Sure but top 10 non English is still not a flop. But I do think viewership and interest is dropping, it'll be interesting to see what the numbers are next week.
>According to Netflix’s Global TOP 10 series (non-English) rankings for January 6th to 12th, the show secured the eighth position with 2.4 million views and a cumulative viewing time of 10.8 million hours. FlixPatrol reports that the series has entered the TOP 10 in 55 countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan, India, and Saudi Arabia, landing at #8 on Netflix’s global TV shows chart.
>International media has taken notice. U.S. review site Decider wrote, “When The Stars Gossip is a typical Korean romance dramedy in a lot of ways, but two good lead performances and fantastic visual effects make it very watchable.” The outlet particularly praised the visual effects, noting, “The visual effects on the show are really well-done, and the floating looks realistic, given everything we know about how astronauts deal with zero-g in real life.”
>ScreenRant, another U.S. entertainment outlet, reviewed that “‘When the Stars Gossip’ has received positive reviews, with the stellar cast, chemistry between the primary protagonists, and interesting plot being the highlights.” The publication added, “The first two episodes of the series have shown that the Netflix K-drama has the potential to be great, thus making viewers curious about when the next episodes will be released.”
>The series has also garnered positive reviews on IMDb, with viewers praising “the dynamic and interesting plot, excellent graphics, great comic scenes, superb acting, and outstanding musical accompaniment.” Others noted, “It’s been a while since a drama put so much effort into pleasing viewers’ eyes” and “The space station is very realistic and so is the acting there. Excellent cast.”
this drama is so ridiculous it’s actually amusing so i keep tuning in lol🤣
That's how I feel about it. It's not actually good but the trainwreck isn't boring either so I'll keep watching. Plus the acting and CGI are legit good, it's the writing that's a trainwreck.
Sorry but this drama is absolutely boring!!! Gong Hyo Jin gone for 7 years and she comes back to be in this silly…
It feels like she's sidelined even though she's the female lead. We don't know her thoughts, feelings or desires, it's all about the men in the story. Even though she's a "strong" character she's already been weakened by Gong Ryong saving her and pinning her in her own room. That's bothering me a lot.
Whoever thought it was a good idea to burn 30 billion on this script....I skipped 50 % of ep 4. I felt very uncomfortable…
Everything about episode 4 made me dislike Gong Ryong. I really don't know what they're doing with his character. He's a selfish impulsive doofus. I'm not dropping because I'm not bored and I want to know where it's going to end up but for me it's a crack watch.
This is going on a risky territory ratings wise at least in Korea and I wonder why as I haven't yet started it.…
This is what an article on Naver said:
Unappealing “Zero-Gravity Space Station” Concept The show heavily promoted its distinction as "the first Korean drama set in a zero-gravity space station," but this novelty failed to captivate viewers. The blend of sci-fi, romantic comedy, and space-office drama was creative but struggled to resonate with audiences, making it a fatal flaw for engagement. While the ambition to break away from typical melodramas filled with love affairs and clichés is commendable, a drama that fails to connect with viewers becomes meaningless, regardless of its originality.
Overinflated Expectations from the 50 Billion KRW Budget With over 10 billion KRW (approximately 6.8 million USD) allocated solely for VFX (special effects) and CGI to recreate the space station’s interiors and zero-gravity environment, the production was hyped as one of 2025’s most anticipated releases. However, as the saying goes, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. The staggering budget has become a blemish, amplifying the embarrassment of the low ratings.
Distracting and Unnecessary Bed Scenes Another criticism is the overuse of bed scenes, which detracts from the storyline. From the first episode, unexpected intimate scenes between Lee Min Ho and Han Ji Eun, as well as Gong Hyo Jin and Kim Joo Heon, left viewers puzzled. One scene even depicted fruit flies mating on the space station, eliciting bewildered laughter. The show also featured bizarre references to misshapen sperm, ectopic pregnancies, and more, as if every "mating" subplot was thrown in at once. Even the teaser at the end of episode 4 hinted at another bed scene between Lee El and Kim Joo Heon. If this continues, the show’s most memorable scene may end up being Kim Joo Heon’s armpit hair. Fans of screenwriter Seo Sook Hyang, known for her lively romantic comedies like 'Pasta' and 'Don't Dare to Dream' are left wondering if her trademark charm has evaporated, leaving only "floating bed scenes" behind.
because it's LMH. lol. have you seen him in Boys Before Flowers? you'd have a love/hate relationship with his…
I don't think it's him it's the writing. I've seen LMH in BoF, Legend of the Blue Sea and Pachinko and I don't have a strong opinion on him one way or the other, he's not bad he's not great he's fine. It's the writing for his character that's dogshit in this
am I the only one that find this kinda sloooooooow and booring in some parts... I had to skip kek
There's scenes that are cute but I'm not feeling a lot of chemistry between the leads except at the end of ep 4. I'm hoping the chemistry improves soon
The show is so fucking weird but I'm still on into it for some reason. I can't say I'm bored even when I'm WTFing what's going on. I'm starting to hate the ml though. He's selfish, immature, impulsive and doesn't respect boundaries. I hated the last scene of ep4. Eve is such a better person than him, why would she be interested in this man baby?
