Song Joong Ki is an actor whose return to drama television has long been anticipated, but his new series "My Youth" has failed to live up to its expectations and reward fans because its ratings have been disappointing.
The series, which also starred Chun Woo Hee, started off with a low 2.9% rating and then dropped to a mere 1.5%.
As per Kenh14, the show was overwhelmed by its rival shows such as "Bon Appétit, Your Majesty" featuring YoonA and Lee Chae Min, and "Tempest" featuring Jeon Ji Hyun and Kang Dong Won (Kenh14.vn).
Several fans have contended that the show relied too much on nostalgia related to Song Hye Kyo, ex-wife of Song Joong Ki and his Descendants of the Sun co-star.
Discussing the show's creative decisions, fans observed: "From styling Chun Woo Hee to resemble Song Hye Kyo to evoking the memory of the Song-Song couple, the drama lacked originality."
Read more: Song Joong-ki x Chun Woo-hee: Will 'My Youth' Become the Romance Drama Everyone's Waiting For?
According to KBZoom, it even focused on the script and the drama was perceived as "cliché and outdated," premised on tropes like infallible romance and deathbed illness.
Song Joong Ki and Chun Woo Hee's chemistry was also termed as lacking, leading audiences to abandon the series halfway through.
Now 40, Song Joong Ki finds himself increasingly doubted as a fit for young romance leads. Industry observers suggest he move on to more nuanced, mature roles instead of holding onto the "prince charming" type.
Fans added that his interviews—where he tends to speak at length about marriage, family, and fatherhood—are disconnected from the drama's plot, further alienating viewers.
Since his success in Reborn Rich (2022), Song has tended to follow movies, but efforts like "Hopeless," "My Name Is Loh Kiwan," and "Bogota" all performed below expectations at the box office. Meanwhile, peers like Kim Soo Hyun remain successful with big-ticket hits.
On the other hand, Song Hye Kyo has prospered in recent times. Her blockbuster drama "The Glory" received rave reviews and awards, while her new film "Dark Nuns" did well at the box office. This split has only served to highlight the growing gap between the former spouses.
As a web comment concisely summed up, "Once celebrated for his looks and the legendary Song-Song couple, Song Joong Ki now seems lost without that image, while Song Hye Kyo continues to rise."
