I just love when I'm right about useless men in Kdramas and their fangirls calling me a hater for it.
Absolute MESS of a finale and drama overall. Like, one of the worst finales I've seen.
My longer review is coming soon, but all I want to say is Ian is probably the most boring and poorly written male lead I've seen in a while. If he's not a pretty face, people would call him a red flag and loser for not having a job for 3+ years.
The writer not only failed to deliver but also failed to give viewers a proper ending with an explanation.
Because he's acting like a stupid child. You can all hate PM but he wasn't wrong about that.
Exactly my point. Perfect Crown isn't bad because it's predictable. Most Kdrama are predictable, not just romcoms. What I hate is lazy and poorly written scripts.
In this, the royal family is useless, as I already said they're nothing more than just a tourist attraction. So, I don't really understand why they are fighting for a title. They have zero power anyway. It's just a title like "Kpop Idol". 😂
Honestly, I'm only questioning things because the script isn't well-written. I usually don't criticize romcoms. "Love Scour" is probably one of the best romcom I've seen in 20 years, but if I wanted to, I could tear it apart, but I didn't do it because it was well-made overall. Or "Hometown Cha Cha Cha".
When a drama or movie starts to irritate me, my critical personality comes out. I don't care about excuses like, "This is just a fiction or a romcom" anymore because we can defend any movie or show the same way. Neither is a documentary, just fiction.
Also, I think Jinmu (I mean, the actor himself) was just included to trick the viewers because everyone thought he was the villain, but we never saw him doing anything until EP8 or 10. Zero buildup. I mean, the guy was literally shocked to his core when QM told him she killed the late king. That's not how a real villain acts.
As for the ending. At this point I don't expect anything. The villains are dusted already; PM is no threat, tbh. He might unalive himself. I can already guess we'll see at least a 3-4 year long time jump where Ian is still a king and the leads have their kids.
This ending would satisfy 90% of the viewers and make them forget everything else.
The pace is anything but slow, and saying it's not realistic is a ridiculous complaint because this is a Kdrama…
IU never had a surgery. She mentioned this once. She wanted to do a nose job but couldn't because the doctor said her nose isn't suited for that or whatever. I don't know.
Still Shining is in my PTW not sure when I can watch it tho.
I don't mind a predictable story if it's well-written. A lot of thrillers and crime dramas are also predictable and annoying sometimes, especially with the stupid cops.
Because he's acting like a stupid child. You can all hate PM but he wasn't wrong about that.
Well, I don't like it either, but it's totally understandable, and people don't hate on Jinmu like they do with him because Jinmu is not in love with Huiju. 😂 Also, the same people forget QM is toxic and an abusive mother, not to mention another killer who not long ago wanted to burn alive her own son, and now people want to give her a redemption arc. Some Kdrama fans are crazy and ignorant as well.
Yes, he was against the leads getting together because he was jealous, but it's not like he was wrong. Huiju never loved Ian till EP 7 or so. PM guy was right about Huiju being in danger. Ian barely did anything to save or protect her. So, yeah, he was a jealous fool but not wrong.
2nd: I don't think that was the reason for Ian not doing anything. At least we never got any info about that. This is what I said. This drama is so poorly written. Things just happen without any meaning. When Ian choked Jinmu he said, "Do you think I didn't know what you did?" or something like this. So, Ian knew everything for a long time; he just didn't do anything until it was late. Also, let's not forget Ian gave a free pass to QM, even tho he knows she killed his brother, the late King and how she abuses her own son too. That's why I said weeks ago that Ian is not much better than PM guy because they both turn a blind eye for the sake of the crown.
Yeah, I know these things are just plot devices, but why? Why do people add these plots if they don't do anything with them? Just give them a normal background; they knew each other from school, and he loved her then. Just let them meet again somehow and fall in love. End of story. But no, the writer wanted another unnecessary drama that she couldn't even write properly, and I hate that.
