Jung Nyeon (2024)

One of the exceptional productions of 2024 in several ways

"Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born" is one of the exceptional productions of 2024: exceptional in terms of the subject matter and the rather specific cultural background, as the KDrama celebrates two very South Korean art forms: the post-war all-female performance theater Gukgeuk and Pansori, a chanted epic narrative rooted in Korean culture. Exceptional also, because this KDrama creates a women's space in which women play the decisive role and are explicitly NOT reduced to their gender role. Finally, exceptional when it comes to the acting performance: in this case in two respects, as the highly committed actresses present us a show within the show. Definitely worth seeing. (At least, I´d say…)

The international title is perhaps a bit misleading, because actually no one is 'born' as a Gukgeuk star. This is hard work, even for those who may be born with talent. That is exactly the theme of the story of this KDrama. The historical setting of the 1950s may seem old-fashioned - who cares about such a special theater movement that was there only for a few decades and has by now been almost forgotten? No way! The topic obviously is quite on. The South Korean audience is thrilled. In the viewer statistics, the numbers have multiplied over the 12 episodes. No wonder, because the plot itself could easily be set today, 2024. The Gukgeuk training is actually comparable to the modern KPop idol industry. Accordingly, individual struggles with personal limits and challenges, the dynamics of relationships, as well as competition, infatuation, friendship, love-hate relationships, envy, self-doubt, overestimation of oneself and ultimately the overexploitation of one's own strengths and possibilities are practically timeless.

But due to the fact that these personal processes of the protagonists are located back in the 1950s, they simultaneously bring the art form of pansori and the flowering of the (now almost forgotten) gukgeuk to radiantly fresh, rousing life. By introducing us to three generations of gukgeuk and pansori stars and bringing them closer to us emotionally, we get a lasting impression of the extraordinary South Korean cultural heritage. (If you are interested, see the side note below.)

The original title is just "Jeongnyeon". The story is based on a well-researched webtoon. While the webtoon focuses on the main character and her personal development processes, the KDrama focuses on the relationships that shape Jeongnyeon on her path as well as the other women, young and old alike. The KDrama "Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born" vividly embodies the quality and the (short) history of Gukgeuk using the example of three generations of Gukgeuk artists. Wonderfully done so. The webtoon also achieved this in 2019, and was even specifically awarded by the Ministry of Culture for the outstanding quality of the story and also for its contribution to raising awareness of gender equality in South Korea.

Kim Tae-ri leads a fantastic ensemble. But even if she once again surpasses herself here, she is not alone, but the whole, which is more than the sum of its parts – just as the show on the Gukgeuk stage is a co-creation in which everyone takes contributes as best as they can, according to their role and tasks, so that something great can come of it. And so all the ladies contribute in their own unique way to the success of this fantastic production.



























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--- SIDE NOTE: Pansori ----

Pansori is almost unique: a very old form of epic narrative singing that goes back a long way in Korean cultural history and is able to generate maximum emotional charisma using minimalist means. This requires one person to tell a story by singing and one person to beat the drum. The emotional power of the different dramatic moods is characterized by a stylized repertoire of vocal use and expressive performance. This in combination with the equally characteristic rhythms of the drum beat. A one-person opera in which one person plays ALL the roles, so to speak.

The roots of the idiosyncratic sound in combination with the drum go back to Korean shamanism. In the 17th century, it became an art form in its own right to captivate people with a wide variety of stories in street theater. This is also what the name “Pansori” refers to. "Pan" means a place where people come together, while “Sori” means the expression of the voice, the singing. By the 19th century, pansori had the attention of the upper class and was formally refined. It is about the stories that have shaped the lives of people on the Korean peninsula for centuries – highly dramatic and emotionally expressive. It´s fueled by the relationship being established between narrator and audience. No monologue, no lecture. Rather, narrator and audience meet in the intimate, emotionally honest, vulnerable space that the story opens up - in compassion for its protagonists.
Not everyone can just do pansori. This narrative singing is special. The training is hard. In addition to singing, there is a repertoire of facial expressions, gestures and forms of movement that are given in their structure but must be completed individually. Characteristic of the incomparable singing is the anhemitonic pentatonic scale used, in which the semitone steps E to F and B to C are missing. This is used in different emotionally colored modes, each of which is defined by a specific pitch. Frequency, ornamentation and emphasis emphasize the different emotional states even more. The rather hoarse voice quality is also characteristic, especially in the lower octaves. A clear voice is not required in Pansori. The falsetto technique is used for the higher pitches.
Since the 1970s, pansori has had state-recognized status as a Korean cultural asset in the country, and since 2003 it has also been officially listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.


