Familiar romance narrative → Old-fashioned direction leads to mixed reviews. Airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9 PM.
The SBS Wednesday-Thursday drama ‘Sold Out Today’ (written by Jin Seung-hee, directed by Ahn Jong-yeon), which premiered on the 22nd of last month, is currently meeting viewers. The romance drama depicts the story of Matthew Lee (Ahn Hyo-seop), a perfectionist farmer, and Dam Ye-jin (Chae Won-bin), a show host obsessed with selling out, as their lives intertwine day and night. It is a 12-episode series, with 8 episodes aired so far.
The project garnered significant attention before airing due to the reunion between SBS and Ahn Hyo-seop. Having achieved great success in SBS works starting with ‘Still 17’, the ‘Dr. Romantic’ series, ‘Hong Cheon-gi’, and ‘Business Proposal’, expectations were high for ‘Sold Out Today’.
However, since its unveiling, the drama has been criticized for not meeting those expectations. Ratings started at 3.3% (Nielsen Korea, nationwide paid households) and have continued a disappointing trend, with the most recent 8th episode recording 2.5%.
The biggest issue cited is the narrative. A successful city woman moves to the countryside, clashes with the male lead, and they gradually fall for each other. Add to that a female lead with a wound, a male lead who heals her, and a past connection between them. It doesn’t stray far from the formulas commonly seen in romance dramas.
The problem is that ‘Sold Out Today’ failed to make that familiarity feel special. The relationship between Matthew Lee and Dam Ye-jin follows an overly predictable path. From bickering to gradual understanding and falling in love through expected triggers, the process continues without much variation. This is why the tension and excitement that make viewers curious about the next episode feel somewhat weak.
The character of Dam Ye-jin is also a point of disappointment. The setting of being a top-tier show host is interesting, and the starting point of a successful career woman struggling to persuade farmer Matthew Lee is understandable. However, as the story progresses, her actions become somewhat exaggerated, preventing the character’s depth from fully shining through. It makes it harder to emotionally connect with her.
The direction is another weak point. The power to make a predictable story interesting comes from the direction. Even a familiar romance can feel like a completely different work with rhythmic pacing and detailed expression. However, ‘Sold Out Today’ often follows the familiar formula too literally. Because the predictable development continues without much variation, the overall pace feels a bit loose.
Despite this, the strength that keeps viewers watching until the end comes from Ahn Hyo-seop. He plays a character who is blunt and prickly on the outside but warmer than anyone on the inside. While this could easily become a cliché character, Ahn Hyo-seop creates a unique vibe for Matthew Lee using only subtle facial expressions, tone of voice, and his gaze.
His romantic chemistry with Chae Won-bin is also stable. He convincingly portrays the flow of two people who clash over everything at first but naturally blend into each other’s lives. In particular, the moments where he is flustered after realizing his feelings and his inability to hide his jealousy show Ahn Hyo-seop’s signature rom-com sensibility shining once again. He builds the density of the excitement without overdoing the emotions.
Of course, Ahn Hyo-seop’s true value shines in his emotional acting. The truth that Na Som’s (Ahn Se-bin) facial scar was caused by side effects from a cosmetic product sold by Dam Ye-jin, and that he was the one who created that product, pushes Matthew Lee into deep guilt. Ahn Hyo-seop delicately unravels complex emotions, including self-reproach and apology for leaving a scar on the person he loves.
The scene where Matthew Lee eventually says harsh words to push Dam Ye-jin away, even though she had a chance to return as a show host but gave it up, is particularly impressive. While he appears cold and firm, the hesitation, worry, and wavering emotions leading up to those words are meticulously layered. He raises the immersion of the drama by heavily depicting the ironic emotion of trying to let go because of love.
Ultimately, in terms of narrative alone, ‘Sold Out Today’ lacks uniqueness. The settings seen many times before and the predictable flow are certainly disappointing. Nevertheless, there is a power that keeps viewers holding on to this familiar story. And at the center of that is Ahn Hyo-seop. He is personally proving how much persuasiveness a predictable narrative can gain through the power of an actor.
‘Sold Out Today’ airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9 PM.
