Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born

Best drama of 2024

This drama is surely going to sweep the awards. From acting, to set design to the music... everything is just top notch. The acting especially wow... Every one of the actors, including the extras showed out. I would say that this genre of dramas require the most of actors; the musical scenes where it is essentially a show within a show requires multi-layered performances that not anyone can pull off. And yet Kim Taeri, Shin Yeeeun and the rest of the cast have done it. Singing (with their REAL voices, might I add) dancing, and the commitment to learn the techniques of the traditional art form...I would be shocked if Kim Taeri does not get a Daesang for this. She absolutely deserves it.

This is one of the rare few dramas where I actually wanted MORE of. 12 eps is simply not enough to do tie up all the lose ends and it shows. The last episode was horribly rushed and left me with more questions than answers. I'm seeing calls for a season 2 but as much as I like this show, I'm not sure another is necessary. The ending, while less than desirable, does paint a historically accurate picture of Yeosong gukgeuk. Its popularity died down in the 1960s after the advent of film/tv. It seems like there was a revival after but it was short-lived (please correct if I'm wrong). Part of the reason was also due to the fact that it wasn't designated as a "National Intangible Culture Heritage" like pansori and changgeuk was, which probably led to the lack of funding and successors. I can't imagine what story a season 2 would tell. The overaching plot of the rise and fall of Yeosong gukgeuk has mostly been covered. The traditional 16 ep length would have been perfect though, and would have allowed more time for all the loose ends to be tied up.

This show is largely based on the webtoon of the same name, though with rather significant changes to the plot. I have not read the original webtoon, but a central character, Buyeong - Jeongnyeon's original love interest was removed. In the drama, it has been largely replaced by Jooran, though the GL elements have been toned down significantly. There is subtext hinting at their "more than friends" relationship but at the same time its not overt enough and there's still a degree of plausible deniability. To me, it also seems more like a one-sided love from Jooran. Jeongnyeon does not seem to reciprocate in a romantic way. The relationship between Okyeong and Hyerang is more overt with them literally pressing their foreheads together in ep 2(?) and in general being more touchy feely. However, if you're expecting more than that, you would be disappointed.

I was honestly thisss close to giving it a 10/10, but I really felt like the the last episode was a letdown. I'm personally NOT a fan of leaving unanswered questions, and did not like the fact that the director/scriptwriter decided to write out Okyeong and Jooran, giving them 0 scenes at the end while at the same time dropping the fact that Hyerang actually is a mother. The existence of her niece/daughter was inconsequential to the plot and was only brought up sporadically so I'm not sure what kind of point the director/scriptwriter was trying to highlight right at that last moment with this reveal. Whereas Jooran and Okyeong had huge parts to play in driving the plot forward but they basically drop off the face of the earth. Hell, even PATRICIA, Jeongnyeon's jazz singing teacher turned up to watch her, and Okygeong/Jooran didn't? I honestly couldn't fathom it. On a side note, I also didn't like how the whole Hyerang/accountant embezzling money plot was explained and wish they had gone down another route to explain Maeran's financial downfall instead.

With that being said, these are just somewhat minor grouses in the grand scheme of things. I haven't seen a drama so well thought out and beautifully acted in ages, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who's interested in musicals, or learning more about traditional korean gukgeuk. and of course, fans of Kim Taeri should not miss this as well! On a side note, I do want to see Kim Taeri in another GL after the handmaiden, too bad they toned it down so much in this show...

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Did I watch a theatre play or a TV drama?

What a masterpiece. «Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born» («정년이») gave us an unforgettable finale, and Kim Taeri (김태리), Shin Yeeun (신예은), and Woo Davi (우다비) absolutely delivered. These three? My absolute favourites.

Here's why it stood out:

1. The editing? Flawless.
2. They filmed the theatre scenes as if it was a real performance. It didn’t just feel authentic—it _was_ authentic.
3. Every scene mattered. No fluff, no fillers. Just storytelling that hits hard.
4. They focused on what’s real: the relationships, the struggles, the rawness of being an actor, singer, or dancer. It wasn’t just about glitz and glamour. It was blood, sweat, and tears.

Now, about that finale. If you’re going to watch it, do it right. Big screen. Full volume. No distractions. It felt so much like a real theatre experience I caught myself clapping with the fictional audience, tearing up, and giving them a standing ovation.

Honestly, I don’t know if I just watched «Jeongnyeon» or an actual stage play. That’s how good it was.

100 over 10 stars to the cast, crew, writer, and everyone who brought this story to life. And a huge salute to every artist out there who pours their soul into their craft. You are seen. You are celebrated.

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A must watch with an open ending

Does this drama has its own shortcomings? Yes, definitely. The reason was it's broadcasting station.

However, this drama was something new, which is purely dominated by male leads, romance and lovestories. Jeongnyeon brought us women centric drama that comes to us once in a blue moon. This show was such a breath of fresh air.

Few of the main leads definitely had a very unsettling kinda ending and it was rushed like Juran, Hyerang and Okyeong's stories.

