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Dex (real name Kim Jin-young, 30), who has emerged as a blue chip in the entertainment industry and was on the rise, challenged his transformation into an actor through his drama debut ENA's 'Shopping', but the result has been overwhelmingly negative reviews. From the first broadcast, criticisms poured in that Dex's immature acting skills hindered the immersion in the drama, leading to a 'bad acting' controversy.

'Shopping' is an action thriller based on illegal adoption and revenge. Thanks to its provocative setting depicting the survival and revenge of children abandoned by their adoptive parents, the viewership ratings rose from 1.7% (based on Nielsen Korea's paid households) to 2.1% for the second episode. However, Dex's unstable acting, which interrupts the flow of the work, is still pointed out as a weakness.

In the drama, Dex plays the role of 'Jung Hyun', a key figure in an illegal adoption organization, portraying a cold-blooded murderer. He is a character who unconditionally obeys Kim Se-hee, the head of the organization and representative of the SH Medical Foundation, and is a villain who does not hesitate to commit murder himself as well as instruct others to do so.

However, viewers criticized Dex's shaky performance, saying, "Why does he walk strangely?", "Everything from his voice to his gaze is awkward," and "Is this drama a rehearsal?" Perhaps due to his lack of acting experience, viewers found themselves holding their breath every time Dex appeared on screen.

Especially, Dex's acting skills appeared even more out of place when compared to veteran actors like Yeom Jung-ah, Kim Soo-ro, and Choi Young-jun. Among viewers, there were sarcastic comments like, "Dex, I know you want to act, but did you prepare properly?"

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While some voices of support say, "Acting is a mountain to overcome when you start," the drama set is not a place that can wait for individual growth.

To create a single drama, dozens of personnel are mobilized, including production companies, broadcasting stations, actors, and filming staff. When you include stylists, makeup artists, managers who support the actors, as well as external PR companies, investors, and PPL-related companies that indirectly participate in promoting the drama, the number of stakeholders increases exponentially.

Especially in a situation where the profitability of dramas is declining, leading to a reduction in production itself and a more challenging environment, the weight that a lead actor must bear is significant. However, Dex still seems unstable to bear this weight. Some even jokingly say, "Dex's bad acting has become a viewing point instead."

Dex, who was discharged as a sergeant from the Navy Special Warfare Command (UDT), began his broadcasting activities in 2020 with the web entertainment 'Fake Man 2'. After gaining public recognition in 2021 with MBC's survival entertainment 'Blood Game', he rose to stardom by appearing as a male 'Mekki' (a participant who is added mid-way for tension) in Netflix's 'Solo Hell 2' in 2022.

Since then, he has appeared in MBC's entertainment program 'Born to Travel the World' series, Netflix's 'Zombieverse' series, and tvN's 'Sisters' Direct Delivery' series, showcasing his growth as an entertainer.

Having successfully transformed from a soldier to an entertainer, Dex's next step was acting. However, instead of receiving praise for a 'successful transformation' in acting, he faced harsh reality.

As a reporter who has applauded Dex's challenges as an entertainer, I find it difficult to give a passing grade for this acting challenge.

"Dex, do you want to act? (You're doing well in entertainment... do you really need to climb that mountain?)"

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