K-DRAMA RECAP: “Jeongnyeon The Star is Born” Episodes 3 and 4

K-DRAMA RECAP: “Jeongnyeon The Star is Born” Episodes 3 and 4

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It is an eventful week for our country girl, who faces both triumphs and setbacks in quick succession. She then encounters a larger world that appears glamorous on the surface, but may hide a darker reality beneath.

The path to achieving one’s dreams is never easy, but it surely helps to have people rooting for us. And between a kind-hearted mentor and a sincere friend, I am glad our girl isn’t on her own anymore.

Bunny S. watches Jeongnyeon The Star is Born on Disney +

Episode Recaps:  01&02 |

Jeongnyeon The Star is Born Episodes 3 and 4 Highlights

“You have to take full responsibility for your choices, even if you regret it later.”

Faced by Ok-gyeong’s generous offer, Jeong-nyeon finds herself in a tough situation. If she takes on this chance, Jeong-nyeon will prove the rumors correct. Yet that offer is too dazzling to turn down. In the end, Jeong-nyeon settles not to take the easy way out, politely turning Ok-gyeong down. Still, giving up is out of the question. You see, Jeong-nyeon won’t give haughty Yeong-seo the chance to gloat over having been right about her. If Jeong-nyeon gets her hands on the script for the official performance, it will be through her skills alone.

Spotting a street performer captivating the crowd with his dancing, Jeong-nyeon figures out what she needs to do. Getting everyone puzzled, Jeong-nyeon kept missing the rehearsals down to the last rehearsal and only came back 40 minutes before the performance started. During that time, Jeong-nyeon followed the street performer around as his apprentice, practicing how to charm the audience with her dancing.

Shocking everyone, Yeong-seo included, Jeong-nyeon rocks the stage and steals the show, capturing everyone’s attention. Jealous, a cunning girl pulls a trick to embarrass Jeong-nyeon on stage, yet our girl doesn’t let this mishap ruin her performance. Better yet, Jeong-nyeon gets a copy of the official performance script through her skills alone, getting her thrilled to bits.

“It was never ever my intention to sing for money!”

Unluckily. Jeong-nyeon’s success is rather short-lived. Filling in for a friend who injured her arm as a tea server, Jeong-nyeon is roped by the owner into working as a substitute singer. Director Kang made it clear that singing for money is a big no-no. Which means Jeong-nyeon is done for if anyone catches her singing. And of all people, Jeong-nyeon gets caught red-handed by Yeong-seo, who might be ecstatic, having found a way to drive Jeong-nyeon away.

Though we don’t know for sure if it was Yeong-seo who snitched, Director Kang ends up learning that Jeong-nyeon sang at the tea place for money. Livid, she kicks Jeong-nyeon out. And when Jeong-nyeon begs for forgiveness, Director Kang has Jeong-nyeon dragged outside.

To her credit, Ok-gyeong offers to talk to Director Kang and promises to introduce Jeong-nyeon to another troupe if Director Kang doesn’t change her mind. She also lets Jeong-nyeon stay at her house till she finds another place. Yet after Ok-gyeong takes off, Hye-rang tells Jeong-nyeon to leave, arguing that Director Kang will get mad at Ok-gyeong if she hears that Jeong-nyeon is staying there.

I asked last week for more screen time for Hye-rang. But I didn’t mean it this way. Even if she is jealous of Jeong-nyeon’s close relationship with Ok-gyeong, I can’t get behind Hye-rang’s wicked actions, especially when she stops a troupe member from reporting it to the director that there are many girls other than Jeong-nyeon who take on part-time jobs to survive because the finance director embezzles the troupe’s money to gamble it away and pays the girls peanuts.

“Last time, you said you would like to make me a star. Is that still valid?”

Having nowhere to go is one thing, but Jeong-nyeon gets dragged to the police station after failing to pay for the food she ate no thanks to thieves stealing her money. Faced with the risk of going to jail, Jeong-nyeon contacts a TV broadcasting station producer she came across while working at the tea place. Back then, that producer, Park Jong-guk (Kim Tae-hoon), gave her his business card, offering to turn her into a star. Desperate to stay in Seoul and make it big, she takes the offer.

On the outside, this might be an irresistible offer, but I can’t help but suspect there is something fishy about Producer Park. Then again, I guess only time will tell if her took the right decision. Anyway, Producer Park introduces Jeong-nyeon to Patricia Kim (Lee Mi-do), a singing teacher, whose house she will be staying at till her debut. But before teaching her how to sing properly, Patricia first gives Jeong-nyeon a makeover, turning her into a stunning city girl.

As it so happens, Produces Park has Jeong-nyeon tag along to the concert of Yeong-seo’s elder sister, who followed in their mother’s footsteps and became an opera singer. People from the troupe also happen to be among the audience. And being the nice person she is, Ok-gyeong assures Jeong-nyeon she will succeed as a Pop singer as well, though Ok-gyeong hopes she wouldn’t stray too much and go back to being a performer.

The surprising part for me, though, is the fact that Yeong-seo isn’t the snitch. Jeong-nyeon knows it, too. Actually, she never suspected Yeong-seo to begin with. But that moment of peace doesn’t last long since Yeong-seo’s temper flares up and she slaps Jeong-nyeon after the latter overhears Yeong-seo’s fight with her mother. Satisfyingly enough, Jeong-nyeon slaps Yeong-seo back, arguing she isn’t the only one with a temper. And it is here where we end this week.

Jeongnyeon The Star is Born Episodes 3 and 4 Musings

I knew Jeong-nyeon’s path wouldn’t be covered in roses. But I didn’t expect her to get kicked out of the troupe, at least not this soon. Still, I should have seen it coming, given how strict Director Kang was about the trainees not singing for money. On a lighter note, I want to emphasize how much I like Ok-gyeong. She is a nice person and mentor not only to Jeong-nyeon, but also to everyone in the troupe. And her advice to Yeong-seo about enjoying her roles, no matter how small they are, can’t be more spot-on.

I understand the immense pressure Yeong-seo is under, having been born to a perfectionist of a mother who is never satisfied. Still, that isn’t an excuse for being mean to others or distancing herself from her sister, who genuinely cares for Yeong-seo. Hopefully, she realizes soon that there is more to life than meeting her mother’s expectations and gets on better terms with her sister and other people around her.

Speaking of mothers, Jeong-nyeon’s mother tracks her down to the troupe, resolving to take her back to their village. It is here that we learn, or more precisely, confirm the theory that her mother was a music genius, but she seemingly encountered a tragic incident that left her unable to sing anymore. Which is probably why she is set against her daughter joining the troupe.

Reunited with her old friend, Director Kang tries to convince Jeong-nyeon’s mother to let her daughter do as she wants, but to no avail. Worse yet, Jeong-nyeon’s mother threatens to disown Jeong-nyeon unless she quits singing. But no matter how much Jeong-nyeon loves her mother, our girl can’t bring herself to quit. Not after experiencing the thrill of performing on stage.

Cutting off ties with her family was definitely tough. So, I am glad that Jeong-nyeon isn’t on her own. Aside from Ok-gyeong, Jeong-nyeon has made a new friend, Hong Joo-ran (Woo Da-vi), the one she filled in for. So far, Joo-ran has been a good friend to Jeong-nyeon. So, I wish nothing comes in between our girls and they remain friends till the end. Patricia also seems to be a decent person. Hopefully, she remains on Jeong-nyeon’s side too. Our girl went through so much, so she needs all the hugs she can receive.

Photos and Videos: tvN Drama

 

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