Even A Hot Villain Can’t Save The “Worst” K-Drama Of 2023

What makes a good Korean drama? What makes a bad one? Some viewers might say the plot, others might point to the cast, but for many K-Drama consumers, it comes down to one factor: enjoyment.

“Strong Girl Nam Soon” poster | Netflix

Strong Girl Nam Soon, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2017 K-Drama Strong Woman Bong Soon (also known as Strong Girl Bong Soon), was expected to be one of the biggest hits of the year. The original series starred Park Bo Young as Do Bong Soon, a tiny woman with supernatural strength, and Park Hyung Sik as Ahn Min Hyuk, a gaming company CEO, who hires Bong Soon as his bodyguard.

“Strong Woman Bong Soon” poster | JTBC

Strong Girl Nam Soon introduces a colorful cast of new characters including Gang Nam Soon, Bong Soon’s second cousin who is played by Squid Game actress Lee Yoo Mi. While the original series became one of the highest-rated K-Dramas ever on cable television, many viewers found the sequel lackluster at best.

Strong girl nam soon (rlly disappointing since bong soon was so good)

— kaori ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ (@eggtarteu___) November 5, 2023

congrats to strong girl nam soon for being one of the worst drama i watched this year

— 린 (@linhsblues) November 26, 2023

On Reddit, many users mentioned Strong Girl Nam Soon when asked which “disappointing” K-Dramas they stopped watching. Some viewers went as far as to call it one of the worst K-Dramas of the year.

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The original series is well-known for its incredible casting and palpable chemistry between the leads, but some fans felt that Strong Girl Nam Soon was lacking in this respect.

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For other viewers, the show’s comedy and storytelling fell flat.

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Nam Soon’s “childish” cutesy personality also rubbed viewers the wrong way. Some say she lacked the character development seen in the original’s heroine.

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Many viewers who didn’t drop the series stuck around for one reason: the villain, Ryu Shi Oh played by Byeon Woo Seok.

Byeon Woo Seok | JTBC

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Unfortunately, according to viewers, this complicated villain was not given the focus he deserved, and even his presence could not totally salvage the series.

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Find out which other K-Dramas viewers are dropping here:

Why K-Drama Viewers Dropped These “Disappointing” Series In November