It's like when in "Lovely Runner" the writer added the crime story next to an already messed-up time travel plot. "Perfect Crown" could've been a well-made political drama with some romance but it turned out to be a nothing instead.
One last thing. I usually don't care about these things, so the fact that I mention this proves how poorly written this story is.
The outfits, the styling of these characters, and Huiju having the same nails since EP1 are just lazy. Also, it looks so bad. I couldn't tell she's a chaebol.
Because he's acting like a stupid child. You can all hate PM but he wasn't wrong about that.
I get your point about that, but PM wasn't just talking about a simple punishment. He's protecting the Crown itself. The royal family is already just a tourist attraction; they can't afford problems like this.
People say Jinmu should be punished, and that's true, but at the same time people love seeing QM getting a redemption arc because they don't have the balls to punish her too because she has a kid who she literally wanted to kill, btw.
PM was collaborating with them, but only because he had to protect the crown because they bring in a lot of money. Many people still think he's acting like this only because he's jealous of ML. This isn't about Huiju anymore. If Ian destroys the monarchy, he will lose everything, not just Huiju.
Also, Ian knew everything about Jinmu but didn't do anything till EP11. The only thing he did was choke him for a minute.
Just because Huiju didn't know she was going to fall in love doesn't erase my point. This is a romcom; it was obvious they would fall in love. The point is, they only got together because she wanted his status. He never made any move; he was just standing there like a puppet. Now, he got the girl and he wants to erase the thing that Huiju wanted. Ergo, the whole plot is pointless. They could've just written a story with them falling in love slowly without Huiju wanting his status.
This "love changes people" argument is so Disney movie-type nonsense and lazy writing.
In "Tangerines" Aesun didn't want to get married to Gwansik, even tho he had loved her since they were kids. He worked hard to get the girl, and he got her, and their relationship was actually written properly. In PC, things just happen randomly like in most romcoms because the writer and the crew know most viewers won't care about plot holes and messy scripts anyway. Especially if the leads are popular.
I won't say more because I don't know if you watched it; the rest would be a spoiler.
Because he's acting like a stupid child. You can all hate PM but he wasn't wrong about that.
Here, I will copy and paste it for you. You didn't realize, just like most people, why PM called him childish. It's not only about the QM's dad and punishments.
1st: How can a scene (the fire) like this happen in 2026? The firefighters out there are "having fun" while Huiju just waltzes in. Why did no one go in and bring him out?
2nd: The writing is beyond bad. Is there a single smart character other than Huiju? 2 characters become villains, and 1 becomes a "hero" without buildup. I know the writer is a rookie, but that's not an excuse.
3rd: Imagine you want to get married to a prince for his status. Then he decides to erase the monarchy after you're married. The REAL Huiju would file for divorce on the spot. Like, what's the point of Ian? Is he going to be a reality show person or is he going to beg Huiju or her dad to give him a job? 😂 His arc might make sense because he never loved the Crown and never wanted to become a King, but he's selfish and a fool. He never asked Huiju's opinion, even though he knows the one and only reason he got her was because he was a prince. Yes, I know Huiju will understand because they're in love now. That's why I said the REAL Huiju would file for divorce. Ian is NOT a good husband at all. Their so-called love for each other is now officially just a plot device.
Men on this show are absolutely useless!
4th: Now let's talk about everyone's favorite PM, because most of you only care about lovey-dovey and kiss scenes and hate this guy without thinking about his character.
The writing is BAD, but his character actually makes sense if you think about it.
He's not only a jealous idiot who lost his shit because he can't get the girl. He's the prime minister and wants to protect the Crown. Not because he loves it, but because he's FORCED to do it. His entire life and career were about the Crown that Ian wants to demolish now. The Crown and all of its members are absolutely useless, and they're clowns in a circus. Literally! But these clowns are generating A LOT of money for the country.
So, it's not really surprising he's going mad and would rather keep a kid on the throne than Ian, because he knows Ian couldn't be a great king anyway. He's not wrong about this. Ian actually proved his point in EP11.
