Viewers express disappointment as 'Marry My Husband' falters toward finale
What's the story
The ongoing sensation in K-drama land, Marry My Husband, has continued to dominate conversations since its premiere on tvN on January 1.
However, as it nears its finale on February 20 with Episode 16, netizens are voicing their disappointment with the second half of the series.
Featuring Park Min-young, Na In-woo, Lee Yi-kyung, and Song Ha-yoon, the drama has captured attention, but with viewer complaints surfacing, it is impacting the show's ratings.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Written by Shin Yoo-dam, Marry My Husband weaves together multiple genres—revenge, workplace, time travel, romance, and fantasy.
Based on an eponymous web novel, which was also serialized as a webtoon, the story is set in 2023.
A woman, after discovering her husband's affair with her best friend, gets accidentally murdered by him. She then wakes up 10 years earlier (2013) and embarks on a journey to reshape her destiny.
Criticism
Viewers were disappointed over deviation from webtoon storyline
A section of Korean viewers felt that the drama should've stuck to the webtoon's storyline instead of the original light novel.
One netizen remarked, "They should've just followed the webtoon but they are making the latter half of the story strange."
Another fan chimed in, "The webtoon was so much better," and advised others to "read the webtoon instead. It has a much cleaner storyline."
Explosive ratings
BoA's entry as new villain boosted ratings earlier
Singer-songwriter BoA's entry as Oh Yu-ra, the ex-fiancée of Yoo Ji-hyuk (played by Na), has played a significant role in boosting the show's viewership.
As per Nielsen Korea, the series scored an average nationwide rating of 11.8% on February 5, marking a notable 1.1% increase from its previous episode.
Interestingly, the idol-turned-actor returned to the small screen after a hiatus of seven years.
Reactions
Ratings may have soared but BoA's acting skills were lambasted
Netizens who tuned in for the latest episode expressed criticism toward the idol in the K-drama.
Viewers voiced their difficulty in immersing themselves in the storyline when BoA was on screen.
Comments included: "I lose focus whenever BoA appears... Why does she have so many scenes? Why is she boxing?"
Another commenter remarked: "It's not like BoA can't act... But I am sure she was miscast. She seriously sucks at acting, sigh."
Insights
Latest developments and competing K-drama ratings
In the most recent episode, Yoo and Kang Ji-won (Park) solidified their relationship with a heartfelt kiss.
Concurrently, Park Min-hwan (played by Lee) and Jung Su-min (played by Song) exchanged wedding vows.
In comparison to other dramas airing during the same time slot, KBS2's Love Song for Illusion—starring Hong Ye-ji—witnessed a slight rise in its average nationwide rating, from 1.7% to 2.1%.