rayabend

It was a pre-produced show — already filmed, edited, and submitted for broadcast — so the producers had no way of knowing whether it would be a hit, a flop, or just another trendy/overly-hyped show — and Dear X very clearly falls into that last category.

Regardless, there won’t be a season 2 — simply because A Jin’s story is over. (Though the ending could have been better; I wanted Ah Jin to suffer endlessly, but clearly the writer and director didn’t… so whatever 😒.) And honestly, this director has already shown he isn’t capable of handling a proper second season — he literally ruined Sweet Home by unnecessarily dragging it into seasons 2 and 3.

We clearly see this topic a little differently, so I won’t continue debating it. I respect your opinion and hope you can do the same for mine — except for one part I still stand firm on: I don’t agree with the idea that a show’s success is “guaranteed” just because its first season had good ratings. (Though of course, I’d love to see *Good Partner* Season 2 reach all-new heights of success.)**

**The references you mentioned, like *Hospital Playlist 2* and *Taxi Driver 2*, had strong ratings because their production quality stayed consistent with their first seasons — the acting was solid, the script was well-written, and the direction was clean. They delivered a good product through all the seasons.**

**But then we also have cases like *The Fiery Priest 2* and *Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938*, where the ratings didn’t live up to expectations and many viewers were disappointed with the overall production quality. And on a larger scale, there are examples like *Squid Game* Seasons 2 and 3 and *Sweet Home* Seasons 2 and 3 — they pulled big numbers, but the criticism from viewers was massive, and they never received the same love their first seasons did. So at the end of the day, a drama’s success comes down to timing and execution — it’s never guaranteed.

And with that said, I’ll be signing off.

Speaking as both a viewer and from a business standpoint, I don’t see an issue with agencies supporting their own actors, as long as those actors are skilled and can deliver strong, convincing performances. What I take issue with is when actors who rely purely on face value and can’t act for their life are constantly pushed into leading roles by their companies, thereby taking opportunities away from genuinely talented actors — that’s the real problem, and that’s where concerns should be raised, at least from my point of view.

I’ll also have to disagree with one point: just having good or famous actors doesn’t guarantee a show’s success. A drama’s performance depends on many variables — writing, direction, pacing, execution, chemistry, and overall production — not just the cast alone.

Nam Ji-hyun’s agency already confirmed that she couldn’t reprise her role because of scheduling conflicts, and it was the same for Kim Jun-han (who is also under Artist Company). They weren’t forced out, and it had nothing to do with agency politics or Artist Company pushing their own actors. The new cast isn’t taking over NJH and KJH roles; the second season is simply moving in a new direction with fresh characters and their own storylines. Plus, the actors joining are well-versed, seasoned, and skilled, so viewers shouldn’t have any concerns about performance. The focus should be on how well they deliver the roles — if the acting doesn’t land, that’s when criticism is fair, not based on which agency they’re signed to.

If it’s the Baeksang "Daesang" we are talking about, then it’s primarily meant to recognize cultural impact, not just good acting (don’t know how other awards "Daesang" winners are chosen, so won’t comment on them). That’s why IU and Song Hye-kyo, despite delivering massive hit dramas (*WLGYT* and *The Glory*) with great performances, still didn’t receive Baeksang’s Daesang — because neither their shows nor their acting created a significant national discourse, social shift, or cultural impact. In contrast, *Extraordinary Attorney Woo* and Park Eun-bin’s performance had massive impact in Korea — the impact of *Woo Young-woo* was huge; it sparked nationwide conversations, went viral, and even influenced real-life discussions about autism and inclusivity. That’s why Park Eun-bin received the Daesang.

*Dear X* and KYJ’s performance, on the other hand, are far less popular and influential than the above-mentioned shows and actors, so it’s unrealistic to expect a Daesang for it.

That said, KYJ did a fantastic job in *Dear X*, so a "Best Actor" award is definitely something she can compete for.

"She keeps landing these roles because of her visuals—Korean and wider Asian markets thrive on that, and plenty of other actors fall into the same category".-----This is what had written in my comment, so don’t question or argue unnecessarily; instead read properly.