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--- SIDE NOTE: Gukgeuk ---

Gukgeuk is not that well known and is not particularly protected as a Korean cultural asset. Gukgeuk refers to purely women's theater for music and theater performance. An art world, a theatrical art creation created exclusively in women's spaces. The women also took on the men's roles. In the post-war years, Gukgeuk was extremely popular in South Korea. The fan cult was in no way inferior to today's idol fan cult. However, not much of that remains today. The Gukgeuk theater performance began as a purely women's theater in the 1940s. It reached its peak in the 1950s and 1960s. But then the decline followed closely with the growing of the film industry, because there the tried-and-tested stars could earn more and the reach was also greater.
Gukgeuk is characterized by traditional Korean performing art forms and in particular pansori, but combines elements from theater, music, song and dance in an idiosyncratic way, like a quintessence. In contrast to traditional Korean opera (Changgeuk), in which men and women perform aside, Gukgeuk places greater emphasis on high quality acting. Expression, grace in movement, facial expressions, all of this is integrated more finely and intensively into the performance. That’s where all-female production comes into play. A great voice alone is not important with Gukgeuk. Rather, it is the ability to embody the mood of the story sensitively and authentically, to emotionally resonate with the audience and to carry them along uncompromisingly, catapulting them out of their everyday world and instead drawing them into the story with all its emotional facets.
The women were celebrated as stars. They were celebrated as artists. Some were perfected in their appearance, language and behavior for the male roles. The Gukgeuk artists were able to experience themselves outside of their gender roles.

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Gay subtext meets historical drama

"Jeong Nyeon" is more than a glimpse into a woman-centric world of acting. The setting of a woman-only theater that positions women as both the objects and subjects of romantic desire naturally lends itself to a subtextual exploration of same-sex attraction. It's a glimpse into the potential for better gay representation in Korean media

Though the production team’s decision to remove Jeong Nyeon’s female love interest (Kwon Bu Yong) and the explicit same-sex romance is a regrettable concession to society's homophobic expectations (they should've done better), the drama remains commendable for its efforts to integrate elements of gayness throughout the narrative. I was thoroughly impressed by everyone's performances

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JEONGYNEON: A STAR IS BORN : An original, artistic, inspirational and educative journey of dreams.

"Jeongyneon: A Star is Born" is set in the 1950s and follows a Mokpo girl named Jeongyneon, who has a remarkable talent for singing. She dreams of using her gift to explore the world, achieve fame, and lift her family out of their underprivileged circumstances.

Despite her mother's opposition, she seeks help from her sister and a lady she meets, who turns out to be a renowned theater performer. This mentor recognizes Jeongyneon's talent and helps her move to Seoul, where she joins an all-women's theater group. Throughout her journey, she faces various challenges, adjusts to her new environment, and encounters different competitors and individuals who shape her path toward her dream.

This drama is inspiring and artistic, and I truly admire its originality. I want to clarify that I'm reviewing it strictly from the perspective of someone who hasn't read the webtoon, so my judgment is based solely on what I've seen in the drama. I'm aware there are differences between the webtoon and the show, but from what I'm watching, I'm genuinely impressed.

The story feels refreshing and unique, taking viewers on an inspirational and emotional journey that truly tugs at your heartstrings. The acting is nothing short of perfect, showcasing a wide range of raw emotions displayed not just by the main characters but by the entire cast.

The characters are interesting to watch right from Jeongyneon, our female lead, to the different other characters like Moon Okyeong, the famous theater performer she meets, to many more like Yeoseong, her rival as per now, and then her best friend Jooran. All of the characters have their own personalities, which contributes to the overall charm of the series. The chemistry between the characters is amazing, and their interactions and dynamics are interesting to watch.

I love how the female lead embodies this carefree, vibrant energy and at the same time has this cluelessness to her. She also possesses a strong will to achieve what she wants, and her character development is visible through the different life lessons she faces throughout her journey to make her dream a reality. The pacing and plot execution are good; nothing feels too fast or too slow, and it all comes together perfectly.

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whoever rated this drama 1 star, did you even watch the show like ????? youd know all their points about nepotism are wrong if you actually looked at the screen while watching the show. the director made it clear that she accepted jeongnyeon just as an understudy because if she accepted her as a normal trainee, the others would think she was accepted because of her connections with moon okgyeong and not her talent (AND SHE WAS ACCEPTED AS AN UNDERSTUDY BECAUSE OF HER TALENT)
and isnt the whole point of the show that shes poor but blessed with a voice gifted from the heavens?? so the only nepotism that she has is her voice inherited from her mother, like brotha are you fr
glad you dropped the show because you don't deserve to watch it, loser

Anyway, that just irked me a little so i had to say something.

i'm really glad this is a female-centered drama because you rarely see those these days and admist korea's uhhh lets just say gender problem.
i am disappointed they removed jeongnyeons gf from the drama but considering koreans censorship this is alr pretty decent ig

actors are casted well. ive always been a fan of kim taeri and she always does a great job. and jung eunchae is really fine lmao.

personally ive never been interested in traditional korean singing but this show keeps me intrigued and i do look forward to future episodes.

will probably update later but thats all i have to say for now

edit: okay just finsihed the show and i must say the acting was soooo good like definitely award worthy. shin yeeun is really an incredible actress and woo davi too like wow their skills are genuinely top tier
i really respect the effort the cast put into the show, like the vocal training, dance lessons, etc.

a few things that i was not happy about was some of the writing, like yes they took out jeongnyeons gf which is bad already but i did not like how they wrote hyerang too. there are a few plot holes and even though the ending is alright like its appropriate i guess, but its not satisfying enough and i think we need at least a prologue.

however i am actually very grateful for this drama like its not very often where a kdrama as an all female reoccuring cast like this is probably the only one i can name and i did thoroughly enjoy watching this show. i hope they do make more shows like this in the future and i will cherish this drama for the rest of my life.

