Even though Song Joong Ki is celebrated as one of the top contemporary actors in South Korea, he's been going through a rough patch with his movie choices lately. After taking a two-year break since his lead role in Reborn Rich (2022), he made a comeback to K-dramas with a cameo in Queen of Tears in 2024. Surprisingly, his brief appearance in this much-talked-about tvN drama created more excitement than his last two films, Hopeless / Hwaran (2023) and Bogota: City of the Lost (2024). The latter even premiered in Korean theaters on New Year’s Eve.

Song Joong Ki's recent streak of box office flops in Korea

A week later, the Korean Film Council updated its database on January 7, 2025, revealing that Song's premiere on December 31 had attracted just 336,348 viewers so far. The report took a closer look at the Vincenzo star's string of box office disappointments, highlighting that even though Bogota just hit theaters a few days ago, it was already lagging behind Harbin, featuring Hyun Bin, and Firefighters, which stars Joo Won, Lee Joon Hyuk, and others. Harbin was released exactly a week before Bogota, while Firefighters had been in theaters for nearly a month after its December 4 debut.

While Bogota's audience numbers slightly surpassed Joong Ki's earlier flop, Hopeless, the difference is pretty minimal. Directed by Kim Chang Hoon, Hopeless only managed to pull in 260,000 viewers when it came out in 2023.

In December 2024, the "baby-faced" actor faced criticism for his performance in My Name is Loh Kiwan at the 8th Raspberry Film Festival / Sanddalki Awards, where he ranked 4th in the 'Worst Acting' category. Journalists were not impressed with his "inconsistent acting" and Yanbian accent in the Netflix film.

Fan discussions spark over whether Song Joong Ki has 'lost his touch.

Song Joong Ki's recent string of box office disappointments sparked a lively debate online about movies versus K-dramas. Some fans speculated that his career missteps were to blame, while others pointed fingers at the "mediocre movies" that just didn't meet the audience's "higher expectations."

The conversation gained traction on the South Korean online platform TheQoo.net, with a flood of comments discussing the Bogota star's acting decisions.

As translated by AllKpop, one K-drama fan admitted they’ve lost interest in Song’s films and aren’t eager to watch them anymore. Others echoed this sentiment, saying things like, “I’d prefer to see him in a drama” and “His dramas are usually a sure thing, but his movies don’t appeal to me.” One commenter noted, “People in Korea have higher standards now – it’s not like the old days when fans would watch a movie just because a certain actor was in it.” Another user didn’t hold back, criticizing Joong Ki’s latest project: “Bogota seems really dull.” On a more optimistic note, one user suggested that his recent failures might just be a phase: “He could definitely bounce back with another hit, and even if he doesn’t, it’s not the end of the world.”

Vincenzo's actor is set for a major comeback in a highly anticipated K-drama releasing in 2025

Someone else jumped into the discussion, coming to the actor’s defense by praising his role in Vincenzo (2021) while also offering some constructive criticism on his career choices. They mentioned, “People claim he struggles with genre roles, but given his performance in Vincenzo, it looks like he just needs to be more selective with his projects. Nowadays, it’s not just about the actor when it comes to choosing films.”

Fans were thrilled when HighZium Studio announced in August 2024 that Song Joong Ki is set to make a much-anticipated return to K-dramas with ‘My Youth’ (working title). In this romantic drama, the actor from Descendants of the Sun will portray a novelist and florist named Sunwoo Hae, alongside Chun Woo Hee as Sung Je Yeon. Before embarking on this new journey and leaving his tumultuous past behind, Sunwoo was a child actor who lost his passion due to the negativity from adults, leaving him feeling like a ghost in the public eye.

Fans are eagerly waiting, with all their hopes pinned on Song Joong Ki’s upcoming drama. Scheduled to debut later this year, the project already has a talented team behind it. The writer, Park Si Hyun, is known for crafting the touching script for JTBC’s Run On, featuring Yim Siwan and Shin Se Kyung. The production will be directed by Lee Sang Yeob, who previously directed popular series like Yumi’s Cells (2021-22) with Kim Go Eun, Park Jin Young, and Ahn Bo Hyun, as well as Shopping King Louie (2016) starring Seo In Guk and Nam Ji Hyun, and Familiar Wife (2018) with Ji Sung and Han Ji Min.

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