Korean dramas and Korean entrainment in general have a huge fan base. Fans eagerly wait for their favorite actors and actresses to feature in the next hit drama. But sometimes these anticipation and excitement disappoints the audience. There can be many reasons for this failure to live up to the expectation, from weak storyline to unpleasing chemistry between the leads. Sometimes the dramas are exciting and entertaining in first few episodes but soon becomes dull with the weak storyline further in the drama. So, here is a compilation of the most anticipation Korean drama that failed the expectation of the audience.
1. Doona
Doona was released in 2023 and was the most anticipated drama among the Korean drama fans. Starring Bae Suzy and Yang Se Jong, Doona is the story of an idol who suddenly declared retirement and ended up living with an ordinary college student named Won Jun. Audience eagerly waited for this drama to air, that starred two most loved actors. But this anticipation was disappointing as the drama’s storyline was slow as it took a whole eight episodes for the character building. Moreover, the ending was also not up to the mark.
2. The Heavenly Idol
The Heavenly Idol was released in 2023. This is a fantasy drama starring Kim Min Kyu and Go Bo Gyeol. The drama tells the story of a k pop idol, Woo Yeon Woo, whose body was trapped by the Pontifex Rembrary of the other world, and his struggle to live as an K pop idol. After the success of Business Proposal, audience were trilled to see Kim Min Kyu as the main lead in this drama. However, the poor execution of the drama made it disappointing for the audience. The difference between the story of the web novel and the series and the addition of the love interest further made the drama uninteresting.
3. Pandora: Beneath The Paradise
Pandora: Beneath the Paradise is a thriller drama released in 2023. The drama tells the story of Hong Tae Ra who has lost her pas memories and works hard to get to the position of the first lady so that she could protect her family and revenge them who have taken control of her life. This series did not live up to the hype it created. The confusing plots and poor camera work were critiqued by the fans resulting to the disappointment of the drama. The drama featured Lee Ji Ah, Lee Sang Yoon, Jang Hee Jin, Park Ki Woong, and Bong Tae Gyu.
4. Our Blooming Youth
Our Blooming Youth was released in 2023. This is a historical drama directed by Lee Jong Jae. The drama tells the story of the crown prince who is under a curse and a brilliant girl who is accused of murdering her family. Park Hyung Sik and Jeon So Nee played the leading roles in the drama. The drama is based on the Chinese novel “The Golden Hairpin” some aspects of it, is considered unsuitable for Korean culture and hence faced backlash from the Korean audience. The Chinese audience also showed their disappointment as they thought that So Nee did not portray the strong personality of the character.
5. D.P. Season 2
D.P. Season 2 was released in 2023. This drama is directed by Han Jun Hee. The drama shows a team of Korean military to catch defectors. The drama features Jung Hae In, Koo Kyo Hwan, and Kim Sung Kyun. The first season of this drama was a huge hit as it was loved by the audience globally. So, when the second was announced, fans were excited about the release. However, the second season did not entertain the audience as much as the first.
6. Mask Girl
Mask Girl was released in 2023. The drama tells the story of an ordinary office worker who was insecure about her looks aso she becomes an internet personality of a masked girl. This popularity also leads her to many troubles in her life. This drama was anticipated as the most successful drama in South Korea. The storyline and the acting of the actors were also impressive. But the drama received an underwhelming response from the audience as it was poorly marketed and could not keep the buzz among the fans. The drama is directed by Kim Young Hoon, starring Lee Han Byeol, Nana, and Go Hyun Jung.
7. Celebrity
Celebrity was released in 2023. The drama tells the story of social media influencers and their double life. As they are besties in the internet but are mean to each other in real life. Seo A Ri became an internet influencer but differed from other influencers. The story progresses as she exposes the two-faced influencers. The audience felt confused in the later episodes. The mystery of the exitance of A Ri and the live-streaming section of the drama was also stretched. This led to the audience getting bored in the later part of the drama. The drama is directed by Kim Cheol Kyu, starring Park Gyu Young and Kang Min Hyuk.
8. Joseon Attorney
Joseon Attorney was released in 2023. This is a historical drama is based on the webtoon by Jung Ho Rak. The drama tells the story of an attorney who wanted to take revenge on his enemies who had killed his parents. This comeback drama of Woo Do Hwan after his return from the military. So, the fans had long anticipated for this drama. For Joseon Attorney, the airing timing became a setback. The drama was aired when other popular dramas were also airing due to this, it lost the potential viewers. The drama is directed by Kim Seung Ho, starring Woo Do Hwan and Bona.
9. The Secret Romantic Guesthouse
The Secret Romantic Guesthouse was released in 2023. The drama tells the story of the owner of a guesthouse. The drama progresses as the owner breaks stereotypes to find Lee Seol who had disappeared thirteen years ago. The drama is directed by Kim Jung Min, starring Shin Ye Eun and Ryeoun. The drama started off well and managed to gather good rating. But as the drama progressed, it faild to keep the audience glued to the story causing low ratings in the latter half of the drama.
10. Bo-ra! Deborah
Bo-ra! Deborah was released in 2023. The drama revolves around Yeon Bo Ra, an influencer and love coach. The story progressed as she goes through break up and set backs in her career. The drama was directed by Lee Tae Gon and Seo Min Jeong, starring Yoo In Na. the drama was anticipated to be a hit as it marked the return of In Na in the small screen after three years. But the storyline and the dragged-out presence of the characters in the drama made the it boring.
