Even if the ratings did not increase, I wish they would have not cut the episodes into 16. It's better to have a good ending, than a hasty one. What about the viewers that were watching the show?

I'm happy that they will still broadcast the version with the extra 4 episodes :)

How frustrating it must be for the production staff and the actors / actresses (not to mention the fans!). This is a debacle and someone should take responsibility for hasty decisions and incomplete products.

More thinking please, less hasty actions.

This reminds me of Firefly's situation, if people know that show.

I liked the first couple episodes of Strike Love from your reviews, but I did also taper off in watching them. Hope it does end up getting its full run like it meant to!

perhaps mbc's expectations for the subsequent "friend, our legend" is too high... i really really hope that does well because hopes had been super high for "strike love" too.

That really sucks for Strike Love. I've put the drama on hold and was planning on going back and finishing it, but now I'm not sure if I want to.

Samsooki did you go last night to the So Ji Sub thing?

I'm going tonight. So excited but not sure what to expect.

Oh good.. I haven't finished it yet (too absorbed in some other things at the moment), so now I might postpone it until the "extra" episodes have aired. It's always sad when shows get cut short, so I'm happy the full run will be shown somewhere at least.

I started it, loved the great chemistry of the leads, but decided to wait for subs before going back to watch the rest. Now I don't want to subject myself to a bad ending. How will I see the version that airs in Japan?... and with English subs? How disappointing!

@7 mishane -

"Samsooki did you go last night to the So Ji Sub thing? I’m going tonight. So excited but not sure what to expect"

I didn't get to go last night! I am a little bummed. Some pics are up on soompi in the so ji sub thread, and my heart skipped a beat at how close some of the pics were. Hehe. It is so odd. Normally, I am very reserved, but the prospect of meeting SJS is a little scary and thrilling. My heart went "bool-KOO, bool-KOO" when I saw the first soompi pics.

Btw, for general information sake, I am soooooooooo not a fangirl of SJS or any korean actor or actress really (being a married guy and fairly not impressed by celebrities - I sat opposite of Claire Danes on the metro north train for more than an hour and didn't particularly care one way or another... and I chatted up Spike Lee when I was at Harvard and he was filming there with no issues), but it is so weird seeing Korean celebs... its like they are aliens or something. With the exception of KJH (mine) and my Binnie, but I suspect that I would be pretty chill with them too, since I have adopted them.

I have no idea when I am getting out of work tonight though. I am so close! He is so close! LOL.

awww I planned to finish this asap this summer. I guess I'll wait fro the japanese broadcast but unfortunately I've never seen korean drama raws of japanese broadcast available online /4 dl :(

I really hope this isn't a new trend in k-dramas.

One of the reasons I've stopped watching American series is because they let the ratings dictate way too much. So many of my favorite series were cut short because of that and ended in cliffhangers. It was just too unbearable.

One of the things I like about Kdramas is that they have a definite length (and end) so I don't have to be afraid of the cancellation heartbreak so prevalent in American TV.

Am aware that sageuks might get shortened if they're not doing well (like Ja Myung Go) but the only other miniseries I know of (besides Strike Love) which got this treatment was Stained Glass (starring Lee Dong Gun and Kim Haneul, 18 eps from the original 20). Granted, Stained Glass was crappy, but to chop it so close to the end just seems like a disservice and disrespect to the makers and the viewers. Especially in Strike Love's case when the episodes had already been filmed anyway.

On a related note, after nearly 3 years of languishing in broadcasting limbo (even though it had already aired in full in China), Bichunmoo was finally shown on Korean TV in butchered form (14 eps from the original 33). The pre-shot drama The Special of My Life was also edited down to 8 eps from the original 12.

So stuff like this sucks, and I REALLY hope it doesn't become a trend.

I'm glad there's a silver lining in that Strike Love will get its rightful closure on Japanese TV ("all hail Yonsama" --> LOL).

I've seen the last 16th episode. What a disappointing ending! They need to air the last 2 week's episodes, because this ending doesn't make sense. How are you going to let viewers watch a story line all the way to this point and have an ending like that? I need to see the full story line ending (overseas version). I hope they put that version up online to view...

can anyone tel me how it ends! im just in epi 11 i think on mysoju and im so dissapointed atm! ahhh i really want to know wht happens!!! damn marriage and society ^.^

talk about a nose dive. The buildup was tremendous, imo. Up until episode 10 or 11 I was really hooked. Then after that point everything went down hill on rocket propelled skates.

Just an awful way to end a drama series, worst I've seen, ever. If I was one of the writers, I would've protested.

There is absolutely no reason to watch this drama. None. There is not the slighest pay off at the end. No resolution. No nothing. First time I can ever say that it was a waste of time.

I agree with parkerlewis. This is definitely the worst ending I've ever seen. I hope I get to see the "real" ending soon, because until then, I consider this drama as a "to be continued" series. Onyna, you can see episode 13 & 14 at this link... (http://co2r.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/mbc09-alien-baseball-team/). You have to download it first though... It comes with Chinese subtitles, which I just completely ignore because it doesn't get in the way or nething. I've seen 15 & 16 thru a different link...

i actually started this only because it was *supposed* to mainly be about baseball, but the writer's clearly did not know anything about the game. in fact, in one of the episodes, the protagonist's team throws a runner out at home, picks off another at first, and then turns a double play. what's wrong with that? they recorded 4 outs in an inning!!

if you actually enjoy baseball, stay away. unless, of course, you can bear hearing the pop of a 97 mph fastball replaced by the sound effect of a wet towel dropped onto the ground, infielders and outfielders playing their positions 15 feet away from one another, and rolling dribblers actually making it past diving "pro" infielders.

even if you don't care for the baseball portion, stay away. if you don't, you will be thinking the same thing i did when episode 14 came to an end: "how the heck are they going to tie up the bazillion loose ends in two hours?" the short answer? they're not.

The story was getting better however the ending wasn't clear. It's indeed hanging. So I'll look forward to watching the complete episode.

ahhh! i really hope the last four episodes are available online soon. anyone know when it will air in japan? the last episode was just sooooo extremely disappointing!

You can buy the COMPLETE 20 episode version here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/2009-Strike-Love-Korean-Drama-Eng-Sub-8dvds-Free-S-H_W0QQitemZ280445333972QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray?hash=item414bd831d4#ht_3893wt_754

Thank you everyone for your comments. You have just saved me a lot of time I could have wasted watching this drama.