It is the 1950s, following the devastating Korean War.
Female gukgeuk, or traditional theater, captures the heart of the public,
and many girls dream of becoming princes.
Playing the role of Yoon Jeongnyeon,
a pansori genius who dives into the world of stars,
is Kim Taeri.
Playing the role of Heo Youngseo,
an elite trainee skilled at singing, dancing, and even acting,
is Shin Yeeun.
Playing the role of Moon Okgyeong,
the undisputed Prince of Maeran, is Jung Eunchae.
Playing the role of Seo Hyerang,
the beautiful flower of Maeran, is Kim Yoonhye.
And last but not least
is the director of all the girls who dream of becoming princes,
Kang Sobok played by Ra Miran.
We want to thank you for your patience
as we proudly present the story of Jeongnyeon!
"JEONGNYEON: THE STAR IS BORN"
"Narrator: Cho Yeongsuk First-generation female gukgeuk actor"
ALL CHARACTERS, PLACES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND EVENTS IN THIS SHOW ARE FICTIONAL.
THE SHOW CONTAINS JAPANESE EXPRESSIONS TO REFLECT THE TIME PERIOD.
Act 8
To reach excellence in singing
One needs to discern the five sounds
And transform the six rules
To cajole one's innards
And sing from within
It is difficult indeed
- To have excellence in… - Stop.
There are still a lot of you who aren't singing from your core
but from your throat.
You, Park Chorok.
I can see you're out of breath even from here.
How are you ever going to reach the audience way at the back?
The play for this joint performance
is notorious for its difficult songs.
Whether you make it or not will come down to your singing.
Keep in mind what I've taught you
and make sure to practice consistently.
Do you understand?
Yes, ma'am.
Let's pick up where we left off.
Are you going to audition for the joint performance?
No.
Ondal's songs are too difficult for me.
They're way too high, and you need to use aewonseong expertly.
They're not something a trainee can sing.
The only trainees who have a chance at playing Ondal…
would be Jeongnyeon or Youngseo.
The rest of us would only make a fool of ourselves.
Hong Jooran!
You haven't…
already decided to audition with Jeongnyeon, have you?
Not yet.
Then give me a chance.
I'd like you to be my partner.
But there must be a lot of people wanting to audition with you.
I don't need anyone else.
I can only be the best if I'm with you.
Could I have some time to think about it?
- Hey, Jooran. - Hey.
I was looking all over for you.
We need to start practicing for the joint performance audition.
We have a lot on our plate.
There are a lot of difficult parts for the young leads in the script.
Wait…
Have you partnered up with someone else?
Is it Youngseo?
It's not like that.
You haven't, right?
You're auditioning with me, right?
You already read the whole script?
Of course.
When I read the script,
I thought that Princess Pyeonggang suited you perfectly.
She's cute and lovable.
As for Ondal…
…I'm just worried about his songs since they're a bit tricky.
You'll do well.
Well, we've got to practice to do well.
Let's start tomorrow morning, okay?
Oh, my goodness, that's hot.
I'll wait for you in the rehearsal room.
You better go to bed early for tomorrow.
Good night.
The Princess and the Fool
Hey, what took you so…
Let's start practicing.
I want to audition with you.
I… want to audition with you.
Oh, but I'm already waiting for someone.
Jooran's not coming.
I saw her with Youngseo just now.
- Have you read the script? - Yes.
The scene we're auditioning with
is where young Pyeonggang and Ondal part ways, right?
What is it?
Oh, it's nothing.
Let's start.
Where are you going?
You haven't given me an answer.
I have to go somewhere, so not now.
Hey!
What to do of my dear princess's…
We need to talk.
Talk when we're done.
I said we need to talk.
- Hey, Jeongnyeon. - Youngseo.
I can't believe this.
I thought you were partnering up with me.
So why are you with Youngseo?
Answer me.
Why?
Why did you partner up with Youngseo instead of me?
I'm… afraid of you.
Afraid?
What do you mean?
What are you so afraid of?
I'm afraid that you might get too immersed in your character again.
When that happens, not only do you end up devouring your own character,
but also your partner's character and the whole show.
And the only thing that's left is you.
But…
I can control that now.
