More than 50 billion won was invested in 'Ask the Stars,' which ended with the worst conclusion.
The tvN weekend drama 'Ask the Stars' (written by Seo Suk-hyang, directed by Park Shin-woo, planned by Studio Dragon, produced by KeyEast, MYM Entertainment), which aired on the 23rd, concluded its final episode. According to Nielsen Korea, the 16th episode had a nationwide viewership rating of 2.6%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the previous episode, but it did not set a new record for its own highest viewership rating and ended.
On that day, Eve Kim (played by Gong Hyo-jin) gave birth to a child of Dinosaur (played by Lee Min-ho) in space. Eve Kim discovered that her pelvic bone had broken immediately after giving birth, but she did not tell Dinosaur this, as surgery was impossible in space. Ultimately, Eve Kim passed away just one day after giving birth.
Dinosaur remained as an obstetrician in the space station to protect Eve Kim and their child. However, due to prolonged life in space, he lost his eyesight and became unable to walk.
Toward the end of the broadcast, Dinosaur noted, "For a day, the stars kissed my soles a hundred times. Eve did many things and left. The universe became a grave and a womb for us. Goodbye Eve, until we meet again." The theme of 'womb' that started from the first broadcast continued until the final episode.
Viewer reactions are also harsh. Not only do they fail to empathize with the development of the first human zero-gravity pregnancy and birth, but they also reacted to the repetition of terms like eggs, sperm, mating, sex, and pregnancy that were initially introduced when it was branded as Korea's first space office series.
'Ask the Stars' raised questions about what it wanted to convey, as the unexpected bed scenes between Gong Hyo-jin and Kim Joo-hun, and Lee Min-ho and Han Ji-eun began from the early episodes. The expressions of sex, eggs, sperm, and pregnancy continued, and it was not until the sixth episode that the protagonists clashed over their differing views on life ethics, boosting the immersion in the plot, but the viewers had already tuned out.
Additionally, the obstetrician Dinosaur said, "I specialize in sex and making pregnant," or Eve Kim remarked while looking at an experiment subject, "Now that it's treated, I think sex and pregnancy will be possible," and asked, "Shall we have sex now?" The awkwardness of using the word 'sex' in a situation better suited to words like 'mating' or 'pairing' between Gong Hyo-jin and Lee Min-ho was notable.
The perplexing storyline did not end here, as it was revealed that Dinosaur's birth mother, who abandoned Eve Kim, was actually his adoptive mother, prompting viewers to turn away. The unkind emotional line continued, and the excessive sanctification of motherhood drew criticism, while the news of Eve Kim, who gave birth in the final episode, passing away just one day later, led to viewers' sighs growing louder.
Receiving an investment of 50 billion won, the conclusion of the work in collaboration with writer Seo Suk-hyang, who wrote 'Pasta' and 'Jealousy Incarnate,' and director Park Shin-woo, known for 'Jealousy Incarnate,' 'Boyfriend,' and 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay' is disappointing. The conclusion of the work that marked the return of Gong Hyo-jin, known for never failing in drama projects, and Hallyu star Lee Min-ho to the small screen after a long time failed to captivate the hearts of viewers from start to finish.
[Photo] tvN, broadcast capture