There have been several discussions on this site about this topic, so I found the following article pretty timely. I both agree and disagree with the points outlined below, but regardless of my personal take on the matter, I’m certain there is enough room for convincing arguments on both sides of the issue…

“Who’s to blame when characters are criticized?”… “Incomprehensible” lead characters, damaged dramas

“I can’t understand my character myself, so how can I act in a way that viewers would sympathize? It’s disappointment upon disappointment.”

This is the confession of Ryu Shi-won, who was thrown into confusion at his incomprehensible character in SBS’s Style, which ended on September 20. With twenty years of acting experience, he found his character’s sudden changes difficult to handle. And it’s not just with Ryu Shi-won. Jung Il-woo, who is currently appearing in KBS’s My Fair Lady, expressed disappointment for similar reasons.

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So, Style. SBS’s new Saturday-Sunday drama is off to a great ratings start (mid-to-upper-teens), and given its competition (Friend, Our Legend and Iron Empress), it’s likely to stay that way.

I have mixed feelings about this show so far. It’s somewhat watchable, although the degree of one’s enjoyment is probably tied closely to how appealing one finds the characters. That’s one of my big blocks: there is not one character I like. I don’t hate them either, but there’s a slickness to this drama that coats the surface with its superficial sheen and makes it difficult to see the heart inside. If there is one. Still, there are pleasant, light parts that make up for some — but not all — of the weirdness of the plot.

SONG OF THE DAY

House Rulez – “Maldives” [ Download ]

STYLE Episode 1 >>

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Official posters are out for SBS’s Style, which premieres August 1.

I… don’t have much to say about them, really. (They’re not BAD. I don’t think they’re exciting, either, though.) Judge for yourselves:

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This batch is better than the last group of promotional stills from Style with their ugly blue backdrop (which I do know will probably be used to swap in some cutesy background images later — but my question is, why didn’t they bother to do that first before officially releasing them, then?).

The photos were taken during the drama’s promo and poster shoot on July 6 at SBS’s Ilsan production center set location. I’m still not quite sold on the characters’ wardrobes (Ryu’s in particular), but at least in terms of styling the ladies are looking glam, in particular the sultry Kim Hye-soo.

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I was looking at these new stills for the SBS drama Style, and all I could think was: What, they couldn’t spring for an actual set? What’s with the dull blue backdrop? Psst producers, bluescreening is a technique toward an end, not an end in itself! (It’s a relatively small detail, but I think it washes out the entire photo shoot and makes it look bland.)

The new weekend drama has some big shoes to fill when it takes up the Saturday-Sunday slot vacated by the current ratings powerhouse Brilliant Legacy. The fashion drama stars Lee Jia, Kim Hye-soo, and Ryu Shi-won and is set in the cutthroat world of fashion magazines.

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