• "A Business Proposal" Hits No. 9 on Netflix’s Global Charts

    Sweet Korean romance dramas are gaining popularity as they enter the world's top 10 one after another.

    According to "FlixPatrol", an online content service ranking site on March 4, SBS drama "A Business Proposal" ranked 9th in the world in the Netflix TV program category as of the previous day.

    Starring Kim Se Jeong and Ahn Hyo Seop, "A Business Proposal" is a drama based on popular web novels and webtoons, and is a romance that unfolds when ordinary office worker Shin Ha Ri (played by Kim Se Jeong) faces the company's representative Kang Tae Moo (Ahn Hyo Seop).

    In terms of country rankings, it is gaining popularity mainly in Asia, ranking 1st in Indonesia and the Philippines and second in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It was 3rd place in Korea.

    If genres such as Netflix's original series "Squid Game" and "All of Us Are Dead" received explosive attention around the world, romance dramas released simultaneously on Korean broadcasters and Netflix are steadily loved in Asia.

    JTBC drama "Thirty Nine" starring Son Ye Jin, which recently started, ranked 8th in the world on the 25th of last month, while tvN drama "Twenty Five Twenty One", starring Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk, also ranked 10th on the 1st of March.

    Prior to this, romance dramas such as "Hometown Cha Cha Cha", "The King's Affection", and "Our Beloved Summer" were consistently ranked in the top 10, revealing the potential of Korean romance dramas.

    Meanwhile, as of the previous day, "All of Us Are Dead" ranked 6th, and "Juvenile Justice" starring Kim Hye Soo ranked 7th.

    Source[1]

  • Is Jisoo’s Acting the Main Problem in "Newtopia"? - Here's Why Fans Are Worried About the New Zombie Series

    The new OTT series Newtopia has faced mixed reactions, with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo's acting and a slow storyline making viewers question if the show can survive.

    Released on the 7th, Newtopia on Coupang Play promised to offer something fresh in the K-zombie genre. The drama follows an unlikely couple, Lee Jae-yoon (played by Park Jung Min), a late-blooming soldier, and his girlfriend Kang Young-joo (Jisoo), as they fight to survive in a zombie-infested Seoul.

    The mix of zombies and romantic comedy sounded like an interesting twist, but the show hasn’t exactly hit the mark.

    Jisoo’s second lead role after Snowdrop in 2021 was highly anticipated. But many fans and critics have been concerned about her acting, especially after she received some backlash for her unclear pronunciation and awkward expressions in her previous project.

    Director Yoon Sung-hyun, aware of the concerns, said at the press preview, “Since Jisoo hadn’t acted for a long time after her last project, I was also initially worried, thinking, ‘Will she be okay?’ But Jisoo dedicated herself, doing script readings four days a week. She worked hard, and as a result, I had no doubts or difficulties. By episode 8, you'll feel that only Jisoo could have portrayed Young-joo. She did an amazing job.”

    Despite his words of praise, Jisoo’s performance still left fans worried. While she showed some improvement, her portrayal of Young-joo seemed inconsistent, lacking the calmness expected from the character. However, her "girl crush" image, with her background as a "campus goddess," did add some intrigue to her role.

    The main issue, however, wasn’t just Jisoo's acting. Newtopia also struggled with its pacing. While other recent hits like Trauma Center or Trigger grab attention right from the start, Newtopia spent too much time in the first episode on Jae-yoon’s military life and Young-joo’s personal struggles, making it feel like a waste of time. The show failed to showcase the humor and zombie elements it promised, leaving many viewers unimpressed.

    On top of that, some characters came off as annoying, like Jae-yoon’s colleague, Line Ho (Im Seong Jae), and the "unlikable" senior character Seojin-wook (played by Kang Young Seok). Even Park Jung-min didn’t do much to help the show move along, making the 57-minute episode feel even longer.

    Thankfully, the show picked up pace in episode 2, finally diving into the zombie chaos. But will that be enough to save Newtopia? With the first episode still fresh in fans’ minds, the jury’s still out on whether this K-zombie drama can find its footing and deliver the thrills viewers are hoping for.

    The remaining six episodes of Newtopia will air every Friday at 8 PM, with one episode released per week. Stay tuned to see if the series can bounce back!

    Source (1)