Kim Tae-ri Delivers Outstanding Performance That Revives Previous Box Office Flops

The tvN series “Jeongnyeon” (full title “Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born”), featuring the talented Kim Tae-ri, has rapidly climbed to double-digit ratings after airing just four episodes. The latest installment, which aired on the 20th of the month, achieved a notable 13.6% average household rating in metropolitan areas, reaching a peak of 15.0%. Nationwide, it garnered a 12.7% rating with a high of 14.3%, securing the top spot in its time slot.

This drama is on track to outpace “Queen of Tears” in viewership growth, given its current momentum.

Set in the 1950s, “Jeongnyeon” chronicles the remarkable journey of Yoon Jeong-nyeon (portrayed by Kim Tae-ri), a prodigy with an innate ear for sound aiming to become the foremost Gukgeuk (traditional Korean theater) performer in a post-Korean War landscape. Leaving her home behind, Yoon Jeong-nyeon pursues her dream within a Gukgeuk troupe. Following a successful showcase of her talents, she faces expulsion and briefly works at a café to help her friend, Juran (Woo Da-bi). An unexpected opportunity to sing on stage captures the attention of Yeong-seo (Shin Ye-eun), leading to her dismissal by Sobok (Ra Mi-ran).

Throughout its first four episodes, the drama intricately depicts Jeong-nyeon’s ascent within the troupe, her subsequent expulsion, and her efforts to prepare for a singing debut. A powerful moment, in which Jeong-nyeon awakens after being slapped by Yeong-seo, has left audiences anticipating pivotal future developments. Kim Tae-ri’s portrayal has received widespread acclaim.

In pursuit of authenticity, Kim Tae-ri began her training in traditional Korean singing back in 2021. She revealed, “After committing to the project, I dedicated considerable time to lessons, enhancing my skills in Gukgeuk, the Mokpo dialect, and stage acting.” Her dedication included traveling to Mokpo to immerse herself in the local dialect while taking classes two to three times a week.

Her years of hard work culminated in a standout third episode performance during a charity event organized by the Mae-ran gukgeuk troupe. She received rave reviews for her role as Bang-ja in “Chunhyangjeon,” with fans noting that it felt like a live performance, prompting TVING to release a full 22-minute version of this captivating scene.

This resurgence marks a notable comeback for Kim Tae-ri following her less successful ventures in films “Alienoid” Parts 1 and 2, which did not fare well at the box office. With a substantial budget of 37 billion won (approximately 27.8 million USD), “Alienoid” Part 2 struggled to break even, attracting only around 7 million viewers.

Demonstrating her prowess in television dramas, Kim Tae-ri has previously achieved impressive ratings with productions such as “Mr. Sunshine” (18.1%), “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” (11.5%), and “Revenant” (11.2%). Now, “Jeongnyeon” has also crossed into double-digit ratings, signaling its potential to become a standout hit.

Source: Daum

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