시공간을 초월한 로맨스의 파국인가, 새로운 서막인가: ‘멋진 신세계’가 던진 화두 > K-wave Trends

The narrative power of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Brave New World’ starts from the gap in time and space experienced by the main characters Shin Seo-ri and Cha Se-se. The unique setting of Kang Dan-sim, a villainess from the Joseon Dynasty inhabiting the body of unknown actor Shin Seo-ri, goes beyond a comedy in which the soul is swapped, and contains a fatalistic tragedy in which past and present lives are intertwined. In the recently aired episode, just as Cha Se-gye fully accepted Seo-ri's true nature and the two were about to blossom into a romantic relationship, Chairman Cha Dal-soo's mysterious car accident suddenly changed the atmosphere of the drama. Seo-ri's pledge to not repeat the tragedy of her past life was met with a physical brake in the form of an accident, and viewers witnessed the direction of the romance fall into the fog. This is the core driving force of the drama, which has driven the drama's record of rising viewership ratings and #1 most talked about topic, and is a strong catalyst for maintaining the tension of the story.

The most shocking information revealed through the trailer for Episode 11 is that Seo-ri was once again forcibly summoned to the pulpit of Joseon 300 years ago. The setting of Seo-ri, who was gradually adapting to life in modern society and finding her own identity, returned to Joseon without warning, coupled with the meaningful look in the eyes of the female shaman waiting for her, leaves viewers with strong questions. Speculation is pouring in as to what on earth forcibly pulled Seo-ri from the 21st century to Joseon, and whether the traffic accident that occurred in the process was simple bad luck or the inevitable result of some invisible force. Seo-ri's bewilderment as she awakens to the pulpit of the Joseon Dynasty maximizes viewers' immersion and adds to the anxiety about whether she will be able to return to modern times or whether she will say eternal farewell to the world of today.

Meanwhile, behind the success of this drama is actress Lim Ji-yeon's fierce acting philosophy. According to what was recently revealed through the entertainment program ‘You Quiz on the Block’, Lim Ji-yeon honestly confessed the helplessness and anxiety she experienced as an actress after ‘human addiction’ in the past, and revealed her extraordinary determination for this work. In particular, considering the nature of the romantic comedy genre, she hoped that her co-star Heo Nam-joon would look the most attractive and cool on screen, and the episode in which she gave up her own lighting to make the other actor stand out clearly shows how proactively she considers the balance of the character and the work as a whole. The dedicated attitude of these actors became the foundation for ‘Brave New World’ to enter Netflix’s global non-English language show rankings and continue its unrivaled box office success.

The drama ‘Brave New World’ goes beyond a simple romance and throws heavy themes of past life, present life, and fate to viewers. The fact that Seo-ri returned to Joseon is not simply a change of location, but implies that the emotions she experienced in this life will collide with her past memories and face a new phase. This forced summons, which occurred shortly after Cha Se-se and Seo-ri's love began, causes a powerful narrative conflict as to whether the two will be able to overcome the barrier of time and space and reunite again. The fact that it is still ranked first in TV-OTT combined topicality even in the fifth week of airing proves that viewers are desperately hoping that their fateful love will not end in tragedy. Ultimately, this 11th episode will be the most important inflection point in the entire narrative, and Seo-ri's fate in Joseon will be the most important key to the drama's final conclusion.