I fear that Santi and Lee are red shirts and aren't going to make it back home 😭😭 too bad because honestly aside from Eve they're the most likable people on the ship
WTF did I just watch?1. The space walk to save her was ridiculous and went on way too long. They all should be…
I agree about the way he answered the room especially because she was trapped in her sleeping bag, I can't believe how much I dislike the character. it's not Lee Min Ho's fault, he's just written to be selfish, impulsive and kind of stupid
https://zapzee.net/2025/01/15/when-the-stars-gossip-takes-off-internationally-as-korean-ratings-remain-grounded/
>According to Netflix’s Global TOP 10 series (non-English) rankings for January 6th to 12th, the show secured the eighth position with 2.4 million views and a cumulative viewing time of 10.8 million hours. FlixPatrol reports that the series has entered the TOP 10 in 55 countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan, India, and Saudi Arabia, landing at #8 on Netflix’s global TV shows chart.
>International media has taken notice. U.S. review site Decider wrote, “When The Stars Gossip is a typical Korean romance dramedy in a lot of ways, but two good lead performances and fantastic visual effects make it very watchable.” The outlet particularly praised the visual effects, noting, “The visual effects on the show are really well-done, and the floating looks realistic, given everything we know about how astronauts deal with zero-g in real life.”
>ScreenRant, another U.S. entertainment outlet, reviewed that “‘When the Stars Gossip’ has received positive reviews, with the stellar cast, chemistry between the primary protagonists, and interesting plot being the highlights.” The publication added, “The first two episodes of the series have shown that the Netflix K-drama has the potential to be great, thus making viewers curious about when the next episodes will be released.”
>The series has also garnered positive reviews on IMDb, with viewers praising “the dynamic and interesting plot, excellent graphics, great comic scenes, superb acting, and outstanding musical accompaniment.” Others noted, “It’s been a while since a drama put so much effort into pleasing viewers’ eyes” and “The space station is very realistic and so is the acting there. Excellent cast.”
Unappealing “Zero-Gravity Space Station” Concept
The show heavily promoted its distinction as "the first Korean drama set in a zero-gravity space station," but this novelty failed to captivate viewers. The blend of sci-fi, romantic comedy, and space-office drama was creative but struggled to resonate with audiences, making it a fatal flaw for engagement. While the ambition to break away from typical melodramas filled with love affairs and clichés is commendable, a drama that fails to connect with viewers becomes meaningless, regardless of its originality.
Overinflated Expectations from the 50 Billion KRW Budget
With over 10 billion KRW (approximately 6.8 million USD) allocated solely for VFX (special effects) and CGI to recreate the space station’s interiors and zero-gravity environment, the production was hyped as one of 2025’s most anticipated releases. However, as the saying goes, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. The staggering budget has become a blemish, amplifying the embarrassment of the low ratings.
Distracting and Unnecessary Bed Scenes
Another criticism is the overuse of bed scenes, which detracts from the storyline. From the first episode, unexpected intimate scenes between Lee Min Ho and Han Ji Eun, as well as Gong Hyo Jin and Kim Joo Heon, left viewers puzzled. One scene even depicted fruit flies mating on the space station, eliciting bewildered laughter. The show also featured bizarre references to misshapen sperm, ectopic pregnancies, and more, as if every "mating" subplot was thrown in at once. Even the teaser at the end of episode 4 hinted at another bed scene between Lee El and Kim Joo Heon. If this continues, the show’s most memorable scene may end up being Kim Joo Heon’s armpit hair. Fans of screenwriter Seo Sook Hyang, known for her lively romantic comedies like 'Pasta' and 'Don't Dare to Dream' are left wondering if her trademark charm has evaporated, leaving only "floating bed scenes" behind.
Source: https://www.allkpop.com/article/2025/01/when-the-stars-gossip-struggles-with-ratings-despite-having-a-hefty-production-budget
As for Netflix, it started out #6 worldwide but has dropped to #8. We'll see if it stays in the top 10: https://flixpatrol.com/top10/netflix/