Well, MBC may have cut down its underperforming Heading to the Ground not once but twice, but perhaps it’ll fare better in Japan: the soccer drama will air beginning in January under the slightly altered title No Limit: Heading to the Ground.

The drama may have had a dismal run in Korea, but with U-Know Yunho’s (and DBSK’s) popularity in Japan, hopefully the show will meet with a happier reception there. A source explained, “Because of Dong Bang Shin Ki’s popularity in Japan, there have been several talks with Japanese broadcasters ever since Heading to the Ground began broadcasting in Korea. Currently, we are in the final stages of making the contract.”

No Limit: Heading to the Ground will air one special broadcast on December 23 on the channel KNTV, then begin weekly broadcasts on January 24. Its Korean run ends this Wednesday with Episode 16, following a four-episode cut from its initial twenty-installment order.

Via Star News

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Honestly, this has to suck for Heading to the Ground: Not only did MBC already cut the broadcast down by several episodes due to poor ratings, it has made an additional cut. What seems worse (to me) is the way in which they approached the matter, because viewers found out from a notice that ran after this Thursday’s episode that read, “The last episode will air next Wednesday.” Viewers were surprised to have the show end earlier than expected; this means there’s only one more episode, and MBC will broadcast a foreign documentary on Thursday.

The soccer drama starring idol star U-Know Yunho in his acting debut was initially supposed to wrap on November 12 with Episode 20. After two episodes were shaved from the series and one episode was postponed due to sports, the Episode 17 finale was moved up to November 5 to allow Hero to premiere a week earlier than scheduled. With the additional cut, the drama will now end on November 4 with Episode 16.

Heading to the Ground got off to a rough start with criticism for its star’s weak acting, which was followed by a slew of complaints over its confusing storyline that had nothing to do with the drama’s purported theme of soccer. Its ratings lagged in the 3%-4% range, and when competitor drama IRIS came along it drove a nail into the coffin; right after IRIS’s 25% premiere, MBC announced the first cut to Heading. You’re Beautiful has held steady with 9%-10% ratings; Heading’s most recent episode drew a 3.7%.

I get that Heading is not performing well, and it sounds like it’s riddled with flaws, but I do wish MBC would take more care with its underperforming series. A show may be subpar, but these last-minute scheduling changes only handicap the series further, and thus never gives it the chance to be the best version of itself. Then again, sounds like Heading may just need to be put out of its misery.

Via Segye

 
RELATED POSTS

• IRIS’s strong start endangers Heading’s ending
• The business of kdrama extensions and cuts
• Heading’s abrupt story changes prompt viewer complaints
• Yun-ho braces for criticism
• Heading to the Ground’s press conference day
• Heading interview with U-Know Yunho

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Viewers are apparently unhappy with the recent events of MBC’s Heading to the Ground, and I can’t say I blame them — because, doth mine eyes deceive me? Has the drama’s main star U-Know Yunho actually been packed off to a mental hospital?

The drama is now halfway through, and despite the soccer theme, the story shifted abruptly in Episode 5 to center around a mental ward, after Bong-kun (Yunho) suffered an accident. He had been saving Hae-bin (Go Ara) from falling into the Han River, and ended up in the hospital with amnesia.

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The first reviews are starting to come in for the first episode of Heading to the Ground, which aired today (I haven’t watched it yet, but I plan to), and the reaction is tentative and mixed. Most acknowledge that headliner and newbie actor Jung Yun-ho’s acting is still raw and awkward, although many give him credit for the effort.

You know, as I’ve followed the lead-up to today’s premiere, I have to say that Yun-ho has handled himself pretty well, given his situation — he’s sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place in choosing to take a principal role for his very first acting gig. As the leader of a highly popular idol band that is famous throughout Asia, it’s not likely he would have been able to shrink into the backdrop as a supporting character, but being Headliner #1 does make him a prime target for criticism.

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I think my excitement for MBC’s Heading to the Ground [맨땅에 헤딩] has been slowly but steadily shrinking ever since Kim Rae-won had to drop out. The drama makes its premiere this week as the new prime-time Wednesday-Thursday offering, and the production has just released a fresh set of stills. These feature Lee Yoon-ji in the role of the soccer team’s nutritionist giving CPR to soccer player Jung Yun-ho (U-Know Yunho).

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