Joy Hyun and Choo Young-woo Deliver a Heartwarming Finale in 'Gyeonu and Seonnyeo'

Joy Hyun and Choo Young-woo have delivered a heartwarming finale, saving each other and achieving a happy ending.

The tvN drama 'Gyeonu and Seonnyeo' concluded on the 29th with rave reviews. Bae Gyeon-woo (played by Choo Young-woo) risked his life to save Park Seong-ah (played by Joy Hyun) by taking back the evil spirit Bong-su. Park Seong-ah's heartfelt plea to the goddess for another chance was touching. Instead of pursuing a dream of normalcy, Park Seong-ah and Bae Gyeon-woo found happiness in their own way, leaving a lasting impression with their mutual salvation.

The viewers' response was explosive, with the final episode achieving its highest ratings yet. It recorded an average of 5.1% and a peak of 6.2% in the metropolitan area, and an average of 4.9% and a peak of 6.1% nationwide, securing the top spot in its time slot across cable and general programming channels, according to Nielsen Korea.

According to FUNdex, the official platform of Good Data Corporation, the show ranked first in the TV-OTT integrated category for three consecutive weeks in the fourth week of July. In terms of cast popularity, Joy Hyun ranked second, Choo Young-woo first, and Choo Ja-hyun fourth, showcasing their impact until the end. The show was praised as the 'second Seonjae' and topped the TVING TOP10 content list for four consecutive weeks, ranking third in viewership among tvN Monday-Tuesday dramas. It also entered the TOP10 in the TV show category (including both English and non-English content) in 51 countries on Prime Video, according to FlixPatrol.

Bae Gyeon-woo asked Bong-su how to meet the 'real' Park Seong-ah. However, Park Seong-ah did not appear at the time Bong-su suggested, and Bong-su asked for a favor in return: for Bae Gyeon-woo to die to save Park Seong-ah. Bong-su warned that if he couldn't leave Park Seong-ah's body, the soul vessel would break, putting her in danger. Bae Gyeon-woo made up his mind. He visited Park Seong-ah's dream, realizing that she knew it was him, not Bong-su, who had come.

Park Seong-ah immediately recognized that the person who came to her dream was Bae Gyeon-woo, not Bong-su. When she asked how he had been during the years they couldn't meet, Bae Gyeon-woo recalled his frantic search for her. Touched by Park Seong-ah's consideration to avoid causing harm in reality and dreams, Bae Gyeon-woo expressed his regret, saying, "I'm sorry for leaving you alone at eighteen," and shared a heartfelt kiss. Only then could Bong-su leave Park Seong-ah's body and go to Bae Gyeon-woo.

Yeomhwa (played by Choo Ja-hyun) also risked her life to correct her past mistakes. Flower Boy (played by Yoon Byung-hee) rushed to stop her reckless plan, but Yeomhwa and Bong-su sealed the door to prevent anyone from entering the abandoned house. The evil spirit's power was overwhelming, and Flower Boy struggled. In a moment of despair, Park Seong-ah appeared. Her desperate wish to save Bae Gyeon-woo brought back the 'goddess,' reaching Dongcheon General (played by Kim Mi-kyung) and making Park Seong-ah a shaman.

Park Seong-ah broke the evil spirit's seal and entered the abandoned house to face Bong-su. At that moment, Bae Gyeon-woo comforted a young student soldier who died alone in fear. Bong-su remembered the name 'Jang Yun-bo' and bid farewell to Park Seong-ah with tears, saying, "Goodbye, shaman. You should be well too," before leaving this world.

After sending Bong-su to the afterlife, Park Seong-ah and Bae Gyeon-woo returned to their daily lives. Bae Gyeon-woo secured a spot on the national archery team for the Olympics, while Park Seong-ah continued her life as a shaman who couldn't ignore crying spirits. Her narration, "I see more than others. I used to linger on the outskirts of the world, but now it doesn't sadden me," followed by their kiss, marked a perfect happy ending.

'Gyeonu and Seonnyeo' left a lasting impression with its mutual salvation romance, where Park Seong-ah and Bae Gyeon-woo, who dreamed of living like their peers, found their own happiness. The chemistry between Joy Hyun and Choo Young-woo, who delicately built the narrative of becoming each other's first love and salvation, was impeccable.

Director Kim Yong-wan's compelling direction and writer Yang Ji-hoon's sensuous writing received praise for convincingly unraveling unique themes like the great misfortune expulsion operation to save a destined-to-die first love and the 'human talisman' that becomes more effective the closer it sticks. The presence of Cha Kang-yoon, who injected humor and excitement at the right moments with Park Seong-ah and Bae Gyeon-woo's close friend banter, cannot be overlooked. The performances of Choo Ja-hyun, who enhanced immersion with 'Yeomhwa,' and the diverse shamans portrayed by Kim Mi-kyung, Yoon Byung-hee, and Lee Soo-mi, were also outstanding.

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr