K-ent Writes That My Demon’s Biggest Pre-airing Buzz Has Lost to the Post-airing Stronger Reception and Overseas Viewership of Story of Park’s Contract Marriage

This is a case where I wished the two dramas airing at separate times because the urge to compare is strongest when two shows are competing for viewership. Fri-Sat dramas My Demon on SBS and Story of Park’s Contract Marriage on MBC even share having a fantasy element in a romance drama and good looking young leads. I enjoy both equally for different reasons but can objectively say Park’s is a tighter written, stronger supporting characters, and better acted drama. K-ent is writing now that while My Demon was trending pre-airing as the stronger show, it’s now flipped post-airing and Park’s has stronger buzz and greater overseas reception. That is probably true and even more surprising on the latter since My Demon airs on Netflix overseas but Park’s doesn’t.


Comments

K-ent Writes That My Demon’s Biggest Pre-airing Buzz Has Lost to the Post-airing Stronger Reception and Overseas Viewership of Story of Park’s Contract Marriage — 55 Comments

  1. I am waiting for both to finish so that I can star watching. But I am more interested in Park’s. I have only seen Song Kang in Love Alarm, which I never finished and disliked him. That may be because I disliked his character in the show. So maybe this might change my might.

    His styling in promotional material reminded me of Seo In Guk in Doom at your service. Not his best look or role.

  2. You dont seem to wish for that Koala. You seem to enjoy writing about the competition.

    Based on what PMC has more buzz than MD internationally?

    Just because of one article saying that, you summarized it as k-ent? Trying to gain more clicks & engagement? Just admit it.

    • Hand picking an article and make it like it’s reflect the majority. Articles are bias and paid to write stuff as if we the audience can’t tell the difference. This is why people don’t trust news media anymore. Honestly, it certainly do not feel like that at all especially on Twitter or IG as that’s where I’m active.

      • Nah, this is a BLOG, of course Koala will write about her opinions. You don’t go here if you want news written in an objective/neutral way lol

      • hahaha… trusting IG or Twitter for objective feeback. I’m rolling on the floor laughing. It’s the defintion of a social media bubble, where it’s just echoes opinions. Truly trustworthy. NOT.

        And also, loling at the audacity to demand news articles from Ms Koala. It’s a blog for mainly C- und K -ent soft news (gossip). With occasionally J- or TW – ent (hardly anymore). It’s not a full stuffed news outlet. It’s a personal blog refelected personal opinionon written in her spare time between fulltime job and family, which never pretend to be more.
        There are a lot of other offerings for what you demand on the internet.

        Why have people to be rude to content creators, if they dont refelct one’s opinion? That’s addressed to a all people complaining here and beeing unreasonable when this is merely a blog for personal preferences and a space to talk about it in a civil way

      • @ejc, my thoughts actually. I do laugh when I read about the complaints from some member who really do not seem to fully understand what Koala does. She is a content creator who picks articles to write/talk about according to her interest.
        She is popular for very good reasons. Creating content for discussion is her aim. Thus she does not ban rude members, she allows heated discussion as long as it is not made by trolls with numeral fake accounts.

    • If Koala wants the clicks and engagement so what? you have the option not to click and engage, lmao, just too much stupidity with this post. Koala is the only surviving k-ent/c-ent blogger from many years ago and she has been blogging for decades. I do not usually agree with her but this is her blog. She can blog anything she wants.

      • I just ask her to admit that. I dont say she cant do. Yes its up to her to do whatever she wants as its her blog. And i am also free to say whatever i want since its an open public space. If she doesnt like, she can block or delete my post.

  3. I have been watching demon but his acting is just bearable. the plus is song kang is handsome. I Fast-forwarded most of the subplots, the other girl is super annoying.

  4. PMC is great!
    I started watching both dramas without any bias…
    My Demon looks aesthetically pleasing but my heart goes for PMC,they have better chemistry and great supporting characters!
    Still gonna watch both;but my vote is for PMC if I have to choose

  5. I thought songkang and kim yoojung had good chemistry when watching the trailer, but the chemistry turns out to be tepid. They don’t seem to match together in recent episodes. To be honest idk why, it’s giving me female ceo with younger guy feels. Am I the problem?

