor gangster. then LOTBS where he as a conman. There is also bounty hunter.
He has acted on so many kinds of roles. It is kind of unfair to say that he only acted rich all the time. I suggest you guys take time to watch his other series and see for yourself all the roles he acted in before commenting further. It is really funny for people to comment when they have no idea what they are talking about in the first place. Kindly do your research first.
You mean how short Kim Go Eun?
With the storyline coming together, it’s a must watch, I’m enjoying this show very much.
Im really enjoying this drama
I thought episode 7 was one of the weakest because it spent half the show explaining and filling in the flashback when it could had done so on episode 6. So it drags and the investigations were so boring.
The second half was essentially a filler half until Luna shows up.
I still see prime minister is being underutilized. Why is she even on the show? To be a jealous, lovelorn female lead? Where’s the strong independent woman I was expecting from the beginning of the show?
The villain barely graced our screens
There were numerous comedic scenes but they weren’t executed well due to the directing and not the writer fault, at least in those scenes.
There were also bright spots like Shin Jae, so far it’s only his character that is written well. I could care less about most of the other characters, it’s not the actors but it’s the writing. Their characterizations are written so poorly.
Episide 8 looks promising
Where is EVERYTHING we were expecting BEFORE the dramas airing? tell me that…
Deep disappointment! This was one of my most anticipated dramas of this year.
It’s called HYPE!
Artemis these people were just waiting for d chance.
Lee Min Ho character is not exciting enough. His is a little bit boring and he is not acting the same way with other actress he was with. Not much action on his part.
It is now episode 8, waiting for a chance? If it is 3-5, I can still understand. They just under-deliver. Big-names in writing, producing and acting couldn’t save any dramas, if they can’t find their focus
episode 6 and 7 has delievered. u have made a narrative and u gonna stick to it.
I’m just watching bcoz of Lee min ho.. A lot of unnecessary scenes..uts just remain half way to end but a lot of things to be revealed.. Hopefully I don’t get disappointed ending.. Huhu
I agree… Their characterization was written poorly
1st 4 episodes set the narrative and momentum in a 16 episode series. I think this drama is already done for and it will be very difficult to save at this point.
If not for LMH’s popularity and KES brand, it would be in the sub 5% range in ratings.
Heirs was stupid but I enjoyed the fluff and have rewatched it since. I was able to finish Vagabond (despite it being so underwhelming, zero plot and Suzy’s acting).
But this is just so so boring that I gave up trying to watch. Everything looks great on paper but nothing works on screen.
U just jump to ep 7..its make sense though.. I also just watching bcoz of Lee min ho
Sometimes over-hyped dramas have a tendency to fail if the writing is a mess, the chemistry is barely there and not having well fleshed out supporting characters. Smaller non hyped dramas with great acting, directing and writing could get incredibly low ratings as well. It is a combination of luck I suppose. I am watching TKEM and I Remember You / Hello Monster at the same time. I ended up dropping TKEM until all the episodes dropped in Netflix coz I was so sucked into the world of Park Bo Gum’s tragic bromance with Seo In Guk, Jang Nara’s Cha Ji An strong female detective role. She played it so superbly with an understated classiness that I don’t want the drama to end. The nature versus nurture theme of a psychopath was so well fleshed out that I don’t miss the grandeur of TKEM. JNR’s lady cop contrasted so much with Kim Go Eun’s portrayal of a female detective. Cha Ji An has to be the strongest female role ever written even if she constantly getting bashed up but she flipped her role at the end to be the stronger one. There wasn’t a single lip kiss until the last episode but I feel the tension and chemistry right throughout the drama between Cha Ji An and Lee Hyeon. Now that is superb acting. If only Kim Eun Sook can write rich compelling multi-dimensional characters like that in TKEM. I even sympathised and drawn to the murderers and serial killers coz they humanise the villains as well as abused kid. No CGI special effects or big budget but I was sobbing like a kid at all the confrontation between Min and Hyeon and Ji An’s discovering her father’s fate. I still wish well for TKEM though. Let’s hope Kim Eun Sook treats her co-writers better so the good ones don’t leave. Shades of Jung So Min’s writer character who is doing the heavy lifting while the main writer gets all the glory in Because This is My First Life.
@Kimchi Ajumma
Agreed. I’ve always felt that Hello Monster/I Remember You is one of the best Kdramas I’ve ever watched; love the bromance between SIJ and PBG. The bond between the brothers was so immersive it even overshadowed the shoe-horned romance. It left an indelible impression on me; I’ve watched and rewatched the drama repeatedly, over the years, since it’s release in 2015. I can’t praise it enough.
@Adal, thank you so much for your vote of endorsement. You are the only commenter here who can see the talent in SIG. I found myself rewatching IRL/HM savouring every episode, doesn’t even mind if the romance is there or not, such is the acting prowess of the 3 male leads-SIG, PBG, CWY and even cameo by DO was impressive. I don’t understand why nobody ever takes notice of SIG’s massive talents. He is always the last casting choice for hits like Reply 97, Shopaholic Louis and HM/IRY. Perhaps K-nets are still blaming him for not completing his military enlistment which is not fair. It’s not like you can fake his foot condition which my sister has too. It has no cure and needs constant management for the pain and not aggravating it. Despite all the hate SIG suffered, he never complains, never media-play and best of all, he chooses his projects strategically. This guy deserves tons of awards. Interestingly, So Ji Sub won Best Actor for Oh My Venus in KBS Awards Night in 2015 which I felt should go to SIG’s performance in HM/IRY. At least PBG got some recognition for his Min role.
SIG is very versatile. I admire his choice of projects, the way I admire Park Seo Joon’s. They are constantly challenging themselves to do different genres of projects, that display their huge acting range. SIG is a chameleon, I look forward to more projects of his.
I just hope cast stays strong. It must be disheartening bcoz they are shooting for 7 months. Though lmh gaineed like 100 k insta followers in 15 hours, same for kge but i think the damage is done in korea. As startting few weeks were crucial and episodes were too slow paced with loopholes which turned the initial viewers away.i loved the ep 7 especially normal scenes and no fight acenes between the leads and talking like normal couple. First 15 mins were quite bad bcoz investigation was unnecessary there. I loved wdh scenes today lol. Anyways i will still support then bcoz actors r giving their all❣
yep! exactly…
I agree just watching to support the Actors I’m so sad got this drama
Also other good thing i will take is lmh posted kge pics on insta. First time he did for his co star lol. And their ivs r adorable together. Kge keeps blushing with him❣❣❣❣❣❣❣. I wont be surprised with some news coming out soon❣❤❤❤❤❤
For publicity of course, to increase TKEM ratings
I think the director or script writer should make strong bonding and love between the king and his love..maybe the narration is too long
One problem is some scenes dragged like first 15 minsbyesterday. Investigation didnt make sense and frankly boring .
And scenes feel dis connected. It id whwre pd is lacking
Long narration is not a problem if the cast can deliver strong acting and chemistry. Plus, the director fail to steer the whole production crew and cast in a proper direction.
@LPY
The Male Lead Cant Act. What can you expect?
@Joane, some people can’t get over the facts
Am I the only one that think this drama is watchable and nothing significantly wrong with it? It’s just unfortunate that its airing time match with World of the Married that create so much hype. And now everyone having fun bullying LMH, KGE, KES and SBS. It’s a conspiracy created by JTBC I think..
Sadistic haters love to see big A listers underperforming so they can mock them to come out edgy on internet. Let them. Every actor faces such situation in career. Tough times come and go
@ady
look what we got here
so you do believe in tough time! cause I clearly remember you bashing and naming actors/actresses for low ratings in their previous drama. like what? cant day have tough time?
yeah ye know, its called KARMA
and I just love it.
I got nothing. Rofl writing karma as name isnt gonna do a thing here. Actors job is initials and profit which he did. Not ky fault ur fave sequel got cancelled and has no profi making capabilities. Forever a showpiece
But I am not a sadistic hater nor have any problem with pd,writer,actors “personally”.Yet it’s not my cup of tea anymore.
You can blame my years and years investment as an audience to kdrama land!!! Lol!
@mou i can understand who is criticizing and who is hating. even i had problems with first 2 weeks but imo from episode 6 it has picked up
Not same time slot. World of Married air time is 50 mins later. TKEM fans should stop using World of Married as excuse for its low ratings. It’s evident Korean viewers do not like TKEM.
Noone is using it. Only 15 to 20 mins clash.thr wom is indeed national drama. Some people r misinformed
“It is an conspiracy created by JBTC” is a sign that people is using ANY highly-rated drama to bash it. As much as I dislike TWOM for the stress, it is pointless to blame it as a competitor, especially when it is now being nominated for so many awards for the upcoming Baeksang category.
@lex
Although the actors do deserve a few criticism, they however definitely do not deserve to be mocked.
The writer and the directors and the editors deserve to be chastised, they wasted talents.
—next time they should have just delay airing the show if they knew they had many problems that needed time to fix. Originally i thought it was going to be aired over the summer but they surprisingly released it earlier. Bad call. Horrid decision. Good things come to those who are patient.
Maybe they thought releasing it during the lockdown would bring more views as more people are staying home.
@nippon
You are probably right, their gamble failed. People always want top quality work, people are intelligent.
They underestimated.
—if they waited longer, maybe Monarch would had done better in ratings. The writing would probably still be bad but at least the editing would be better.
@karmaaa btch how may ids u need lmao? Atleast ky fave made sure it makes profit. And briugh initials. Not his problem if director n writers fails. Whereas the other one failed to bring profit initial. Loss venture
@ady
you make me laugh kid.
thats exactly what I meant. Its not actors/actresses fault if the project is miserable due to pd/writer/other leads, better not to bash anyone for one or two bad projects.
this is life babe.
Hope u got ur lesson.
I need no lesson. Mu fave will do fine. If some r incapavle of profit i will movk lmh job is to bring that and he did. Lmaoo. What t u even talking about? There is no karma edgy idiot
haha so you measure actors/actresses by their recent ratings?
