Troubled Actor’s Post-Scandal “Comeback” K-Drama Struggles as It’s Dubbed Tacky and Out of Touch

JTBC’s new webtoon-based weekend K-Drama, The Practical Guide To Love, is off to a somewhat disappointing start, with viewership in the 3% range.

According to ratings research company Nielsen Korea on March 3, 2026 (KST), Episode 2 of the show, which aired on March 1, recorded 3.3% nationwide viewership among paid households. While this marks a 0.2 percentage-point increase from the premiere episode’s 3.1% rating on February 28, it is still hovering in the 3% range amid fierce competition among the weekend lineup.

Based on a webtoon of the same name, the series follows 33-year-old office worker Lee Ui Yeong (actress Han Ji Min), who decides to pursue love and meets two men with very different charms through blind dates as she searches for the true meaning of love. The show had generated anticipation from the production stage thanks to Han Ji Min, often called the “queen of the romance genre,” taking the lead role.

Episode 2 depicted Ui Yeong, who had preferred natural encounters, eventually turning to blind dates after running into the realities of dating. She first meets the steady and reliable Song Tae Seop, played by Park Sung Hoon, and soon becomes entangled with the free-spirited younger man Shin Ji Soo, played by Lee Ki Taek, signaling the start of a full-fledged love triangle.

That said, viewer reactions across online communities and social media have been critical. While some praised The Practical Guide To Love for portraying realistic dating concerns, most criticized the premise, saying that quantifying men and women’s “dating qualifications” feels outdated.

In particular, screenshots from some scenes deemed the most problematic—for degrading women who are older to be undateable—circulated online, triggering some intense responses, too.

• “Ugh… Is the entire industry collectively stuck in the past or something? It’s 2026. Why are the lines so tacky and outdated? What kind of dialogue is that?”
• “I watched because Han Ji Min was in it, but it felt so old-fashioned that I dropped it. Sigh…”
• “It’s tacky as hell.”
• “It’s even more outdated than My Lovely Sam Soon.”
• “Also, the male lead is Park Sung Hoon.”
• “Aren’t the male and female leads in the same agency anyway? LOL. I guess that agency doesn’t have much of an eye for scripts.”
• “I really think it’s time for a generational shift among K-Drama writers. They shouldn’t keep hiring writers who are stuck in that old-school sensibility.”
• “All this about a woman in her 30s. LOL.”
• “If she were 40, maybe I could understand the whole premise a tiny bit… but… yeah.”
• “Why would anyone film something like that??”
• “It feels like this kind of dialogue shouldn’t even be written anymore. Why did no one suggest revising it before it aired…?”
• “Seriously, why did Han Ji Min choose this project?”

Meanwhile, past controversies involving Squid Game and The Glory‘s lead actor, Park Sung Hoon, have also been cited as a factor potentially holding the ratings back. In 2024, he became embroiled in controversy after posting a parody of a Japanese adult video (AV) magazine cover featuring a Squid Game reference on his social media.

“Squid Game’s” Scandal-Ridden Actor To Return With Another Romance K-Drama—Sees Blistering Reactions

The Practical Guide To Love marks his return to television after a year and three months, and he once again expressed his apologies during the production press conference. However, analysts say the still-chilly public sentiment continues to weigh on the show.

Although its early performance has fallen short of expectations, there remains the possibility of a rebound as the romance storyline develops further. Attention is now focused on whether The Practical Guide To Love can overcome the criticism and begin climbing in the ratings.

Watch the teaser for Episode 3 here: