The upcoming K-drama “Jeong-nyeon: The Star is Born”, adapted from the webtoon of the same name, has just dropped its teaser, featuring familiar faces like Kim Tae-ri, Jung Eun-chae, Shin Ye-eun, Ra Mi-ran, and Moon So-ri. The teaser has received a shower of praise from netizens for the stunning visuals of the female cast.
“Jeong-nyeon: The Star is Born” consists of 16 episodes and is set in the 1950s. The plot revolves around the main character, a girl from Mokpo named Yoon Jeong-nyeon, who, despite being penniless and uneducated, possesses a gifted singing voice. She joins a traditional all-women theater troupe in pursuit of her dream to become wealthy.
In the drama, Kim Tae-ri plays Yoon “Jeong-nyeon: The Star is Born”, a character who is not only a great singer and actress but also full of emotions. Jung Eun-chae portrays Moon Ok-kyung, a cold and difficult-to-approach member of the troupe. However, Ok-kyung is a renowned singer who can play lead roles in the troupe’s performances. Shin Ye-eun plays Heo Young-seo, who comes from a wealthy family and has received extensive training in singing, dancing, and acting, making her a formidable rival for Yoon Jeong-nyeon. Ra Mi-ran takes on the role of Kang So-bok, the head of the Mae Ran Theater. Lastly, Moon So-ri, who made a strong impression in the drama “Queenmaker”, plays Seo Yong-rye, Yoon Jeong-nyeon’s mother. Once known as a famous Pansori singer, Seo Yong-rye hid her past after retiring and quietly raised her daughter.
In the latest teaser of “Jeong-nyeon: The Star is Born”, viewers can see Kim Tae-ri’s playful yet genuine portrayal of her character in the first scene as she arrives at the theater. Her natural smile and charismatic expression are major highlights, making her character even more compelling.
Although her character’s design is not overly glamorous, Kim Tae-ri’s radiant beauty can not be dimmed. Interestingly, the original webtoon author previously revealed that Kim Tae-ri’s character Sook-hee from “The Handmaiden” served as inspiration for the main character in the webtoon “Jeong-nyeon: The Star is Born”. Therefore, Kim Tae-ri is said to be the perfect fit for this role – even more impressive than the original.
Kim Tae-ri has made her mark in various successful projects such as “The Handmaiden” (2016), “When the Day Comes” (2017), “Little Forest” (2018), “Mr. Sunshine” (2018), and “Space Sweepers” (2021). In 2022, she won Best Actress at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards for her role as Na Hee-do in “Twenty Five, Twenty One”, and recently she also starred in “Alienoid” (2022).
It is also reported that Kim Tae-ri’s involvement sparked a bidding war between two major networks, tvN and MBC. In particular, tvN had to spend a considerable amount of money to secure the rights to air “Jeong-nyeon: The Star is Born” after competing fiercely with MBC. Even though MBC was willing to pay over 2 billion KRW per episode (approx 1.5 million USD), tvN ultimately emerged victorious by offering an even higher sum, which means that this media spent hundreds of billions to secure the broadcasting rights.
Below are some reactions from netizen reactions:
- The cast is top-notch, I am very excited for this show!
- The quality is insane, I thought it was a blockbuster teaser!
- Looking forward to Kim Tae-ri’s performance, she uses a different tone in every film!
- Kim Tae-ri and Jung Eun-chae look like they’ve stepped right out of the comic book!
Meanwhile, “Jeong-nyeon: The Star is Born” is set to premiere on October 12, 2024, on tvN.
Source: K14