    • Sadly, true. I’m always afraid the production is taking it out from the oven to soon and this souffle will collapse suddenly and all the fun will be gone. I can enjoy fluffy romcoms, but a little bit more substance would rest my fear to peace that this will turn out to be a failure.

  6. I lovee song kang and yoo jung chemistry but, but the show is just getting boring. I just watch it for yoojung and songkang.

    The villain is just one dimentional and lee sang yi just give one of his worse performances i’ve seen.

  7. Honestly I’m watching both and loving both for different reasons. The leads have great chemistry and great comedic timing. No need to compete 😛

  8. Ok. Let’s not lie here. PCM always had higher ratings in Korea than My Demon. (Even from the beginning) Also, My demon is doing the best internationally out of the two. It goes viral every week on social media. So I don’t know where this headline is coming from. Both of them are successful in different markets. The only reason why people compare them is because they aired at the same time.

  9. I don’t get all the hype about my demon has i don’t see chemistry between the leads . Even their steamy scene was like an ice bucket for me . I dropped . I think that the drama was targeted for the new international fans of kdramas thanks to the BTS effect and Netflix . As a long time viewer who began with idol Taiwaneses dramas ( Rainie Yang, Ariel lin, Barbie Hsu, Joe Cheng,..).and after with Full House , My girl,… for me My demon is like a Cartier’s box without the ring ! Park’s marriage contract has a more interesting plot and better acting but it’s not the drama of the year too . 2023 wasn’t for me a great millesime .

    • I felt the same abt the steamy scenes. watching that there’s a bed scene last night, i was literally so curious to see how the my demon leads performed in the steamy scenes in their other dramas. that was because tbh, i felt that my demon bed scenes was too technical. i then literally went to watch their other kissing scenes in yt. and i felt that Song Kang’s steamy scenes have more feelings in nevertheless & forecasting love & weather. while yoo jung has the best kissing scenes with yoon kyunsang, despite the age gapes. so i thought the problem might be lied on the director. but 1 thing i realised, songkang literally had to take off his shirt in every of his bed scene lol. so typical of him hahaha.

      • Well. This is sbs, a public channel. Meanwhile nevertheless & forecasting love and weather are cable, so as steamy as it looks. It’s understable they won’t go that far. Even in nevertheless, they are far from steamy.

      • I think it’s not fair for the actors to have to shoot scenes in the shower or shirtless scenes ; They are humans too and it’s not because they are men that they like to film them . If woman are not objects , it’s the same for men . In the era of Me too , what goes for women , goes for men too !

      • @cahill

        in agreement with u. but they’re willing coz they know viewers like that kind of exposure.

      • @missjb

        well.. it’s abt feeling, not abt how hot they act on the steamy scenes. i felt that their steamy scenes was a bit unnatural coz it looks way too technical. ngl..I’m more invested on the park marriage contract kissing scenes coz it I immediately swooned for them for just a simple ordinary kiss. maybe probably due to pmc’s leads are better actors or their scenes are better directed perhaps. so it has nothing to do with public/cable channel.

      • Agree on pairing with yoo kyunsang, I think he had the best chemistry with kim yoojung. I can’t feel that chemistry in other drama of her like backtreet rookie

    • The hype is because international fans are obsessed with Song Kang, they’ll watch anything he’s in no matter how garbage the drama is. When the casting was announced, I already knew it will flop but will be hyped by international viewers because of Song Kang, and I was right lmao

    • I’m not sure about other dramas premiered in 2023 since I just picked up Kdrama again this year from a long hiatus from K-ent. But the one for me is Castaway Diva. I really love how serious issues like domestic violence & abuse were addressed in such a creative writing and directing. Also the whole cast were great doing their jobs perfectly. Castaway Diva is one of the memorable dramas to me.

      As to My Demon, I actually picked it up again after dropping it at ep3. The plot in the first few eps appeared stagnating and the acting was, sorry fans, bland. Song Kang and Kim Yoo Jung appeared awkward around each other and the chemistry was WIERD although their acting looked more relaxing after their relationship progressed dramatically in a recent ep! But My Demon still has interesting mystery and enough suspension to pique my curiosity to follow again. The writing and the directing aren’t that bad TBH. Although recycling old tropes and concepts, My Demon could be a hit like I Can Hear Your Voice or Crash Landing on You if other more seasoned actresses and actors were leading the drama. It’s a shame that both SK and KYJ seem to be miscast for this drama IMO. So far, I rate the acting in Park’s Contract Marriage to be way better than that in My Demon. But plot-wise, MD has more appeal than PCM to me. I already dropped PCM but may pick it up again later when nothing to watch.

      • Castaway diva was one of the best this year, but in 2022 i really have “un coup de cœur ” for Through the darkness and My liberation notes . Thèses dramas have the all package ,great talented cast, directing, script,…And “The interest of love” was interesting . Weak class hero was a drama which makes one reflects !

      • @cahill, Oh I yet have to check those ace cards in 2022 you mentioned. My first time heard about those dramas.

  10. The ratings in Korea are somewhat higher for PMC, but interestingly, from where I am (not in Asia), I see more discussion on My Demon. I follow MBC’s social media page (PMC) but not SBS (My Demon), so I’d expect to see more on PMC. (One element is also that My Demon is on Netflix and may be slightly more accessible outside Korea.)

    Anyway, I’m a longtime drama watcher, NOT in middle school, lol, and am watching and enjoying both. PMC has a more creative plot, but My Demon has a certain visceral charm of its own. The world has more than two colors, and it’s possible to enjoy both dramas at the same time. 😉

  11. I think both are good and after you have preferances for one or the other. Neither of them are really well writing and rest on a lot of cliché/tropes.

    Personally, I prefer My Demon. I think it’s more fun and now that Song Kang doesn’t need to be dangerous demon, he’s quite good and have a nice chemistry with Kim Yoo-Jung who looks super good and she’s great in her scenes with Madame Ju.

    • Predictable biased opinion from a KYJ stan, yawn 🥱🥱🥱

      Oh well, at least the majority of people know that Park’s Contract Marriage is objectively the better drama with objectively better actors lmao

      • @Yawnnn

        True hahaha this sayaris is always in Koala’s comparison post saying My Demon is better lmao and then come crying about people judging her taste

      • You really don’t have a life, don’t you?

        I already said I prefered My Demon and no, I didn’t change my mind.

        Both drama are not well written, so objectively neither of them should have good ratings…

      • @Millie your point?

        I really don’t see what is your point…

        I never said that My Demon was better, I said I prefer it. I prefer the direction and the dialogues that I find more pretty and original.

        But in an objectively point of view, neither of them are master pieces.

      • And she proved my point once again haha whatever you say Darling. I actually feel bad for you. Keep on crying about it lol.

  12. I just watched episode 10, not a fan of the bed scenes, maybe because I am married but wayyyy too cringey, skipped. lmao. looking forward to the next episode

      • @Wanne, as you said. “I am also free to say whatever I want since its an open space.” I am too free to say as I want. You need not reply to me. Lol…

  13. In Korea, PCM definitely had better ratings than MD but this series has gotten Song Kang to another level. His series have always been on Netflix but he’s topping the “Buzzworthy” list in Korea (whatever that is) and also becoming massively popular in China despite the series not officially being available there.

  14. Binged through ep 10 so far, I can fairly review the acting of the main leads in My Demon that I consider the weakest part of this drama. Song Kang, although awkward in the first few eps, did step up more in the recent eps, and TBH, I like how he emoted with his facial expressions in the last few eps. He can be a better actor if he continues to gain acting experience and work on his lines and body languages. On the other hand, Kim Yoo Jung was a huge disappointment for me. I was very fond of her as a child actor. But I frankly don’t think she has progressed much as a seasoned actor since Love in the Moonlight. I watched Lovers of the Red Sky too. She’s basically same old same old as in LITM. Her aura was again nothing much different as in the prior dramas even though she’s supposed to be a cool & badass CEO in the modern era. If I were not following My Demon, I don’t think I’d be able to tell she’s playing a super competent CEO without reading the synopsis. If one actor appeared mostly the same from drama to drama, then he/she has already failed 70% of her job. Perhaps I should watch other dramas of her to come to the conclusion? I hope the girl reassesses her own acting for a breakthrough in the near future. It’s not impossible.

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