The ratings for "The Time I Loved You" have been lackluster despite its star cast. At it's highest the weekend drama has rated only 7.1 percent. On July 26 the ratings fell to 5.5 percent. Those are not great ratings for a weekday drama and weekend dramas tend to rate higher.
Competing dramas, "Make A Woman Cry" and "The Queen's Flower" rated 22.1 and 17.7 percent, while the first place weekend drama was "Blue Bird Nest, which rated 27.3 percent.
What happened?
Ha Ji Won and Lee Jin Wook are both bankable stars and have great chemistry. "The Time I Loved You" is based on the hit Taiwanese drama "In Time With You." That very popular Taiwanese drama won seven out of eight nominations in the 47th Golden Bell Awards.
Creative differences did cause problems early on in the filming of "The Time I Loved You."
The director Jo Soo Won quit the production because he had some issues with the production company iWillmedia. He rejoined two weeks later after the undisclosed differences were resolved.
Those creative differences may have had something to do with the writer Min Hyo Jung, because screenwriters Jung Do Yoon and Lee Ha Na replaced Min Hyo Jung.
The low ratings may have something to do with the storyline and the casting.
Ha Ji Won and Lee Jin Wook make very believable best friends and are well matched in charisma and energy. But they have so much chemistry that the idea they never progressed beyond friendship is hard to believe. Lee Jin Wook's character has not declared his love for 17 years and while this is endearing for a few episodes, it becomes hard for viewers to identify with. After a few episodes, his character does not seem charming but cowardly, indecisive, uncommitted. And the alternatives that Ha Ji Won's character chooses are also not believable. They are too young. They use her. They bully her. They make her cry.
Yoon Gyun Sang, who plays the pianist that loved and left her, was a compelling actor in his "Pinocchio" role as Lee Jong Suk's brother. But he's a relative rookie, compared to his co-stars Ha Ji Won and Lee Jin Wook. Ha Ji Won, 37, has been acting for almost 20 years. Lee Jin Wook, 33, has been acting for at least 10 years. Yoon Kyun Sang, 28, has only been acting for three years.
He often seems uncomfortable when playing a romantic scene, as if he does not quite believe Ha Ji Won's character could love him. And Ha Ji Won is famous for bringing out the best in her leading actors.
And acting aside, it's hard to believe that after 17 years any woman would not realize her best friend loved her. And why does she not see that her best friend is the best alternative?
What do you think? Can you ever imagine yourself in this situation? What do you think of this drama?