LMHs current star power must be 7% then (since you dont count previous projects here)
Star power is initial which is double dihit plus profit which king amdr pre airing bcoz of him. After first week story matters. Not his problem. Ur fave didnt hace initial star power nor profit capabilities
@Karma
Big word, Karma!!!!! lol
@lex
what a delusion to think that JTBC would create something like conspiracy blah blah. The main reason why the ratings are bombing is because of Lee Min No, hes a mediocre actor. Hia acting is not even passable.
@Joane I’ve bashed Ji Chang Wook and Kim Yoo Jung here before, but at least those two are GOOD actors unlike the guy who’s been acting for 17 years lol. Hope that Convenience Store drama outperforms The King Eternal Chaebol so his cocky fans can shut up.
@marie
Tbh, im not a fan of the Male Lead.(his acting was so overt the top in MMS, so bash him all you want! ) but im highly anticioating the release of CSSB because of YJ. and they seem to have strong On screen Chemistry.
in terms of domestic rating, It will definitely OUTPERFORM the not so King eternal Monarch.
You are not the only one. I quite enjoy this drama. Always look forward to a new episode
You’re not the only one. I’m an international fan from Nigeria and TKEM is making it big in my country, it’s always on the Top 10 list on Netflix, and yesterday it was No. 1 on Netflix. If Korea doesn’t appreciate this story, international fans are loving it!!!! I love the chemistry between KGE and LMH, I love WDH’s acting on both sides, he’s so funny and refreshing. I love the suspense, eps 7 and 8 were so good. I’m looking forward to next week.
I think u r too harsh in kge. She is rocking luna’s role too.
@ady
It was actually refreshing that you’re finally admitting that this drama is weak and now done in Korea, then you started with your tantrums again, calling people names.
These are people’s opinion which you cannot control, dictate, impose, stop. Get over it. Write your opinions all you want, nobody’s stopping you. But to get all work up because we do not agree with you is ridiculous.
@mindy u r one hypocrite who repeat same bs over n over. I thibk it is done bcoz of writers and lack of direction. Though drama has picked uo intial weeks did the damage. And starting 15 kins with kkn drama was tereible to watvh. Next 57 mins were awesome bcoz that boring thing wasnt there
And i will argue on public forum n call out haters like u. Only koalas can stop me when she doesnt let me post many times bcoz she is scares of opjnion against her
@ady
Re read your answers to me and be honest to yourself. Or better yet, be kind to yourself and get over it. The drama is horrible. The drama is done. For the money they injected into this project, it’s mediocre at best. Get over it and stop calling people names. Gosh, you call me a hater. What do you call yourself then? You’re like the female lead, overacting.
I’d add a bit more of chemistry between 2 lovers it would do great. I Love the idea of parrallel universes since I’m writer myself. The transition between universes could be more sophisticated as it would add a bit more of glamour flash to the action. The edges shall be less stiff. Also I would add some classic music to some episodes. Accent the romantic scenes with gently touch of music. I wish I could be more of help to your success.
Winning a “Daesang” does not mean you are necessary “great”. Quantity does not mean quality but I agree lee fake nose is a “poser” and not an actor. As a fan of manga and Anime City Hunter I thought he was pure shit at impersonating Ryo Saeba character on the screen. Never struck me as a chameleon since he sports the exact same expressions and mannerisms in BOF, CH and Heirs for example. Overrated he definitly is.
Exactly. People here always calling out the females when they are modeling/posing instead of acting, but rarely the males who do the same. The King Eternal Chaebol (Lee Min Ho) is the prime example of this. His fans will do anything to excuse him. Not a fan of Kim Go Eun, but she’s not doing bad enough for all the extreme criticism she is getting. I remember in early articles, they were pushing all the blame onto her saying LMH deserved a better female lead.
Fact is everything from the acting and chemistry of BOTH leads, directing, and writing is subpar. At least Kim Go Eun is acclaimed in some her movies, but LMH will always just be hallyu popular but never respected.
Done with episode 7. Although it fell flat and bored me at many places,but the pace was picked up towards the end . With new revelations we can finally understand LG ‘s worries and the stakes that are associated with it. Even the preview of episode 8 looks exciting. But I won’t expect too much as I was already tricked once while watching episode 5 preview and got disappointed.
Leaving all the negative points aside, I have started enjoying KGE’s performance these days especially when she is not with LG(still not able to digest their chemistry).As a cop, she has done some good job and Luna’s character is there too.I never thought much about her but she is indeed very beautiful and represent traditional korean beauty with monolid eyes.
Her character in Goblin annoyed me so much and I kind of had a disliking towards her.I should have watched her in projects other than Goblin .
LMH is okay but m not able to connect with him .
Maybe his character seems too far fetched. It doesn’t feel like he is a real human being in a real world but rather coming out from storybooks.
And don’t tell me the PM is wasted to play a useless second fiddle even when she has so much power. The writing sucks ..
