K-ent Discusses How Currently Popular Stars are Doing Back-to-Back Dramas Including Ahn Hyo Seob, Lee Se Young, Song Kang, and Kim Se Jung

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• Unpopular opinion: I could use a little less "pretty boys" like Song Kang and Ahn Hyo Seob. I rather watch good actors like Kwak Dong Yeon. I don't understand why height is such a disadvantage compared to bad acting. I'm sure Song Kang and Ahn Hyo Seob are great hard working people, but other people deserve opportunities too.

  • Same sentiment exactly. Problem is their last dramas had high ratings so the offers will keep coming.

    • Not at all. Song Kang doesn’t get so many offers because his dramas have good ratings. It’s because they go viral with international fans. Nevertheless had 2% ratings but had a massive fan following. Navillera has 3% ratings but is critically acclaimed. Weather People is his highest rated drama till now at 6% but he is already so popular by then it no longer matters. If we want to look at it the Love Alarm syndrome is what set off his career and because of that one drama he’s gone from one popular project to another and also why Netflix has basically turned into his PR agency. It’s the power of streaming that made him the most in demand 20s actor in South Korea.

  • @Soph - that's not an unpopular opinion, more like popular opinion. #justice4KDY. At this point Idk what it's going to take for KDY to get lead roles. How many more times does he need to prove himself? He should've gotten cast as ML in the SOOD remake.

    • wow kdy would have acted the hell out of that role. now, i'm sad he's not the one playing it.

    • @peanut gallery, I say unpopular because obviously he still hasn't landed his first lead role. I feel like he breathes life into every character he plays!

  • I love song kang, and can watch him all day, but don't worry he is off to mandatory military very soon, so you won't see him on our screens for a couple of years

  • They both are in the near end of passable and most often just not good.

    I just feel like they should take a break an acting lesson before starting a new project. Just act good.

  • Yeah we def need to see less of Song Kang & more Kwak Dong Yeon as lead on screen cuz he's just way way better at acting than the current trending Korean actors in their 20s right now. It's a shame on these casting producers that only cast ppl just for looks rather than overall talent.

    • It's not like Kwak Dongyeon is lacking in looks...he has the entire package, so I don't get why he isn't booking lead offers. Maybe he needs a better agency...

    • @peanut gallery I agree, KDY is gorgeous and has such a unique, memorable visuals. Maybe they prefer taller actors? IDK

    • I have moved on yo Chinese Dramas because Netflix is killing Kdramas. The talent is lacking, they have di many pauses in between words making the show feel long and tiring. Finally, the shows seem to have the same story lines..

    • He did get the lead in a family drama, Never Twice

      I wonder if KDY does get some leading-man offers, but they're crappy offers and he's not being offered meaty primetime lead roles. The supporting roles he does seem carefully-selected to both be fun for him to play and showcase his skills.

      I suspect his height might be a deterrent since he is already so obviously talented, versatile, and good-looking. Also, maybe he just gets overlooked because he's been in the industry for so long (he's been acting since he was 15..) unlike the up and coming actors around his age who get all the buzz by being a fresh, new face.

  • SongKang may not be a good actor. But he definitely brings in the buzz and international audience which is the only thing that Netflix cares for. Business is business. If I am the producer, I will do the same honestly- best actors or actresses won’t get my attention, I will get actors who brings in the numbers and the money. That is why we see acting geniuses doing supporting/villain roles while mediocre actors get the lead roles and the fame. I am sure if they are honest, actors are not aiming to get the most trophies but the most money. Acting trophies are not going to pay the bills.

  • Love Kwak! Would like to see him in more leading roles.

• That’s a good thing actually! We get to see more of the actors & actresses we love. Shorter dramas with tighter writing. Really who wants to sit through obvious filler scenes or complain about plot lines dragged out? And it gives actors and actresses the opportunity to fine tune their acting skills, provided they manage their schedule well and not burn themselves out.

  • There used to be nothing wrong with the usual 16 episodes format but nowadays it is the writer's or team of writers problem that the story is not rich enough to fill an entire 16 episodes.

