Legendary Superstar-Chapter 176: Drama Festival (2)

The day 2 of the Korean Drama Festival quickly arrived. Even though there were some disappointing parts on the first day, the excitement and publicity over it rose higher with the success of the first day.

After a chaotic but exciting opening day lineup, viewers were eager to see what new stories would unfold on the second day.

Social media were already filled with countdown posts, streaming reminders, and guesses about which Day 2 drama would become the next favorite.

2nd Day Schedule:

Undercover High – 4 p.m.

The Perfect Divorce – 6 p.m.

The Star’s Secret – 8 p.m.

Hearts at Zero Degrees – 10 p.m.

When 4 pm hits the clock, the first drama, Undercover High, finally aired. It was a teen-action drama about a young police officer who goes undercover in a high school to undercover a student crime syndicate.

The first 2 episodes introduced the background of the characters and the reason why the male lead had to go undercover.

"Okay, the drama is actually nice. Wish they had just done a better job at editing."

"The opening scene where there’s a fight was surprisingly solid. It’s a good drama."

"It’s kind of ridiculous how this looks nothing like a teenage drama, but still somehow I’m still watching it."

"I can’t wait to see where this drama leads."

"I just hope they improve the editing."

"The lead is nice."

"Some lines are kinda cringey but it’s fun. A good opening, I say."

Despite a few mistakes in editing, Undercover High managed to attract a crowd, especially among male teens and action fans who wanted something to watch.

By 6 pm, the Perfect Divorce aired. It was a mature melodrama centered on a seemingly perfect married couple who filed for divorce after conflicts with their marriage, only to realize that their lives were even more entangled than they thought.

From the first episode, the drama looked as if it was comedy and light. It showed the relationship of the two leads, how they bicker and fight each other. However, in the second episode of it, the drama surprised everyone. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

It was clear this drama wasn’t holding back.

The second episode featured a passionate kissing scene and brief nudity of the two leads, as a part of a flashback wherein the drama showed how passionate they were at the start of their marriage.

The scene immediately drew a line between casual viewers and mature audiences.

The online reaction was quick and divided.

Foreign fans and mature drama enthusiasts were the first to praise the bold storytelling and emotional honesty of the scene.

"That flashback scene?? That’s how you show real intimacy. It made their current relation feel so much more painful."

"It’s messy… but also kind of beautiful. I respect the director for not playing it safe."

"The chemistry between the leads is insane. You can feel the history between them, but also the anger that they had for each other. No wonder they’re still married even if they have been fighting all the time."

"This is probably the most realistic portrayal of a married couple I’ve seen in a K-drama. The scene wasn’t even about the nudity. It was about the love they lost."

"That moment when the music fades and it’s just them… wow. I’m speechless."

"Props to the actors for taking this role."

"Just newbies, and they already took a challenging scene."

However, the bold, creative choice also received backlash from more conservative viewers, especially older audiences who tuned in expecting a more restrained melodrama.

"Why was that necessary? I get the emotional point, but they could’ve done it without showing that."

"This isn’t cable. Public TV should have limits."

"My family was watching together. We had to pause and skip. Please be mindful of the audience."

"I came for the acting, not for scenes like that. It’s too much. They went overboard."

"Wha the heck is that scene?"

"There are better ways to show passion without nudity. I’m disappointed."

Despite the backlash, The Perfect Divorce quickly built a following among women in their late 20s and 30s, who was drawn by the emotional complexity of the drama.

By 8 p.m., the third drama of the night began: The Star’s Secret.

Out of all the Day 2 dramas, this one was the most anticipated, especially with the popularity of the main actor, Minjae. It carried a heavy amount of curiosity because the trailer looked absolutely phenomenal.

The first episode opened with a dazzling concert scene with bright lights, booming speakers, screaming fans, and Minjae at the center stage, dressed in an outfit with a powerful aura.

The crowd in the drama mirrored real viewers, they were shouting, jumping and dancing as the concert scene played out.

"Woahh! What’s the budget of this drama? Are you seeing this? It looks like a real concert!"