Sure.
But you're still learning how.
Who knows what's going to set you off like last time?
You can't fully control yourself yet.
And when that happens,
I can't be as grounded as Hyerang and save the scene.
So that's why…
you chose Youngseo over me?
Youngseo is stable.
She calculates how to act with the whole narrative in mind
and doesn't stray from that.
I can rely on her…
but I can't rely on you.
- Jeongnyeon… - I'm a bit tired right now.
Let's talk later.
Hey,
I also want to do well in this audition.
And I can do just as well as Jooran.
I'm also desperate!
You and Youngseo aren't the only ones who want to do well in this audition.
I want it just as much.
I'm not a genius like you,
nor as skillful as Youngseo,
nor do I have any hidden talent like Jooran.
But I want to do well too.
It's not like you're giving up on the audition
since you don't have Jooran.
I know you hate me.
And you have every right to do so
because I was so mean to you before.
You might think I'm ridiculous
to ask to audition with you after all that,
but I still want to.
I want to audition too.
So please give me a chance.
Youngseo is stable.
I can rely on her,
but I can't rely on you.
You and Youngseo aren't the only ones who want to do well in this audition.
I want it just as much.
The Princess and the Fool
To reach excellence in singing
One needs to discern the five sounds
And transform the six rules…
The six rules
To cajole one's innards
And sing from within
It is difficult indeed
You're still not singing from your core.
You need to pull your strength from deep within you.
Flex your lower abdomen
and straighten your spine.
I know.
Aren't you afraid…
that I'll ruin everything…
like I did with the soldier?
If you partner up with me…
I might ruin your performance too.
But you're working on controlling that.
What if it happens again though?
From what I've seen,
you don't repeat the same mistakes.
And…
your skills improve at a frightening pace.
You're always miles ahead of your past self.
Is that so?
So why are you hung up on something so stupid?
Why else would I want to audition with you?
Jooran says--
Why would you listen to someone who rejected you?
She's a fool.
She doesn't even know what she rejected.
But why are you asking me when you won't audition with me?
You can't partner up with me…
with that kind of voice.
My voice would overpower yours the moment we sing together.
You think I don't know that?
Wait, what did you say?
Did you just say…
Let's partner up for the audition.
Let's do it.
Wait a minute.
Don't tell me you've already changed your mind!
No!
I'll do it. Let's do it.
Then I'll be counting on you.
Me too.
Me too!
I thought you were going to say no!
Thank you!
My goodness, is this your office?
It's smaller than I expected.
Still, your troupe itself is rather sizable.
I guess Maeran really is quite popular.
What are you doing here?
Didn't you hear?
I'm the representative for the judging panel.
- What? - Aren't you going to offer me a seat?
Sure.
Aside from me, the panel includes Professor Min Gyeongsik,
Mr. Kim Jaeseok of Gukmin Manufacturing,
and Assemblyman Jung Ilson.
You're going to judge an audition that your daughter is a part of?
What are you plotting?
Plotting?
How rude.
I knew others would misunderstand me like you,
so I even offered not to give a score for Youngseo's audition.
And I hope you know,
I didn't volunteer to be a judge.
Director Jung Namhui was the one who begged me to be on the panel.
You think I don't know
that you don't approve of Youngseo joining my troupe?
So why are you sticking your nose in now?
I know that Gongseon's daughter is also here at Maeran.
I think her name was Yoon Jeongnyeon.
I want to see it for myself.
Chae Gongseon's daughter versus Han Kijoo's daughter.
I need to know who's more talented.
This joint performance…
…will be a combined effort of seven different theater troupes.
Moon Okgyeong will be playing the role of Ondal
and Seo Hyerang will be playing the role of Princess Pyeonggang.
And the upcoming audition
will decide who will play the roles of the young leads.
We heard that Ms. Han Kijoo is on the judging panel.
Is it true that her daughter, Ms. Heo Youngseo,
is auditioning as well?
Yes, Ms. Heo Youngseo will be auditioning.
But Ms. Han Kijoo will not be scoring her daughter's audition.
Regarding Ms. Yoon Jeongnyeon,
who was praised for her stand-in performance as Precious,
many are saying that she is the daughter of Chae Gongseon.
Will Ms. Yoon Jeongnyeon be auditioning as well?
Yes.
Ms. Yoon Jeongnyeon will be auditioning as well.
Is it true that the two who pass the audition
will become the successors of Moon Okgyeong and Seo Hyerang?
Yes, that is true.
Over here, Ms. Moon.
- Ms. Seo, over here! - Director Kang!
Ms. Seo!
Extra, extra! Read all about it!
Extra, extra!
A showdown between two geniuses
Daughter of pansori genius vs. daughter of opera genius
A battle for the throne
We'll take them all.
Our only prince is Moon Okgyeong!
Only Moon Okgyeong!
We don't need a successor!
We don't need one!
Let's protect Okgyeong!
Protect Okgyeong!
Moon Okgyeong! Moon Okgyeong! Moon Okgyeong!
"A showdown between two geniuses"
So Jeongnyeon is the daughter of Chae Gongseon.
It must be so much pressure.
"One born with skill…"
Behind you.
A showdown between two geniuses
A battle for the throne
Who do you think will win?
- Of course it's Youngseo. - I think Youngseo will win.
Youngseo?
Daughter of pansori genius vs. daughter of opera genius
That Kang Sobok really knows how to raise the stakes.
Well, this much publicity is quite expected
for an audition my daughter will participate in.
What is it?
Is all this publicity too much pressure?
- Not at all. - Good.
You can't be phased by something like this.
In fact, you need to be able to enjoy your nerves
and channel them to elevate your performance on stage.
Yes, Mother.
After I heard Gongseon's Blooming Autumn Field,
no other pansori performance has ever gotten me excited.
They all seemed fake.
You need to prove to everyone with this audition
that you, my daughter, know what it truly means to sing pansori.
Do you understand?
Yes.
I shall look for you, my love
I shall dry my sleeves of my tears
Treasure the marriage vows
We have taken together
And swear never to cry
Until I find you
Come, my love
I shall wait for you, my darling
I shall sharpen my wits
To rival those of a dragon
And become as strong
As a tiger
On those treacherous mountains
As I wait for you
My dearest love
You're crying.
What?
You were just touched by my acting.
Hey, that's just because you were looking at me all sad.
Anyway,
I think we'll be fine for the audition if we keep going like this.
It's not enough.
What's not enough?
…if you mean me, I know that I need more practice.
I don't mean you. I mean me.
I can't seem to focus on the song…
…and my mind's somewhere else.
This has never happened before.
I'll get my head on straight next time.
You're curious about Youngseo and Jooran, aren't you?
That's what's bothering you.
No, I'm not.
Fine, I'm a bit curious.
I wonder how they're practicing…
and how good Youngseo is.
Don't even think about peeking into their practice.
Listen to me.
You really can't, okay?
It's just going to ruin your focus.
Just focus on us no matter how curious you are.
You guys better be on your toes.
Youngseo and Jooran seem to have amazing chemistry.
I shall look for you, my love
I shall dry my sleeves of my tears
Treasure the marriage vows
We have taken together
And swear never to cry
Until I find you
Come, my love
I shall wait for you, my darling
I shall sharpen my wits
To rival those of a dragon
And become as strong
As a tiger
On those treacherous mountains
As I wait for you
My dearest love
How were they?
That's the power of good chemistry. They bring out the best in each other.
And it's only possible because Youngseo has a solid foundation.
She has the skills to not only focus on her own acting…
but also to match her partner freely.
Compared to her,
you still have a long way to go.
But there's no need to be so down, Jeongnyeon.
You have an amazing voice.
This role has a lot of difficult songs,
so you can win with your singing.
But…
Youngseo's good at singing as well.
Then you just have to get even better.
There's a cave in the mountain nearby.
Try singing inside that cave.
You can practice by hearing your voice bouncing back from the walls.
Repeat that 100 times a day until you cough up blood.
You'd be able to master pansori within half a month.
Then no matter how good Youngseo is, you'll always come out on top.
Right now, you should try everything you can to get better.
If Youngseo beats you this time,
it's over for you.
Don't listen to her.
It's really dangerous for you to strain your voice like that.
Do you hear me?
We've only begun to practice, but I think we have good chemistry.
