JTBC’s new weekend drama Beyond The Bar has only aired two episodes, yet lead actress Jung Chae-yeon is already under scrutiny for her performance. Critics say she is struggling to carry the weight of the main role, with her acting limitations becoming more apparent as the story unfolds.
Jung Chae-yeon plays Kang Hyo-min, a rookie attorney at the prestigious law firm Yullim. The character is clumsy yet sharp-witted in crises, intended to evoke empathy as she learns and grows. However, Jung Chae-yeon’s portrayal has been called disconnected from the drama’s tone — her delivery often feeling separate from the rest of the cast.
Main criticisms include:
- Overuse of a high-pitched tone: Intended to capture youthful enthusiasm, it instead disrupts the tense atmosphere of a legal drama.
- Weak diction and unnatural intonation: Particularly noticeable in lengthy court scenes or when delivering legal jargon, where her speech sounds recited rather than embodied.
- Flat expressions and mismatched emotions: Eye contact and gestures often fail to align with dialogue, dulling emotional impact.
Her chemistry with co-star Lee Jin-wook — crucial to the early plot — has also been questioned. While Lee Jin-wook delivers a steady mix of coolness and warmth, Jung Chae-yeon’s reactions feel unbalanced, with emotional scenes lacking conviction and confrontations coming off forced.
As Beyond The Bar is built around a “growth” narrative, much depends on the lead convincingly portraying transformation and inner conflict. So far, viewers on online forums express doubt whether Jung Chae-yeon can meet that challenge. With ten episodes left, attention now turns to whether she can adjust her performance and reclaim audience engagement.
Beyond The Bar airs Saturdays at 10:40 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on JTBC.
Sources: The Fact
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