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"An overwhelming noir masterpiece" vs. "A disgrace to the original." Netflix's new series is facing polar-opposite reactions. Why does the evaluation of this drama change so drastically across borders? K-Culture Compass delves into the heart of this divide.

The return of actor So Ji-sub, the adaptation of a legendary webtoon, and Netflix... expected to write a new chapter in K-Noir history, has become a hot potato upon its release. While it's met with a flood of praise overseas, calling it a "breathtaking masterpiece," it faces a wave of icy criticism back in its homeland, with many calling it "underwhelming."

Why does the same show generate such a stark temperature difference? This is more than just a matter of taste; it's a fascinating phenomenon that reveals a fundamental difference in how K-content is consumed. Today, we will listen to both voices of praise and criticism to deeply investigate the reasons behind this gap.

 

"The Cast Alone is an Epic" - What Captivated International Viewers 🤔

First, let's look at the reactions from international fans. On major social media platforms like Reddit and Twitter, it is a target of high praise. They evaluate the drama as a standalone work, without prior knowledge of the original webtoon.

• 👍 The Majesty of a 'Acting Empire': Building on comments like "So Ji-sub's gaze alone completes the narrative," the presence of veteran actors such as Heo Joon-ho, Ahn Gil-kang, Lee Beom-soo, and Cha Seung-won—names that inspire confidence—was a huge spectacle in itself. Their heavy-hitting charisma showdowns pushed the drama's tension to its peak.
• 👍 The Aesthetics of K-Noir: The sensual cinematography and stylish action sequences led to accolades like "Korean noir has now surpassed Hollywood." The mise-en-scène, capturing the dark and damp texture of the city, received particular acclaim.
• 👍 The Rise of Next-Gen Stars: Lee Joon-hyuk as Nam Ki-seok, the younger brother who ignites the story, and Gong Myung as Gu-jun, who shows potential as a new villain, left strong impressions despite their brief appearances, once again proving the depth of K-drama's talent pool.

 

"My Ki-joon Wouldn't Do That!" - 3 Key Reasons for Korean Fans' "Blasphemy" 😠

On the other hand, for the core Korean fandom that treats the original webtoon as a bible, may be a disappointing adaptation. Their criticism, often prefaced with "the acting was superb, but...," is specific and sharp.

💡 The Core Divide: Webtoon vs. Drama
The key reason for the different reactions lies here. International fans experienced "The Plaza" as a new K-Noir series, while Korean fans saw it as the live-action adaptation of a beloved webtoon. This fundamental difference in perspective created the huge gap in evaluation.

"An overwhelming noir masterpiece" vs. "A disgrace to the original." Netflix's new series is facing polar-opposite reactions. Why does the evaluation of this drama change so drastically across borders? K-Culture Compass delves into the heart of this divide.

The return of actor So Ji-sub, the adaptation of a legendary webtoon, and Netflix... expected to write a new chapter in K-Noir history, has become a hot potato upon its release. While it's met with a flood of praise overseas, calling it a "breathtaking masterpiece," it faces a wave of icy criticism back in its homeland, with many calling it "underwhelming" or even "a disaster."

Why does the same show generate such a stark temperature difference? This is more than just a matter of taste; it's a fascinating phenomenon that reveals a fundamental difference in how K-content is consumed. Today, let's dive into the praise and the criticism to investigate the reasons behind this gap.

 

"The Cast Alone is an Epic" - What Captivated International Viewers 🤔

First, let's look at the reactions from international fans. On major social media platforms like Reddit and Twitter, it's a target of high praise. They evaluate the drama as a standalone work, without prior knowledge of the original webtoon.

• 👍 The Majesty of a 'Acting Empire': Building on comments like "So Ji-sub's gaze alone completes the narrative," the presence of veteran actors such as Heo Joon-ho, Ahn Gil-kang, Lee Beom-soo, and Cha Seung-won—names that inspire confidence—was a huge spectacle in itself. Their heavy-hitting charisma showdowns pushed the drama's tension to its peak.
• 👍 The Aesthetics of K-Noir: The sensual cinematography and stylish action sequences led to accolades like "Korean noir has now surpassed Hollywood." The mise-en-scène, capturing the dark and damp texture of the city, received particular acclaim.
• 👍 The Rise of Next-Gen Stars: Lee Joon-hyuk as Nam Ki-seok, the younger brother who ignites the story, and Gong Myung as Gu-jun, who shows potential as a new villain, left strong impressions despite their brief appearances, once again proving the depth of K-drama's talent pool.

💡 The Core Divide: Webtoon vs. Drama
The key reason for the different reactions lies here. International fans experienced "The Plaza" as a new K-Noir series. But Korean fans, who revere the original webtoon as a masterpiece, saw it as a failed live-action adaptation. This fundamental difference in perspective created the huge gap in evaluation.

 

"My Ki-joon Wouldn't Do That!" - Why Korean Fans Cried "Blasphemy" 😠

On the other hand, for the core Korean fandom that treats the original webtoon as a bible, this was a disappointing adaptation. Their criticism, often prefaced with "the acting was superb, but...," is specific and sharp.

• 👎 Character Destruction (Nam Ki-joon): The biggest point of criticism. The original webtoon's main character, Nam Ki-joon, is a "bloodless and tearless" hardboiled figure who shows absolutely no emotion, even at his own brother's death. However, the drama's version overflows with emotion, completely destroying the core essence of the character. Fans felt So Ji-sub was portraying his character from 'A Company Man' rather than Nam Ki-joon.
• 👎 Unfitting Comedy: The character Shim Sung-won (played by Lee Beom-soo) was changed from a ruthless villain to a comedic character. Fans argue that this change undermines the original's cold-blooded, violent core and turns the show into a generic Korean gangster film.
• 👎 Generic Action Scenes: The action was criticized for being unoriginal and resembling other Korean films like 'The Outlaws'. The drama failed to capture the original's depiction of Nam Ki-joon as a strategic fighter who uses his environment, instead portraying him as a simple brute. The excessive use of slow-motion was also pointed out.
• 👎 Diluted Story and Focus: The drama significantly altered the original story, adding common K-Noir tropes like conspiracies and betrayals. This diluted the tight focus on Nam Ki-joon, and in the latter half, other characters felt more central, weakening the main character's presence.
• 👎 Disregard for the Title's Meaning: Lastly, fans were angered that the drama, titled 'The Plaza', failed to properly explain or show the significance of "The Plaza" itself, even ending with a sudden mention of creating a "new plaza."

For these reasons, many original fans felt that if the drama was going to be so different, it should have been titled differently and marketed as a work merely "inspired by" the original, not a direct adaptation.