I knew it'd be easy with you since we get each other.
What is it?
Is that why you chose me?
Because it'd be easy?
What?
I heard your talk with Jeongnyeon the other day.
You said I was stable because I calculate everything as I act.
Youngseo, I meant that--
When we were rehearsing for Jamyunggo…
you were seeing someone else.
So I thought it was weird that you chose me.
But I think I know now.
You didn't really want me as your partner.
You actually wanted to partner up with Jeongnyeon.
I'm just your second pick.
It wasn't like that.
Stop making me feel miserable.
Fine.
I don't care why you chose me.
All I needed was a partner to audition with anyway.
Never have I
Lamented the fate
Given to me by…
I need some water.
You've been stuck on that part for ages now.
I told you not to listen to Hyerang.
I don't think your throat's doing okay,
so let's call it a day and try again tomorrow.
No, let's keep going.
Jeongnyeon.
Let me try a bit more.
I'll go rest if I still can't do it.
Never have I
Lamented the fate
Given to me by…
I went to the gambling house that Mr. Ko frequented.
But they said they hadn't seen him in a while.
And anyone who might know his whereabouts is saying the same thing.
It's clear that he's been using our money…
but I have no idea how much.
And this ledger is giving me a headache.
Are things pretty bad for us?
We'll be able to pay off our immediate debts
if this joint performance is a success.
I see.
We'll get through this.
Yes.
Let's pray that this performance does well.
Okay.
Come
My love
I shall wait for you, my darling
I shall sharpen my wits…
What are you doing?
You're going to ruin your throat at this rate.
I can handle this much.
And my throat feels fine.
Taking care of your throat is a basic skill for a pansori singer.
You should rest for today.
But if I don't put in this much effort,
I won't get the part.
My acting's still mediocre,
so all I've got is my singing.
If I'm not ahead of the others in singing,
then there's no way I'll get the part.
What are you so anxious about?
You've been doing well until now.
But that's not nearly enough.
Youngseo's improving every day
while I'm falling further behind.
So you're pushing yourself this hard to get ahead of her?
At this rate,
you won't even make it to the audition.
You're wrong.
I will.
I'm going to get through this
and show everyone how I win.
Never have I
Lamented the fate
Given to me by…
Never have I
Lamented the fate
Given to me by…
You need to rest, Gongseon.
You can't strain your voice like this.
You might ruin it forever.
This isn't just about the upcoming performance.
Gongseon.
Just say that you can't perform this time.
No.
Everyone's looking forward to hearing me sing.
They're so excited for the pansori genius.
So how could I not perform?
Since my father has passed away…
…I have…
nothing left for me except pansori.
Then all the more reason to rest your voice!
Look at the bigger picture!
Who are you trying to teach?
What do you know?
How could you understand? You've never been anywhere near my level.
Maybe it's okay for you to ease up and take it slow…
but not me.
I'd rather kill myself than lose my position.
Dear husband
Please take me with you
Please…
Jeongnyeon.
Look at me, Jeongnyeon.
Do not be so hard on yourself.
This is a marathon, not a sprint.
But what if Youngseo is significantly better than me?
What if while I'm struggling, she's already gone miles ahead of me?
Jeongnyeon.
Jooran said that she could rely on Youngseo,
but she couldn't rely on me.
That's how far behind I am, so how could I take it easy?
The reason why Youngseo can get in sync with her partner
is because she has years of experience.
You can't hope to cover that in just a few days.
That's impossible.
But Jeongnyeon,
you have other talents that Youngseo doesn't.
Is that…
how far behind I am?
That's not what I'm saying.
I'm trying to say…
that you and Youngseo have different strengths.
This is not the time to be worrying about Youngseo,
but to focus on your own interpretation of Ondal.
All right?
What?
- Jeongnyeon's not here? - No.
What am I going to do with her?
What is it?
I thought she was out early every morning to practice with you.
With me?
Don't even get me started.
She's been going to the mountain every day.
The mountain?
Come, my love
I shall wait for you, my darling
I shall sharpen my wits
To rival those of a dragon
And become as strong…
Hey.
How did you know I was here?
Were you practicing like this all this time?
Are you crazy?