The problem with his character, just like with pretty much everyone, is that the writer was too rookie or lazy to actually give them depth, a proper buildup, and an explanation of why they're acting like this. And NO, it's not about the 12 episodes; this wouldn't be any better if you gave them 120 episodes. A writer who can't develop characters in 10 episodes couldn't do it with more time.
The rant is over. My review after the finale will be longer, unless writer-nim makes me so angry I won't write anything.
Because he's acting like a stupid child. You can all hate PM but he wasn't wrong about that.
First of all, I'm a HE, not a SHE, and just because I'm not an obsessed fangirl of a pretty boy and blinded by cutesy scenes doesn't mean I wanted to paint your boy a terrible person. Also, I was criticizing his character since EP6 or so. At least get your facts straight.
He's just stupid and also not a good husband either.
They never protected Huiju, even tho he knew QM's dad is a villain. She almost died twice in a row because he couldn't let her go or at least give her a proper bodyguard team.
Not to mention the fact that Huiju is only with him because he's a prince, and now he says he wants to demolish the crown so their whole releationship is meaningless. Also, he didn't ask Huiju's opinion about this either.
The REAL Huiju would file for divorce instantly, but we all know it's not gonna happen now because she's in love and Ian knows he can do anything.
Like what's the point of their relationship exactly? Can you tell? Other than doing some cute scenes? He's totally useless.
I know you won't agree because most Kdrama fans give free pass to pretty MLs and they think they're perfect.
Okay, I hope you're ready for a rant from a long-time UAENA since 2008, because I'm pissed. I knew this was going…
1st: How can a scene (the fire) like this happen in 2026? The firefighters out there are "having fun" while Huiju just waltzes in. Why did no one go in and bring him out?
2nd: The writing is beyond bad. Is there a single smart character other than Huiju? 2 characters become villains, and 1 becomes a "hero" without buildup. I know the writer is a rookie, but that's not an excuse.
3rd: Imagine you want to get married to a prince for his status. Then he decides to erase the monarchy after you're married. The REAL Huiju would file for divorce on the spot. Like, what's the point of Ian? Is he going to be a reality show person or is he going to beg Huiju or her dad to give him a job? 😂 His arc might make sense because he never loved the Crown and never wanted to become a King, but he's selfish and a fool. He never asked Huiju's opinion, even though he knows the one and only reason he got her was because he was a prince. Yes, I know Huiju will understand because they're in love now. That's why I said the REAL Huiju would file for divorce. Ian is NOT a good husband at all. Their so-called love for each other is now officially just a plot device.
Men on this show are absolutely useless!
4th: Now let's talk about everyone's favorite PM, because most of you only care about lovey-dovey and kiss scenes and hate this guy without thinking about his character.
The writing is BAD, but his character actually makes sense if you think about it.
He's not only a jealous idiot who lost his shit because he can't get the girl. He's the prime minister and wants to protect the Crown. Not because he loves it, but because he's FORCED to do it. His entire life and career were about the Crown that Ian wants to demolish now. The Crown and all of its members are absolutely useless, and they're clowns in a circus. Literally! But these clowns are generating A LOT of money for the country.
So, it's not really surprising he's going mad and would rather keep a kid on the throne than Ian, because he knows Ian couldn't be a great king anyway. He's not wrong about this. Ian actually proved his point in EP11.
The problem with his character, just like with pretty much everyone, is that the writer was too rookie or lazy to actually give them depth, a proper buildup, and an explanation of why they're acting like this. And NO, it's not about the 12 episodes; this wouldn't be any better if you gave them 120 episodes. A writer who can't develop characters in 10 episodes couldn't do it with more time.
The rant is over. My review after the finale will be longer, unless writer-nim makes me so angry I won't write anything.
