The belief that high production costs guarantee high ratings is now a thing of the past. Even if a production goes through a lengthy five-year development phase and costs up to 500 billion won, if it fails to meet the heightened tastes of viewers, its box office performance will inevitably be poor.
The tvN weekend drama 'Ask the Stars', which premiered on January 4, is a full-fledged space romantic comedy that traverses between a space station and Earth. With a production preparation period of five years and a budget reaching 500 billion won, it is a major work. Star actors Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, among others, have gathered much anticipation.
'Ask the Stars', which was expected to herald the start of tvN dramas in 2025, began with a disappointing rating of 3.3% for its first broadcast (based on Nielsen Korea's nationwide paid households). It recorded a slight increase to 3.9% (the highest rating) in the second episode but failed to rebound, dropping to 2.2% in the third episode and then to 2.8% in the fourth episode, marking a humiliatingly low rating.
Of course, many argue that recent ratings alone cannot gauge the level of success. Along with ratings, the level of buzz is an important indicator of whether a show is loved by viewers. However, the buzz surrounding 'Ask the Stars' is also not favorable. It ranked 5th in TV-OTT buzz during its first week, but cast member Lee Min-ho ranked 9th and Gong Hyo-jin 13th, indicating a lack of interest.
Critics point out that the reason for 'Ask the Stars' failure at the box office lies in its lack of quality, despite its production costs and star power. With a star writer Seo Sook-hyang, known for 'Pasta' and 'Jealousy Incarnate', and director Park Shin-woo, known for 'Jealousy Incarnate' and 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay', along with Hallyu stars Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, the show boasts a hefty production budget of 500 billion won and an attractive space theme. However, the story has been criticized as a cliché 'romantic story in space' reminiscent of mass-produced Korean morning dramas.
Scenes that disrupt immersion in the drama, such as the sudden appearance of a dolphin show, have also been noted. Additionally, provocative scenes featuring Lee Min-ho and Han Ji-eun, as well as Gong Hyo-jin and Kim Joo-hun, have followed, and the unexpected explicit depiction of fruit fly mating has sparked controversy.
In contrast, competing works airing at the same time as 'Ask the Stars' are gaining popularity despite relatively lower production costs and not featuring star casts, thanks to their intriguing stories. JTBC's 'Mrs. Ock's Story', starring Lim Ji-yeon and Choo Young-woo, recorded a peak rating of 11%, while SBS's 'My Perfect Secretary', starring Lee Joon-hyuk and Han Ji-min, surpassed 10%. MBC's 'Motel California', starring Lee Se-young and Na In-woo, recorded ratings of 3-4%, and Channel A's 'Check-in Hanyang' started in the 1% range but has risen to 2-3% due to word of mouth.
A drama must not only have a high production budget but also ensure a high level of quality to win the love of viewers. 'Ask the Stars' is a 16-episode series, and only four episodes have aired so far, so there is room for evaluation to change depending on the future development of the work.
Nevertheless, the beginning is half the battle. It remains to be seen whether 'Ask the Stars' can present a dramatic change that satisfies the sharpened eyes of viewers.
[Shin Young-eun, Star Today Reporter]
