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| ▲ This poster of Kdrama "Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born" is provided by tvN. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Yonhap) -- TvN's periodical Kdrama "Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born" (hereafter "Jeongnyeon") has concluded its run on a high note, Nielsen Korea's data revealed on Monday.
The final episode of Jeongnyeon, which aired at 9:20 p.m. the previous day, recorded a 16.5% viewership rating. This marks the series' highest rating, claiming the top spot across all channels, including terrestrial networks, in its time slot.
The show depicts the story of women striving to create a perfect stage in the 1950s women's national drama scene.
The finale showcased Jeongnyeon (played by Kim Tae-ri) and Young-seo (Shin Ye-eun) staging the national drama The Legend of the Twin Towers, a reinterpretation of the myth of Asadal and Asanyeo. Despite facing severe financial difficulties, the Maeran National Drama Troupe poured their all into what could be their final performance.
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| ▲ These still images of Kdrama "Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born" iare provided by tvN. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The climactic scene featured Jeongnyeon portraying the frenzied artist Asadal, delivering a groundbreaking male role unique to her style. Through this performance, Jeongnyeon ascended as a new "prince" of national drama, surpassing Ok Kyung (Jung Eun-chae), previously regarded as the "crown prince" of the field.
Jeongnyeon, based on the webtoon of the same name, drew significant anticipation and controversy from its inception. True to its theme of women’s national drama, where all roles, male and female, are performed by women, the series featured an almost exclusively female cast.
The main characters, including Jeongnyeon, her rival and friend Young-seo, Ok Kyung who first introduced her to the world of national drama, troupe leader So-bok (Ra Mi-ran), and the top actress yet complex villain Hye-rang (Kim Yoon-hye), were all portrayed by women.
Rather than reducing its characters to mere antagonists or supporting roles, the series presented them as multidimensional figures who contributed to Jeongnyeon’s growth. The story followed Jeongnyeon’s journey, from a self-assured vocal prodigy in her hometown of Mokpo to facing setbacks, learning the true essence of acting and stagecraft, and emerging as a genuine performer.
Reflecting this growth narrative, the drama itself saw steady progression. It began with a 4.8% viewership rating for its first episode, surged to 12.7% by the fourth episode, and culminated in breaking its own record with the finale.
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| ▲ These still images of Kdrama "Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born" iare provided by tvN. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
However, some fans lamented the omission of Bu-yong, Jeongnyeon’s first fan and love interest in the original webtoon. The series also condensed the webtoon’s focus on the patriarchal culture of the 1950s and the struggles of women trying to assert their voices into a more straightforward tale of an artist’s growth.
The drama’s success reignited interest in women’s national drama, a genre that had largely faded into history.
Veteran female performers of the art form are being spotlighted again, and a special performance featuring these pioneers is scheduled for next month.
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