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One of the Best Sapphic Adaptations till Date!

Set in the 1950s, “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” delivers a classic retelling of two Korean art forms- Gukgeuk and Pansori.

I spend a lot of time learning the intricacies of these two folk arts, which are quite liberal and intriguing as compared to those in my motherland. For those unaware, Pansori is Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singer and a drummer, where the singer tells the story by singing and the drummer accompanies her on the drum. Incorporating this aspect into Gukgeuk was the main highlight of this show, which refers to a theatrical performance that combines singing and dancing. In post war era, Gukgeuk was extremely popular and women portrayed men’s roles. In short, it was an all female- production which had a cult following from the 1950s to 1960s, after which it rapidly declined due to the rise of films. “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” delivers a subtle romance with homoerotic tones. Adapted from the webtoon “Jeong Nyeon” (정년이) written by Seo Irae (서이레) and illustrated by Namon (나몬), the original storyline was a sapphic love story. Even though the show is a censored adaptation, the all-women ensemble renders itself useful in maintaining the sapphic flavors.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/11/18/jeongnyeon-the-star-is-born-series-review/#more-1325

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What "The Devil Judge" is to BLs, "Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born" is to GLs

My heart stopped so many times I might actually have to see a doctor. If you like it, you should read The Ballet Ships by Noel Streatfeild. It has a similar vibe. There is an old lesbian couple too. Although it is just a kids' book.


It's a beautiful, heartwarming and tearjerking story about women's friendship, love and rivalry. Watching this will make you want to scream at the characters, laugh and cry with them, cheer for them and wish them all the worst. It'll make your head feel dizzy, your heart skip a bit and your stomach clench.

Jeongnyeon is a perfect protagonist for that kind of story. Joyful, kind of naive but well-meaning, passionate and loving, always there for her friends and dramatic when the plot needs her to be. But damn, when she is acting like a boy, let me tell you, she could turn a straight woman into a lesbian for sure. She just has that perfect masc energy. Honestly, the best example of healthy masculinity I've seen in a drama in a very long time. When she was practicing with Jooran, when she held her chin up- my heart stopped. Like for real. Kim Taeri the woman you are.

No wonder Jooran panicked. Our poor closeted lesbian, forced into marriage with some guy. She truly deserved better. What do you mean they didn't kiss in the 11the episode? I'm sure as hell they did. Someone needs to go on ao3 and write fix-it when they meet after that last performance. Also, she looked so cute like that crybaby princess.

Yeongseo was just so good as rival turned friend. That scene when they hugged after Jeongnyeon won the audition? Lovely, just lovely. Her sister was amazing too. I'm glad our girl finally got to hear some nice words. Deserved.

Okay, when it comes to Okgeyong, I support women's rights and women's wrongs. I know she acted selfishly leaving like that, but hell it's always 'your mental health matters' until someone does stupid shit because they are depressed and suicidal. Her last performance, when she stopped acting before the dying scene, telling Hyerang all those things? And then dying, going away to that prince is going over song? Ohhh, I love some good symbolism.

The same could be told about Hyerang, but making Jeongneyon lose her voice was a step too much. Feminine women are often antagonized, so I was going to cut her sluck, not after that thought. It was sad seeing our lesbian marriage falling apart, like they had a kid together and everything, but there are so many girls like Hyerang, not ready to let go, possessive and manipulative. Crazy, really. As someone who was in a similar to Okgeyong situation (minus the kid obvi), I understand and support the decision to leave. It was for the best but maybe, just maybe, help your old coworkers, hmm, Okgeyong? How about that? [they totally uhauled]

What I really love about it is the music, but I don't know shit about music, so I can't say much about that besides it was good.

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Kim Tae Ri deserves a Daesang Grand Prize this year for her performance on this drama

Just finished watching this drama. All the actors are superb and show amazing acting skills. They also took on the painstaking task of learning Gukguek and pansori. I also learnt a lot of history from this drama. The script was so well written, every phrase, every line that is spoken shows so much emotional depth and character. I love how Jung Eun Chae portray the role of Ok-gyeong with such gusto and style. She is so handsome as a guy and I believe many girls are smitten by her charm and acting. I like the character of Heo Yeong Seo. Although born rich, she is not a spoilt brat. She is a loyal friend, and willing to admit defeat when others are better than her. Lastly, I would like to give the highest applaud to Kim Tae Ri for her portrayal of Jeong Nyeong. She played the character so well, and is so immersed not only in her character, but the character she is portraying in the Gukguek. This was an extremely difficult character to play, and she did it flawlessly. I am speechless.

Overall fantastic drama!

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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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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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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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