I've been watching *Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born*, and it's the first drama in a long time that doesn't rely on evil plots or crimes to drive the story. Even though it's set in a historical period, it resonates with us in the present, making us reflect on the choices we need to make for our future.
I’d like to talk about this captivating drama, *Jeongnyeon*, and how I fell in love with Kim Tae-ri's performance after watching it three times. Some say it's different from the original webtoon, but instead of focusing on that, I want to reflect on Jeongnyeon's personal decisions.
In the story, Jeongnyeon faces strong opposition from her mother about pursuing a singing career. Despite this, with the help of a renowned actor from a theater company, she unexpectedly gets a chance to perform. Driven by a desire to make money from her singing, she runs away from her home in Mokpo and heads to Seoul, where she eventually joins the theater troupe.
Later, Jeongnyeon makes another pivotal choice. She joins the theater, but to shake off the label of being someone’s "backer," she makes a bold bet. Winning the bet requires her to prove her skills, a difficult choice, but one that pushes her to seek recognition on her own merits.
Then, while working at a teahouse for a friend, she ends up singing there—something she isn’t allowed to do as a member of the troupe. How this decision unfolds will be revealed in episode 4.
I’ve kept the summary vague, with only enough detail for those who have seen the drama, because what I really want to discuss is how Jeongnyeon’s life keeps shifting based on her choices.
For most of us leading ordinary lives, dramatic events like running away from home, making risky bets, or getting into trouble at work don’t happen as they do in the drama. But even so, we make choices every day, and our futures are shaped by those decisions. The choices we made in the past define who we are today, and the choices we make now will shape our future selves.
Choices...
It may not always feel like we’re standing at a major crossroads, but we encounter countless small decisions every day. Whether it's deciding to wake up early or sleep in, what to have for lunch, whether to hurry across the street before the light turns red, or whether to send a text to a friend, all these tiny choices add up to define us.
Just as I wonder what choices Jeongnyeon will make and where they will lead her in the drama, I find myself reflecting on how my own daily choices are shaping me. Our choices define our identity, and the decisions we make now pave the way to who we will become, which makes me even more curious about my future.
Suddenly, I find myself asking: Will the choices I’m making today really lead me to the future I want?
As I watched the drama, my mind kept wandering to these thoughts.
Someone once said, "Create a vision of your future self, and live each day working toward becoming that person." I understand the sentiment, but the challenge for me now is that it’s not always easy to even imagine what that future looks like. If you have a clear goal, you can make choices aligned with it. But what about those of us who don't?
That’s when I recalled something Yoo Jae-suk once said: "I've come this far by living each day earnestly."
So if I can’t clearly picture my future just yet, I think the best thing I can do is make the most of today. I’m writing this now as a way of telling both myself and anyone reading to start shaping their future, one choice at a time. And if you can’t visualize the future just yet, just focus on living each day with sincerity.
I’m trying to sketch out my future every day, though it hasn’t been easy. Maybe writing it down will help me organize my thoughts. What kind of future do I really want?