Regarding lmh character. I think the character demands him to be one. A royal is someone who lives a life like this and has to carry the aura of royal. That seems different from normal human. Not fighting with u but starting other pov.
And pm is ppwerful but she needs permission from king in the end. She wants ultimate ppwer and evil unlve send her news of korea. I think she will join hands with him
I only like kge when she’s interacting with Shin-Jae, with everyone else, I’m not feeling it.
—her and joyoung she underacts, she overacts when she is with eun seop. She and prime minister, I feel nothing, not even tension.
I’m excited to see more of Luna, I hope she’s as interesting as how I imagined it in my mind.
I agree KES drama’s charms are the leads chemistry and witty dialogue (thats why I love secret garden!!), but here KGE and LMH had 0 chemistry, the plot is confusing, and missed a lot of fun parts
I hope KES came back with more ‘easy to watch’ drama because that’s her strong point, because I doubt write something like Mr. Sunsine again, that’s her peak for her ‘serious’ drama, it’s obvious she cant write something like that again with how flop the king is
KES works better with PD Lee Eung Bok.
Agree
kim go eun had better chemistry with PHJ in CITT . i haven;t seen much chemistry with other hero even though as a individual actor she is best. but chemistry wise she is lacking with co actors. in goblin the two male leads had more chemistry .
I am agree with you, KGE has the best chemistry with PHJ in CITT and TKEM is her worst chemistry with her OTP so far. I watched majority of her works, she does movies better than drama.
Everything thing I wanted to say is expressed in the above article. A lot was expected by this Serial but it is a disappointment . Lee Min Ho has portrayed his character well.The female lead has no expression on face.. Not able to connect either with the plot nor with the characters.
Totally agree. and this comment makes me want to re watch citt again. She didnt only have the chemistry with PHJ but also the 2nd lead. And even with NJH.
I guess, even a good soccer player, wont make a goal without his crew. So, this is a team work. I wont blame the actors alone.
But leeminho… reading the comments above, i just realized that he hasnt got daesang yet. He needs to take another role, a pshycho maybe??
I think KGE just needs a well written character for immersing herself in the role. Both in Goblin and the king her character was written shabbily but in citt she had a very well written character so it was her best performance so far in dramas
I was actually interested in the story earlier.. The plot intrigued me. I liked the actors too.. Everything was fine.. But then when I actually watched it everything seemed all over the place.. Also the romance was a huge turn off for me. LMH was just like the King version of Kim Tan obsessed after the FL since first meet. The characters didn’t make me a bit interested in them. Whereas in “world of married” I was unfamiliar with the actors and was not much into the infidelity topic but wow the way the episodes are written just keep me so hooked. I can’t believe this was the best kdrama watch in 2020 for me
These actors and actresses let their acting speak for themselves, as compared to the ones in the King. Plus, the production team does their job well, with proper leadership and a good sense of direction.
actors r doing fine job. their fault if script fails? they wil act how director ask them to? they r good but if direction fails. wom is wel made and durected drama. actors cant do a thing if script and direction susk. stop blaming thm everywhere ike a obsessed hater
Lol adyjunjihuyn is such a hypocrite. When her fave’s drama is flop, it’s writer, director’s fault when the lead acting here is weak too. If his ex’s drama is flop, it’s “woozy” fault, she’s blaming the poor girl for months like what she state, “obsessed hater”. I’m not Suzy’s fan, just happen to read a lot of hate comments in several post and found this is so funny, like someone above said, karma does exist
A drama or movie’s success depend on the acting, directing and writing. This drama you can see these three factors fail badly. Plus, they even have to bring in two new directors to save it.
You can sell all the big names and the writer here, but at the end of the day, if you can’t meet these three criteria, the drama will suffer and the ratings is the proof of that. No buzz or fuzz are made by the actors or actresses till the drama is on. They deliver the goods and were rewarded in baeksang nominations and ratings.
Acting is fine. Writing sucked till episode 5 as well as direction and it has picked uo but damage is done in initial weeks. My point is u r blaming actors all d time when they r doing good job simply say u wanna bash them
Big names vrough initial ratings which was double digit weeknd and profit but if acript fails actors cant do anything. Actors met their criteria. Other departments failed. U r outring actors at stake here.
Actors delivered the hood in well made drama and got nominated. Simple. U people also fojnd kim gi eun horrible in goblin and she landed bakesang bcoz goblin was loved simple
So stop acting like that ur opinion on acting is final word
@ ady nope.KGE didn’t get a BAEKSANG for Goblin.Had she gotten one for her role as Eun Tak my belief in Baeksang would have vanished into thin air. She won the Baeksang Best New Actress award for Cheese IN the trap. That’s why I said I should have watched her in a different drama than Goblin. But here I think she is doing fine especially in the latest episodes.
Correct me if I’m wrong. Vagabond’s ratings are slightly higher than TKEM’s.
For episode 7 of VB it was 7.5,9.5,11.4
with an avg of 9.46.
For King the avg will be 7.55.
