FollowingSongJoong-ki, another trusted “romance master,” Park Seo-joon has returned to the romance genre but his comeback has underwhelmed in ratings. Despite their reputations as dependable leading actors, both stars’ recent projects have struggled, leaving fans disappointed.
Park Seo-joon’s JTBC drama “Surely Tomorrow”, which premiered on December 6, started with a 2.7% viewership rating, rising slightly to 3.3% in episode two. Considering Park Seo-joon’s career and widespread popularity, these figures are considered underwhelming. This series marks his first romance drama comeback in seven years since “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?”, adding to the disappointment.
Park Seo-joon has previously delivered hits like “Kill Me, Heal Me,” “She Was Pretty,” and “Fight For My Way,” cementing his status as a romance hitmaker. However, critics say the new drama suffers from lackluster direction and unconvincing character development, which lowered audience engagement.
Another key issue raised by viewers is the age gap. Born in 1988, Park Seo-joon is 36 but played a 20-year-old without using a younger actor, which some viewers felt required excessive skin-smoothing filters. His co-star, Won Ji-an, born in 1999, is 11 years younger, yet the characters were portrayed as the same age, drawing criticism over casting choices.
Previously, Song Joong-ki also faced disappointment with his romance drama “My Youth” alongside Chun Woo-hee, with ratings stagnating at 1–2% and critiques pointing to unoriginal storylines and weak direction. Song Joong-ki, once celebrated for roles in “Will It Snow for Christmas?” and “A Werewolf Boy,” had built a reputation for youthful charm and hit romance dramas like “Descendants of the Sun.” Yet even he could not replicate past success in his recent romance comeback.
For both actors, time, age, and real-life circumstances now contrast with the idealized fantasy often expected in romance dramas. Park Seo-joon’s 2023 dating rumors with younger YouTuber-singer Xooos, and Song Joong-ki’s remarriage in 2023 with two children, highlight this gap. Fans note that the illusion of romance genre heroes increasingly clashes with the actors’ real-life images.
In summary, despite their status as “romance masters,” both Park Seo-joon and Song Joong-ki face the harsh reality that name recognition alone no longer guarantees high ratings in modern romance dramas.
Sources: Daum
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