Accident-ridden sageuk King’s Dream to end early
by javabeans
Finally, KBS has decided to pull the plug on its much-beleaguered weekend drama King’s Dream, which has had more than its fair share of misfortune, from accidents to more accidents to LOTS MORE ACCIDENTS. (Read the full litany of woes here.) It’s almost a relief to hear that they’ll be cutting out five weeks earlier than planned, ending with 70 episodes rather than the planned 80.
On the other hand, if you were going to cut the show down, couldn’t you maybe have done so earlier, when it really needed to be put out of its misery? For a long while I’d wondered why they decided to forge ahead instead of conceding that maybe all those accidents and hurt cast members meant they should call it a day.
King’s Dream has held steady in second place in the ratings, which frankly seems like a feat given that it took five weeks off the air in the middle when both lead actors were out with serious injuries. Earlier in its run it managed to stay ahead of dramas like Alice in Cheongdam-dong and Incarnation of Money, and is currently still ahead of the new Birth Secret while majkang hit Hundred Year Inheritance charges ahead in first place. Still, it hasn’t managed to rise past low-teens numbers, and ratings are cited as one of the reasons for the cut-down order. Another reason is the five weeks spent off the air.
An exec with KBS stated that the cut-down won’t affect the story flow, since they have been considering reducing the count for a while; the show will air Episode 60 tomorrow, which gives it more than a month to adjust to the new timetable.
King’s Dream will wrap on June 9, which is its original finale date.
Via Joy News
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Tags: Choi Su-jong, drama production
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1 snow_white
May 4, 2013 at 12:17 PM
finally
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2 Chizzy girl
May 4, 2013 at 12:21 PM
this is kinda funny to me but thank God they decoded to end it earlier because who knows what might happen if they keep going
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Chizzy girl
May 4, 2013 at 12:31 PM
OMG..i didn't know the actors accidents were life threatening until I clicked the link describing ALL the accidents that went on..Gosh..this is just terrible
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3 Shiku
May 4, 2013 at 12:29 PM
I feel sad for all the actors and staff for everything they have gone through. I hope Choi Soo Jon is better and I hope the original QSD actress has gotten better.
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Jesse
May 4, 2013 at 1:40 PM
I'm glad that this drama continued to shoot, but I find it baffling that the pace of shooting is so high that accidents happen this often. A culture change is sorely needed.
I was curious about Park Joo-Mi as well and it seems that she is doing much better which is very good news.
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4 Zareen
May 4, 2013 at 12:38 PM
If it's ending on its original finale date, then I'm thinking it has more to do with scheduling conflict then anything else. As in the next drama was set to begin right after a while back and the execs aren't willing to give an extension and rearrange the scheduling.
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Mystisith
May 4, 2013 at 1:42 PM
I think you might be right. I don't believe much in "grandeur d'âme" in Dramaland, sadly.
That decision is a blessing in disguise anyway. This show had no luck from the start. Maybe having labor laws and some kind of union would have been less troublesome than all the insurance money spent for this show...
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5 Nicole
May 4, 2013 at 1:29 PM
I wonder if this drama's experience will put off Choi Soo Jong from doing sageuks again for a long while...I love him in his sageuks, but the man needs to take care of his health! He's not invincible. T__T
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Gala
May 4, 2013 at 8:47 PM
But I think he loves doing sageuks. But hopefully he gets a much-deserved rest and to completely recuperate.
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6 IRSMan
May 4, 2013 at 2:56 PM
FINALLY..
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7 ck1Oz
May 4, 2013 at 5:08 PM
And the leads will be faced with lifelong effects from those injuries.All for this?
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8 malta
May 4, 2013 at 5:36 PM
I don't think execs have ever been honest and admitted that a cut down in the number of episodes will affect the storyline. Lol.
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9 Ajusshi
May 4, 2013 at 7:54 PM
I'm in episode 48 already. They done a good job reducing the series since the plot half way through becomes uninteresting anymore. The King after King Chunchu is a hateable character. Makes wrong decisions every time each episodes. They should hire writers of King Sejong the Great to make better plots though that masterpiece also didn't last lost till episode 86 because of the ratings. Goodluck with the cast and hope to see them on better historical projects.
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10 Tru2u
May 4, 2013 at 8:31 PM
This remindsof BOF, not episode wise, but with all the accidents and the suicide of the actress that played sunny. When it was airing, every week there was an accident. I find myself saying, " I think they better stop now!!!!!!!! This drama is cursed!!!!"
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11 smiles
May 4, 2013 at 11:37 PM
Holy sh1t that was show was still GOING? Thats insane!
Kinda disgusting that its low ratings & not, you know the actors health that caused the show to end early.
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12 YL
May 5, 2013 at 1:29 AM
I actually kinda enjoy the show, but it's just as well they are ending it early given all the unfortunate accidents.
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13 Kim in Gran Couva
May 6, 2013 at 12:57 PM
The actors are terrific but the story lags for many episodes and it could really be much shorter without any (more) harm. Please though KBS, for the English speaking Korean saeguks lovers like myself, please fast track the subtitling. I have seen several other dramas since starting KD and Queen Insoo (even some modern ones); its quite disappointing to wait so many weeks on subtitled episodes. Please give a thought to us.
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14 Steph
May 7, 2013 at 5:04 AM
Wow 40 weeks, that's like child labour. Considering how laborious these things are, I'm amazed.
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15 KimYoonmi
May 7, 2013 at 8:32 PM
King's Dream? They should nickname it King's Nightmare.
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16 sula sanim
July 28, 2013 at 3:54 AM
its so ab-sad so whats next
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