Can anyone explain why Donald Trump exists in the parallel world??.I mean everyone has different names and professions in the two worlds but is it not applied to other countries????.
Also Eun Seop has two twin siblings but there is no existence of them in the other world as Jo Yeong’s parents got divorced.But isn’t it unfair as everyone has got a doppleganger so why break the rule now ..even LG had one.
Maybe I missed something cause too much informations are thrown out and it is hard for my brain to process it that too in one single sitting.?
Actually donald trump exist in korea. Pm’s mother has connections with evil uncle it was hinted in past and she send korean newspaper to prime minister in corea( most probably he gave it to her or someone who crossed portal) . That is why she called it fiction. Evil uncle wants her in his team i guess.
Oh now I remember PM said something like “Did Donald Trump became the president of US?” .Maybe she was surprised cause in the parallel world there is a different US president and she may not know who Donald Trump actually is.I can’t imagine what Donald Trump’s doppleganger might be doing in thw parallel world.??? Anyways thanks..but I think the one spying for LL is Shinjae’s mother’s doppleganger in the parallel world. I m not sure though whose mother she is cause I can’t differentiate..?Just a guess.
@ady I knew that news paper was from evil uncle but I was just surprised by the fact that PM seemed to know Donald Trump. But now as I remembered what she said it is pretty clear that they have a different US president and she doesn’t know who he is.
The newspaper came from the republic that’s why the PM was surprised and called it fake news.
Yeah I was surprised at the twist of Eunseop’s twin siblings being only in the republic. I feel like it’s an important information that will be explained later: perhaps they are something like a paradox that formed because of the constant use of the flute to travel between the two worlds?
the drama isn’t that bad but utterly disappointing because of the hype.
it’s definitely watchable, just not memorable as smart show
agree. repeat value is lacking
I think the problem with this drama is that it’s too much fantastical stuff mixed together which makes it too divorced from reality. Parallel worlds, Korean king in a modern monarchy, time travel, evil uncle. It’s too much.
I think the parallel worlds/dopplegangers thing would have been interesting if they focused on that plotline deeply and exclusively (like W, While You Were Sleeping, Memories of the Alhambra).
Instead, they had to also make him a king so he could look pretty in his kingly clothes…it would have been more relatable if he were an ordinary person. And they had to add time travel and evil uncle (why do you even need an extra conflict when the parallel worlds is already a huge conflict?) It makes everything too messy and unrelatable.
People compare it to CLOY, but CLOY only had a CGI tornado to get the story started.
would the covid-19 pandemic be one of the causes why the production value of this kdrama is disappointing? maybe they had some restrictions/constraints and was not able to execute the scenes the way they originally wanted to? i read about the japanese warships and the director apologized and also said they they had constraints with shooting on the original locations that they wanted.
I’m sure covid-19 caused them to change production plans, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be coming up with better alternatives. As a production that had a huge amount of money invested in it, they should’ve had back up plans.
I think there is a lack of attention to detail with this show, and even the production team may have been hoping to cover things up with the reasoning that it is a fantasy show. However, even fantasy shows need to be grounded in something for them to work. World building is essential to a fantasy show, but this one failed to do that. Also, this is not fully a fantasy, but historical fantasy. When you create something that has real historical elements, but don’t do the research/pay attention to detail, you set yourself up for criticism.
Many dramas like the on-going Hospital Playlist were made during the Covid-19.Yet, they still deliver in terms of acting, directing and writing. It goes to show how important planning and having an alternative plan/s to face unplanned emergency. Oh yeah,Hospital Playlist is not a major/big budget drama like TKEM, as proved when one of its cast members decide to take on a 30% cut on his paycheck. However, it did not stop the drama from landing a double digit rating for a couple of weeks now. It has no super duper popular stars like LMH, although I heard that it was produced/directed the Reply 1998 drama.
I’ve just watched EP7. It’s starting to be interesting again. I think some parts of this episode should have been in EP2, it would have kept the audience’s interest, especially on LMH as King. Some scenes in EP2 to EP6 seemed to be unnecessary if KSE wanted to showcase a tight storyline with great entertainment value. They better write and execute meatier scenes for LMH, otherwise, this drama seems to be a showcase for KGE’s talents.
but really, KES already owes LMH and his worldwide fandom for carrying the futile hopeless story she has written. this would be a flop without them for sure.
LMH got millions to support him, he doesnt need KESs name in his projects.
I dont want her around any of my faves unless she renews her writing skills which are tottaly unbearable at the moment.
For a drama to be great, all three need to be in harmony – directing (including editing here), acting, and writing. However, this drama lacks in all areas. It is not the absolute worst drama ever, but it is a very disappointing drama based on budget, writer, and cast. The broadcast slot is also a pretty good one because not much competition, and SBS has had success with it since they created it.
In the end, I think SBS may get the worst end of the bargain. They need to sell ads, but the drama has such negative press and ratings are mediocre. SBS also paid a lot of money to secure broadcast rights. On the other hand, the production company already made their money by selling rights, the star writer has way more successful projects than not so she will be fine, and the actors will be fine since majority of them are well-known already anyways. I’m just sad that this is Woo Do Hwan’s last project before the army.
