Main Cast: Kang Ha-Neul, Ha Ji-Won, Jung Ji-So, Sung Dong-Il, Ko Du-Shim
Summary
Curtain Call is a South Korean drama following the family of a woman, Geum-Soon (played by Ko Du-Shim), who successfully escaped North Korea during the Korean War and her new life in South Korea. The drama begins with the heart-wrenching scene of Geum-Soon running with her husband and newborn son to American ships heading to safety in South Korea. However after Geum-Soon successfully climbed onto the ship, the rope supporting her husband and son snaps and she is separated from her family. When the ship safely docks in South Korea, Geum-Soon establishes a small lodging overlooking the ocean in hopes of being able to reunite with her husband and son.
Geum-Soon eventually creates a new life and family and amasses a fortune in the hotel business. Despite her new life and family, Geum-Soon has never forgotten about the loved ones she lost and is continuously haunted by the scene of losing her husband and son. Although the communication between North and South Korea is banned, Geum-Soon has an opportunity to reunite with her North Korean son and grandson 30 years later when both Korean governments allowed a brief reunion between separated family members. However, her son unfortunately passes away and the limited communication severs all contact with her grandson in North Korea.
As Geum-Soon fulfills her lifelong dream of opening a luxurious hotel, she is diagnosed with cancer and told that she only has 3 months left to live. Determined to provide Geum-Soon peace and happiness during her final months, Geum-Soon’s assistant Jeong Sang-Cheol (played by Sung Dong-Il) attempts to find her long-lost grandson, Ri Moon-Sung. Unfortunately, Sang-Cheol learns that Geum-Soon’s once wholesome grandson now leads a life of crime as a member of a Korean-Chinese drug organization. Rather than letting Geum-Soon regret her last few months, Sang-Cheol devises an elaborate plan and hires Yoo Jae-Hoon (played by Kang Ha-Neul) to play the role of Ri Moon-Sung. In order for the biggest play of Jae-Hoon’s life to successfully begin, he must befriend and earn the trust of Geum-Soon’s South Korean grandchildren Park Se-Yeon (played by Ha Ji-Won), Park Se-Jun, and park Se-Gyu. However this will not be an easy task, given that the timing of Jae-Hoon’s arrival coincides with the inheritance of the hotel’s shares.
Thoughts
Despite being released on October 31, Curtain Call has the potential to be the most heart-breaking drama of 2022. The first episode left me sobbing and surrounded by tissues as the cast accurately captured the heartache of losing a family member. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Geum-Soon and felt her pain of being forcefully separated from her loved ones.
Despite being a very serious and emotionally-packed drama, Curtain Call has a dynamic plot with the power struggle between the grandchildren over the sale of the newest hotel. The viewers also can’t help but wonder if Jae-hoon will successfully deceive Geum-Soon and the other grandchildren. Jae-Hoon’s accidental mistakes and attempts to cover his tracks provide much needed comedic relief. However, I also can’t help but feel a little anxious for Jae-Hoon as the drama shows side clips of Moon-Sung living in China and Geum-Soon’s grandsons continues to be skeptical of Jae-Hoon’s authenticity and background.
Although only 4 episodes have been released, Curtain Call overall seems like a well-developed drama and the opportunity for that perfect cathartic cry. However, the only thing that I have to critique is that the first episode is slightly confusing. Ha Ji-Won plays young Geum-Soon and the granddaughter Se-Yeon while Kang Ha-neul plays Geum-Soon’s North Korean husband and Jae-Hoon. It took me a few minutes to realize that they played two different characters and left me slightly confused. However, maybe that was intentional to show that the two will be reunited as the drama slightly hints that Jae-Hoon finds Se-Yeon attractive.