You finally admitted she’s getting roles based on face value. The core of my argument has always been this: fans need to accept the reality and weaknesses of their favorites instead of blindly following them. Fans should support GYJ, but also critique her where it’s needed. The harsh truth is that her present acting skills really do need strong criticism—they’re very weak and don’t justify the opportunities she has received or is still receiving.

But honestly, if her fans are satisfied with her being just a popular, good-looking actor rather than a skilled one, then that’s okay too."

Everyone is working hard in this world — it’s not just her — so that excuse doesn’t hold up when it comes to her lack of skills and the almost negligible improvement over time (genuine effort reflects in improved work). I’ve enjoyed the projects she’s been part of too, but let’s be honest: it wasn’t her acting that kept me seated through those shows. It was her co-stars, the writers, the directors, and the production teams who carried those projects with their individual crafts, not her presence.

To be brutally honest, the reason she keeps landing these roles is because of her visuals (Korean and wider Asian markets thrive on that, and there are plenty of other actors who fall into the same category as her). Her fans may not want to hear it, but if you look at the caliber of actors she has worked with, or will be working with, they’re all seasoned performers. She’s mainly there for her face value and to serve as eye candy for the public; her acting has very little to do with her casting. The heavy lifting has always been done by the people around her.

(BTW, which co-stars ever speak badly about their colleagues publicly? You’d have to be insane to do that.)

Compared to Netflix, platforms like Disney+, HBO Max, and Viki operate very differently when it comes to viewership transparency. Netflix consistently releases global data—views, hours watched, and weekly rankings—making it much easier to understand a show’s real performance (and while there are discrepancies in their system too, it’s still far more transparent compared to other OTT platforms). But Disney+, HBO Max, and Viki don’t provide detailed watch-hour numbers; they rely mostly on in-app charts or vague PR highlights.

Because of that lack of transparency, even if a show performs well on those platforms, its true global impact is much harder to measure compared to a Netflix release.

So when you take all of this into account, it’s pretty clear that *Dynamite Kiss* is performing far better—especially considering it only premiered last week.

Kim Hye Yoon alone has four major projects lined up if she accepts this one. She’s an actor who’s trusted and respected for her talent and skills, so chill girl — she’s always had plenty of roles. She just picks projects based on her own preferences

Don’t worry, people will watch it if they want to — no platform can actually stop an audience that’s interested. Disney knows that too, which is exactly why they picked it up. And who knows, the production team might even use the same strategy that was used with "Good Boy", where it was released simultaneously on multiple platforms to reach a wider audience. They could easily choose that approach here as well. Let’s wait and see.

As long as the story, direction, and acting hold up, it should be able to stand strong on any platform. IU is hugely popular in Asia and BWS is still riding his LR fame, so there will definitely be enough interest — which is probably why Disney picked it up, since they really need a boost in subscribers right now. I also think it’ll be available on Hulu in the US, just like they did with "Will You Marry Me?.”

In 2018, she was just a rookie, so auditions are part of the process — but the interesting thing is, the role she auditioned for in *Parasite* never even had an open call audition. So how did a rookie get that chance when there was hardly any info released about the auditions? Clearly her company was involved, which is fair enough since that’s their job. The problem is when her delusional fans credit all her success to her non-existent craft and skills, when in reality it’s her company doing most of the work (and yes, luck plays a part too).

I also heard she auditioned for *RP* — yet delivered a below-average performance there as well. When is she planning to actually improve her skills? Clearly, she was chosen for hype and face value, because for Koreans, looks outweigh actual acting talent — and clearly, you are the same. That’s why there are so many below-average actors in Korea, and sadly, standards keep dropping day by day. 😔

Anyway, signing off — can’t keep talking to a pea brain like you.

Which “prestigious awards” are you even talking about? She has one Baeksang nomination — for a film, in a year when there were barely any new faces (wait, there were hardly any movie releases that year thanks to COVID impact). She just got a free pass. She was signed for her face by her company, they gave her the role, and her luck gave her the nomination. So did you see the connection — *company*, *beauty*, and *luck*? I hope your bird brain will now get what I was talking about.