The pace is anything but slow, and saying it's not realistic is a ridiculous complaint because this is a Kdrama…
You can see Somin in my fave actors list so you know I'm not biased. It wasn't as bad as "Lovely Runner" for example, but the cancer plot was 100% nonsense. Overall it's another average romcom nothing more. Haein is also a decent actor, and both carried "LND".
Perfect Crown is the prime example when you have a script from a rookie writer. BWS is not a bad actor but IU is rally good you can see her in My Mister or Tangerines. Hotel del Luna is basically the better version of Perfect Crown because Manwol is cringe sometimes too it's just much better story and well-written character. Here in PC it's just things happen and the characters has barely any depth. Especially the side characters.
IU's characters are only good when she's doing serious things or not acting cringe. So it's not really about the actors. They do what the script and the director asked them to do. Also, IU's character is cringe on purpose to hide her feelings, but I said when I first watched EP1, not many people will like her character. If I hadn't been an IU fan since 2008 I don't think I could tolerate the cringe parts.
Yes, PC is predictable, but we can say this about almost every romcom tbh.
I only want to watch Sold out on You because I really like small town dramas.
I wish you would not assume just because he is popular, he can't act. The reason he got popular is because he…
No, I'm not saying he was bad in other projects; it's just the SCRIPT was lacking.
You can put Meryl Streep or Al Pacino in any Kdrama romcos they won't make it much better. Romcoms are usually simple without much character or story depth. It's the Kdrama world's Marvel Cinematic Universe, basically. It's fun and all, but most of the time it's not everlasting.
Tbh, I don't care about visuals at all, I mean, the visuals of the actors.
There are a lot of pretty/handsome people out there who I wouldn't trust to cook an egg for me. 😅
A pretty face won't make anyone famous for long.
What you said about "sincerity of a performance" is what I'm looking for. I can see that in his performance in "Perfect Crown" too, even tho I do think the script of that drama is also underwhelming. I hope they won't mess up the last 2 episodes like "Dynamite Kiss" did. Tbf, DK was already a mess before the finale, and PC is still on an average level or so. Not bad, but not good either.
I think they really missed a good opportunity to make an interesting political drama with much better-developed characters. But for a rookie writer, it's not bad.
I wish you would not assume just because he is popular, he can't act. The reason he got popular is because he…
That's not really what I meant to say. I was only talking about his popularity. It's not only about him either. Actors or any kind of entertainers can become popular because of something else, not really because of their talent. That's pretty rare, actually, especially in the acting industry. It usually happens because people love a show or a movie, and they do research about the actor. I'm not downplaying his or anyone else's skills; I always said his company is just wasting his potential in these romcoms, but who cares? I'm sure his actual fans don't mind it. I'm just different. 😅
For the record, I agree about your 2nd sentence. A bad actor could never make you feel anything other than irritation. 😅
Also, as much as I disliked "Lovely Runner", acting is more about the script and the director rather than the actors. They're basically the icing on the cake.
I've been a UAENA since 2008, and I can tell you that IU didn't become a top actress overnight either. I didn't like most of her early dramas either. I think it's just critical thinking these days is pretty much dead, and people think if you're a fan, you can only say positive things about your faves.
Now that you mentioned it, "20th Century Girl" is probably his best role. That movie was well-received for sure, but I don't think we can say the same about Namsoon. A lot of people disliked it. Not sure why. I mean, okay, it didn't have 2 strong main leads, but story-wise, it wasn't worse than Bongsoon.
Anyway, excuse my long essay. It's one of my habits. 😅
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Absolute MESS of a finale and drama overall. Like, one of the worst finales I've seen.
My longer review is coming soon, but all I want to say is Ian is probably the most boring and poorly written male lead I've seen in a while. If he's not a pretty face, people would call him a red flag and loser for not having a job for 3+ years.
The writer not only failed to deliver but also failed to give viewers a proper ending with an explanation.
