Heechul explains why he thinks SM's dramas fail

[ethocaine.livejournal.com]

On this week's episode of 'Ssul Jeon', the MCs started a topic about Korean remakes of Japanese dramas, saying they do not always succeed and that the less successful ones seem to be connected to SM Entertainment. In response, Heechul revealed his thoughts about why that seems to be the case.

One example they brought up was Sulli and Minho's 'To the Beautiful You' which was a remake of popular Japanese drama 'Hana Kimi'.

One MC asked Heechul if he ever acted in any of these and the idol responded, "I told them I would never do a drama produced by SM."

As you can imagine, his response intrigued his fellow MCs who asked, "Why?"

The Super Junior member, who is known for his frank and honest nature, began, "There's a singer team and then there's an actor team. But even the acting team, on areas like promotions and such, the agency promotes them too similarly to the way they promote singers... I'd always say something to them about this matter.... I'm getting angry now thinking about it," hinting that he believes there should be more of a distinction between the two teams and the way the agency handles promotions for them.

Hearing his comment, the other MCs couldn't hide their surprise at Heechul having the guts to be so open about internal company matters, remarking, "Wow... that's a very internal company talk."

Heechul had more to say on all this and said in a frustrated manner, "If you look at it from our perspective, there are some parts to be thankful for as SM's mindset is, 'Our kids are the best so if our kids do it, then it'll turn out well'. If you watch a SM music video, you'll never see an actor or someone from outside the agency make an appearance since the agency's thinking is, 'Our kids are so cool, handsome, and the best, so why should we bring in anyone from the outside? Our kids are the best, so let's use them'. Because of that..."

As if to complete Heechul's thought, the MC next to him said, "So they'll cast both the [drama's] male and female leads from the agency" and Heechul heatedly exclaimed, "But does that work?!" - revealing that he believes SM's lackluster results from their drama productions are due to the mindset that they should try to only recruit from within the agency, rather than bringing in outside talents to star as leads.

Hearing him vent, the fellow MCs patted him on the back impressed by his honesty and courage to speak openly about having different thoughts from his agency.


K-netizens' comments from X Sports News via Nate:

Article: Kim Heechul reveals the reason SM fails at drama production "They only trust their own artists"

1. [+143, -2] Kim Heechul knows, viewers know, even the fans know the truth, so who's the one in SM that keeps pushing for it anyway?

2. [+90, -4] Realistically, SM shouldn't act....

3. [+86, -3] Exactly!

4. [+19, -2] I'm sure SM has some decent actors, it's just that their crappy ones have such a huge impact that anyone with the SM label makes me not want to watch them, ie Yeon Hee.

5. [+9, -1] It doesn't even have to be an SM produced drama, any drama with an SM actor always fails.

6. [+6, -1] We all know SM kids are the prettiest and most handsome, you don't have to show that in dramas, though ㅋ... The only ones worth watching are Siwon, Yoona, and Sulli... Please don't bring out Yunho, Minho, Jessica, Yuri, etc again.


This is one of the major reasons why I really like Heechul. The man has balls of steel.

Sources: JTBC Entertainment, AKP, NB, Nate

Comments

[uledy.livejournal.com]

OMG "To the Beautiful You" was the worst drama ever. LMAO. And it's not even because "Hana Kimi" is my favorite Japanese drama, it was just...omg...Minho's acting. Lord NO. Sulli wasn't too bad but damn, that show shouldn't have happened with SM.

Oh, never EVER forget "Paradise Ranch". lolol.

Buuut, one good thing about SM dramas are the OST. There are some lovely songs on there. Like, Onew's "In Your Eyes" omg ;~~~~~;

[ethocaine.livejournal.com]

Oh god, "Paradise Ranch". Cannot unsee. Changmin's public image really took a hit after that atrocity of a drama. Such a shame because I heard he's actually decent in "Fly with the Gold".

[missaoki.livejournal.com]

Thank you Heechul!

I wonder if he ever gets in trouble with SM for being so honest or he just doesn't give a damn

[gardevoiir.livejournal.com]

honestly I think he's stopped caring
... has he ever cared?

[pepper.livejournal.com]

Drag them, Heechul.

[vermicelli-rice.livejournal.com]

and the truth shall set you free.
love his honesty, as always.

[mad-nux.livejournal.com]

to the beautiful you failed because minho is fugly and can't act

[pentrue.livejournal.com]

i don't know why, but i laughed loudly like a loon at this sentence. truer words...

[ohlookshiny.livejournal.com]

sm dramas don't work bc they hire bad writers and pds to make them. some of the sm artists are not that terrible at acting, it's just the overall product sucks. you'd think sm would learn considering they've produced at least 3 shitty dramas, but all they think about is potential $$$, not quality.

[honeyfunnybunny.livejournal.com]

thisthisthis

[erbalurbal.livejournal.com]

I think it has more to do with the type of dramas they choose to make. No one outside of their company would agree to be in those dramas

[shin-ah-mi.livejournal.com]

go for it heenim!!!!

[love-allure.livejournal.com]

well he ain't lying so... dramas aren't all about looks sm. nobody got time to waste 16+ hours on a drama with shitty acting when they aren't their fans.

[lettace.livejournal.com]

cause y'all can't act
and the ones that can don't

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

Which SM idols who actually can act and dont?

[charlotterhys.livejournal.com]

I don't care if To The Beautiful You wasn't ~amazing~ by K-Drama standards, it still beat the PANTS off of American shows of a similar kind (and my sister, the TV-ninja agrees). o_o I really liked it. But, I also just enjoy embarrassing rom-coms, and I liked the characters in TTBY.

Honestly, I didn't really find You're Beautiful that much different in terms of quality of writing, directing and acting, and it's one of the Holy Grail of Hallyu dramas. There were just some different styles of characters involved.

[tothechangmin.livejournal.com]

i actually liked TTBY lol; what i hated was the plot (which i know was adapted so, ah well). i liked sulli and minho together

[girltype.livejournal.com]

SPILL THAT TEA HEECHUL.

[martha-sal.livejournal.com]

+1

[bumie.livejournal.com]

you tell dem heechul

[lovelyxbeauty.livejournal.com]

I think it's a mix of crappy acting and really, really, really crappy writing, for example, Paradise Ranch had the potential to be good but the writing was soooooo bad I normally, 99.9% of the time, always ship the cannon couples and I just could not with that drama because the writing and character development was just really pants tbh. Even if SM artists have the potential to be good actors/actresses they will never be able to show it if the writing is bad.

I have to give props to Heechul though for not giving a flying monkeys when he calls SM out, it kind of makes me wonder if he will stay when his contract expires.

[annhh.livejournal.com]

+1 yeah

[footballfina.livejournal.com]

unpopular opinion but, Heechul is kind of being an ass lately with his "shit on SM" talk show tour, even if he isn't lying and, the constant tearing down of the people he works with and especially his fellow idols is kinda rubbing me the wrong way..... and Heechul's my bias.

IDK i feel like he knows hating on SM is gonna get him attention and so he does it ALL THE TIME, at this point he just looks like a douchebag *shrug*

[jaesoe.livejournal.com]

I have a feeling sm made him say what he said on TV. Just my gut feelings. Idk why tho

[luvey.livejournal.com]

on this point i actually agree with Heechul. SMe is pretty arrogant. i can understand idols wanting to act, especially if it will make their bank accounts fuller, and their time in the spotlight longer. but for SMe to shove them into lead roles before they are ready, is just a straight up call for disaster. the first drama that comes to mind is Paradise Ranch with Changmin. poor Max. i couldn't even finish watching it, not even for the pretty.

it isn't just the acting, it is the writers and director. but a good actor can raise up bad writing a little.

i know i am a Donghae stan, but i give him props even if wasn't. he has talent in acting. outside of Mystery 6 and Attack of the Pinup Boys, he started really acting in a non SMe production, in a smaller role, and got praise for it. his role in Pandayang and Hedgehog was the lead, he wasn't great, but you can see he actually got better in SK drama standards. he sought out advice and mentor-ship from Park Keun Hyung. he is someone who should be acting often but, ugh, he hasn't been for whatever reason. okay that did sound like me fangirling....but hey i'm a Donghae stan, sue me.

[queenbratinella.livejournal.com]

No I actually agree with you about Donghae, and basically the entirety of Super Junior's acting team, to be honest. Kibum, Heechul, Siwon, Donghae, and even Geng...I think it's a good thing that their acting careers were never 100% pushed by SM to the point of overkill that they'll create dramas and make them headline it. They end up relying on their own networking skills and passion in the craft to get themselves jobs. It's a longer process but I like it better than well, having them star in an overrated in-house production for a role that's probably written just for them, backed by a big budget, guaranteed success once marketed overseas, only to have them tank in it and push their acting career 30million steps backwards. /shrug

[kazu-kumaguro.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit disappointed, I mean, don't think that's the only reason.
sm is just crap at handling dramas and putting too much promotion, I mean, mama at pool party.

[hitsujiga.livejournal.com]

key said it first. and look~ heechul gets praised for his honesty and key gets shit for it, i dislike this fandom sometimes lol.

[anconeous.livejournal.com]

I think it's the way Key said it that rubbed people off the wrong way, TBH. He threw a fellow group member under the bus.

[noodlebringer.livejournal.com]

heechul is straightforward and that's something rare in kpop nowadays

[unicornios.livejournal.com]

Please don't bring out Yunho, Minho, Jessica, Yuri, etc again.

lol this real talk omg

I want to see Heechul perform though!!!

[45s.livejournal.com]

Sm gets lucky with a few idols who can sing and act and thinks that's gonna happen all the time. And that's never the case.

I guess they really don't think acting takes skill or natural talent. Ugg

[jae-bias-bitch.livejournal.com]

he speaks the truth and it surprises me how SM didn't ban him from anything... i mean he's talking shit about SM for many times already lol

[cee-90.livejournal.com]

Aside from the fact that some of SM's idols can't act, SM should hire better scriptwriters tbh. And make them take a part when they're making MVs too...where did the one that make 'Timeless' & 'I Will' go I wonder...

And they should stop being greedy in placing their idols into lead roles when their acting skills is not enough. Acting isn't something you gain overnight I think it's better to take smaller roles first and nail it rather than getting a lead role then fail miserably. And ugh, I know there are too much of popular K-Dramas with typical roles but there are still lots of more interesting roles too. Take Siwon's King of Drama role or Donghae's Skip Beat role for example. It would be less boring and more things to learn.

[shintotchi.livejournal.com]

Funny when I saw the OP's title I immediately thought "What truth is he speaking today" only to scroll and see you also used it as a subtitle. XD

I think Heenim should now also be nicknamed Truthchul. Or wait, how about Preachul? Yes...yes I like that one.

[ethocaine.livejournal.com]

Oh, Preachul would be perfect. This needs to be a new hash tag on twitter and tumblr.