JTBC's 'Fighting Worthlessness' Debuts with Modest Ratings Amidst Strong Competition

JTBC's highly anticipated drama 'Fighting Worthlessness' premiered with a modest 2.1% viewership rating, marking a disappointing start. In contrast, MBC's '21st Century Grand Lady,' starring IU and Byun Woo-seok, garnered an impressive 11.1% rating during the same time slot.

On the 18th, 'Fighting Worthlessness' (hereafter referred to as 'FW') finally made its debut. The episode highlighted the life of Hwang Dong-man (played by Koo Kyo-hwan), a man who has been stuck at the threshold of becoming a director for 20 years. Despite his struggles, his days were packed. He spent his time harshly criticizing poor films online and shedding tears over great ones, feeling envious to the point of madness.

In between, he attended the 'Group of Eight,' a gathering of famous filmmakers, where he often clashed with successful peers. His position as an academy instructor was precarious due to dwindling student numbers, and he was constantly harassed by loan sharks. Yet, his relentless chatter continued to annoy those around him.

Hwang Dong-man's precarious and anxious state of mind was vividly exposed through an emotional watch he always wore. Developed by the brother of his friend Lee Jun-hwan (played by Shim Hee-seop), Dong-man was chosen as a test subject for this watch because he was a '40-year-old unemployed man.' The moment he heard the word 'unemployed,' his heart rate skyrocketed, and the watch flashed red with warning sounds. This scene visualized the emotional nakedness of Dong-man, who prided himself as a film director but was confronted with the humiliation of unemployment.

Within the 'Group of Eight,' Dong-man was an outsider. His unrestrained behavior made him a tiresome presence. Particularly to Park Kyung-se (played by Oh Jung-se), who was about to release a new film, Dong-man was a thorn in the side. Despite never having made a film himself, Dong-man's sharp criticisms of others' films, including his own, pushed Kyung-se's anger to the limit.

While the world dismissed his voice as noise, the appearance of Byun Eun-ah (played by Go Yoon-jung), who recognized Dong-man's potential and shortcomings, stirred his heart. Her simple question, "Are you curious about the script?" lit up the first green light on his emotional watch, which had only shown red warnings until then. This hinted at a narrative where they could be each other's salvation, heightening anticipation.

The episode's climax was Dong-man's retaliation against Choi Dong-hyun (played by Choi Won-young), the head of Choi Film. After being rejected for a 3 billion won production grant from the Korean Film Council, Dong-hyun, known for severing ties, cruelly advised Dong-man to give up. Previously, he had even instructed PD Byun Eun-ah to harshly critique Dong-man's script, further belittling him.

Despite the hunger warning flashing on Dong-man's emotional watch, a serene smile lingered on his face. It was as if he decided to prove his existence by embracing failure rather than trying to prove himself through success. He boldly declared to Dong-hyun and the world, "Why does my life have to please you?"

This exhilarating declaration against a world that deemed his life a failure overlapped with the image of the ballet dancer Billy from the film 'Billy Elliot,' who leaps triumphantly in the finale. The anticipation builds to see if Dong-man, like Billy, can soar brilliantly, as he takes his first precarious yet dazzling step to prove himself.

Reporter Jung Se-yoon, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr