5 Low rated Korean dramas Despite Having Extremely Popular Cast

Many people base their decision to watch or continue with a movie on the actors in it. Because of this, filmmakers frequently view the casting of well-known actors as a critical component in a film's overall success. But the truth is that not every film starring A-list actors can leave a lasting impression. Let's look at some movies in this article that starred several famous people but got bad reviews. 

5 Low rated Korean dramas Despite Having Extremely Popular Cast

1. The Heavenly Idol 

Kim Min Kyu, who played the role of Cha, a secretary in the popular drama A Business Proposal, received a lot of attention from the public and was expected to become one of the new rising stars in Korean cinema. However, in his latest comeback, the drama The Heavenly Idol that he starred in failed to live up to expectations. 

After 8 episodes, the drama's viewership was recorded at only 1.296%, which is quite low for a production with a famous actor. In the drama, Kim Min Kyu played a charismatic pastor with divine powers who accidentally switched bodies with Woo Yeon Woo, an unknown male idol. From then on, the pastor had to adjust to the life of an idol while also dealing with the problems caused by malevolent forces and searching for a way to return to his world. 

This led to a series of hilarious and perilous situations. Before its premiere, The Heavenly Idol was highly anticipated due to its combination of fantasy, time travel, body swapping and the participation of one of the most talked about actors of the moment, Kim Min Kyu. However, in reality, the series did not achieve a very impressive result. 

Many netizens believe that despite the cast's stunning visual and versatile acting abilities, the outdated script was the factor that caused The Heavenly Idol to be forgotten among a multitude of other dramas released at the same time. It can be seen that the themes of idols and body swapping have been exploited by many filmmakers for over a decade. 

Therefore, the choice of an old-fashioned script completely robbed the drama of its novelty for audiences. Furthermore, airing alongside more attention-grabbing and engaging dramas such as The Glory or Crash Course in Romance also somewhat overshadowed the heavenly idol in the eyes of the public. 

2. Todays Webtoon

Another star from A Business Proposal, Kim Se Jong was also expected to become one of the standout names in the Korean film industry after the success of the film. Slightly different from her co-star Kim Min Gue, the beauty born in 1996 started out in the popular girl group IOI and has made a definite mark in the field of acting with successful projects like School 2017 and The Uncanny Counter. Therefore, Kim Se Jong's name in K-Biz seems indisputable. 

However, contrary to expectations, in 2023, she returned to a new television project, Today's Webtoon, which turned out to be a flop with an average rating of only 1.5% that gradually decreased with each episode. 

This was in stark contrast to Big Mouth, which starred Lee Jong Suk and Yoon Ah and aired at the same time with an impressive rating of 10%. To explain the disappointing performance of the drama, netizens believed that the Korean version of today's webtoon, which was a remake of the popular Japanese series Sleeper Hit, didn't resonate well with the original's picky fans. 

Additionally, after airing, the Korean version starring Kim Se Jong received mixed reactions from the public as the show focused too much on the character development of On Ma Eum and neglected the other characters. This turned today's webtoon from an anticipated drama into On Ma Eum and Friends remake, overshadowed by the series that aired during this same time. 

3. If You Wish Upon Me

Returning after a hiatus following the success of Backstreet Rookie heartthrob Ji Chang Wook announced his participation in the TV drama project If You Wish Upon Me, collaborating with Soo Young, a member of the legendary girl group SNSD. 

However, contrary to netizens' expectations, the combination of two famous names in the Korean entertainment industry could not save If You Wish Upon Me from its dismal performance with viewership plummeting with each episode and ending with a rating of around 1%. 

In the drama, Ji Chang Wook plays the role of Yoon Kyeo Re, a genie who carries a warm heart, and his co-star Soo Young plays Seo Yeon Joo, a kind-hearted and compassionate nurse who always puts her patients first. Yoon Kyeo Re grew up in an orphanage and experienced many hardships in life. 

Fate brought him to the hospital where Yeon Joo works to perform volunteer work and establish a team dedicated to fulfilling the last wishes of patients who are about to pass away. 

After its broadcast, If You Wish Upon Me received various opinions, while some criticized Ji Chang Wook's choice of a boring script, ripped and slow plot, which made the movie lose its appeal to the audience, some netizens still praised the film's character development, message delivery and believed that the cause of the film's failure was simply due to bad luck. 

However, it cannot be denied that amidst a series of brain-teasing and intense plotlines, the peacefulness that Tell Me Your Wish brought seems to be a breath of fresh air in the Korean film industry, and can still be a worthwhile watch for fans of this new and refreshing healing genre. 

4. Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a fantasy drama about mysterious characters from the other world who have the mission to rescue people with suicidal tendencies. It features two big names, Rowoon, the handsome actor who has gained popularity with the hit drama Extraordinary Haru, and Kim Hee-sun, the famous veteran actress in the Korean showbiz industry. 

Thanks to the famous cast and impressive script that reflects the current social situation in Korea. Tomorrow drew a lot of attention from the public since the first promotional images were released and was expected to become one of the hit dramas of the year. 

However, in reality, despite starting with a relatively promising rating of 7.6%, the drama's viewership dropped sharply to just over 3% in the second episode. And there were no signs of improvement in the following episodes. At times, the ratings even hit rock bottom. 

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The final episode of Tomorrow recorded a rating of 2.8%, which was slightly higher than the previous episodes, but still too low for a drama with such a talented cast. As we can see, although Tomorrow was highly praised for its script, airing it at the same time as other equally popular dramas clearly put it at a disadvantage. 

Specifically, SBS' Again My Life, starring Lee Jun Ki, a direct competitor, achieved a rating of up to 9.9%. In addition, Our Blues on TVN also impressively topped the time slot with an enviable rating of 10%. 

Furthermore, many netizens believe that besides objective factors, Tomorrow itself failed to fully capture the spirit of the popular original comic, causing the show to lose its appeal to the audience. 

Specifically, the acting of Rowoon and Kim Hee Sun was criticized for being less dynamic than the original, and in particular, Roh Woon's individual performance received mixed reviews for his awkward delivery and poor acting skills, which disappointed even the demanding fans of the popular original. This led to the regrettable performance of a TV series that had high expectations from the audience. 

5. My Liberation Notes 

Airing at the same time as the flop Tomorrow, My Liberation Notes received slightly better ratings at 4.8%, but still left audiences feeling disappointed, as the drama starring two of Korea's top actresses, Kim Ji-won and Lee Elle. 

In the drama, Kim Ji-won plays an introverted woman who always felt trapped in a boring life, but meeting Goo, a mysterious man, seems to help her find a way to break free from her mundane reality. As for Lee Elle, she portrayed the older sister in the family, dealing with constant struggles in her own life and also yearning to break free from her own monotony. 

Without any tension-filled conflicts or mind-boggling plot twists, the characters in the drama were constructed as ordinary people with worries that seemed relatable to the audience, aiming to cater to fans of the healing genre. 

It can be said that among the aforementioned dramas, My Liberation Notes achieved the most impressive results. Although the first episode only recorded a 2.9% viewership rating, the drama surprisingly turned things around and ended with a 6.7% rating. 

Not even a very high number, but still relatively impressive compared to previous episodes. However, the drama's performance still left some regret as many felt that with its fresh and unique storyline and strong acting from a talented cast, My Liberation Notes was a fairly complete work in every aspect and deserved to be more well-known. 

Wrapping Up

It is clear that having a famous cast is a necessary condition for a successful drama, not the determining factor for its performance. Regarding the quality of the aforementioned movies, which drama viewership rate do you feel the most regretful about?