In this, the royal family is useless, as I already said they're nothing more than just a tourist attraction. So, I don't really understand why they are fighting for a title. They have zero power anyway. It's just a title like "Kpop Idol". 😂
Honestly, I'm only questioning things because the script isn't well-written. I usually don't criticize romcoms. "Love Scour" is probably one of the best romcom I've seen in 20 years, but if I wanted to, I could tear it apart, but I didn't do it because it was well-made overall. Or "Hometown Cha Cha Cha".
When a drama or movie starts to irritate me, my critical personality comes out. I don't care about excuses like, "This is just a fiction or a romcom" anymore because we can defend any movie or show the same way. Neither is a documentary, just fiction.
Also, I think Jinmu (I mean, the actor himself) was just included to trick the viewers because everyone thought he was the villain, but we never saw him doing anything until EP8 or 10. Zero buildup. I mean, the guy was literally shocked to his core when QM told him she killed the late king. That's not how a real villain acts.
As for the ending. At this point I don't expect anything. The villains are dusted already; PM is no threat, tbh. He might unalive himself. I can already guess we'll see at least a 3-4 year long time jump where Ian is still a king and the leads have their kids.
This ending would satisfy 90% of the viewers and make them forget everything else.
Still Shining is in my PTW not sure when I can watch it tho.
I don't mind a predictable story if it's well-written. A lot of thrillers and crime dramas are also predictable and annoying sometimes, especially with the stupid cops.
Yes, he was against the leads getting together because he was jealous, but it's not like he was wrong. Huiju never loved Ian till EP 7 or so. PM guy was right about Huiju being in danger. Ian barely did anything to save or protect her. So, yeah, he was a jealous fool but not wrong.
2nd: I don't think that was the reason for Ian not doing anything. At least we never got any info about that. This is what I said. This drama is so poorly written. Things just happen without any meaning. When Ian choked Jinmu he said, "Do you think I didn't know what you did?" or something like this. So, Ian knew everything for a long time; he just didn't do anything until it was late. Also, let's not forget Ian gave a free pass to QM, even tho he knows she killed his brother, the late King and how she abuses her own son too. That's why I said weeks ago that Ian is not much better than PM guy because they both turn a blind eye for the sake of the crown.
Yeah, I know these things are just plot devices, but why? Why do people add these plots if they don't do anything with them? Just give them a normal background; they knew each other from school, and he loved her then. Just let them meet again somehow and fall in love. End of story. But no, the writer wanted another unnecessary drama that she couldn't even write properly, and I hate that.
It's like when in "Lovely Runner" the writer added the crime story next to an already messed-up time travel plot. "Perfect Crown" could've been a well-made political drama with some romance but it turned out to be a nothing instead.
One last thing. I usually don't care about these things, so the fact that I mention this proves how poorly written this story is.
The outfits, the styling of these characters, and Huiju having the same nails since EP1 are just lazy. Also, it looks so bad. I couldn't tell she's a chaebol.
People say Jinmu should be punished, and that's true, but at the same time people love seeing QM getting a redemption arc because they don't have the balls to punish her too because she has a kid who she literally wanted to kill, btw.
PM was collaborating with them, but only because he had to protect the crown because they bring in a lot of money. Many people still think he's acting like this only because he's jealous of ML. This isn't about Huiju anymore. If Ian destroys the monarchy, he will lose everything, not just Huiju.
Also, Ian knew everything about Jinmu but didn't do anything till EP11. The only thing he did was choke him for a minute.
Just because Huiju didn't know she was going to fall in love doesn't erase my point. This is a romcom; it was obvious they would fall in love. The point is, they only got together because she wanted his status. He never made any move; he was just standing there like a puppet. Now, he got the girl and he wants to erase the thing that Huiju wanted. Ergo, the whole plot is pointless. They could've just written a story with them falling in love slowly without Huiju wanting his status.
This "love changes people" argument is so Disney movie-type nonsense and lazy writing.
