‘Twelve’ Concludes with Disappointing 2.4% Ratings Despite Ma Dong-seok's Return

KBS2’s weekend drama ‘Twelve’ has concluded its run with a disappointing final viewership rating of 2.4%, falling short of the high expectations set by actor Ma Dong-seok's return to television after a decade and its ambitious 'Korean-style hero' concept.

Despite a massive production budget of approximately 22 billion KRW and a groundbreaking simultaneous release on an OTT platform and terrestrial television, the drama struggled to impress viewers from the outset. Criticisms focused on its action sequences and CG. While Ma Dong-seok's signature action style was present, it felt repetitive and too similar to his previous 'The Roundup' film series. The fantasy elements, such as the 'power of the tiger angel' that Ma Dong-seok emphasized, failed to present a distinctively unique action style throughout the series.

The visual effects also proved to be a weak point. Scenes, like the resurrection of the villain Oh Gwi (played by Park Hyung-sik), failed to generate tension, instead creating an awkward viewing experience. The grand scale of the special effects, meant to depict the unsealing of a thousand-year curse, did not live up to the production budget, leading to comments about a lack of polish.

Furthermore, the narrative failed to engage audiences. While the world-building based on the '12 Zodiac animals' started with potential, the plot structure was too straightforward, and the character relationships were predictable, resulting in a lack of suspense. The ambition of the grand concept was not matched by the depth of the storytelling.

Consequently, viewership ratings plummeted. After a strong start of 8.1% for its premiere, the ratings rapidly declined, ultimately settling in the low 2% range. The situation was further exacerbated by controversy surrounding the actors' high appearance fees, with reports claiming Ma Dong-seok and Park Hyung-sik received exorbitant amounts per episode, consuming a significant portion of the budget. Although the agency denied these claims, the public's focus shifted to the financial aspects, overshadowing the drama itself and leading to a more critical reception.

‘Twelve’ holds significance as the first major experiment in South Korea to simultaneously target both terrestrial broadcasting and OTT platforms. However, the industry consensus is that the drama lacked the necessary content strength to support such an ambitious endeavor. Ma Dong-seok's comeback, Park Hyung-sik's presence, and the 'Korean hero' premise all failed to deliver the expected impact, instead highlighting a stark contrast between its grand presentation and its flimsy substance.

Ma Dong-seok's return to the small screen in 'Twelve' marked his first drama appearance in 10 years. He had previously starred in dramas like 'Trap' and 'Big Issue.' High anticipation surrounded his comeback, but the drama's performance did not meet expectations.