Park Min Young was turned away, her beauty was strange, her ratings hit rock bottom, why?

The return of "Kim's secretary" Park Min Young in the new project Siren's Kiss was once expected to revive her name after a series of dismal projects. However, after only 2 episodes aired, the film suddenly faced a wave of fierce backlash from the audience.

The Korean screen in early 2026 witnessed the landing of a series of cult projects, of which Siren's Kiss (Mermaid Kiss) is the most anticipated name thanks to the presence of Park Min Young. Starting with a promising 5.5%, the drama quickly took the top spot in the broadcast time slot. However, the joy was short-lived when episode 2 witnessed a free fall in viewership to 4.6%. This number is like a bucket of cold water pouring on the expectations of the production crew and fans.

The reason for this decline is becoming a hot topic on film forums. Public opinion does not hesitate to point out that the biggest barrier that makes it difficult for the audience to immerse themselves in the story is the acting of the female lead. Many people think that Park Min Young is losing her inherent flexibility, instead of a lifeless expression. The segments that require psychological depth are performed by the actress in a stiff way, making the character of Han Seol Ah strange and difficult to sympathize.

The most notable is the appearance of the beauty surnamed Park in this reappearance. To embody the role in the most authentic way, she went on an extremely harsh diet, almost only drinking water to maintain a thin body. However, this effort seems to have backfired. The emaciated face with high cheekbones and unnatural lips distracts viewers from the content of the film. The audience expressed regret for her radiant and energetic beauty in her previous works, and at the same time worried about the consequences of excessive aesthetic intervention.

Not stopping at the human factor, the script of Siren's Kiss is also facing mixed opinions. Despite being labeled sensational with twisted murders and the appearance of the male lead Cha Woo Seok (Wi Ha Joon), the film is still considered to lack breakthrough. The way to build a dramatic situation is somewhat forced, plus the logical gaps in the investigation make a part of the public feel tired. Episodes such as the fact that the heroine is suspected just because she loses her right to benefit from insurance are considered unconvincing and too old compared to the general ground of today's movies.

Looking back at the recent journey, the failure of Confidence Queen in 2025 seems to be a foreshadowing of the impasse in Park Min Young's script selection. Public opinion thinks that she is repeating herself in cold and luxurious character types but lacking new colors. The resonance between a discrete script and the main star's ups and downs has created a not very smooth start for the station's new work.

However, it is still too early to say that Siren's Kiss is a "bombshell". The knots about the death of her fiancé or the secrets behind the Royal Auction auction company are still unknown. Loyal viewers still hope for more complicated psychological changes in later episodes, where Park Min Young has the opportunity to prove the bravery of an A-list star. Will she be able to go upstream to win back the sympathy of the public, or will this be the next low note in the career of the one-time "queen of romantic comedy"? The answer is still ahead.