    So I did find shorter Netflix style episodes refreshing and easier to watch.

  • YES. Shorter better written dramas should be the norm. Twelve episode dramas are good for some genres but 16 episodes make for fully fleshed out characters and scripts that tie up loose ends.

• I agree with newer artists making more shorter dramas. I tried watching Our Blues and My Lib Notes on Netflix but just dropped them stone cold. The pacing is just slow for me. The characters couldn't grab my attention at all. No stomach for grim reaper Tomorrow. I hope more k-romcoms will be made for ifans. More of KSJ please and Junho.

  • Omg... you totally mirror my sentiment. I think ABP killed my interest in romance dramas. The slow pacing of the recent ones really bore me. Our blues was a snooze and I fell asleep twice while binge watching Soundtrack #1. Arrrggghhh it was only 4 eps too but the dragout was boring. Not sure why, but found the chemistry btw PHS and HSH lacking as well. I am gonna try Red Sleeve next since the reviews are good and awards are pouring in. Hope it lifts me out of the lull since ABP ended. All that said last year was a heated post about Remarried Empress. If it gets headlined for adaptation again I hope they can field Kim Sejeong/Park Bo Gum/ for it with Seo Kang Joon as the bad king and Ha Yeon Soo as the slave girl. This casting will be the all-kill for me. Korean drama finally has their new gen romcom queen (after gongvely) and I cant wait to see KSJ put out her lively acting skills and killer chemistry with these boys.

    • @Jenna, we may be twinnie in our sentiments! I had zero feeling looking at PSH and HSH in Soundtrack#1 press con photos. No spark at all. Like a dead fish. I only watch it for the sake of PSH. But he looked strangely detached from HSH. Normally he has excellent chemistry with his leading ladies HHJ, PBY and NJH. I'm now watching Happiness. All in for KSJ, PBG, SKJ combo. I need to see Lee Junho badly in another drama. I want idol/singer actor who can genuinely act as opposed to pretty boys.

    • hsh is overrated. not suited for romance dramas. strength lies in action and badass roles. chemistry is flat in 100 dmp, nevertheless and soundtrack. directors should have screen test before they cast leads together.

    • Red red sleeve is great drama! I’ve been in a drama slump for 3 months after watching it. The acting, pacing, directing, music, and cinematography were top tier. Wish there were more dramas with te same quality. Hope they win at the Baeksangs this year!

    • I am impressed with The Red Sleeve - this drama is the all-kill in 2021.

  • The idol crossovers recently aren't bad at all and if they are anything like KSJ, Junho, PHS and Im Siwan... its far better than the likes of Song Kang. His marbled in mouth diction really irks me. Its so apparent in FLAW. I used to dislike AHS with a passion but totally into his good looks now due to ABP but still no thanks on his new drama. I think KSJ's acting around him in circles is the biggest reason for this one off miracle. Don't bother watching Soundtrack 1. Its forced romantic acting on both sides. Theres a few touching moments but the aftertaste feels unmemorable and unmagical. You are right on PHS detached chemistry. First time I really feel hes acting the part rather than owning the part. Doesnt help his hairstyle is flat as a mop in it and the make up makes him look tired and like a smoker (very brown lips). He is not handsome in the show at all. Han So Hee is still so very pretty but her male leads chemistry remains questionable. Shes paired with the formidable PSJ next so she should do fine.

    • I also tuned into Soundtrack solely for PHS and for In Guk cameo. Lol. He looks really handsome as Jay Jun. Why did the make-up team make PSH look terrible? Agree with unflattering hair. Sigh. Now I'm not sure I want In Guk to be cast opposite Han So Hee. I rather watch her performance with Park Seo Joon first.

    • I feel so cheated that both PHS and SIG didn't sing in Soundtrack. I mean real singing in the drama. Both have great vocals. What a waste of talent. Boring like hell. At least I can hear JCW sing in the Sound of Magic preview.

