“Drug” Yoo Ah-in’s appearance in “Goodbye Earth”: Viewers’ reactions vary

“Goodbye Earth”, which was released worldwide on Netflix on April 26th, depicts people living in chaos ahead of the predicted apocalypse, 200 days until the Earth and an asteroid collide. The series is based on the novel of the same name by Kōtarō Isaka.

Filming for “Goodbye Earth” was completed in August 2022, originally scheduled for release last year. However, due to Yoo Ah-in’s drug-related issues, the drama faced the risk of not being released despite being fully filmed. Yoo Ah-in was indicted without detention in October last year on charges of illegally obtaining sleeping pills under someone else’s name, marijuana smoking and instructing the destruction of evidence.

Netflix and the production team of “Goodbye Earth” temporarily postponed the release after discussions. However, Netflix unexpectedly announced the release of all episodes on April 26th. Director Kim Jin-min expressed confidence at a press conference on April 19th, stating that the drama was not something viewers would regret watching despite Yoo Ah-in’s issues. He emphasized that the owners of the drama are the viewers, actors and staff, and they worked hard together to create it.

Despite the risks associated with Yoo Ah-in, the decision to proceed with the release was made. Moreover, with statements like “not a regrettable work” and “we made it without embarrassment”, curiosity about the drama grew. After skipping press call, “Goodbye Earth” finally met viewers after a year of anticipation.

On the Korean Peninsula, the place where the asteroid will directly hit, the people of Ungcheon City prepare to face the inevitable fate in their own way ahead of the end of the world. In particular, Jin Se-kyung (Ahn Eun-jin), who used to teach technology and home economics at a junior school and is working at the Department of Children and Youth at the Ungcheon City Hall as a volunteer, struggles to protect the children in danger.

Apart from Ahn Eun-jin, various other people of all ages portrayed by various actors such as Kim Bo-min, Kim Kang-hoon, Kim Do-hye, Kim Young-ok, Kim Yeo-jin, Park Hyuk-won, Cha Hwa-yeon, Baek Ji-won and Park Ho-san expressed the confusion and how people’s faces change in the midst of an apocalypse with their perfect acting. Although the cast’s excellent acting performance helped viewers immerse themselves in the story easily, some still feel uncomfortable because of Yoo Ah-in’s appearance.

Yoo Ah-in played the role of Ha Yoon-sang, a researcher at a biotechnology research institute in the US. After the asteroid collision is announced, he rushes from a dangerous area in the US to Korea and stays with Jin Se-kyung, his longtime lover. Director Kim Jin-min felt responsible for minimizing the inconvenience of viewers when watching the drama so he tried his best to edit the drama and reduce Yoo Ah-in’s screen time. However, he later explained that it was difficult to completely remove Yoo Ah-in because his character is important for the storyline of “Goodbye Earth”.

After episode 1, Yoo Ah-in appears for as long as 13 minutes and 50 seconds. Although the actor’s scenes have been reduced to the minimum, his appearance still hindered viewers’ immersion. Especially in the scene where Se-kyung and Yoon-sang have a video call, the screen is split into two parts and Ahn Eun-jin appears on the left screen crying emotionally. On the other hand, if viewers slightly turn their eyes to the side, they will see Yoo Ah-in, causing deep regrets. Some also pointed out that Yoo Ah-in’s frightened and surprised expressions in the scene where some people with weapons enter the laboratory were somewhat excessive.

Upon Yoo Ah-in’s appearance, viewers’ reactions varied. Some expressed difficulty in immersion due to Yoo Ah-in’s involvement, while others praised the editing efforts made to minimize discomfort. Director Kim Jin-min explained that editing Yoo Ah-in’s scenes was difficult due to the significant role he played in the drama. Despite being a necessary character in “Goodbye Earth”, Yoo Ah-in’s portrayal was somewhat disappointing.

“Goodbye Earth”, consisting of 12 episodes, is available for viewing on Netflix.

Source: Daum