Curtain Call () is a 2022 South Korean television series starring Kang Ha-neul, Ha Ji-won, Go Doo-shim, Sung Dong-il, Jung Ji-so, Noh Sang-hyun, and Kwon Sang-woo. The series revolves around a man who plays the role of a grandson who defected to fulfill his grandmother's last wish from the North, a woman who falls in love with that man, and the people involved in the play. It premiered on KBS2 on October 31, 2022, and aired every Monday and Tuesday at 21:50 (KST). It is also available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video in selected regions.
Synopsis During the Korean War, while attempting to escape North Korea, Geum-soon (Go Doo-shim) is separated from her husband and infant son. She manages to make it to South Korea where she begins her new life, running Nakwon Inn on Korea's southern coast, while waiting for her lost family. She remarries, has a son and grandchildren and builds the Nakwon Group, the top hotel chain in the country. Years later, at a reunion between separated families, Geum-soon gets a chance to meet her grown-up North Korean son and his son named Ri Moon-sung. She tried to invite them to live with her in the South for a better life but her son refused, having been brainwashed by North Korean propaganda, causing him to despise his mother for being a capitalist. But at the next reunion, she is informed about the death of her son, losing any contact with the grandson as well.
In the present day, Geum-soon is dying of cancer and has only three months left. Geum-soon's granddaughter and the manager of the hotel, Park Se-yeon (Ha Ji-won), works hard to protect Nakwon's name and keep the chain in the family while her elder brother tries to sell it. Meanwhile, Geum-soon's trusted right-hand man, Jeong Sang-cheol (Sung Dong-il) who has been searching for her North Korean grandson for years, finally tracks him down only to learn that he has become a smuggler and a violent criminal operating in China. Jeong decides to keep this truth from Geum-soon but comes up with a plan to grant her last wish to meet her grandson again.
Jeong then approaches Yoo Jae-hoon (Kang Ha-neul), a struggling actor of an unknown theater company who does several part time jobs to make ends meet, after watching his performance as a North Korean soldier in a play. Jeong asks Yoo to impersonate Geum-soon's North Korean grandson. In exchange for 500 million won, Yoo begins to play that role for three months.
Cast Main Kang Ha-neul as Yoo Jae-heon / Jung-moon Yoo Jae-heon: A theater actor in a local theater company. He receives a sudden offer from an old gentleman to play the defecting grandson of a certain grandmother, and he faces a major turning point in his life. Jung-moon: Geum-soon's North Korean husband from whom she separated decades ago. Ha Ji-won as Park Se-yeon Geum-soon's granddaughter. The youngest daughter and the general manager of Hotel Nakwon. She and her brothers lost their parents at a young age and were raised by their grandmother. Go Doo-shim as Ja Geum-soon Ha Ji-won as young Geum-soon The founder of Hotel Nakwon, a leading hotel chain in Korea. During the Korean War she descends to the South and is separated from her husband and child. She grows a hotel while waiting for the two of them. She wishes to see her grandson Moon-sung one last time. Sung Dong-il as Jeong Sang-cheol Dawon as young Jeong Sang-cheol The former manager of Hotel Nakwon and the right-hand man of Geum-soon. Even after retiring from his managerial position, he looks after and assists Geum-soon. Jung Ji-so as Seo Yoon-hee A theater actress in Yoo Jae-heon's theater company. She is asked to play the wife's role of the defecting grandson played by Yoo Jae-heon. Noh Sang-hyun as Ri Moon-sung Kang Ji-yong as young Moon-sung Geum-soon's North Korean grandson. A smuggler from North Korea and a member of a Korean-Chinese drug organization. Kwon Sang-woo as Bae Dong-jae Se-yeon's ex-fiancé. The successor of a giant conglomerate Samwoo who owns a distribution chain.
Supporting Geum-soon's family Ji Seung-hyun as Park Se-jun The first grandson and the major shareholder of Hotel Nakwon founded by his grandmother Geum-soon. Choi Dae-hoon as Park Se-gyu The second grandson of Hotel Nakwon's founder. Hwang Woo-seul-hye as Hyun Ji-won Park Se-jun's wife who is a former announcer. Bae Hae-sun as Yoon Jung-sook Park Ji-won as young Yoon Jung-sook A housekeeper of Hotel Nakwon for a long time, now serving as Geum-soon's housekeeper.
Others Kim Hyun-sook as Hong Ra-kyung Manager of Hotel Nakwon who works under Park Se-yeon's direct management. Jung Yoo-jin as Song Hyo-jin Park Se-yeon's close friend and the youngest daughter of a large construction company. Son Jong-hak as Kim Seung-do A longtime employee and managing director of Hotel Nakwon. Han Jae-Young as Jang Tae-joo A former detective who has been tracking the whereabouts of the real grandson of Geum-soon at the request of Jeong Sang-cheol.
Special appearances Ahn Nae-sang as a doctor Lee Yi-kyung as Park No-kwang A close friend of Yoo Jae-heon. Kim Young-min as Ri Young-hoon Geum-soon's son who was separated from her during the war when he was a child. Choi Jung-won as Song Hyo-jin's acquaintance Jang Hye-jin as Oh Ga-young Seo Yoon-hee's mother. Hong Ki-joon as a Korean-Chinese Jung Eui-jae as Mu-jin Geum-soon's South Korean husband. Baek Jin-hee as Jin-sook Wife of Ri Moon-sung. Choi Jung-woo as Cheol-jin A judge. When he was a child, his mother fled with him from the North to the South during the Korean War. Kim Kang-hyun as a reporter Lim Sa-rang as Staff of Nakwon Hotel
Production The early working title of the series was A Tree Dies Standing (). The roles of Park Se-yeon and Geum-soon were first offered to Son Ye-jin and Youn Yuh-jung respectively. In July 2022, it was reported that filming was under progress.
The press conference of the drama which was scheduled to be held on October 31, 2022, was canceled due to the aftermath of the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush.
Original soundtrack Part 1
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Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Viewership
+ Average TV viewership ratings Original broadcast date Average audience share Nielsen KoreaNielsen Korea ratings:
TNmSTNmS ratings:
Nationwide Seoul Nationwide 1 October 31, 2022 2 November 1, 2022 3 November 7, 2022 5.6% 5.4% 4.7% 4 November 8, 2022 6.0% 5.5% 5.8% 5 November 14, 2022 4.7% 4.2% 4.3% 6 November 15, 2022 5.6% 5.3% 5.2% 7 November 22, 2022 4.3% 3.9% 4.2% 8 November 29, 2022 4.3% 4.0% 9 December 5, 2022 4.2% 4.0% 4.3% 10 December 6, 2022 5.4% 5.2% 4.3% 11 December 12, 2022 5.5% 5.4% 3.9% 12 December 13, 2022 6.1% 5.9% 4.6% 13 December 19, 2022 4.6% 5.0% rowspan="4" 14 December 20, 2022 5.2% 5.1% 15 December 26, 2022 5.3% 5.1% 16 December 27, 2022 5.7% 5.0% Average In the table above, the represent the lowest ratings and the represent the highest ratings. N/A denotes that the ratings were not known.
Awards and nominations Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result KBS Drama Awards 2022 Top Excellence Award, Actor Kang Ha-neul Top Excellence Award, Actress Ha Ji-won Best Supporting Actor Sung Dong-il Best New Actor Noh Sang-hyun Best New Actress Jung Ji-so Popularity Award, Actor Kang Ha-neul Best Couple Award Kang Ha-neul and Ha Ji-won
Notes
References
External links
Curtain Call at Daum