“When The Stars Gossip,” featuring Lee Min-Ho and Gong Hyo-Jin, combines romance, drama, and science fiction but falters in execution. Directed by Park Shin-woo, the narrative follows Dr. Gong Ryong, a gynaecologist turned space tourist, as he navigates a complicated romance with Commander Eve Kim amidst a pregnancy crisis in zero gravity. The show struggles to engage viewers emotionally, with character development feeling shallow and the performances lacking depth. Poor visual effects detract from the sci-fi setting, and the soundtrack fails to leave a lasting impact. Ultimately, it is an ambitious yet hollow attempt to blend genres, leaving viewers disappointed.
New Delhi:
When The Stars Gossip features a star-studded cast led by Lee Min-Ho and Gong Hyo-Jin in a series that seeks to combine romance, drama, and science fiction. Directed by Park Shin-woo and penned by Seo Sook-hyang, the show presents an ambitious concept, though it struggles to execute it effectively.
The series attempts to weave in humor, emotional stakes, and a sci-fi backdrop, but in its effort to do too much, it falls short of offering something truly captivating or unforgettable.
The narrative centers on Dr. Gong Ryong, portrayed by Lee Min-Ho, a gynecologist who unexpectedly finds himself a space tourist on a South Korean space mission. His initial conflict with Commander Eve Kim, played by Gong Hyo-Jin, eventually blossoms into a romantic involvement.
Ryong begins as a somewhat clumsy yet well-intentioned character, but soon becomes embroiled in a pregnancy crisis aboard the space station—an uncharted territory in the realm of space. As Eve grapples with pregnancy complications in zero gravity, Ryong faces a series of increasingly tough choices. While the narrative has the potential for dramatic moments, it never fully explores the emotional intricacies established.
The primary flaw of When The Stars Gossip is its failure to engage the audience with its characters or their struggles. Despite a plot revolving around urgent, life-altering decisions in outer space, the emotional weight feels unearned.
Lee Min-Ho’s performance as Ryong is fairly one-dimensional, attempting charm but appearing flat. His character lacks meaningful development, and the chemistry with Gong Hyo-Jin feels contrived. Gong Hyo-Jin, while capable as Eve, doesn’t quite capture the depth that her character requires. Although the premise suggests potential for significant emotional drama, both the performances and the writing fail to deliver.
The supporting characters, including Han Ji-eun as the chaebol heiress Go-Eun and Oh Jung-se as the quirky scientist Kang-su, receive limited screen time and little opportunity for growth. The secondary plotlines meant to provide levity or intrigue come across as tacked on, contributing minimally to the overall story arc. Their inclusion appears to serve only to stretch a plot that lacks direction. Like the romance between Ryong and Eve, these characters remain largely underdeveloped.
One of the significant shortcomings of When The Stars Gossip is its visual presentation. The space station and zero-gravity scenes, which could have been the show’s highlight, are unfortunately poorly executed. The visual effects are inconsistent and, at times, quite distracting. For a high-budget production, the lack of realism detracts from the experience, missing a chance to create a sense of awe that the setting could have inspired.
This creates a missed opportunity to ground the fantastical premise in visually captivating elements, and the subpar graphics hinder the ability to engage with the unfolding high-stakes drama.
The soundtrack does little to enhance the story. While it doesn’t detract from the narrative, it also fails to leave a lasting impression, a rarity for K-dramas where the original soundtracks usually become iconic.
When The Stars Gossip strives to check all the right boxes—a quirky romance, an exciting sci-fi backdrop, some melodramatic elements—but ultimately comes off as a shallow imitation of superior works.
The pacing of the narrative is problematic, sometimes dragging when it should build tension, and rushing through emotional moments that would benefit from deeper exploration.
The relationship central to the plot fails to resonate. Ryong and Eve’s connection is undermined by the superficiality of their exchanges, and their relationship, meant to evoke strong emotions, never truly reaches that level.
In the end, When The Stars Gossip is a series plagued by over-ambition and underwhelming execution. What could have been a novel take on romance and sci-fi becomes a hodgepodge of clichéd tropes, rigid performances, and uninspired visuals.
The chance for a compelling, emotionally rich drama set in space is lost in the attempt to tackle too many elements, none of which are well-realized enough to leave an impression.
If you’re seeking a space-themed K-drama with depth and emotional resonance, this mediocre offering is likely to fall short of your expectations.