Sh**ting Stars (2022)

March 12, 2023

Our Take: A classic-style romcom that delivers lighthearted fun, though it's not without controversies.

The Premise

Sh**ting Stars portrays the lives of celebrities in the entertainment industry and the staff behind them. Gong Tae Sung (Kim Young Dae), one of Korea's most beloved stars, is at the core of the story. Since his debut, Tae Sung has lived in the spotlight and done his best to curate his image as a kind and flawless star. 

But behind his good guy persona is the team who works around the clock to clean up his messes and those of the other celebrities of Starforce Entertainment. The head of the PR Team, Oh Han Byeol (Lee Sung Kyung), has gracefully helped Tae Sung navigate countless crises to maintain his squeaky-clean reputation. At the same time, she has kept him in check and is often at odds with him due to their long history together since college. Kang Yoo Sung (Yoon Jong Hoon) and Park Ho Yeong (Kim Yoon Hye) are two other managers at the agency, while Jo Ki Peum (Park So Jin) is an entertainment reporter, and Do Soo Hyuk (Lee Jung Shin) is the agency's legal advisor. 

A Frantic, Lighthearted Mess 

Sh**ting Stars gives off old Korean drama vibes where the characters and lines are cringey and fluffy but provide entertainment value. The story starts with a typical cliché romcom plot, setting up an enemies-to-lovers relationship between a famous actor and one of his agency staff. Meanwhile, more and more love stories come up at Starforce Entertainment, adding to the mess and frenzy. 

As the writers weave different elements into the plot, Lee Sung Kyung and Kim Young Dae shine as comedians who skillfully inject a consistent, fun sense of humor into the show. Oh Han Byeol is a playful, borderline emotionally manic character who is also highly extroverted and fantastic at her job. Meanwhile, Gong Tae Sung is more subtle and introverted but still fun to watch. As frenemies, Han Byeol and Tae Sung elevate the show with the build-up of their romance and provide tons of entertainment. But, once they get together, unfortunately, the show loses some of its sparks. Perhaps because both characters lack dating experience but are full-grown adults with thriving careers, their romance feels almost juvenile. 

In contrast, the love stories between Kang Yoo Sung and Park Ho Yeong, as well as Jo Ki Peum and Do Soo Hyuk, feel more mature and sweet. Yoo Sung is a hardworking and kind senior known for scouting top talent and boosting the morale of the staff on his team. He helps Ho Yeong, his junior, become a successful and confident manager through his strong mentorship and support. As they spend more time together, they gradually develop feelings for each other.

Meanwhile, Ki Peum is a strong-willed journalist with a knack for uncovering breaking news on celebrities while standing her ground on her morals. Her character has a playful dynamic with Soo Hyuk, an arrogant and cold lawyer with poor social skills. Though they have less screen time than their counterparts, their romance is better-paced and more mature. 

Behind the Scenes of the Entertainment Industry

The writers and director do a great job of spotlighting the unsung heroes behind everyone's favorite celebrities in the entertainment industry. By focusing on the stories of showbusiness insiders, we get a firsthand look into the demanding lives of the managers, publicists, reporters, and lawyers who support the artists. 

Oh Han Byeol spends her days and nights tirelessly grinding for the celebrities she manages. She is constantly pressured into giving up her personal life as she juggles between talking to reporters, writing promotional articles, covering up scandals, and chasing after celebrities. She can't even go on a blind date or complete a simple health check-up without getting pulled into a work-related emergency. Likewise, Yoo Sung and Ho Yeong spend their days scrambling across the country to scout new talent and protect their current artists.

Ki Peum is also frequently seen having meltdowns due to work pressure as a tabloid reporter. As she navigates a cutthroat and competitive environment, she must regularly write exclusive articles or risk getting put on probation or fired. While Soo Hyuk is initially adamant about having a consistent 9-5 schedule, even he is not immune to the entertainment industry's demanding schedule. He ends up working overtime on multiple occasions to accommodate everyone else in the agency. 

Through their stories, we begin to understand why artist scandals are so damaging and sensitive. Not only do they impact the artists, but also the staff who are behind them. As we continue to support our favorite celebrities, we also need to remember that they are humans too, and can make mistakes. 

Addressing the Problematic Elements

Unfortunately, the plot has a couple of problematic elements that are hard to ignore. The story starts with Gong Tae Sung doing a year of charity in Africa, though the specific country or area is unknown. Africa is misrepresented as a monolith and used as a poorly-written plot device to advance Tae Sung's character development. He is seen building schools, digging wells to "bring water to Africa," and acting as a father figure to one of the children he meets there. 

Framing Tae Sung as a good Samaritan felt unnecessary as it gave off savior complex vibes and did not add much depth to the storyline. Additionally, a sepia filter was applied to scenes of Africa, which is often wrongly used in Hollywood to portray regions that are considered dangerous or underdeveloped. These missteps continue to perpetuate ignorant depictions of Africa and problematic voluntourism. 

While less spoken about, another controversial and problematic scene occurs when Tae Sung attempts to flash Han Byeol to prove that he is sterile, following a mistake she makes with a PR release. While she did make a typo and accidentally reported that he was a eunuch, that doesn't justify his sexual harassment incident. Luckily, her coworkers rescued her from this situation, but this scene was unnerving to watch.

Final Thoughts

Sh**ting Stars has some great commentary on the entertainment industry and fun elements that keep the drama interesting despite its use of cliches. Its depiction of the "breaking the fourth" wall scenes was also great. But its controversial bits were unnecessary and will likely deter people from watching the show through to the end.