Woo Do Hwan completed military service years ago, girl, where have you been? lol.
Yours is the measured and objective view of the performance of this drama – sure, it can trend on twitter and netflix but actors and networks don’t sign a KES drama just for internet buzz and follower count, they do it because KES drama guarantees solid, 20+ percent RATINGS on Korean tv and the advert ₩₩₩ that comes with that.
Every single drama of hers up to now has managed it, that this one can’t do it is definitely a sign of underperforming after all the hype.
I think you may need to recheck your facts. Woo Do Hwan is entering the military this year. This is his last project before the military, which is why his fans (me included) are sad. At least it’s a well-known drama, and if anything, he isn’t getting as much hate for his dual roles. Just glad he had My Country: The New Age before this one. For me, his strongest and most memorable role.
@Spark – my mistake, I misremembered him being in some pann lineup of actors who already served in the military.
Episode 7 is more interesting i thought. Plus i wanted to see Luna’s character evolved. I think i like her persona here more than her other cop character. To me whoever saved LMH from the beginning should take his heart and i think it might be Luna. She’s her hero and not the cop.
Best movie ( series) I have viewed in a long time. Interesting, magical, thought provoking. Mesmerizing.
Excellent acting.
Wonderful character development. Excellent acting. Again
Intro is beautiful. Unique. I watch the intro every time
I do hope the ratings for this programs INCREASE!!!. THANK YOU for this creative experience
@karin
what k drama are you watching? im interested to know, i will watch it too. lol.
Lol
I really liked the last two episodes! WDH’s characters can finally shine as a badass bodyguard and wacky guard. It’s crazy that their scenes are so funny and he’s playing them alone.
KKN was great in the son-mother scenes and the last one when he realized he already knew Lee Gon.
??
Episode 8 was really good!
Yes it really was! Loved KGE as Luna and KKN was such a scene stealer! He’s such a delight to watch and so natural in his acting! That ending scene was really something!!
When the ratings are under-performing, LMH fan says it because of bad writing, but when the same happens for others, it’s because of ZERO STAR POWER??? I have to laugh. Just admit that he can’t carry a crappy drama to success unlike some of his male counterparts.
LMH fan said single digit average means no star power. Well…
Ratings are down to 6.1% today, that’s like 2-3% on cable.
@marie
Yes, i can still remember that.
(clap clap clap)
@marie
I’m laughing with you.
Lee Min No Nos and Kim No Eun fans blame the drama’s directors, Editors, writers, COVID, Netfix, the world of married including the network, Cinematographers and, Supporting actors for its decreasing viewership rating. they blame everone except the Leads who obviously did not have chemistry and Cant Act.
im excited to find out who will they blame if the dramas rating continues to down trend.
Plus, there are those who make fun of the dramas with actors that are less famous than LMH, but in the end, these dramas went on to make waves in the end, with high ratings.
Ep7-8 is the best since the drama started
Thank goodness – they should have started the drama with the doppelgänger storyline without pushing the romance first. It’s so much fresher and funnier
Maybe too late in the game but better late than never
The editing is better, story is clearer
I Guess change of staff does work
I am enjoying yeong being in Korea and interacting with his doppelgänger- it’s hilarious!
I quite enjoy this drama some part are really fun! personal I like Kim go eun’s acting. Hopefully the rate will getting better and better!
Honestly I hope these Actors and other Actors take this as a learning lesson to study their scripts before taking a project from a writer . Not everything is good to accept just because the person is a good writer you should know your comfort level as an Actor and the roles you can successfully play. Honestly Park Seo-joon can play any role he is a rush taker and I admire him taking on different characters you just can’t box him in. I wish more for my #1 Actor LMH to get another drama and to try something outside the box other than rich or the wealthy guy and show his the true acting skills I know he has . I will always support him?????
I completely agree with you. He needs to take on other roles like an average guy. He doesn’t always have to be stoic, rich and handsome. Get rough and dirty then we can see your range as an actor and appreciate your ability. Have we ever seen him cry in a drama? I can’t recall.
People that say LMH’s too goodlooking to play average roles are just giving him an excuse. We have male god visual actors like Gong Yoo, So Ji Sub, Jung Woosung taking on roles as a teacher, working in construction, or poor and dirty. LMH can definitely do it too if he tries.
well one or two drop of tears in LOTBS before the kiss scene is what I remember at the moment. and some similar scenes. CLEARLY thats not what you meant. why would he cry anyway? he is most often the rich guy reaching his happy ending by a few episodes. no need to cry over it lol
I hope he takes different roles from now on.
@kx SERIOUSLY?!
Ive never heard that. well ppl havent seen him on these roles. and what? a good looking guy cant be a employee for example?
But LMH was an average guy in Personal Taste and City Hunter
Have you watched him in as a
poor and dirty gangster in Gangnam blues ?
or assasin in Cityhunter ?
or as a tough warrior in Faith ?
or as a gay architect in Personal taste?
or as a conman in LOTBS?
or as a bounty hunter in bounty hunter?