Are you trying to ruin your voice before we even audition?
Come on, let's go.
You're burning up.
You can get heated up when you practice singing for hours.
It's nothing serious.
Yes, it is serious.
Come with me.
Let go of me.
Let go.
Leave me alone.
Why are you being so stupid?
Your voice is already hoarse.
You're straining your throat to sing right now.
And what's it to you?
I don't want to care either,
but you're being insane.
I just have to push through this.
And if I do,
I can master pansori.
What nonsense are you talking about?
Mastering pansori is something you hone through years of practice,
not something you get by straining your throat for a few days.
If you lose your voice, you can't ever perform.
If I can't perform,
then you'd have one less rival, so it'd be good for you.
What?
What, am I wrong?
You cried yourself sick because you wanted to beat me.
You're right.
I want to beat you.
But I'm going to beat you with skills!
If I wanted to beat you with cheap tricks, I already would have.
Why do you think I'm practicing to death?
I'm going to beat you with my skills when you're in your best condition.
So stop with this nonsense.
I won't.
You!
Have you seriously gone insane?
You have everything.
You can't possibly understand me.
Singing, dancing, and acting…
You've perfected everything.
I only have my singing.
How could you possibly understand my desperation?
I'm different from you.
I came all the way here relying on my voice alone.
I left home by relying on my voice,
and I was able to get up every time I fell because of my voice!
My voice is my earth and my sky!
It's my everything.
And you're telling me to stop?
If I stop now,
I'll only be staring down an endless cliff!
So how could I possibly stop?
Come, my love
I shall wait for you, my darling
I'll tell you why I couldn't choose Jeongnyeon.
There was a time…
when she and I were practicing Jamyunggo.
When I looked at her,
I felt nervous for some reason.
I don't think I can think straight…
if I act with her.
I felt that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference
between Ondal and Jeongnyeon.
And I'd be so confused.
And if that happens,
I wasn't sure I'd be able to focus on my acting.
So I got scared.
That's enough.
I understand.
There's something I realized while practicing with you.
Good acting isn't something I can achieve by myself.
It's something you have to hone with a good partner.
I relied a lot more on your acting than I thought.
It's now time for you to rely on me.
Come on, Jooran.
Let's go show everyone at the audition today
what we've been working on.
Let's protect Okgyeong!
"The Princess and the Fool Young leads audition"
"We don't need any other prince than Okgyeong!"
"There is only one throne under the sky!"
Do you have anything to say to Ms. Heo Youngseo?
How do you feel about your daughter's audition?
We'll be doing our best.
Have you heard Chae Gongseon's daughter sing?
Ms. Han!
Have you gotten in touch with Ms. Chae regarding this audition?
Hello, everyone.
You're all here early.
- Here, let me. - Hello.
Oh my, thank you so much.
There.
How did you all get here so early?
Hey, Geumju. That's Heo Youngseo.
Hwaja saw her at Maeran's last Jamyunggo production,
and apparently, she was amazing as the lead antagonist.
An antagonist is different from this role.
She can't possibly make a fool of herself as Ondal should.
I'll definitely get this role.
But…
is this everyone from Maeran?
Where's that girl who already played a supporting role
when she just joined their troupe?
The genius girl.
Yoon Jeongnyeon.
Yeah, her.
Where is she?
We will now begin the open audition
for the young leads of Princess and the Fool.
Aside from the judges, we are also joined today
by Maeran's Ms. Moon Okgyeong and Ms. Seo Hyerang as observers.
Then let's start with Yeonggwang Gukgeukdan's
Kim Gyeonguk and Cho Sunrye.
Is Jeongnyeon here yet?
Is something wrong?
She wasn't in her room this morning.
- I think she went to the mountain. - The mountain?
Didn't you know
that she's been practicing singing on the mountain?
Hong Jooran!
Yeah?
We're next.
Let's go.
My goodness, Princess!
You may rise.
Did you say that you would cry with me?
Yes, Your Highness.
It is something…
my sick mother used to say.
There is no such thing
As small tears or big tears
Light tears or heavy tears
So if you see someone weeping
Do not just pass them by
Jooran?
Next is Maeran Gukgeukdan's Heo Youngseo and Hong Jooran.