In "Tangerines" Aesun didn't want to get married to Gwansik, even tho he had loved her since they were kids. He worked hard to get the girl, and he got her, and their relationship was actually written properly. In PC, things just happen randomly like in most romcoms because the writer and the crew know most viewers won't care about plot holes and messy scripts anyway. Especially if the leads are popular.
I won't say more because I don't know if you watched it; the rest would be a spoiler.
1st: How can a scene (the fire) like this happen in 2026? The firefighters out there are "having fun" while Huiju just waltzes in. Why did no one go in and bring him out?
2nd: The writing is beyond bad. Is there a single smart character other than Huiju? 2 characters become villains, and 1 becomes a "hero" without buildup. I know the writer is a rookie, but that's not an excuse.
3rd: Imagine you want to get married to a prince for his status. Then he decides to erase the monarchy after you're married. The REAL Huiju would file for divorce on the spot. Like, what's the point of Ian? Is he going to be a reality show person or is he going to beg Huiju or her dad to give him a job? 😂 His arc might make sense because he never loved the Crown and never wanted to become a King, but he's selfish and a fool. He never asked Huiju's opinion, even though he knows the one and only reason he got her was because he was a prince. Yes, I know Huiju will understand because they're in love now. That's why I said the REAL Huiju would file for divorce. Ian is NOT a good husband at all. Their so-called love for each other is now officially just a plot device.
Men on this show are absolutely useless!
4th: Now let's talk about everyone's favorite PM, because most of you only care about lovey-dovey and kiss scenes and hate this guy without thinking about his character.
The writing is BAD, but his character actually makes sense if you think about it.
He's not only a jealous idiot who lost his shit because he can't get the girl. He's the prime minister and wants to protect the Crown. Not because he loves it, but because he's FORCED to do it. His entire life and career were about the Crown that Ian wants to demolish now. The Crown and all of its members are absolutely useless, and they're clowns in a circus. Literally! But these clowns are generating A LOT of money for the country.
So, it's not really surprising he's going mad and would rather keep a kid on the throne than Ian, because he knows Ian couldn't be a great king anyway. He's not wrong about this. Ian actually proved his point in EP11.
The problem with his character, just like with pretty much everyone, is that the writer was too rookie or lazy to actually give them depth, a proper buildup, and an explanation of why they're acting like this. And NO, it's not about the 12 episodes; this wouldn't be any better if you gave them 120 episodes. A writer who can't develop characters in 10 episodes couldn't do it with more time.
The rant is over. My review after the finale will be longer, unless writer-nim makes me so angry I won't write anything.
He's just stupid and also not a good husband either.
They never protected Huiju, even tho he knew QM's dad is a villain. She almost died twice in a row because he couldn't let her go or at least give her a proper bodyguard team.
Not to mention the fact that Huiju is only with him because he's a prince, and now he says he wants to demolish the crown so their whole releationship is meaningless. Also, he didn't ask Huiju's opinion about this either.
The REAL Huiju would file for divorce instantly, but we all know it's not gonna happen now because she's in love and Ian knows he can do anything.
Like what's the point of their relationship exactly? Can you tell? Other than doing some cute scenes? He's totally useless.
I know you won't agree because most Kdrama fans give free pass to pretty MLs and they think they're perfect.
2nd: The writing is beyond bad. Is there a single smart character other than Huiju? 2 characters become villains, and 1 becomes a "hero" without buildup. I know the writer is a rookie, but that's not an excuse.
3rd: Imagine you want to get married to a prince for his status. Then he decides to erase the monarchy after you're married. The REAL Huiju would file for divorce on the spot. Like, what's the point of Ian? Is he going to be a reality show person or is he going to beg Huiju or her dad to give him a job? 😂 His arc might make sense because he never loved the Crown and never wanted to become a King, but he's selfish and a fool. He never asked Huiju's opinion, even though he knows the one and only reason he got her was because he was a prince. Yes, I know Huiju will understand because they're in love now. That's why I said the REAL Huiju would file for divorce. Ian is NOT a good husband at all. Their so-called love for each other is now officially just a plot device.
