Netizens Accuse Netflix Of Being “Salty” After Not Picking Up Popular K-Dramas
Netizens believe Netflix is still salty over missing out on two popular K-Dramas.
Netflix is known to be a popular streaming service and international distributor for the most highly rated K-Dramas, such as Squid Game, Crash Landing on You, and Queen of Tears. These titles hold records for highest-rated K-Dramas.
Yet, there are two recent K-Dramas that netizens are convinced Netflix “fumbled the bag” with, as Rakuten Viki picked them up instead. Those are Lovely Runner and Twinkling Watermelon.
TvN sci-fi K-Drama Twinkling Watermelon impressed viewers with its heartwarming storyline about a son who timetravels to when his parents were teenagers. It starred Ryeo Un and Choi Hyun Wook.
High school student Eun Gyeol (Ryeo Un) has hearing-impaired parents, but he has a gift for music. He is a model student by day and plays the guitar in a band at night. One day, he visits a mysterious musical instruments store and travels to a strange place. There, Eun Gyeol meets Ha Yi-Chan (Choi Hyun-Wook), Choi Se-Kyung (Seol In-A) and Yoon Chung-A (Shin Eun-Soo). They form a band called Watermelon Sugar. Meanwhile,Ha Yi-Chann has a crush on Choi Se-Kyung, who is known as the Cello Goddess of Seowon Arts High School, and tries to win her heart. Yoon Chung-A is hearing-impaired. She is cold and aloof to others.
— AsianWiki
TvN’s Lovely Runner (also known as Run Away With Sun-Jae On Piggyback) captivated viewers with its intriguing storyline and charming cast. This romantic-comedy time-slip show is adapted from the webcomic Tomorrow’s Best by True Beauty screenwriter Lee Si Eun. Actors Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon star as Ryu Sun Jae and Im Sol, respectively.
Ryu Seon-Jae (Byeon Woo-Seok) is a top star who has been in the spotlight since his debut. His life seems perfect, but being in the entertainment industry has completely worn him out. Meanwhile, Lim Sol (Kim Hye-Yoon) loves Ryu Seon-Jae as an adoring fan. When she was little, she had an accident. Due to that, she gave up on her dream, but listening to Ryu Seon-Jae’s song on the radio gave her comfort and she became his fan since then. One day, Lim Sol hears breaking news that Ryu Seon-Jae has ended his own life. She feels deep sadness over the tragic news. Miraculously, Lim Sol somehow travels back in time to 15 years in the past. There, she faces Ryu Seon-Jae, who is a 19 year old high school student. She struggles to prevent his tragic future.
— AsianWiki
Previously, as Lovely Runner was on air, Netflix’s social media accounts shared posts featuring actors Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon. Netflix included clips from the actors’ various K-Dramas, for which they have distribution rights.
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The comment section for the posts filled with netizens calling out Netflix for not picking up Lovely Runner when it had the chance. Some also suggested Netflix buy Lovely Runner and/or cast the leads in a new project together.
Even Rakuten Viki commented. Viki’s social media manager replied to a comment on Netflix’s post featuring Byeon Woo Seok.
KSKSSKS Viki is wildin'
Doing that on the official Netflix K Content account…I CAN'T 😂😂#LovelyRunner pic.twitter.com/jzpzE12z0u— Haf (without HOPE☀ era) (@exquisite_haf) May 11, 2024
Netizens continued to call out Netflix via X (formerly Twitter), too. Many believe Netflix regrets not picking up Lovely Runner and has been attempting to capitalize on its success while not having the rights to it.
when netflix can't post about lovely runner so they be compiling woo seok and hye yoon's past projects and put positive words on it.
biggest regret in history goes to netflix: pic.twitter.com/GuwMg7AJsh
— leviste ★ (@missleviste) May 26, 2024
Another day, another chance for Netflix to be crying, screaming, throwing up for fumbling that #LovelyRunner bag. https://t.co/OBn3AtqKSl pic.twitter.com/2rnZi9sNQ8
— ❀ 𝚓𝚎𝚜𝚜 ❀ (@herlittledramas) May 26, 2024
netflix head trying to find out why their stupid team didn't take lovely runner: https://t.co/XTF6AI561q pic.twitter.com/9h9qslymYx
— 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒎 (@Starwings45) May 10, 2024
Now, Netflix has shared a new post that has netizens suspecting the streaming service is “still salty.”
Netflix shared a post with the caption, “signs of a superstar: they own that stage.” It included performance clips from K-Dramas Doona!, Castaway Diva, The Producers, One More Time, The Penthouse: War In Life 2, Uncontrollably Fond, You Are Beautiful, Frankly Speaking, and Dream High.
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While many iconic K-Dramas were represented, netizens couldn’t ignore that two of the most popular K-Drama fictional bands, Watermelon Sugar and ECLIPSE of Twinking Watermelon and Lovely Runner, respectively, were missing. The reason for their absence is that Netflix missed its opportunity for distribution rights.
The comment section was filled with netizens teasing Netflix, saying the social media manager probably wished they could have shared about ECLIPSE and Lovely Runner. Netflix will never be able to live this down.
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