Lee Jung-jae and Lim Ji-yeon’s 'Mean Love': Age-gap romance faces stadium criticism ahead of premiere

Stadium shoot sparks complaints

Ahead of next month's premiere, '

Mean Love

' filmed for roughly 20 minutes on the field and in the stands at Seoul's Jamsil Baseball Stadium before the LG Twins-Kiwoom Heroes game, with a scoreboard notice posted for 5:20-5:40 p.m. The session concluded with

Lee Jung-jae

throwing the ceremonial first pitch, but some attendees voiced frustration over a "disrupted warm-up view" and worries about being captured on camera, while online critiques claimed the players' routines were affected.

Production response and protocols

Producers said the time, content, and site access were fully coordinated in advance with the club and that audience privacy would be protected by editing out identifiable individuals. They added that restricted time windows, controlled movement, and on-site safety staff were used to minimize operational impact. Even so, the episode has prompted calls for firmer guidelines at live sports venues, including clearer consent options, movement corridors, and noise and sightline management; according to Sports Chosun, this venue-scheduling scrutiny is likely to shape how future shoots are planned around team routines.

Casting gap and narrative test

'Mean Love' follows a once-beloved actor, Im Hyun-joon (Lee Jung-jae, 54), and a politics reporter reassigned to entertainment, Wi Jung-sin (

Lim Ji-yeon

, 36), as they navigate prejudice and connection. Since casting was announced, the 18-year age gap has divided audiences between those who fear it breaks immersion and those who argue performance and writing can bridge perception gaps. With industry romance tropes seen as familiar, early momentum may hinge on credible character growth, grounded healing arcs, and sharper real-world texture beyond celebrity sheen.

What to watch next

Because headlines are fixating on both the stadium filming and the age-gap pairing, the opening weeks will be judged on how convincingly the show translates location work into visual storytelling and builds chemistry through layered, adult characterization. Cultural critic Heon-sik Kim noted that star power "no longer carries a show if the story fails to engage," urging the drama to lean into life struggles, growth, and restorative themes to win over skeptics.