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The tvN drama 'Hateful Love,' starring Lee Jung Jae and Im Ji Yeon, concluded with disappointing viewership ratings despite high pre-broadcast expectations. As Lee Jung Jae's first drama in six years since 'Squid Game' and Im Ji Yeon's follow-up to successful projects, it garnered significant attention. However, its peak rating was 5.5% for the first episode, with the finale only reaching 4.8%. Director Kim Ga-ram had even pledged a 30% viewership target at the production press conference, making the outcome particularly notable.
'Hateful Love' is a romantic comedy about a national actor, Im Hyun-jun (Lee Jung Jae), and a righteous entertainment reporter, Wi Jung-shin (Im Ji Yeon), who start as rivals and fall in love. The drama brought together writer Jung Yeo-rang of 'Doctor Cha' and director Kim Ga-ram of 'Good Partner,' featuring a strong supporting cast including Kim Ji-hoon and Seo Ji-hye. However, from early on, criticisms arose regarding its predictable romantic comedy plot and the 18-year age gap between Lee Jung Jae and Im Ji Yeon, which some felt hindered romantic immersion.
Bloggers praised the lead actors' performances but noted that the unoriginal storyline hampered any ratings rebound. After its premiere, viewership steadily declined, even dropping to 3.1% at one point, ultimately failing to surpass the 5% mark. Despite its highly anticipated start, the drama did not generate significant buzz among viewers, concluding with a less-than-stellar performance.