I was definitely wishing to see our prince, Okyeong for the last time but her appearance abruptly ended after episode 10 without a proper closure to her character.

If Hyerang had a short backstory as to why she is so obsessed with Okyeong and all maybe many of us wouldn't have had detested her like how we do right now. Her story lacked sympathy from the viewers cause we couldn't connect with her at all. With no proper reason, she was acting like b****.

Juran's story was cutoff as well. But at least she had a better ending than those 2. It was sad though, that her dreams was completely brushed off by her mother so her other child could survive, killing off the happiness of her other child.

Jeonyeon was such a character that you would feel for her. Kim Taeri did an amazing job by bringing the character from the page to a breathing, living person for us to connect with. Her dreams became our dreams, her passion became ours, her pain and sufferings became ours and her tears and happiness became ours. Even with her broken voice, her passion to become something never died. Her voice got taken away by someone's greed, but that severe jealousy couldn't take away one thing that made her who she was and that was her passion and courage.

Yeongseo was my favorite in this whole drama who never chose a path where she could have easily chosen just to be no. 1. She was always the right minded person, no matter she won or lost. It was always righteous choice and her hard work. Without JeongNyeon we know Yeongseo wouldn't have enjoyed gukgeuk as much as she did as the story progressed. She was only driven by her want to be seen by her mother, to be acknowledged by her star mother at least once in her life. That became her motivation to be a gukgeuk star. But once JeongNyeon appeared in her life, she started loving the stage, enjoyed the performance, put her everything into her acts and that's how she started appreciating her one and only rival, realizing her dream. Those two pushed each other to become better than yesterday and still will always make each other a better self for the future. That's what a real rivalry looks like, without any dirty tricks.

Ran Miran a veteran actress. No one can actually top her in this segment. Especially her outbreak when her students started to leave Maeran. She showed how broken the director was. Ran Miran portrayed this strict woman who held her students dearly as her pride, but would never stand any nonsense. With everything going on towards the end her only worry was what would her girls, the students would do if something happened to Maeran, where would they go. Ran Miran literally showed the director's dilemma of where to ask for help, being a helpless girl who was completely lost, who has no idea who to trust anymore, not knowing what to do when everything around her was crumbling down, the helplessness she felt when the most trusted people around her betrayed her and left her with nothing but just pile of debts.

Also how can we forget our new princess in the last act. When Park Chorok started singing. Damn that was too sad. It brought tears to my eyes. Her acting was sentimental, the shake in her voice...

All the actors involved in this drama gave their all and that was a perfect performance even with a lacking script.any of them deserve daesang this year for exceeding the expectation and their acting journey. Hope all the casts, directors and production team gets their deserved rest cause definitely preparing and going through the filming wouldn't have been an easy job.

It was such a nice, memorable ride. Another brilliant performance and an engaging script chosen by Kim Taeri.

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A Star Drama is Born

First of all, tvN and Disney+, what the heck was that ending??? I demand a re-do!

This show is a love letter to theater and performance. Everything from the acting to the writing to the overall production is spectacular. I cried and laughed and pulled out my hair when Jeong-nyeon's actions got too frustrating. This show was made with love and care, and I'm glad that the ratings in Korea agree with just how great it is.

Through all the characters, we see what it truly means to chase a dream at all costs. Whether it's Jeong-nyeon succeeding against all odds, Ok-gyeong abandoning hers when it no longer served her, Joo-ran (she deserved better) forced to abandon hers due to the constraints of her time, Yeong-seo chasing hers away from her famous family's shadow, this theme is explored in all its glory. We even see the dark side with Hye-rang holding on to hers and refusing to make way for others.

I do wish the show had a few more episodes to give room for character development, especially for Jeong-nyeon. I feel like a lot of her growth, whether as a character or as a performer, happened off-screen. The ending episode felt a little lack-luster. Don't get me wrong, that final performance was awesome (although I'm wondering how Jeong-nyeon got her full voice back?), but so much is still left unresolved. The accountant guy went off scot-free even after embezzling Maeran's funds (really didn't understand why the director forgave him), and Hye-rang's part in it was never acknowledged or brought up again. In fact, I think Hye-ran was forgiven too easily; she was really sick for what she did to Jeong-nyeon. Ok-gyeong disappears without a trace, and I guess that's fine, but what about resolving her and Jeong-nyeon's mentor-mentee relationship?

The concept of film taking over the entertainment industry is teased throughout the drama, but I wish it had a more threatening presence in the story as it seemed to be a really interesting conflict.

All these critiques aside, I really think this is the best drama of 2024 by all metrics, hands down. Kudos to Kim Taeri and the cast and the entire team involved in bringing this masterpiece to life.

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Compelling drama with strong performances, unique cultural element, and uplifting message.

If you enjoy well-crafted dramas with strong characters, culture, and tradition this drama is definitely worth checking out.

