Kim Tae-ri, filled with determination, led the drama to achieve double-digit ratings. The tvN weekend drama "Jeong Nyeon" (written by Choi Hyo-bi, directed by Jung Ji-in) aired its 4th episode on the 20th. According to Nielsen Korea, it recorded a nationwide average rating of 12.7%.
This set a new personal best for the show. It was the first time since its premiere on the 12th that it reached double-digit ratings. It claimed the top spot across all channels, including terrestrial networks, during its time slot.
"Jeong Nyeon" started with a rating of 4.8% for its first episode. It has been steadily gaining popularity. Notably, it increased by 3.5 percentage points compared to the previous episode (Episode 3), raising expectations for the birth of a national drama.
This episode featured a dramatic development. Jeong Nyeon (played by Kim Tae-ri) was expelled from the Maeran Gugak troupe. She was depicted preparing for her debut as a singer to make a living.
Jeong Nyeon's mother Yong-rye (played by Moon So-ri) also had her past revealed. She was a Pansori genius named Chae Gong-seon. Sobok (played by Ra Mi-ran) persuaded Yong-rye to respect Jeong Nyeon's dream.
Yong-rye's sense of helplessness also came to light. Sobok reproached her for giving up too easily, even though she had reached the pinnacle of vocal performance. Yong-rye tearfully said, "I want to sing, but no voice comes out."
Although she realized her daughter's passion for Gugak, she couldn't risk passing on her own failure. She told Jeong Nyeon, "Let's cut the ties between parent and child," but Jeong Nyeon responded, "I'll stay."
Jeong Nyeon faced yet another crisis. She got into trouble for singing at a café while temporarily working in place of the injured Juran (played by Woo Da-bi). Upon learning of this, Sobok decided to expel her.
Left with nowhere to go in Seoul, Jeong Nyeon even fell victim to pickpocketing and ended up in a police station cell. Her only option left was PD Park Jong-kook's (played by Kim Tae-hoon) proposal for her singer debut.
The highlight was the battle of nerves between Jeong Nyeon and Young-seo (played by Shin Ye-eun). When Young-seo's weakness was exposed to Jeong Nyeon, she lashed out with harsh words and even slapped her.
The subsequent development piqued curiosity. Jeong Nyeon announced, "I will repay you exactly as much as I've suffered" It made viewers anticipate the path of Jeong Nyeon, who harbors bitterness after experiencing several events.
Meanwhile, "Jeong Nyeon" is a story about a naturally gifted singer Jeong Nyeon and her growth. It airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:20 p.m.
Photo courtesy of tvN
