Probably one of the best drama/production of the year

I haven’t read the original webtoon and I honestly didn’t know that much about Pansori before watching Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, so I’ve started watching it without any prejudices.

Firstly, I want to say that I’ve literally felt in love with the art of Pansori and Gukgeuk throughout this kdrama. And it is all thanks to the production team for filming it very flawlessly and sublimely which brought us feeling that we were literally into the theaters, watching passionately the performances.
I got emotional and really charmed by listening to all these Pansori songs, watching all the marvelous acting from the cast. I can’t even imagine all the work and practices they went through for achieving such a perfect stages like this.

Talking about the cast members, it was very refreshing having a women-only cast as it is rare in this kdrama industry. And what a great cast!
Kim Tae-ri’s supremacy is not even to be proven, she has shown once again that she can carry and lead a drama to the highest level with her character of Jeong-nyeon. The character was really passionate and touching that we had no choice to be cheering for her pursuing her dream to become a pansori's master. Shin Ye-eun wasn’t leftover and she succeed of embodying Yeong-seo as both the rival and best friend of Jeong-nyeon, but also as a young woman which have many doubts in her capacities, inferiority complex with her sister and a child lacking recognition and love from her mother.
And finally we can’t not talk about Woo Da Vi which played Joo-ran, which was the main relatedness character between this trio. Joo-ran played a big part in the relationship between Yeong-seo and Jeong-nyeon switching from enemies to best friends, but also in the awakening of these two as pansori’s masters.
The line between the friendship and love is really tight and well written in this story. Many of us won’t easily forget the heartbroken plot of the impossible love between Joo-ran and Jeong-nyeon, literally becoming a forbidden love at the moment that Joo-ran being dragged back to his family to fullfill her duty as a woman. This is not only a heartbroken love story but also an assumed criticism of the society, both in 1950s and today. Woo Da Vi perfectly embodyed the touching and lovely character of Joo-ran, who has ingrown the essence of love in the softness way ever.
Finally, I have to congratulate all other actresses, from Ra Mi-ran as the kindness director Kang So-bok, Jung Sun-chae and Kim Yoon-hye as the best prince and princess duo Ok-gyeong and Hye-ran and a special coup de coeur for Hyun Seung-hee as the research student Cho-rok which had a really good character development all along the show.

More than the plot, Jeong-nyeon The Star Is Born greatly open the door for discovering the world of Pansori and Gukgeuk which is not well known in the world as an authentic and beautiful part of the Korean culture.
I did not have heard much about it before (I barely known just the name) and thank to this show, I did some research to learn more about it. Pansori is a real art of singing and acting which required a lot of work. Even by watching all the research students learning and training hard to masterize all the skills of this art, we can tell that not everyone can do Pansori. The level of details in the facial expressions and the gestures in addition to the singing part, while being able to be perfectly united and merged with his fellow troops mates.
I was fascinated and really touched all along the show by watching each Pansori’s performances, crying and laughing while watching all these ancestral and magical stories.

Jeong-nyeon: The Star Is Born si surely one of the best drama and exceptional production of the year in several ways. We cheered and followed the chatacter of Jeong-nyeon achieving her dream, but we also were delighted by the lovely mood in the Maeran Pansori’s troop. The whole cast carried the show that well, breaking all audience records.
I highly recommend this kdrama, it’s basically for discovering this kind of gems that I keep watching Korean dramas.

I’m truly grateful for these six last weeks.

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Definitely worth to watch!

Family By Choice is definitely a K-drama worth watching anytime you’re in need of a heartwarming and kind-hearted show. You’ll quickly grow attached—and maybe even obsessed—with the mental and emotional journeys of the four kids, Sanha, Haejun, Juwon, and Dal, who carry the story so beautifully. Juwon’s and Sanha’s dads also play a significant role, portraying two touching and resilient single parents who add depth and warmth to the show.

The story is beautifully written, making it easy to feel and connect with the emotions each character faces.
Sanha and Haejun’s stories with their moms are particularly heartbreaking and, at times, infuriating. At first, the reasons behind their mothers abandoning them seem selfish, but as the story unfolds, we slowly begin to understand and empathize with their decisions.

Juwon’s feelings are the sweetest part of the show. She’s a girl who grew up with two brothers and eventually found love with one of them, Sanha. I’m grateful to the screenwriters for avoiding the overused love triangle trope, which wouldn’t have added anything to the plot. Instead, Juwon’s character arc concludes with happy and fulfilling relationships with both Haejun and Sanha.

My favorite character, though, is undoubtedly Park Dal. Her character is touching in so many ways. Her shy nature, combined with her determination to express her true feelings—both for Haejun and her mother—makes her character development feel smooth and authentic. I especially loved how Haejun was oblivious to the depth of her feelings for him, and how Dal worked so hard to show him her love. It made their eventual romance in the finale incredibly satisfying to watch.

I won’t spoil any more for you, but I highly recommend Family By Choice whenever you’re looking for a sweet and heartwarming K-drama. It’s the perfect story to make you feel like you’re living with a comfortable, loving family for a few days or weeks.

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