I thought it was a mostly pleasant drama that won't stay with me. But I didn't like how they handled the Peoplez…
She quit without speaking to her partners and left her employees behind to work for someone evil. Yes they quit but then that meant they were scrambling for jobs with no support from her. I know it wasn't meant to be that serious but I couldn't get into her scenes hanging out with Eun Ho because I kept thinking your former employees are out of work and scrambling for jobs! They probably can't pay the rent!
Oh if we're entering love triangle territory this is immediately going on hold. I loathe love triangles. I said…
The plot really is all over the place. You had the story of the aunt which was tragic and potentially compelling but we barely got to spend any time with it before it was resolved and it felt like the whole thing was a setup for the ML to impress the FL. And then that random ass paragliding scene, what the hell was that 😭 the show is only 10 episodes so we only have six episodes left, we should be tightly focused on the three couples and not pulling in these underdeveloped side stories.
I feel sad for the people who worked hard to make the sets and stuff...
I feel sorry for the FX team, the space shots and animated sequences were gorgeous. Also the actors who are all doing the best with what they've been given. What a terrible waste of talent. Also the blue collar people in the industry, the ones who make sets and costumes and the post production people, etc are going to feel the pinch with less work.
South Korean cable channel tvN, known for hit K-dramas such as "Queen of Tears" and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," is now grappling with the fallout of the massive failure of one of its most ambitious projects yet, "When the Stars Gossip," Korea’s first-ever space-set office drama.
Despite the presence of Hallyu A-listers Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, the 16-episode series that blends romance with a sci-fi backdrop has struggled to capture audiences.
The drama, which aired its 12th episode on Sunday, follows the interstellar rendezvous between Eve (Gong), a space station commander, and Gong-ryong (Lee), a gynecologist seeking a getaway as a space tourist.
Marketed as one of tvN’s biggest tentpoles, the series was developed over five years, from securing its lead actors to postproduction. Featuring cutting-edge computer graphics to bring its space setting to life, the show was reported to have involved a hefty budget of 50 billion won ($34 million).
However, despite its grand scale and star-studded cast, the drama has struggled to justify the investment, averaging a dismal 2 percent viewership rating. Its lowest point came with episode 7, which logged just 1.8 percent -- marking the first time a tvN weekend drama has dipped into the 1 percent viewership ratings range in six years since "Melting Me Softly."
The failure of this high-stakes project has also impacted the share prices of its creators, with entertainment giant CJ ENM -- the parent company of tvN -- and production titan Studio Dragon experiencing downturns in the performance of their stocks. CJ ENM stocks tumbled approximately 15 percent in January compared to December, while Studio Dragon saw a 12 percent dip over the same period.
Audiences have skewered "When the Stars Gossip" for its lackluster romance, citing weak chemistry between the leads and a meandering, incoherent narrative. Many viewers reportedly abandoned the show after just two episodes, frustrated by its chaotic storytelling.
Critics added the apparent disconnect between its premise and execution as a key reason for the series' lackluster performance.
While a space-themed drama might evoke expectations of adventure or suspense, the series instead leans heavily into melodrama -- resulting in tonal dissonance, pop culture critic Jung Duk-hyun told The Korea Herald on Wednesday.
“The very concept of space as a setting is already somewhat unfamiliar to Korean audiences. At the same time, viewers have certain expectations for space-themed works, having seen many from overseas -- whether they be grand adventures, thrilling suspense or action-packed sequences,” said Jung.
“However, this work incorporates a melodramatic storyline instead. While that could be seen as a distinctly Korean approach -- given the industry’s expertise in romance -- it also created a significant sense of dissonance for many viewers,” Jung added.
“Sci-fi, by definition, often involves intricate narratives rooted in scientific concepts, and audiences likely expected more of that. However, these elements were largely sidelined,” he continued, noting that while the drama includes some space-related details, they remain superficial rather than integral to the plot.
"When the Stars Gossip" is set to air its 13th episode this Saturday on tvN.
>However, industry insiders agree that the repercussions when such a blockbuster fails at the box office are huge. A drama production official said, "'Ask the Stars' side claims that they did not suffer any losses, but who would be willing to make a huge investment when a blockbuster with a 50 billion won budget starring Hallyu star Lee Min-ho failed? I am concerned that future content investment will be further discouraged in an already difficult situation."
>Other production officials also expressed their agreement, adding, "The Korean market is already shrinking because the production costs themselves are increasing, so when a blockbuster fails, it indirectly affects not only the company itself but also others. In order to turn around the industry's stagnant atmosphere, the success of the content is ultimately necessary."
