Expectations were high even before it was unwrapped. Veteran actor Song Kang Ho, in his 35th year since debut, took on his first drama role in the Disney+ original series 'Uncle Samsik.' Song approached the project with a rookie's mindset, even hinting at his hopes for the Baeksang Arts Awards Newcomer Award. However, once the series was unveiled, it received little reaction. Neither high praise nor harsh criticism could be found, leaving the series heading towards its conclusion in a state of indifference.

'Uncle Samsik' is facing the risk of bowing out with a disappointing report card. Three weeks after its release, it has struggled to generate buzz. Word of mouth has been quiet as well. Although it reached the top spot in the Korean TV show and overall categories on Disney+, that's about all it achieved.

According to data from Good Data Corporation's Fundex, which analyzes online content competitiveness, 'Uncle Samsik' did not make it into the top 10 for TV-OTT integrated drama buzz for the 5th week of May. No actors from the series were mentioned in the top actor buzz rankings either. In the 3rd week of May, immediately after its release, 'Uncle Samsik' ranked 6th in drama buzz and 10th in actor buzz (for Song Kang Ho).

While 'Uncle Samsik' is ranked first on Disney+ in Korea, it has failed to make an impact overseas. In contrast, 'Crash,' which surged to second place domestically, has consistently ranked in the top 10 in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand. 'Uncle Samsik' often fell out of the top 10 in Japan and Singapore. On May 29 and 30, 'Crash' overtook 'Uncle Samsik' to claim the top spot in both the Korean TV show and overall categories.

Industry analysts suggest several reasons for 'Uncle Samsik's' poor performance, including a mismatch between the target audience and the platform. The series, although fictional, spans the period from the end of Syngman Rhee's regime through Yun Posun and Park Chung-hee's era, covering significant historical events like the March 15 fraudulent election, the April 19 Revolution, and the May 16 military coup. This period setting presents a high entry barrier. The likely audience is older and more male-dominated, rather than the younger, female-skewed demographic that typically subscribes to Disney+.

Furthermore, 'Uncle Samsik' is only available to Disney+ subscribers, making it less accessible to the older audience. The narrative, which switches between past and present, is complex, with a slow, subtle progression and many characters whose relationships are not clearly explained. Even as the series approaches its latter half, there is no sense of climax. It features continuous political maneuvering and power struggles, but these lack convincing justification. Song Kang Ho's solid acting remains, but there are many regrets about the overall execution of the project.

With a production cost of 40 billion won, 'Uncle Samsik' is a major project. While OTT platforms do not provide viewership ratings, its popularity and word-of-mouth are critical measures of success. By these metrics, 'Uncle Samsik' is a failure.

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