Men on this show are absolutely useless!
4th: Now let's talk about everyone's favorite PM, because most of you only care about lovey-dovey and kiss scenes and hate this guy without thinking about his character.
The writing is BAD, but his character actually makes sense if you think about it.
He's not only a jealous idiot who lost his shit because he can't get the girl. He's the prime minister and wants to protect the Crown. Not because he loves it, but because he's FORCED to do it. His entire life and career were about the Crown that Ian wants to demolish now. The Crown and all of its members are absolutely useless, and they're clowns in a circus. Literally! But these clowns are generating A LOT of money for the country.
So, it's not really surprising he's going mad and would rather keep a kid on the throne than Ian, because he knows Ian couldn't be a great king anyway. He's not wrong about this. Ian actually proved his point in EP11.
The problem with his character, just like with pretty much everyone, is that the writer was too rookie or lazy to actually give them depth, a proper buildup, and an explanation of why they're acting like this. And NO, it's not about the 12 episodes; this wouldn't be any better if you gave them 120 episodes. A writer who can't develop characters in 10 episodes couldn't do it with more time.
The rant is over. My review after the finale will be longer, unless writer-nim makes me so angry I won't write anything.
I knew this was going to happen, but I'm still angry. Without IU, I would've dropped this mess halfway, probably.
Perfect Crown is the prime example when you have a script from a rookie writer. BWS is not a bad actor but IU is rally good you can see her in My Mister or Tangerines. Hotel del Luna is basically the better version of Perfect Crown because Manwol is cringe sometimes too it's just much better story and well-written character. Here in PC it's just things happen and the characters has barely any depth. Especially the side characters.
IU's characters are only good when she's doing serious things or not acting cringe. So it's not really about the actors. They do what the script and the director asked them to do. Also, IU's character is cringe on purpose to hide her feelings, but I said when I first watched EP1, not many people will like her character. If I hadn't been an IU fan since 2008 I don't think I could tolerate the cringe parts.
Yes, PC is predictable, but we can say this about almost every romcom tbh.
I only want to watch Sold out on You because I really like small town dramas.
I didn't read the original, so my mind is fresh; I won't compare. That's a good thing tbh.
You can put Meryl Streep or Al Pacino in any Kdrama romcos they won't make it much better. Romcoms are usually simple without much character or story depth. It's the Kdrama world's Marvel Cinematic Universe, basically. It's fun and all, but most of the time it's not everlasting.
Tbh, I don't care about visuals at all, I mean, the visuals of the actors.
There are a lot of pretty/handsome people out there who I wouldn't trust to cook an egg for me. 😅
A pretty face won't make anyone famous for long.
What you said about "sincerity of a performance" is what I'm looking for. I can see that in his performance in "Perfect Crown" too, even tho I do think the script of that drama is also underwhelming. I hope they won't mess up the last 2 episodes like "Dynamite Kiss" did. Tbf, DK was already a mess before the finale, and PC is still on an average level or so. Not bad, but not good either.
I think they really missed a good opportunity to make an interesting political drama with much better-developed characters. But for a rookie writer, it's not bad.
For the record, I agree about your 2nd sentence. A bad actor could never make you feel anything other than irritation. 😅
Also, as much as I disliked "Lovely Runner", acting is more about the script and the director rather than the actors. They're basically the icing on the cake.
I've been a UAENA since 2008, and I can tell you that IU didn't become a top actress overnight either. I didn't like most of her early dramas either. I think it's just critical thinking these days is pretty much dead, and people think if you're a fan, you can only say positive things about your faves.
Now that you mentioned it, "20th Century Girl" is probably his best role. That movie was well-received for sure, but I don't think we can say the same about Namsoon. A lot of people disliked it. Not sure why. I mean, okay, it didn't have 2 strong main leads, but story-wise, it wasn't worse than Bongsoon.
Anyway, excuse my long essay. It's one of my habits. 😅