Weekend Drama Battle: No Clear Winner

Two highly anticipated dramas, MBC's Friday-Saturday drama '21st Century Grand Prince's Wife' and JTBC's drama 'Everyone is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness' (hereinafter referred to as 'Everyone's Fighting'), featuring star actors and writers, are leaving viewers disappointed as they have not achieved the expected success.

'21st Century Grand Prince's Wife,' which aired first, recently recorded a viewership rating of 11.1%, surpassing the 10% mark. However, it is facing criticism for its plot holes. The drama, set in a constitutional monarchy in 21st-century South Korea, tells the story of a chaebol heiress and a prince. Yet, criticisms regarding a lack of detail persist, such as the background of the grand prince becoming regent and the appearance of a German Mercedes-Benz as a royal procession vehicle. Considering that 'royal romance' dramas are rare, these criticisms are particularly stinging, and the drama cannot escape comparisons to the 2007 drama 'Goong.'

Park Hae-young's new work, 'Everyone's Fighting,' recorded a disappointing viewership rating in the 2% range. While Park has garnered a dedicated fanbase for her ability to delve into characters' inner lives and create relatable narratives, this latest work is being criticized for giving a sense of déjà vu due to character settings similar to her representative works, 'My Mister' and 'My Liberation Notes.' Furthermore, the drama's setting in the film industry makes it somewhat difficult to connect with viewers, and reactions to the protagonist Hwang Dong-man (played by Gu Kyo-hwan) being excessively pathetic, to the point of causing annoyance, are dividing opinions.

Although the initial performance of both works has not met expectations, there is still potential for a turnaround. For 'Everyone's Fighting,' the development driven by Park Hae-young's capabilities is anticipated, and performance beyond viewership ratings, such as OTT platform rankings and buzz, should also be considered. '21st Century Grand Prince's Wife,' aiming for a romantic comedy with a unique setting rather than a solid plot, holds significance in that it is achieving its own success as a distinctive work.

However, the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. Viewers who anticipated fierce competition and buzz with the involvement of star actors and writers are still feeling a sense of regret. The situation calls for a 'turnaround' as both dramas need to resolve their lingering disappointments and achieve results beyond expectations.