Yes I’ve seen him cry in Heirs, BOF, LOTBS and Gangnam blues.
I think you should do your research first?
Hey guys I watch this drama with English subtitles, Korean is not my language but after having been watch so many k-dramas it’s kind cool. I guess people complaining about the dropping drama ratings, they were not expecting parallel words getting entangled… LMH is playing cool, joining back into acting after a long break… It’s not his fault they paid him to act as a young King. It’s a different thing comparing LMH’s acting in this series with his previous works I think that’s not fair. Hey Lee Min Hoo a big fan of yours from Pakistan. Cheers hope next episodes will get better. And good comparison Mr. Writer 🙂
are you persian?!
auh sorry dude, my mistake,I just read ur from pakistan
Too bad k-viewers are loosing interest, but 7-8 are the best episodes to date. Story is clearer, we’re finally getting answers to those confusing episodes. Young and Nari’s interaction—so cute! Lol
Excessive product placement aside lol.
the flop is absolutely due to writing-KES’ biggest flop. Her past writing was okay and really over hyped, but this is a big “booo”. After ep.8, I’m still confused.
this is not exactly a flop yet and I hope it wont be one by the end.
just not good enough and far away from everyones expectations
Episodes 7 and 8 are the best to date. I’m glad the drama is focusing on the ripple effects of the parallel universe and less on the enforced romance. If they had done so from the beginning and made the romance secondary to the parallel universe story and its ripple effects, this drama would have been as appreciated as W- Two Worlds was, and would have been a hit. I feel sad about how sloppily the first 4 episodes were executed because it really did major damage to the drama. KES has a story to tell, too bad the acting, editing and direction were subpar at the beginning of the drama.
Hi yes I agree … I binged watched W two worlds apart now that was gripping I need to get to end kept you on the edge of your seat I have not seen 7&8 yet like to watch to parts together so don’t lose the thread I will watch to end …
Agree, ep 7-8 are best to date since ep 1. Maybe there is hope for this drama after all. Nevertheless, I will continue watching. 🙂
Hoping for more ……
Honestly, I love this drama. I agree that that the first few episodes were a bit confusing and didn’t get you on the hook right away. But you cannot judge it on face value. It’s not your stereotypical drama, the actors said it themselves. Yes, it takes a bit to get used too, and it’s not the actors or the screenwriter’s fault. The whole concept of this drama is hard to digest in the first few episodes, so we the audience get to understand it we are taken upon multiple scenes between the two parallel universes to kind get a sense of it. The characters are developing in each episode, which many people call it a lack of chemistry, but that’s far from the case. For example, Kim Go Eun’s character is a hot-headed rational cop, meanwhile, Lee Min-ho is a king from a whole other universe. They’re literally opposite. It shouldn’t be expected for them to get on by the first few episodes. It’s a matter of progress and character development. We can see this in each new episode.
Anyway, this drama so far has been great and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Please, give it shot and don’t let it flop, just because it’s a bit different.
I think from the begining..wrong female lead, it is just doesnt seem compatible and we viewers couldnt feel the strong chemistry. Honestly ..i dont want to think too hard while watching a drama, this one makes me think a bit.
Hi I am from Scotland UK Please please don’t blame the actors remember they are making a living too, and if they refuse apart how long will it be before offered another part a type casting part might be all they are offered. Our dramas are mostly 6-8 parts long there has been few longer that and believe you me they get have hyped up at least a month before released and show the best bits to suck you in – you watch it and to the end and think really that was not that good But you want to get to end as you desperate to find out… saying that it not the first time I have stop half way through – but I would never blame the Actor’s – I have watched lots of Asian drams period, love, funny ones (as long as there English Subs) and believe it or not better than our TV …..
All of the casts from The King are all doing their best. I find it odd why some Koreans are badmouthing this drama. Hello Koreans, you should be proud of your dramas! It put your country into the Korean wave. Be proud of this contribution from your fellow Koreans. BOF and LMH put you guys on the Korean wave.
This drama is actually exceptionally good. Actors and actresses are delivering fantastically. The main events are all interrelated and are filled with good symmetry that it traps the audience into wanting to see more.
It is unfair to blame actors for a drama failing. Lee min ho has tried various genres. City hunter, faith, blue sea & won awards for almost all the dramas he starred in. See his acting in the film, gangnam blues If you think he can’t act.He is far from rich in the movie. His acting has always been brilliant. Boys over flowers wouldn’t be what It is If min ho was not in It. Even in the king, he is rega,and the most Interesting scenes are the ones he is in. But,If the drama or character does have anything Interesting to offer, what can the actors do. Also, about the chemistry in the king, he does the romantic scenes beautifully, but the actress is not a good match with him.