My thoughts about the drama:
The story unfolds like a thrilling rollercoaster, evoking many emotions with each episode. It spins a mesmerizing tale, blending a gripping story with breathtaking performances that transport viewers through time. Each time Kim Tae Ri's character, Jongnyeon, engages in the soulful art of "pansori" it becomes a breathtaking spectacle, captivating me. I find myself completely absorbed in the whirlwind of feelings that each act evokes. The Korean tradition of "pansori", a unique form of musical story telling, presents an unforgettable auditory experience. While reactions may vary, some may find it enchanting, and some may not.

The cast excels in delivering exceptional performances, infusing their characters with authenticity and passion. True to form, Kim Tae Ri never fails to impress; She breathes life into her role with a depth of feeling that is both real and heart-wrenching. Similarly, Shin Ye Eun's interpretation of Heo Yeong Seo stands out, showcasing a broader emotional range than I've seen in her previous work.

I truly cherish the profound lessons woven throughout the story: even when faced with overwhelming adversity, hope and perseverance can triumph. Embrace challenges, confront countless obstacles that may come, and don't lose yourself.
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Wasn't going to write a review but this was too good not to be talked about even for a little

If there was a rating more than ten I would give it. It was WHOLESOME, that's what we call a masterpiece, a hidden gem. It lives for its name. Even words can't describe the feelings we lived through while watching this show.
Great acting, great chemistry, great cast or rather ARTISTS, great producing, and great story. That's REAL art. Many don't like female centered dramas as they don't have the classic couple falling in love with each other and the repetitive events, even here they showcased this as the prince/princess story. The amount of life lessons this show gives is really amazing; family, friendship, camaraderie, fame, money, love (svt xD, don't mind me), pride, loyalty, confidence, perseverance, determination........ Whatever comes in the way there will always be a solution.
I know this isn't much but I don't have any words left.

"Life is long, thus the stage is forever"
"The stars have merely dispersed not disappeared, and they will shine on the vast night"
-YOON JEONGNYEON

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Love this story about women in the arts. Kim Tae Ri is phenomenal.

This drama deserves accolades! I love how in the world of kdramas (where admittedly a lot are about the oppas/males), they managed to make this female centric kdrama with no principal male actors! It will not fit this story anyway, as it is a story of the art form gukgeuk (korean theater art form where all actors are women whether their characters are male and female). One thing I enjoy about kdramas is discovering art forms from Korea through these shows. Various gisaeng dances performances (including the one where the gisaeng dances on top of a hanging rope) in the 2006 drama Hwang Jini, paintings, instruments like the gayageum, and additional gisaeng dances in the 2008 kdrama Painter of the Wind, art of cooking in Jewel in the Palace/Dae Jang Geum, and now Gukgeuk in Jeongnyeon.
Kim Tae Ri is excellent in this, not only as Jeongnyeon but she's also excellent in portraying Jeongnyeon who is portraying her characters. Such skills required to portray a character who herself is playing a character. Another thing noteworthy of her performances is her chemistry with all the other actresses in this show. This seem to be Kim Tae Ri's strength, her strong chemistry with actresses, as shown in other works from Handmaiden, Mr. Sunshine and 2521.
Kim Tae Ri's costars are also excellent. Shin Ye Eun is great portraying Kim Tae Ri's rival turned friend. She is so good in portraying a young woman wanting to overcome a rival due in order to please her mother. I love Woo Da Vi as Hong Joo Ran as well. At first she seems like the sweet friend who is there just to show support, but I love that in her own way, she tried to work on her own dreams and even managing to get her own role in their gukgeuk performances. She and Kim Tae Ri have excellent chemistry, from their sweet friendship to the obvious attraction that they have for each, especially from Joo Ran's side. And of course, Jung Eun Chae deserves a mention. In real life, she is so beautiful and feminine, but in this show she is so appealing as someone who always play the male lead in gukgeuk performances, you'd wish she was a male. She is the closest the show has for a male lead. The other actresses are also believable in their roles.
In an era where the chauvinism of some Koreans are still apparent (based on my observation from social media), it is important that Korea continue to make female centric dramas like this, showing women stories where they are able to work on achieving their dreams and life's passions.

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After seeing episode 6 I had to update my start to 10, this drama is a masterpiece, it touches upon life experiences on such a deep level, the characters are so colourful and lifelike with real connections and emotions, the historical touch gives it the realistic flavour and enriched the drama just at the right level. My heart beat raises to double whenever theres a stage scene, that not only am I touched by the acting of the cast, but at how much they had to work to sing so well, and how versatile they all had to be to be able to carry those stage scenes. Playing a character, singing Pansori (rather well and skilfully I might add) and at the same time having to add that touch of exaggeration that comes with acting in stage… you truly have to have the skills or rather, have to have had trained extra hard to reach this level. I am truly at tears when I see those scenes, they beautiful. The actors worked beautifully, they true artists, especially Kim Taeri, she showed a million sides of her and it’s only been 6 episodes so far. I cannot wait, regardless how it ends I will still rate it 10 out of 10 for just all that I mentioned.

Ps: Even if it you read the webtoon previously, I still believe its worth a watch, it’s different from the source, and yes an important character was cut out, but honesty, I don’t care, it’s still wonderfully made. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a drama that touched me at such a deep level like this one.

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