As for the Blue Dragon Series award, that category had fan voting — and everyone knows once fans are involved, those awards lose credibility. So sure, be happy she won it. And that ends the list (and please don’t bother talking about those random and non-credible award-giving bodies which hand out trophies these days like some sort of charity).

And yes, plenty of average actors in Korea have been nominated or even won prestigious awards (IYNYK). I won’t name them — no need to trigger more delusional fan wars.

“Apparently you have really low standards for acting if you find her acting good. Anyways let's get started:
"Please what do you even know about gyj??!?”
Yeah and you clearly grew up with her, right?” Try saying something that actually makes sense. 😮‍💨

Her major projects like *AOS 2* and *Moving* were never showcases of her acting — she was simply surrounded by huge productions and seasoned actors who masked her flaws. I waited for *Resident Playbook*, and that sealed it. Her stiff, one-dimensional performance practically dragged the show down.

Critics and viewers worldwide who have watched RP have said the same — so maybe go argue with them too. Sorry to break it to you, but she’s just been an eye candy in every project so far and will be same here. And since korea is visually driven country that "eye candy" tag perfectly works in her favour along with luck and company ties up.

Anyway, I wasn’t here for hate or conversation— just opinions. You don’t have to like them, and I definitely don’t care. This is the last time I’ll bother replying to delusional fans like you.

BTW, both "who you know"" and "what you know" are essential in any industry not just one. One gets you in, the other helps you stay and grow.

Totally agree, connections matter — but that doesn’t give anyone a free pass to do a half-hearted job. And that’s exactly the point — she clearly lacks the skills and doesn’t seem to be putting in any real effort to improve, probably because she knows everything will be handed to her anyway. Apparently, she’s just born with luck. Great for her👍

GYJ’s agency has been managing her career impressively; despite her below-average acting skills and the limited visible effort she puts into improving them, the kind of opportunities and roles they continue to secure for her are truly remarkable

Exactly, it really doesn’t make sense casting 30+ as teens.

After watching the show, I felt the need to share my take on it. Realistically— Jaepil only had a crush on Jong hui, nothing more. It was never love. They barely interacted — it was pure teenage confusion mistaken for depth.

Jong hui, on the other hand, never showed any real interest in Jaepil to begin with. It was Yongre who fed that idea into her head, convincing her that she “might like him” and should “give it a try.” And that clueless girl actually went along with it instead of figuring out her own feelings. And amusingly, even ended the so-called relationship before it ever began.

At least Yongre’s feelings for Jaepil make sense — he saved her, helped her mother, and left an emotional mark. Hyeon’s affection for Yongre also feels natural given their long history. For rest others I don't even have words.

Now, in the present, Jaepil’s growing feelings for Yongre actually come across as authentic. They’ve known each other for years, he’s seen her true character up close, and there’s an emotional logic to his attachment. It’s a far cry from that fleeting teenage crush on Jong hui — which, in hindsight, was just two kids confusing momentary admiration for love.

Let's see where the story goes.

Interesting how you completely misread an *acting comparison* as a *character comparison*. So, let me spell it out — I was comparing **acting**, not debating which character was better, more likable, strong or weak. The point was about who *performed/acted* a similar type of character better. Seo Ye Ji’s portrayal had range, control, and superior execution; Suzy’s simply didn’t.

You mentioned the female lead in *It’s Okay to Not Be Okay* being “rude,” yet conveniently overlook that the female lead in *Genie, Make a Wish* literally resorts to violence and physical aggression. Rudeness is unpleasant; violence, however, is inexcusable. The hypocrisy in your logic is remarkable.

And just for the record, no actor can portray certain personality traits or mental disorders with 100 percent realism — they’re far too complex for that. What matters is how close the performance gets to authenticity. On that front, Seo Ye Ji still wins.

I evaluate performances based on skill, craft, and execution, not personal preference or fandom, so don’t come at me shouting about favoritism or hate.✌️