    • I think the idol crossover is taking from great trained actors. It's unfortunate that we may never experience real talent because of this trend.

    • Why would Idol crossover be a problem? There are many Idols who are Acting or Performing Arts or theater major. And, many full actors don’t have these qualifications & training.

      Nam Goongmin - Mechanical Engg; I think it’s the reason why he’s been supporting role for so long. The lack of training from the start slowed him down to get a lead role. In fact, Good Manager was his break-out drama. He’s one of the best actors now but took him years.

      Hyun Bin - Business major; I love Hyun Bin and will watched anything he’s in. He’s a good actor but I think he’s more like Mr. Popularity than Best Actor guy.

      Again, what is educational without natural talent? These two should go hand-in-hand after all acting is skill that need continuous training & development.

      Prejudice against Idol is such a shallow mentality. I actually think they have good foundation considering their many years of training. Singing, dancing, stage performances, MV requires acting too. What makes one performer better than another, is good acting skill.

      The only thing I don’t about idol being cast is; when they are cast because popularity even if they are not suitable for the role.

  • I feel the same with Tomorrow despite having KHS as lead there. While with MLN I did not mind the pace but rather I felt detached and didn't care about any of the leads.

    But with Our Blues since it is penned by NHK I already thought it was going to be like The Most Beautiful Goodbye which I didn't like. But instead I ended up watching both episodes and hoping it won't end badly with both characters.

    I do think Korean rom-coms should really stick to shorter episodes 12 would be perfect.

    • I'm glad I continued Green Mother's Club the story started to pick up at episode three.

  • Oh no, please.

    BP was fun but it's all. It was very empty and they screw up the end when it was very easy to do something good...

    12 episodes can be short for developping character.

    And please, don't speak for international viewers, it's not because you can't watch dramas that ask thinking from the viewers, it's the case for everybody.

    • Bp was fun but i was getting bored . But i rarely finish watching rom com lately . Until now my favorite drama this year is "Through the darkness". Tomorrow is interesting and Military Prosecutor Doberman is a kind of funny because the villains are really something but the bullying subject is a reality .

• songkang should take a break tbh. his continuous projects only highlight his shortcomings. but he is probably trying to do a lot before his enlistment

  • Hes shooting Sweet Home 2 but yes -we will likely get 1 more new drama before his enlistment. Him and cha eun woo remains at the bottom of the rising male leads pile for me. Atroucious diction and foot acting. Pretty can only carry at max a few episodes.

    • sweet home was his best work, so i think he'll do well in sweet home 2.

  • I only liked him in Navillera.

• Quantity rather than quality.. don't know which is better..
  On one hand, seeing your fave faster is nice, keeps them relevant.. but the quality of kdramas have dropped drastically.. esp with Netflix. Storyline is just not interesting at all.. sigh.. missing a good drama like Red Sleeve...

  • My thoughts exactly

  • How has quality of kdramas dropped because of Netflix? Are you talking about Netflix original productions? Those have actually increased the quality of kdramas, imo. More diverse content and formats, and top-notch production quality. They took half the Baeksang nominations this year.

    The explosion in drama quantity is being driven by the wider OTT platform movement.

    • I think the comments below kinda answered your question.. hahaha. Yes, trendy is all there is, but as fast as they rise, as fast as they fall.. the Netflix dramas are just not worthy of being remembered.. it's just good for temporary distraction, to follow the crowd, until the next hit.. which is like next week after the current one ends? Who actually goes back and rewatch Netflix dramas again? Once is more than enough.. besides, there are more things to watch, than to rewatch.. with such quick turnover, there is no need for the production companies to even focus on getting the best script, or best cinematography, best emotional acting.. kinda like the tons of romance fiction books vs literature.

    • @Bb09 - You're throwing out a lot of claims that don't hold up to scrutiny. Netflix tracks rewatches and completion rates for all their shows, and I bet you $ people are rewatching Squid Games at the very least. Cinematography is the last thing to complain about since it's the one reliable thing for Netflix.

