"Gu Family Book" Bae Suzy vs "You're the Best Lee Soon Shin" IU and the aftermath of their appearance in "Dream High".
Of all the idols that are recognized as the hottest, IU and Bae Suzy are two of the most successful actor-dols in the industry thus far.
** Viewers' Viewpoints of IU and Suzy
Suzy is currently appearing in the MBC drama "Gu Family Book" as the main female character Dam Yeo Wool. IU on the other hand is playing the main female character Lee Soon Shin in the KBS weekend drama "You're the Best Lee Soon Shin". Regardless of their lack of experience acting, they have already landed very significant roles in the industry. It is very interesting to see since viewers are not very fond of seeing idol stars in dramas because of their awkward acting.
The fact that IU and Suzy landed huge roles in these dramas show that they have become that much popular. However, as the story progresses in the two dramas, the viewers are responding very differently to IU and Suzy.
IU for example, is not getting much positive response from the viewers with her role in "You're the Best Lee Soon Shin." Looking at her acting, she is showing us a far more than what everybody had expected but the drama itself has been unable to get a normal review because of the drama's controversial use of the General Lee Soon Shin's name.
Also, it is IU's second attempt at acting but she has been chosen as a main character regardless of her lack of experience. Some people stated that IU was cast just because of her popularity.
On the other hand, Suzy is revealing a whole new potential as an actress in her role in "Gu Family Book". From the beginning of her appearance in the 3rd episode, Suzy received praise for her improved acting. One advantage Suzy has in her role is that she does not have to lead the drama all on her own. IU's role in "You're the Best Lee Soon Shin" requires her acting to shine through since her character Lee Soon Shin's role is so significant.
** Aftermath of "Dream High" Situation Has Changed for Both
It is still too early to tell who was more successful in their roles. However, looking at the reviews IU and Suzy received after their roles in "Dream High", the response they're receiving now have completely changed. In some ways, it could be said that their situations have switched.
Even though it was Suzy's first role, she played the main character Ko Hye Mi and had a lot of scenes with the male main character Kim Soo Hyun. As a result, their differences in their acting skills were critiqued a lot. Suzy received a lot of criticism in her appearance in "Dream High".
However, IU had a small role and captured the viewers' hearts with her comical act as an overweight girl. The role she took in "Dream High" was not very significant so she was not judge as harshly. Even then, IU's acting was preferred over Suzy's.
However, Suzy washed away all the criticism after appearing in the movie "Introduction to Architecture" soon after. She then appeared in the drama "Big" and made small steps all the way to her current role in "Gu Family Book". Even though she still seems to lack a lot of experience to take on such a big role, Suzy's steady improvement is very apparent.
The problem starts now. The viewing rates for both "Gu Family Book" and "You're the Best Lee Soon Shin" have been continuously good. The pressure on their shoulders will only increase as the story lines in the dramas progress into the climax. As representing actor-dols of "93-94", there is a lot of pressure on Suzy and IU's shoulders.
