It seems idol power isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. This can’t be more evident than from Kim Hyun Joong’s Playful Kiss‘s abysmal and embarrassing viewership turnout. The drama has just hit a new ratings low of 2.8% (ouch ) for its 6th episode after skimming through 3.0-3.8% range (double ouch) for the past 3 weeks.
Not touching on KHY’s sloth speed improvement on his acting since that is already expected, the reasons for the continuing non-interest has to be beared by the bad producing and directing combination. The writing isn’t horrible and largely swayed by the producers’ vision and direction anyway, so ultimately the responsibility goes back to the producers.
The very first opening scene was a tell-tale warning of what’s to come- overused, melodramatic, copout fantasy interruptions. They’re OK when used to show the story’s progress in an interesting way, but so far in this drama, they’re just beating a dead point to nowhere, unnecessarily tiresome.
Another possible problem is the overall set up of the characters. For example, the male lead’s character is suppose to start off very cold and demeaning making his gradual transformation to a warm and considerate person moving and catharsis for the audience. Instead, he’s only as shilly as an ice cube bathing under the Gobi Desert sun.
At poignant points in the story where the two leads’ intertwining aquaintance can be developed and given insight to, the opportunities are sloppily passed by. Key in point is in episode 2, when KHJ’s character must be sleepy and tired from staying up to tutor JSM’s character which can result in him not concentrating in class and doing less than perfect on his exam, the only feeble mention of it was a speculation by JSM’s character after the exam. Some focus on that would’ve build up the point of the sacrifice of and sympathy for KHJ’s character, as well as, underscore some of JSM’s character’s unflattering traits- inconsideration, spaciness, and obliviousness. This directing choice lends to character development which usually helps invest the audience’s interest in the fate of the characters.
Another colossal impediment to Kiss‘s lack of an audience is the colossal loyal following of its competition Baker King, Kim Tak-gu on KBS, which though is ending might not alieviate any of its attendance over to Kiss since the followup will be the feverishly anticipated Runaway 도망자, Asian super idol Rain’s new drama. Let’s wait to see how Rain’s idol power holds onto the audience.
If taken for what it is- a low concept tale of how two high school students on the extreme ends of the academic, social, and physical range growing to love each other with neither tragic twists, global crisis, nor manipulative friends blocking their path- this drama is entertaining. Suspension of disbelieve continues to be recommended.