| "The Producers" starring Kim Soo-hyun and IU recorded 17.7 percent viewership in its last episode on Saturday. / Courtesy of KBS |
By Kwon Ji-youn
It was not a flying start for "The Producers," but its last episode recorded 17.7 percent viewership to bring the KBS drama series to a successful close. Its success may be attributed to the star-studded casting of Kim Soo-hyun and IU.
And yet "The Producers," which in its planning stages had turned heads with a stellar cast, original plot and impressive cameo lineups, was nothing out of the ordinary. The only unconventional details about the series were perhaps its broadcaster setting and its ever-giving well of cameos.
It was back to work for the four protagonists in the last episode that aired Saturday.
A reasonable conclusion saw two of them go from friends to lovers, while a second relationship was left undetermined, but on a good note.
They all recovered from past pain and fell comfortably back into their daily routines. Singer Cindy (portrayed by IU) was liberated from her controlling and neurotic agent, while producer Seung-chan (Kim) learned what it was to care for someone. Senior producers Ye-jin (Gong Hyo-jin) and Joon-mo (Cha Tae-hyun) scrapped their decades-long friendship for love.
"The Producers" made headlines when it became known that hallyu (Korean wave) star Kim would be starring alongside veterans Cha, Gong and singer IU in a story set in KBS's entertainment department. It garnered even more interest when KBS announced that comedy producer Seo Soo-min would be helming the production, and "My Love from the Star" writer Park Ji-eun would be scripting it.
Though the first few episodes were great boast and small roast, with some likening the series to a promotional video for KBS, viewership increased and criticism subsided as complications arose and relationships began building. More viewers found the series identifiable as it began applying happenings feasible in a broadcaster environment to relationships while giving them a peek into the lives and daily struggles of producers, scriptwriters and celebrities.
And while the output was not all bad for a first try, "The Producers" went on to prove that breaking new ground just is not easy. The writing and direction made attempts at humor, which only Kim and Gong were able to pull off, and the complications were at times overwrought. It was not quite "Misaeng" in that it did not successfully rule out romantic relationships like the tvN drama series did, and its cameo appearances were impressive but more often than not unnecessary.
Overall, it didn't quite "accurately depict the joys and sorrows of this generation's producers," as it promised it would in its project proposal.
"It wasn't a cable series, so it couldn't exclude romance from its plot," said one broadcaster staffer. "And though it wasn't a complete failure, I don't think anyone will be trying something as reckless as this in the near future."