Moon Ga-young, growth story from ‘rom-com queen’ to ‘melo queen’

I wonder if I would feel this frustrated even if I ate 100 sweet potatoes. The very realistic sight of love makes my heart pound the whole time I watch it. However, what made me continue to wonder about the next story was the passionate performance of the female protagonist's delicate eyes, which were revealed in various ways even on her expressionless face. Through the JTBC Wednesday-Thursday drama 'Love Understanding', Moon Ga-young changed from 'rom-com queen' to 'melo queen'.

'Understanding Love' is a melodrama that tells the story of people with different interests meeting and understanding the true meaning of love. In the play, Moon Ga-young plays the role of Ahn Soo-young, a high school graduate and manager of KCU Bank's Yeongpo branch.

The character of Ahn Soo-young in the work is different from the characters that Moon Ga-young has played so far. If he showed a bubbly and lovely side in 'The Man in Memory' and 'True Beauty', it is difficult to find him smiling in 'Understanding Love'. It's a colorless feeling with no words or facial expressions.

I wondered what would be left of Moon Ga-young without her loveliness, but the result was a huge success. In previous romantic comedies, Moon Ga-young, who had little opportunity to show her acting skills compared to her visuals due to the somewhat unrealistic character and the exaggerated dialogue tone, relaxed her energy and focused only on the character's detailed emotions, succeeding in expressing the character's fluctuating emotions solely with her eyes. .

Although he has feelings for Ha Sang-soo (played by Yoo Yeon-seok), he pushes them away due to differences in his environment, and receives comfort when he meets Jeong Jong-hyeon (played by Jeong Ga-ram), who is in a similar situation as him. However, his remaining feelings for Ha Sang-soo are not erased, and the complicated and subtle situation is convincing. What added this was entirely Moon Ga-young's power.

In addition, the image of a woman who is tired of a hard life, including the wounds caused by the death of her younger brother, the discord with her father, the sorrow for her mother, and the despair over the unequal structure within the company, was calmly captured, increasing the level of immersion in the play.

Despite the actors' passionate performances and a tight narrative, the viewership ratings were disappointing. We cannot ignore the fact that this is a late time slot at 10:30 PM on weekdays and that 'Mr. Trot 2', which has a viewership rating of around 20%, is aired at the same time slot. However, through word of mouth, its sales rose from the 1% to 3% range, forming a solid fan base and receiving favorable reviews. It proved that the quality of the work and the passionate performances of the actors have value that cannot be measured by viewership ratings.

Moon Ga-young succeeded in broadening her spectrum as an actress through 'Understanding Love' and firmly established herself as a leading actress in her 20s. With 'Understanding Love' just reached its turning point, expectations are focused on what Moon Ga-young will show as Ahn Soo-young.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr