Ahn Jae-hyun was chosen as a pinch hitter. Is this a trick or an unreasonable move?

《Taeyuna’s Listening Bodbo》
Reporter Tae Yu-na and Ten Asia will properly cover all aspects of the drama based on what she heard and saw on the spot. We will be the eyes and ears of readers in an era where dramas are flooding in on numerous channels.

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The actor, who was in trouble due to the 'controversy over his acting ability', returns to the small screen after three years. Starring as the lead in KBS2's weekend drama, which has an average viewership rating of over 30%. This is why Ahn Jae-hyun, who was selected as a replacement lead in 'The Real Man Has Appeared!', is attracting attention as to whether he will be able to use the trick to save the weekend drama in crisis after hearing the controversy or whether it will remain as an unreasonable number.

'The Real One Has Appeared!', which will be broadcast for the first time in March, is a romance story between a single mother and an unmarried man and a fake contract surrounding the 'real' baby in her stomach. It is a family drama that depicts the ups and downs of a family's growth as they become 'Avengers' through pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare.

The role of Gong Tae, cast by Ahn Jae-hyun, is a highly skilled gynecologist and infertility clinic specialist. He has a beautiful appearance and superior genes, but is a non-married person to the core. Then, when he meets Oh Yeon-du (played by Baek Jin-hee), he encounters an event of a lifetime.

Previously, Kwak Si-yang was cast for the role of Gong Tae-kyung, but due to scheduling issues, she left the role through an amicable agreement with the production team. Afterwards, the production team searched for an actor to replace Kwak Si-yang and chose Ahn Jae-hyeon as the male lead.

His return to the small screen is three years after the MBC drama ‘Flawless People’, which aired in 2019. It has been eight years since I starred in KBS' 'Blood' in 2015.

However, coincidentally, Ahn Jae-hyun has experienced controversy over his acting skills in both works. In 'People with Flaws', which was a B-level comedy, Ahn Jae-hyun made people feel uncomfortable throughout the movie with his clumsy acting, such as his stiff facial expression, robot-like movements trying to act handsome, and frustrating vocalization.

In 'Blood', where he played the title role for the first time, he failed to show his presence leading the play, and his acting skills were put on the chopping block as he was criticized for lacking heaviness as a lead role. As a result, both works' viewership ratings declined and they were released with poor performance.

Although Ahn Jae-hyun received much love as a 'new beauty' character in entertainment shows such as 'New Journey to the West', 'Spring Camp', and 'Athletic Genius Ahn Jae-hyun', he did not achieve remarkable results as an actor, his main job. It is natural that concerns arise as he plays the male lead leading the 50 episodes.

In particular, KBS2's current weekend dramas, from 'The Present Is Beautiful' to 'Three Brothers Bravely', are achieving poor results, failing to surpass the peak viewership rating of 30% and hovering above the 20% range. With KBS2's reputation for unbeatable box office box office success appearing to be becoming a thing of the past, it is clear that the success of 'The Real Thing Has Appeared!' will be an important starting point in the weekend drama crisis.

Ahn Jae-hyun must prove his capabilities as an actor through this drama. If this work is also embroiled in controversy over his acting skills, it is difficult to guarantee his standing as an actor. As he returns after three years, I look forward to seeing him grow.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr