How Go Youn-jung is Transforming Koo Kyo-hwan into a Real Film Director in 'Struggling with Worthlessness'

In 'Struggling with Worthlessness', Go Youn-jung is empowering Koo Kyo-hwan to grow into a genuine film director through a step-by-step 'power-up'. This work marks the first new project in four years by writer Park Hae-young, following the 2022 hit drama 'My Liberation Notes', and has garnered attention even before its release due to the casting of Koo Kyo-hwan and Go Youn-jung. However, the show has recorded a 2% viewership rating for four consecutive episodes.

In JTBC's weekend drama 'Struggling with Worthlessness' (hereafter 'Struggling'), Hwang Dong-man (Koo Kyo-hwan) and Byun Eun-ah (Go Youn-jung) are helping each other escape the swamp of worthlessness through the power they give each other. Notably, Byun Eun-ah's three-step power-up that elevates 'Nothing' Hwang Dong-man to a 'film director' is drawing attention.

The first step is fulfilling emotional hunger. Hwang Dong-man constantly stuffed himself with food at every meeting of the '8 People Club', yet he was always starving due to the worthlessness stemming from not having made a single film in 20 years. Even when Choi Film's CEO Choi Dong-hyun (Choi Won-young) told him to quit, Hwang Dong-man continued to gorge on food. Byun Eun-ah gifted him side dishes lovingly prepared by her grandmother (Yeon Woon-kyung). These dishes, filled with the 'comfort' Hwang Dong-man longed for, satisfied his emotional hunger and gave him the strength to soar.

Byun Eun-ah also boosted Hwang Dong-man's social self-esteem. The word that triggered Hwang Dong-man's traumatic heart palpitations was 'unemployed'. When he discovered that he was categorized as an 'unemployed male' rather than a 'film director' in the emotion watch test, his heart rate skyrocketed with 'intense shame'. So, when the police asked about his occupation, he couldn't even open his mouth. At that moment of hesitation, Byun Eun-ah confidently introduced him as a 'film director'. Her voice of certainty was a salvation to Hwang Dong-man, who felt a powerful thrill that almost caused him to hyperventilate.

In the upcoming 5th episode airing today (2nd), Byun Eun-ah's power boost is expected to reach its peak. In the preview video, Byun Eun-ah encourages Hwang Dong-man, who is battered and broken by the world, saying, "I'll watch over you." She volunteers to be the 'first audience member' to react to his 'drip' monologue, the only thing proving his existence. It raises curiosity about what explosive momentum Byun Eun-ah will provide to Hwang Dong-man, who has been stagnant for 20 years, and whether he can turn the shining title she gave him into reality.

'Struggling with Worthlessness' episode 5 airs today (2nd) at 10:40 PM on JTBC.

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