I'm Heo Youngseo of Maeran Gukgeukdan.
I'll be playing Ondal.
I'm Hong Jooran of Maeran Gukgeukdan.
I'll be playing Princess Pyeonggang.
How can I be separated
From my beautiful love?
My lazy body and foolish head
Are to blame
Do not cry Oh, please do not cry
My beautiful love
Do not shed
Your pearly tears
On your jade-like face
Oh, please do not cry
Look at my little girl.
Is there anyone else in your troupe
who possesses such perfect technique
and emotional depth in their performance?
She still has a long way to go.
She's supposed to act like a fool,
but she's acting much more like a prince.
Hmm… you could just compliment her, you know?
I do admit that her gaze has gotten deeper
and her acting has gotten more detailed.
Come, my love
I shall wait for you, my darling…
How is she singing such a difficult song so easily?
There's no one who can beat Youngseo in singing.
Damn it.
On those treacherous mountains
As I wait for you
My dearest love
Where the heck is she?
Just wait till she gets here.
Yoon Jeongnyeon!
I'm sorry I'm late.
What's wrong with your voice?
It's fine. It just sounds weird when I talk.
It sounds fine when I sing.
Hey, wait.
You look terrible.
You're burning up!
I just didn't get enough sleep.
I'll be fine if I rest after the audition.
This is why I told you to stop going to that mountain every day!
Why in the world did Hyerang give you such terrible advice?
What was she trying to do?
What are you talking about?
Tell me.
What did Hyerang tell you to do?
I was looking all over for you. Come on, everyone's waiting.
What is it?
You pushed Jeongnyeon to sing in a cave until she coughed up blood?
You really don't know when to give up, do you?
I'm so sick and tired of you.
All I did was tell her what she could do.
She was the one who went and did it.
No.
You put her in a trap.
You knew how desperate she was and that she'd walk right into it!
Okgyeong.
These are the last contestants.
Maeran Gukgeukdan's Yoon Jeongnyeon and Park Chorok.
Yoon Jeongnyeon?
She's the pansori genius Chae Gongseon's daughter, right?
I'm guessing she has an amazing voice like her mother.
Having a genius mother doesn't always mean you're a genius.
I'm Yoon Jeongnyeon.
I'm Park Chorok.
Never have I
Lamented the fate
Given to me by the heavens
But now, my family and I are accused
Of betraying our country
How can I be separated
From my beautiful love?
My lazy body and foolish head
Are to blame
Do not cry Oh, please do not cry
My beautiful love
Do not shed
Your pearly tears
On your jade-like face
Oh, please do not cry
I shall look for you, my love
I shall dry my sleeves of my tears
Treasure the marriage vows
We have taken together
And swear never to cry
Until I find you
Come, my love
I shall wait for you, my darling
I shall sharpen my wits…
Why did she stop?
I think her voice is shot.
Will you stop the song here?
She doesn't look all that well, so I think we've seen enough.
Let's end the audition here, shall we?
Wait!
Please… Please give me one more chance.
We've already given you a chance.
And you've just used it up.
I'm begging you.
Please just let me sing until the end.
That's enough.
You shouldn't sing anymore.
Let's stop here, Jeongnyeon.
I'm going to keep going.
- Jeongnyeon. - Just one more chance.
I'll just sing until the end.
If I don't sing right now…
I can't go on.
All right.
Director Kang.
This may just be…
her last chance.
Please allow her to sing.
Please.
Start from Pyeonggang's "If you leave now, when will you return."
If you leave now
When will you return?
I'll miss you a thousand times
I'll miss you
My love
I will miss my dear husband
To no end
Princess.
I do not care what happens to my lowly self.
But what to do…
of my dear princess's sorrow?
I shall look for you, my love
I shall dry my sleeves of my tears
Treasure the marriage vows
We have taken together
And swear never to cry
Until I find you
Come, my love
I shall wait for you, my darling
I shall sharpen my wits
To rival those of a dragon
And become as strong
As a tiger
On those treacherous mountains
As I wait for you
My dearest love
This is impossible.
Her voice was completely shot.
JEONGNYEON: THE STAR IS BORN
Translated by Jin Yu