      Your complaints about bad quality script, cinematography, emotional acting can be applied to kdramas even before the OTT age. So many janky looking kdramas with leads that can't act well, and scripts that fall off midway through airing. I don't see how regular kdrama channels like TVN/JBTC/SBS are doing any better on the quality front. They all churn out their share of duds that no one rewatches (or watches even).

    • Why I feel people think Netflix is the only OTT platform?

      For sure, Netflix doesn’t dominate Asia. Hotstar dominates India, Viu SEA, Amazon in Japan, etc.

      I’ve cancelled my Netflix subscription because I have other options.

  • Kinda agree to some of your sentiments. Netflix does feel like its keeps young stars very relevant in this very fast paced age with their back-to-back casting. Some I am quite hapoy with, some not so much.
    Though I do thank Netflix for Move to Heaven. That was such an awesome gem...!!!

    For upcoming dramas, I am Crossing my fingers for Bloody Heart. I am not expecting the level of The Red Sleeve cause that too much expectation that is bound to get back to me bad. But I am hoping to would be good. They have solid cast with movie like cinematography (in trailers so far). It just needs a very solid writing and directing.... please dramagods make it good.

    • Yes Move to Heaven was a good one.

  • Netflix has done for Kdrama what Iqiyi and Tencent have done for Cdrama. They taken an online platform that’s faster and easier to access with mediocre to sometimes fun scripts and completely raw actors for the most part and turned them into celebrities. It’s basically The Youtube/Instagram influencer model. Anyone can be a celebrity these days. Add to that tons of media play, fashion show “outings” and a bunch of endorsements and voila you have a STAR on the rise. This is how Gen Z is going to be and tons of actors will keep breaking out and being replaced overnight. I think the generation with the most longevity in K-ent is the 80s gen. The early 90s rose and fell so quickly it was shocking. Some of the early 90s have taken forever to breakout like LSY and PEB but I don’t see their current popularity lasting too long. The late 90s onwards it’s been one new breakout star every day and they just keep coming.

    • Actors are as good as their last project. Actors who have lasted are those who knows how to promote themselves, knows about branding and has the charisma to back it up. Song Hyekyo for instance. No matter what negative things thrown at her, she’ll thrive.

      But those who don’t know how to promote themselves and rely on their agency will never survived in this rigorous and highly competitive ent. industry.

    • Add Hyun Bin, Shin Minah, Gongyoo.. these actors very well know what promotion and branding is all about.

    • This is so true. The amount of new faces we’ve seen in the past year or so amounts to 10 years worth of breakouts. Every time a new Netflix drama drops somebody breaks out. These days even web dramas like Semantic Error or Drink Now Work Later have gripped the nation sometimes more than actual dramas that air on tv. Ratings have been relatively better these days but popularity tends to be dominated by new rising stars. Even KTR has become known to majority of the international audience thanks to 2521 but not at the same level as KSJ through ABP. Instagram followers till a few years back we’re still ignored but now like the West is an actual marker of popularity and everyone is paying attention to it. Netflix makes a huge deal out of Insta followers and even agencies push that image. SYJ and HB were always popular and respected in South Korea, Japan and SEA countries but if CLOY wasn’t available on Netflix they would never have become the global celebrities being hounded by fans at the airport on their honeymoon. I completely agree we are in a new era where the younger audience wants a fresh face every 5 mins. Older actors have a hold and staying power only because they’ve been around since forever but the new Gen Z still doesn’t care about the older actors they want fresh faces and fresh concepts. Popularity matters more than ratings and performance these days. What’s trendy and buzzy has more worth than what’s good. Not that stuff that’s trendy isn’t good always but the focus is more on trend before anything else. This is the new normal and as the attention span of people gets smaller and smaller dramas will be hopefully more tightly written and limited to 6-8 episodes or at most 10. The seasonal format isn’t bad either as long as it pushes the story forward without ruining it. Dramas have more power than movies these days and that is why we see more and more people breaking out as the audience size also increases however fan loyalty has gone down. Most people are multi stans since it’s less stressful and it’s more fun to casually support multiple people. The fanaticism has died down massively from the last Hallyu wave.

