South Korean TV shows have become some of the most sought-after dramas that many fans have loved over the years. Those who are avid watchers of dramas, have their own preferences. Luckily, South Korea has excelled in producing dramas of many distinct genres. Ranging from noir and action to romance and comedy; South Korea has done it all. Many TV shows have gone on to become some of the biggest hits, both internationally and nationally. People around the world have been following K-Dramas from the time of Boys Over Flowers and many discovered them later with Crash Landing on You.
The production of these shows and films has become exceptionally better over the time, that international recognition in award shows was almost expected. However, though these shows may be loved and appreciated internationally, it is possible that they have flopped in South Korea. A flop show in South Korea is referred to as one that does not get enough ratings. This is possible because of cultural factors, the plot, or the marketing of the show. A star-studded cast for a TV show cannot guarantee popularity in South Korea, as the excitement of the show plays a huge factor.
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6 Nevertheless (2021)
JTBCNetflix
Directed by Kim Ga-Ram, Nevertheless was the 2021 TV show that was really hyped before its release for having Song Kang and Han So-Hee playing the leads. The show follows the complicated love story of Yoo Na-Bi (Han So-Hee), the girl who loses trust in love, and Park Jae-Eon (Song Kang), a flirt not looking for anything serious. Even though Nevertheless had a lot of international audiences enjoying the show and found the storyline endearing, it did not do too well in South Korea. This show received an overall rating of 2.2%. This was because fans lost the excitement of the show because of the plot. Additionally, the show also had a 19+ rating for adult content according to cultural restraints, bringing its ratings down further.
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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
5 Tempted (2018)
MBC
Directed by Lee Dong-Hyun, Tempted is loosely based off a French novel. The show tells the story of three friends, one of whom gets dared to make an innocent girl fall in love with him. However, things change quickly when they fall in love and the turmoil begins. This dramatic love story stars Red Velvet’s Joy, Woo Do-Hwan, Mun Ka-Young, and Kim Min-Jae. Though the story line was based on the French novel that many people were noticeably big fans of, the show still could not do well in South Korea. The main reason for this was the very typical plot. Fans in South Korea pointed out that the show lacked depth in the plot. It just seemed like spoiled rich kids were taking the world for granted. Moreover, Joy’s acting in the show was heavily criticized even though international fans considered it to be top-notch.
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4 The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
SBSNetflix
Directed by Jung Ji-Hyun, The King: Eternal Monarch took over Netflix for the longest time with great viewership. The show includes Lee Min-Ho as Lee Gon and Kim Go-Eun as Jeong Tae-Eul. It is a love story based in two parallel worlds and a lot of complications. This drama initially got off to a good start with high ratings because of the effective teasers and the beautiful cast. However, they solely started to diminish as the series progressed because of being extremely slow paced. Domestic viewers also did not appreciate the confusion in the plot with the parallel worlds and could not make sense out of the ending. They also had issues with Kim Go-Eun being the right fit to play the role of Jeong Tae-Eul.
3 Hwarang (2016)
KBS
Written by Park Eun-Young, Hwarang was the most hyped show up to date with its star-studded flower boy cast. It included Park Hyung-Sik, Park Seo-Joon, Go A-Ra, Shinee’s Minho, and BTS’ V. Set in a traditional time, this show depicted the story of beautiful men training to guard the hidden King. Though this perfect cast and light-hearted nature of the show guaranteed major views from international fans of all these famous actors, it was different in South Korea. It only ended up with a viewership rating of 7.2% because the visuals did not match up with the hype. The dramatics of the show were overly pulled off and the sudden twists and use of background music did not sit well with local viewers.
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2 Moon Lovers: Scarlet Hearts Ryeo (2016)
SBSNBCUniversal International Television
This long-standing favorite of many is the least expected to be on this list, but unfortunately it is. Directed by Kim Kyu-Tae, the show follows Hae Soo (IU), who goes back in time and gets tangled in love and politics of the traditional era. This show is another example of the unpredictability of ratings even with an exceptional cast including Lee Joon-Gi, IU, Baekhyun, and Kang Ha-Neul. Scarlet Hearts has become a guilty pleasure of fans from all over the world. People desperately wanted a second season, though that seems impossible because of the low ratings nationally. Viewership ratings fluctuated between 11% and 5%. Though it seems unjust, based on the lack of good cinematic and having a heart-wrenching plot, international fans would always jump in to defend the show.
1 True Beauty (2020)
tvN
Directed by Kin Sang-Hyub, True Beauty is a famous show starring Mun Ka Young, Cha Eun-Woo, and Hwang In-Yeop. It follows the story of Im Ju-Kyung (Mun Ka-Young) who goes through a transformation through make-up to fit into her new school. This fun, school-life, warmhearted drama is exceedingly popular with international fans. The show also boosted Hwang In-Yeop in the eyes of people, stimulating his career because of his performance. However, viewers in South Korea were not entirely fond of the show. It received an average rating of 4% as it did not really bring out a new idea in its plot. It got predictable in the end, and fans were also not happy with Hwang In-Yeop’s major second lead syndrome.