It's basically a light and fluffy rom-com with a lot of sex. I really like the second leads and I'm interested…
There was the scene with the gisaeng which had a topless woman, two sex scenes with the second couple (one played for laughs in the litter where you only hear moans and see it rocking), the scene with the crown prince and princess having joyless sex and finally maybe implied sex between the leads though I guess we'll find out for sure whether it happened next episode. There were also the intro animation showing people having sex in the village, the sexually explicit drawings with full genitalia showing and characters reading explicit passages out loud. Yes, that's a lot of sex for a Kdrama.
As for the tone, in my opinion yes it's very lighthearted. I guess that's a matter of opinion but this is much lighter and funnier than sageuk like Bloody Heart, The Red Sleeve or My Dearest.
This is the best version unfortunately, because this hasn't streamed officially on any site that provides captions
I mean Kisskh has the best subs at the moment, I saw worse versions on Dailymotion. Right now there's no release date for it to be available outside of Korea.
TvN’s W50b space romance drama 'When the Stars Gossip' flops in dissonance
Updated : Feb. 12, 2025 - 15:06:03Feb. 12, 2025 - 14:17:02By Lee Yoon-seo
South Korean cable channel tvN, known for hit K-dramas such as "Queen of Tears" and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," is now grappling with the fallout of the massive failure of one of its most ambitious projects yet, "When the Stars Gossip," Korea’s first-ever space-set office drama.
Despite the presence of Hallyu A-listers Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, the 16-episode series that blends romance with a sci-fi backdrop has struggled to capture audiences.
The drama, which aired its 12th episode on Sunday, follows the interstellar rendezvous between Eve (Gong), a space station commander, and Gong-ryong (Lee), a gynecologist seeking a getaway as a space tourist.
Marketed as one of tvN’s biggest tentpoles, the series was developed over five years, from securing its lead actors to postproduction. Featuring cutting-edge computer graphics to bring its space setting to life, the show was reported to have involved a hefty budget of 50 billion won ($34 million).
However, despite its grand scale and star-studded cast, the drama has struggled to justify the investment, averaging a dismal 2 percent viewership rating. Its lowest point came with episode 7, which logged just 1.8 percent -- marking the first time a tvN weekend drama has dipped into the 1 percent viewership ratings range in six years since "Melting Me Softly."
The failure of this high-stakes project has also impacted the share prices of its creators, with entertainment giant CJ ENM -- the parent company of tvN -- and production titan Studio Dragon experiencing downturns in the performance of their stocks. CJ ENM stocks tumbled approximately 15 percent in January compared to December, while Studio Dragon saw a 12 percent dip over the same period.
Audiences have skewered "When the Stars Gossip" for its lackluster romance, citing weak chemistry between the leads and a meandering, incoherent narrative. Many viewers reportedly abandoned the show after just two episodes, frustrated by its chaotic storytelling.
Critics added the apparent disconnect between its premise and execution as a key reason for the series' lackluster performance.
While a space-themed drama might evoke expectations of adventure or suspense, the series instead leans heavily into melodrama -- resulting in tonal dissonance, pop culture critic Jung Duk-hyun told The Korea Herald on Wednesday.
“The very concept of space as a setting is already somewhat unfamiliar to Korean audiences. At the same time, viewers have certain expectations for space-themed works, having seen many from overseas -- whether they be grand adventures, thrilling suspense or action-packed sequences,” said Jung.
“However, this work incorporates a melodramatic storyline instead. While that could be seen as a distinctly Korean approach -- given the industry’s expertise in romance -- it also created a significant sense of dissonance for many viewers,” Jung added.
“Sci-fi, by definition, often involves intricate narratives rooted in scientific concepts, and audiences likely expected more of that. However, these elements were largely sidelined,” he continued, noting that while the drama includes some space-related details, they remain superficial rather than integral to the plot.
"When the Stars Gossip" is set to air its 13th episode this Saturday on tvN.
>However, industry insiders agree that the repercussions when such a blockbuster fails at the box office are huge. A drama production official said, "'Ask the Stars' side claims that they did not suffer any losses, but who would be willing to make a huge investment when a blockbuster with a 50 billion won budget starring Hallyu star Lee Min-ho failed? I am concerned that future content investment will be further discouraged in an already difficult situation."
>Other production officials also expressed their agreement, adding, "The Korean market is already shrinking because the production costs themselves are increasing, so when a blockbuster fails, it indirectly affects not only the company itself but also others. In order to turn around the industry's stagnant atmosphere, the success of the content is ultimately necessary."
As for the tone, in my opinion yes it's very lighthearted. I guess that's a matter of opinion but this is much lighter and funnier than sageuk like Bloody Heart, The Red Sleeve or My Dearest.