    • @Moire This. Everything you said is spot on. We live in a fast-paced world now. There are new rising stars, new Faves every other month. LOL.
      The Organic Hallyu stars like GY, HB, LMH, SHK, PSH, JJY, etc will remain OGs. They are the last of their kind.

• Song Kang is filming another show? Does the guy sleep? I thought he’s enlisting in the military already. Been hearing about his pending enlistment for the last 2 years. Aishhh.

  • I checked Song Kang is only 28. I believe he has another 2 years before he’s obliged to go.

• You strike the iron whilst it's hot. Park seo joon and park minyoung did the same after wwwsk then there's Kim ji won lol who waited 2 years after fight for my way and now she's nowhere near as big as psj and Pmy.

  • she could be happy with her breaks I remember her rejecting a drama with park bo gum back then. She might not be as popular as those two names you mentioned but meh atleast right now she's doing fine, she's in a drama written by the my mister writer.

    The one I don't understand is Kim seul gi, she's now signed up for a second lead role in Lee Se Young's drama. Make that make sense, she's a freaking talented lady who steals every scene she's in ugh. What are casting directors not seeing?!

    • Probably because Kim seul gi is not conventionally pretty or at least doesn't fit korean beauty standards, and we all know how important that is to k-ent, that's why we get all these pretty boys who can't act in every freaking drama lol
      Yeah she's very talented, but I doubt that's the first thing in these casting directors' minds, sadly

    • On that topic, I have known 'Ahn Hyo Seop' since 'Queen of the ring' with
      Kim Seul Gi.
      Now how high AHS has reached and KSG , sigh !

      I am having dilemma whether to happy or not ,about her casting news.

      On one hand, I am happy that LSG & LSY drama has one more talented cast.

      On other hand, KSG still as a second FL at most.

    • Yeah if the Park Bogum drama she rejected was Record of Youth or Encounter....it's no great loss to Kim Jiwon's career lol. She's firmly established as a leading lady and recognised in Korea as being a good actress, plus has the natural good looks to fit their beauty standards. Her drama for Naver tv actually did well, but it looks like she's being picky with scripts and gets offers for prestige projects. People here are real keen to write off any non-idol actress who breaks out but reality just doesn't back it up.

    • @royalwe

      True, she was offered love in the moonlight, her and kim go eun both declined then instead of the offer going to other leading ladies of similar age they offered it to Kim yoo jung who was literally a kid at the time...
      Yh kjw does a solid job in her project here and there but I bet if she accepted more jobs and got more exposure she'd get unwarranted hate like I'm seeing with hoyeon.

    • Ugh you're they're so shallow in drama's, you see more diversity in movies.

      I find her so pretty, plus she a class act who makes the most of every role. I'm just excited for her comeback at this point even if she's not main lead, at least she's supporting lee se young and not an untalented idol. I can already picture the two having good chemistry.

• Forgot about han so hee, who literally hasn't rested since her break out role, thing is if she took a break another IT girl probably would've stolen her thunder.

• Reminds me of the anime landscape, where they’re mass churning out shorter but more series with sloppier productions (writing, directing).

  • Is there any possibility that ahn hyo seop and han so hee can be paired together in the future? Cause Im currently browsing AHS filmography because of BP and I love seeing them together in Abyss. I think they have more chemistry than PBY. (Sorry) Anyways, I cant wait to see his new projects and I hope he can also appear in Dr Romantic because that was really just his best role. (Sorry Kang TaeMoo)

• I actually has warm up with Ahn Hyeo Seop since watching ABP. Who will decline starring project in someday one day remake, and with Kim Jin Won as PD?

  More over the production is no longer live shooting in short time . It seems due to covid, the production take longer production, which is more healthy environment.

  I think there is so many star now in South Korea, they just milk the opportunity when the iron is still HOT. Since It seems it's harder to establish HIGH career in current generation since so many star come and go.