Joo Ji-hoon vs. Yoo Yeon-seok: One Cries, One Laughs in Challenging Romance Drama Roles
Actor Joo Ji-hoon, who challenged the romantic comedy genre for the first time in 16 years, and Yoo Yeon-seok, who received harsh criticism for being “cringe-worthy,” are now wrapping up their respective romantic dramas. How did they fare in their similar yet distinct takes on romance?
Joo Ji-hoon’s tvN drama “Love Your Enemy,” which ended on the December 29, marked his return to the romantic comedy genre for the first time since Princess Hours in 2006. Joo Ji-hoon described his character, Seok Ji-won, as “like an apple mango,” saying it has a soft, ripe feel without being overly sweet. He expressed confidence, claiming, “If dried, it can even be eaten as dried mango.”
However, Joo Ji-hoon’s confidence didn’t seem to resonate with the audience. Having predominantly acted in noir or thriller genres such as Netflix’s “Kingdom” and films like “The Treacherous,” “Asura: The City of Madness,” and “Dark Figure of Crime,” his cold, sharp image was seen as mismatched for the romance genre. His co-star Jeong Yu-mi even admitted, “At first, Joo Ji-hoon was a bit scary,” recalling that just meeting his eyes on set felt intimidating due to his film roles.
Additionally, Joo Ji-hoon’s acting habits, which make it hard to see him as a character, were cited as a barrier to immersion. Some viewers felt that no matter what role he played, it still felt like Joo Ji-hoon was acting.
Despite this, the show saw decent ratings. “Love Your Enemy” began with a modest 3.5% in the first episode but rose to 6.5% by the second. Although it dropped back to 3.3%, it maintained a 4-5% range and finished with a final episode viewership of 6.5%, the highest of the series.
In terms of buzz, it was somewhat disappointing. During the fourth week of December, when the final episode aired, Joo Ji-hoon ranked 5th, and Jeong Yu-mi ranked 6th, but by the last week of December, both had slipped to 7th and 8th, respectively.
The actor who topped the buzz rankings was Yoo Yeon-seok. In MBC’s “When The Phone Rings,” Yoo Yeon-seok took on a new role, departing from the gentle characters he had portrayed in “Reply 1994” and “Hospital Playlist.”
Perhaps due to this unfamiliar role, Yoo Yeon-seok also faced early criticism. Throughout the drama, he received negative reviews for his constantly furrowed brows and irritated expressions. Since the drama was based on a web novel, some viewers found the characters’ lines “cringe-worthy,” which made immersion difficult.
However, as the series progressed, viewers praised Yoo Yeon-seok for delivering the cringe-worthy lines with exceptional acting skills. This led to the show’s viewership rising from 5.5% in the first episode to 6%, and the latest episode recorded a peak of 7.5%. As a result, Yoo Yeon-seok earned a nomination for Best Actor at the 2024 MBC Drama Awards.
Both lead actors began with harsh criticism, but their outcomes were quite different. Yoo Yeon-seok might just secure the coveted Best Actor award, and his performance results will be eagerly awaited.
