2 hours Ago By [email protected](KoreaTimes)
Actors Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin in "When the Stars Gossip" / Captured from tvN By KTimes Bedroom scenes in films and dramas are a double-edged sword. While they heighten romance and emotional depth, their execution requires careful handling to avoid discomfort for viewers, especially when nudity is involved. Recent dramas like "When the Stars Gossip" and "The Queen Who Crowns" have sparked debate over intimate scenes.
"The Queen Who Crowns," airing on Tving and tvN, faced criticism for excessive nudity. However, the series had planned for a mature rating from the outset, and the scenes were reportedly crafted after extensive discussions between the actors, their agencies and the production team. According to reports, the bedroom scenes were filmed to depict King Taejong’s (Lee Hyun-wook) complex emotions toward Queen Wongyong and illustrate marital conflicts, making them somewhat justifiable.
In contrast, "When the Stars Gossip" has struggled to connect with audiences on both an emotional and romantic level. Despite its massive 50 billion won ($37 million) budget, the show failed to engage viewers, featuring awkwardly entangled character relationships and forced intimate scenes between Lee Min-ho, Han Ji-eun, Gong Hyo-jin, Kim Joo-heon and Lee El. The production aimed for a blend of space-based humanism and romance, but the execution has left much to be desired.
One of the main issues is the lack of emotional depth in key romantic moments. In a crucial scene, Lee Min-ho’s character confesses to Gong Hyo-jin’s character with the line, "I don’t care if I freeze to death," but the moment lacks impact. Excessive computer-generated images, including exaggerated solar-like lighting effects, further diminish the authenticity of the scene, making it feel contrived rather than symbolic.
The show’s ratings reflect this disconnect. It premiered with a nationwide rating of 3.3 percent, but by Episode 5, it had dropped to the 1 percent range before slightly recovering to 2.
7 percent. Viewer feedback has been scathing, with comments such as, "Is this the animal kingdom in drama form? It’s all about sex," and "With no fresh take on space, the focus on intimacy makes it hard to stay engaged." While intimate scenes serve as pivotal moments in storytelling, they must maintain a level of sophistication.
Instead of being used as mere shock value, they should deepen character relationships and propel the narrative. Viewers seek intimacy that feels organic to the story, not forced sensationalism. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
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