"I had to double-check that this wasn’t a real idol debuting. The energy, the choreo, the music—it’s all top tier."

"They really filmed this in a stadium? Wtf? The camera work, the lighting… this is not what I was expecting from a debut drama."

"The intro gave me goosebumps. The way he looked at the crowd, smiled, and then sang? Now I’m curious If the actor was really singing, cus it looks so legit,"

"The concert scenes felt too real. Like, I’m seriously impressed. They didn’t cut corners at all."

The rest of the first episode introduced various important casts. It also showed the complexity of the life of an idol, especially, Minjae’s character.

"Minjae looks so nice in this drama."

"I’m in awe. He really looks like an idol."

"I love it already."

"The characters looked good. I like the friendship of the male lead and his other idol friend. What was their name again? Minjae and Jihoon?"

"Yeah, it’s Minjae and Jihoon."

However, Episode 2 took a turn.

The once-colorful life of the male lead started to unravel slowly. He sat by the beach alone, stared at his phone without replying, and woke up in the middle of the night without a reason. His usual smile was still there, but only when people were watching.

Behind it, viewers saw the fatigue and loss of a character. How he seemingly looked happy on the outside, but was dead on the inside.

"This hit too hard. That moment when he watched the sunset alone while listening to a fan’s voice message? I felt that."

"He didn’t say much in this episode, but you could see everything in his eyes. The emptiness, the confusion, the pressure to keep going."

"The transition from concert lights to quiet loneliness was beautifully done. It’s jarring. Fuck I almost cried."

"There was a scene where he turned off his phone after his manager called. And the silence that followed? Painfully real."

"Episode 1 made me cheer for Minjae but Episode 2 made me pause and think. This drama is special."

Fans were particularly surprised by Minjae’s acting. Though many came in unsure if he could carry the momentum and the weight of a lead role, most left deeply impressed.

"Minjae is the real deal. His micro expressions, the way he holds back tears, his body language. Damn. Where did they find such talent?"

"You can tell he did his homework with this character. His acting is not flashy, but it stays with you. It was subtle and almost feartbreaking."

"The scene where he sat alone in the rain and whispered, ’I think I’m tired of all of it’… I had to pause. That delivery was too good."

"I wasn’t expecting to get emotional this fast. Minjae’s performance feels honest."

"I liked his performance in "The Only Way" but this one was just top tier."

"This is probably the best acting among the 7 dramas so far."

"I’m just fucking speechless."

"The way he switches from idol mode to human mode? It’s painfully accurate. You start to wonder how many real stars feel this way."

"Nah. No shit. This made me think of my idols."

By the time the ending credits rolled, The Star’s Secret was already trending on all major platforms. International fans were uploading reaction videos, Korean blogs were writing detailed breakdowns of the scenes, and even critics took to forums to praise the direction of the story and its pacing.

And finally, when the time hit 10 in the evening, Hearts at Zero Degrees finally aired.

I was a slow burn romance set in a remote town where winter never seemed to end. It followed two emotionally scarred individuals who had long given up on love, only to find unexpected warmth in each other.

The pacing was slower compared to the dramas before it. But the snowy cinematography and the quiet, nearly wordless ten minutes of the opening, was new to everyone

"This is the kind of drama you watch wrapped in a blanket at 2 a.m. while thinking about your life."

"The cinematography? I felt cold just watching it. Beautifully done."

"This feels like an indie film."

"The silence between the characters is nice. Though, I hope they introduced the characters first before going silent. I was confused who was the lead as they showed a lot of people for the first 15 minutes."

"It’s quite good."

"Hmm… I found it boring. Sorry."

"Well, it’s nice? But yeah. A little boring I say, especially compared to the rest of the dramas that played today."

"Lol. I’m a little disappointed since the cinematography was nice."

The reaction of the viewers was mixed. Some liked it because it felt new to the viewers. However, some viewers also found the drama too slow and quiet, especially coming right after the emotional rollercoaster from The Star’s Secret.