Lee Min Ho's most anticipated return on the small screen has trended on the internet before the actual airing of his drama, "The King: Eternal Monarch." However, it seemed that the frenzy died down during the run of the series.
The anticipated drama was expected to bring great success as it was reported that the famous scriptwriter Kim Eun-sook, who was behind the success of "Goblin" and the "Descendants of the Sun," will be writing the script for the new drama.
Adding to the hype was that "The King: Eternal Monarch" is the comeback drama of the most beloved actor, Lee Min Ho, after his discharge from military service on April 25, 2019.
However, despite the hype and the widespread promotions for "The King: Eternal Monarch," the drama gathered low network ratings in Korea and on Netflix and even garnered unenthusiastic reviews.
Now many are asking, what went wrong? Here are a few of the assumptions:
Wrong Leading Lady
According to the STYLE, when the news broke that Kim Go-Eun will become the leading lady of Lee Min Ho, fans became uninterested in following the whereabouts of the series. Comments like "I quit watching Goblin because of her" and "whiny voice is unsuitable for the role" were spread online. But due to the famous writer's previous achievements, the public was somehow relieved.
The Writer's Magic Is Gone
The drama kicked an excellent start due to the promotions and Lee Min Ho's appearance, but it did not fare well as it was expected to be. The ratings are slowing over time, and based on Nate's report, the drama showed slow growth in viewership of only 11.6 percent.
Questions were raised as the drama ratings slowed down, and viewers began asking if Kim Eun Sook's magic still exists.
Some mentioned that Kim has yet to let go of the Cinderella trope, wrote STYLE. It seemed to them that the writer still enjoys the rich-man, poor-girl combination.
Drama Vs. Advertisement
Critics started to surface online as the drama's overuse of product placement on scenes is becoming unbearable. Many viewers noticed the number of sponsored products placed in some parts of the series.
According to STYLE, in the eighth episode of the drama, Kim Go Eun dips into a convenience pack of kimchi in the car. Kim Jin-Seok of Joongang Daily wrote, "Is this a home shopping channel or a drama?"
Still, despite the low ratings, the cast remained positive on the set and established close relationships with each other, which is a win for the actors and the fans who truly enjoyed the drama.
