Idol dramas are declining because of outdated and toxic content.

The 2009 hit idol drama "Boys Over Flowers" has recently been criticized for romanticizing school violence.

A scene of school violence in the idol drama Boys Over Flowers - Photo: IMDb

Earlier this year, the Korean drama The Heavenly Idol recorded a nationwide rating of 1.5% for its final episode. Its dismal performance The Heavenly Idol is considered tvN's first step backward this year. Most viewers believe that the outdated script and lack of acting chemistry are the reasons for the film's failure, showing that the idol drama South Korea has almost gone into decline.

For the new generation of young audiences, they are old-fashioned, unrealistic and toxic. This genre was once popular with films such as Full House, Palace, Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, My Beautiful Girl...

Audience Nguyen Thu Thuy (21 years old, Hanoi )

"Watching idol dramas can easily predict the ending, so it's no longer interesting. In addition, the drama depicts a beautiful, dreamy society that's far from reality, so you don't learn or retain much after watching."

Tired of Cinderella and the prince story

Viewer Phuong Chau (28 years old, Ho Chi Minh City), who regularly watches Korean films, told Tuoi Tre Online: "When people are tired of Cinderella - prince stories, TV series that exploit professions such as medicine, lawyers, police, prosecutors or the political - social situation of Korea... create new appeal. In addition, films with the theme of revenge, delving into the tycoons... are also very interested and followed by the audience.

Nowadays, I mainly watch healing movies. Healing movies emphasize the concept of self-happiness, mindful living, and promoting inner values such as love, kindness, etc. rather than material values: My Mister (2018), Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021), My Liberation Notes (2022), Summer Strike (2022)...".

In the past, many idol dramas had similar motifs. Audiences saw the dramas portraying reality in a rosy light when the female character was from a poor family, caught in the sights of a handsome, rich "male god". In addition, the girl was also noticed by another handsome, equally famous guy, caught in a love triangle in a lavish setting...

Nowadays, idol dramas have almost disappeared from the top box office movies - Photo: IMDb

TV series Meteor Garden was a hit in 2009, but to netizens today, the film is criticized for its scenes of school violence. The female lead Geum Jan Di was bullied by her classmates in a school for rich kids. Every day, she was thrown eggs, thrown flour, scribbled on the table, laughed at and mocked...

It was only when Goo Jun Pyo (Lee Min Ho) - one of the leaders of the bullying - noticed her and invited her on a date that she was able to escape this situation. Some viewers said: "Those are scenes that negatively affect the lifestyle and actions of students, encourage school violence, and "whitewash" the male lead's crimes."

Nowadays, idol dramas have gone downhill in quality and are not as popular as before.

Old, cliché, out of touch with reality

Another example is Lee Min Ho's failed comeback in a TV series. The Immortal King (2020). The love affair between a handsome and talented emperor and a civilian policewoman in a parallel world does not attract attention.

The King: Eternal Monarch was Lee Min Ho's 2020 "flop", despite a large investment - Photo: Netflix

According to Allkpop, the work failed in terms of viewership ratings. The boring content and slow development were the things that made the audience complain. Lee Min Ho was also criticized for sticking to the image of a cold male god, mainly showing off his beauty.

Similarly, Park Min Young was ignored by the audience when she accepted the role of fangirl Sung Duk Mi in the TV series Her Private Life ( 2019 ) . According to Naver, the film was heavily criticized for its unattractive script, outdated plot, and Park Min Young's "one-dimensional" image of a gentle office worker, with no change after her role in the hit film. What's wrong, Secretary Kim?

After criticism in Her Private Life, Park Min Young has changed to a more diverse range of film genres, but so far, she has not had any outstanding new steps in her career.

Top actors leave idol dramas

Over time, Korean films have increasingly expanded their themes and ages, no longer just suitable for dreamy teenagers, no longer just telling simple fairy tales between a perfect prince and a clumsy, silly girl.

Since the beginning of 2023, Korean idol dramas have been completely absent.

The idol drama You're Beautiful helped Park Shyn Hye create a buzz in her career - Photo: Allkpop

Actors who were once famous for idol dramas have also left. Meanwhile, young actors like Hani (EXID), Kim Min Gyu, Yun Ho (ATEEZ),... participate in idol dramas like Imitation good Idol: The Coup (2021) were criticized for poor acting.

Throughout its run, 12 episodes of Idol: The Coup unable to reach 1% rating, while Imitation ended at an average national rating of 1.2%.

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