Hi i agree it depends on who you get partnered with that’s makes it great I will look for gangman blues to watch as I love Lee Min-ho. Boys over Flowers was brilliant and for me it’s difficult re actors actress When I got Netflix and first one I watched was Ice fantasy followed be Eternal Love I then googled actors/actress to see what other dramas been in and have just went from there or watch ones that had been recommended to me – I watch Dr Who in the UK and a woman Dr Who is not for me have watched this Season but don’t think I will watch next season’s so yes it depends who gets the part
This is actually an artistically done drama. The visuals are extremely impressive. The complex plot is done that is enough to entice and catch people’s attention to continue watching it.
I personally like the chemistry between the two lead actor and actress. The way Leeminho gaze intently at the actress is enough to bring shivers down to my spine. I’m impatiently and anxiously waiting for the next broadcast.
This link has been very biased from the start which doesnt give a good critic to a good story. Eunsook has been well laid artist of detsils. For us viewers we dont care of the percentage of viewers as THE KING Ethernal Monarch has not ended yet.
Yes, I am watching and eagerly awaiting the next chapters of the story. I love how the story twisted and unfolds. I don’t know why they don’t give credit to the magnificent and exciting plot. It takes a great deal of imagination from the writer to be able to come up with the ideas from scratch. Let us all respect all the talents and resources that put together this extraordinary show.
@Adal, it’s really nice of you to acknowledge and celebrate SIG’s talents. I agree, whenever I watch his dramas, I only remember his own unique stamp on the characters he played like the ridiculous Chang-Mo character in his acting debut in Love Rain. You don’t see the Superstar K winner shy boy in that character. His brooding Yoon Yoon Jae is vastly different from hapless puppy dog shopping king Louis. From a sageuk prince in King’s Face to tortured soul Kim Moo Young, SIG never fears the occasional flop as well. Like you, I am looking forward to more future projects of SIG and PSJ no matter how long it takes. I am starting to respect PSJ more and more too as I observe his growth.
I personally love TKEM,
I loved the chemistry of the leads.
I personally think that the writer was brilliant in conceptualizing the parallel universe plot. I love everything about this drama actually. People are dissing this drama but actually, it takes a genius to think about something like this plot. We should give credit to the creative mind of the writer who was able to give birth to this plot and the hard working and talented actors esp LMH and KGE. Entralled with this drama and nothing is going to keep me from watching it till the end!
I agree that the writer is a genius with how she laid out this plot. Too bad people are sourgraping and actually believeing all this BS and can’t see the genius behind this. Just like Harry Potter at first, I am able to appreciate the creative minds on how the complicated plot can come to life. Love this series actually. Not your ordinary stereotype series. Actors and actresses are all beautifully dressed and have the skills to act their role out. Too bad ignorant people cannot appreciate the unique plot. cinematography, artistry and talents of this series. Instead they are ranting that they can’t understand it, duh?!? What’s not to understand, that’s why it is a fantasy romance series where you can be transported to another universe to forget about the problems in the outside world and coronavirus and just have a nice time watching the series and the actors.
I love the The King Eternal monarch.
Everything from the storyline, actors, costumes, places, visuals. Genius! Nobody can write it the way this writer can. Loving all the casts too! They are all way good. I am excited for the next episode. Will get ready to watch with the whole family with popcorns
Lee min Ho and Kim Go Eun are so lovely together. I love them and hope they date in real life!!! Great chemistry and drama! Super love the series!!!
been a fan of lmh eversince boys over flowers.
he actually played a lot of genre,
from BOF, personal taste (he played an architect), City hunter (action), faith (Historical general), heirs (student), gangnam blues (poor and a gangster). pls do your research first before showing hate to our lmh. He played a lot of characters and he really played them all well to the point we, the fans are really hardcore fans.
anyway, not trying to convince anybody. Ignorance is bliss for all the haters out there!!!
All the bad reviews are biased.
Writer and plot are excellent.
It is actually quite a creative storyline actually and I don’t get why the bad reviews?
Only a handful of people are giving this show a bad review and they don’t count. I’ve seen a million good ratings and comments from people who actually are following the show. Have you ever considered how unique the storyline is? Have you ever watched a show where there is parallel universe? Give credit to the writer who was able to think about this extraordinary plot rather than bashing her. I’m not a fan of both KGE and LMH. But Im in love with the way they are acting and it makes me feel good and tingly!!! loving their romance and acting!
I’m actually excited for
the next episodes. getting all work up now that the storyline is getting interesting. Are the ratings really important? I’m hooked and can’t stop!
The actors and actresses are all doing a good job! The leads are all filled with good chemistry? Well done to the writer! Totally captivating from start to finish.
Top notch plot, extraordinary outfits, great visuals, captivating performances from all the lead actors, I even love the chemistry between Maximus
and Mr Lee that even Maximus totally adores him. Totally different and refreshing drama. Really what we need during this lockdown
and pandemic. Will continue to support this drama. Thank you for making this drama to cheer and entertain us up during this diffucult time!
Best drama I’ve ever watched so far this year. I love the complicated plot and the unknown ending. Really something to look forward to. Is the rating truly important?!? Should be the public’s opinion if they are entertained or not. Superb writing, acting, directing! Keep rocking you guys!!!