“King the Land” is considered a setback for Yoona after much effort to establish herself as a capable actress.
“King the Land” marks Yoona’s return after the success of “Big Mouth,” a work that reshaped audiences’ perception of Yoona as an actress. While “King the Land” is provided with enough opportunities, the reality is that the series can barely live up to its potential. Going from “Big Mouth” to “King the Land” seems to be a setback for Yoona, raising questions about her decision to take up the role.
Acting career built from prejudices
Yoona started as a member of the idol girl group Girls’ Generation under SM Entertainment. Her stunning, striking visuals brought the female star opportunities to cross into acting early. In 2008, Yoona got her first lead role in the 2008 “You Are My Destiny,” thanks to the support here and there by her management company.
Nonetheless, Yoona also received countless feedback about her unpolished and stiff acting performance after her acting debut. The idol struggled to establish herself as an actress when viewers mainly considered her as solely an idol. Compared to other idols-turned-actresses at the time, Yoona was taking the most flak. Nevertheless, she strove forward.
During her career, Yoona actively expanded the scope of her work to other markets such as China, and worked with big stars in the filming industry. At first, Yoona was under a lot of criticism because she looked out of place in a Chinese production she was working on. It was not until 2006 that she got her first spotlight in “K2” starring Ji Chang Wook.
The role was a big milestone for Yoona because viewers started to look at her in a new light, despite the persistent shortcomings in her acting.
In 2019, Yoona got her first lead role in a movie called “Exit.” The movie was a commercial success and brought Yoona to a new height. She continued the momentum with two parts of “Confidential Assignment” starring alongside Hyun Bin, making her the female idol with the highest box office revenue in the history of Korean cinema (over 23.9 million tickets for 4 movies.)
Two steps forward, one step back with “King the Land”
Most of Yoona’s works up until now have focused mainly on providing entertainment. However, those dramas and movies indirectly incorporate humane messages and contemporary issues along with building realistic characters through such entertainment.
Unfortunately, “King the Land” does not take such an approach. The series mostly depicts the romantic part of the main couple’s relationship without going in-depth about the characters’ psychological development or changes in behaviors. It reaches a point where viewers complain about too many kiss scenes between Yoona and Lee Jun Ho.
The lack of realistic depiction along with poor development cost the series its own audiences. After 12 episodes, the series’ ratings fluctuate, and netizens take their frustration to social media.
Without Yoona or Lee Jun Ho, “King the Land” could hardly retain its audience due to the lackluster story.
Viewers reportedly felt confused as to why Yoona took the role of Cheon Sa Rang in the drama. Previously, she made a huge splash as the wife who fights for her husband and justice. In the drama, she managed to impress viewers with profound moments that showcased her acting potential. However, in returning with “King the Land,” Yoona can only look pretty and funny. The most emotional she could get is through the kiss scenes.
To the audiences, they want to see more of Yoona as a capable actress than just a pretty face.
