Smile Extended To 46 Episodes

With its ratings approaching 20%, Smile’s run has been extended by 16 episodes from its original 30. It will air 46 episodes and wrap at the end of February.

An article announcing the extension attributes the steadily increasing ratings and popularity of Smile to its ability to provide comic relief among the many “makjang” dramas that are currently on the air. Makjang dramas such as Angel’s Temptation,
which is currently airing, use sensationalist, over-the-top storylines
to hook viewers—a far cry from the realistic, homey charm of Smile.
The burgeoning feelings between Jung-in and Hyun-soo, as well as the
comic family scenes, have given viewers “wholesome” laughs.

The series’ writer Moon Hee Jung, whose last work was on Last Scandal,
has done an exceptional job so far. The plot has taken longer to
develop in this series than in a 16- or 20-episode series, but there
have been plenty of giggle-worthy moments to keep the pacing tight.

And there are quite a few leads that have been hinted at, but have
yet to be fleshed out—ownership of the Seo house; Han-se vs. Hyun-soo;
Sung-joon and Ji-soo; Ji-soo’s backstory; even Jung-in’s backstory,
which we still know very little about; among others. I’ve also got a
soft spot for Kyung-soo and hope he gets a chance to shine. Hopefully
this gives the drama plenty of material to work through in the
remaining 30 episodes, without getting draggy or detracting from its
main draw, the relationship between Jung-in and Hyun-soo.

Plus, I’m an optimist at heart, so I’ve got my fingers crossed that Smile will
be able to keep up its momentum–the laughs, character development and
romantic tension–without having to revert to maudlin/angsty plot
twists. Angst has its place, but Jung-in and Hyun-soo are such
refreshing characters that I’d hate to see them fall prey to cliche!

Via Nate News

Javabeans Article Link