In ‘The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl’, Joihyun and Chuyoungwoo saved each other and reached a happy ending.
The tvN Monday-Tuesday drama ‘The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl’ (written by Yang Ji-hoon, directed by Kim Yong-wan) concluded on the 29th amidst enthusiastic reviews.
Baek Gyeon-woo (played by Chuyoungwoo) prepared for death to save Park Seong-ah (played by Joihyun), and Park Seong-ah's heartfelt prayer for another chance with the Weaver Girl, who left him, was both touching and earnest. Above all, instead of achieving their dream of wanting to be ordinary, the mutual salvation of Park Seong-ah and Baek Gyeon-woo, who found happiness in their own way, provided an unforgettable happy ending.
The viewers' reactions were explosive to the first love that even the evil god could not stop. The final episode recorded its highest ratings, with 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, ranking first in its time slot including general programming and cable. (Based on Nielsen Korea paid households)
According to the results announced by FUNdex, the official platform of Good Data Corporation, it ranked first for three consecutive weeks in the TV-OTT integrated category in the fourth week of July. Additionally, in terms of cast popularity, Joihyun (2nd), Chuyoungwoo (1st), and Chuja-hyun (4th) made it to the TOP 5, showcasing their true value until the end.
Moreover, receiving praise as ‘the second Seonjae riding high’, it ranked first in the Tving TOP 10 content for four consecutive weeks, and its viewing UV ranked third among all-time tvN Monday-Tuesday dramas, demonstrating its popularity. According to Flixpatrol, it entered the TOP 10 in the TV show category on Prime Video in 51 countries (including English/non-English content).
On that day, Baek Gyeon-woo asked Bong-soo how to meet the ‘real’ Park Seong-ah. However, even with the prophecy Bong-soo provided, Park Seong-ah did not appear, and he was asked to grant one wish from Bong-soo. The request was to die to save Park Seong-ah. Hearing Bong-soo's words that it was dangerous if he could not escape from Park Seong-ah's body, Baek Gyeon-woo made up his mind.
Seeing Bong-soo's tears, who could not leave Park Seong-ah's body, Baek Gyeon-woo went to find Park Seong-ah's dream. Park Seong-ah immediately realized that it was not Bong-soo who came to find her dream, but Baek Gyeon-woo. When Park Seong-ah asked how he had spent the time they could not meet, Baek Gyeon-woo recalled the time he had been searching for her. Touched by Park Seong-ah's consideration, who avoided him for fear of causing harm in reality and in dreams, Baek Gyeon-woo said, “I’m sorry for leaving you alone at eighteen,” and they shared a heartfelt kiss. Only then could Bong-soo leave Park Seong-ah's body and go to Baek Gyeon-woo.
Yeonhwa (played by Chuja-hyun) also risked her life to correct her mistakes. Upon learning of Yeonhwa's reckless plan, Flower Young Master (played by Yoon Byeong-hee) headed to the abandoned house to stop her. However, Yeonhwa and Bong-soo sealed the door so that no one could enter the abandoned house. The power of the evil god was too strong, and Flower Young Master struggled. In a moment of despair, Park Seong-ah appeared.
With a desperate heart to save Baek Gyeon-woo, the ‘Weaver Girl’ returned, and it also reached General Dongcheon (played by Kim Mi-kyung), making Park Seong-ah a shaman. Park Seong-ah broke the evil god's seal and entered the abandoned house to confront Bong-soo. At that moment, Baek Gyeon-woo comforted a lonely young scholar who faced a fearful death. And at that moment, Bong-soo remembered the name ‘Jang Yun-bo’. Leaving a farewell greeting to the tearful Park Seong-ah, “Goodbye, shaman. You must also say goodbye,” Bong-soo departed this world, having resolved his regrets.
After sending Bong-soo to the afterlife, Park Seong-ah and Baek Gyeon-woo returned to their daily lives. Baek Gyeon-woo secured a ticket to the Olympics as a national archery representative, while Park Seong-ah continued to live as a shaman who could not pass by the crying ghosts. “I see more than others. Because of that, I always lingered on the fringes of the world, but now it doesn’t feel sad,” Park Seong-ah's narration led to a perfect happy ending with the two sharing a kiss.
‘The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl’ left a deep aftertaste until the end as a mutual salvation romance where Park Seong-ah and Baek Gyeon-woo, who dreamed of living ordinarily like their peers, found their own happiness despite not being ordinary. The chemistry between Joihyun and Chuyoungwoo, who delicately built the narrative of becoming each other's first love and salvation, was nothing short of perfect.
Above all, the director Kim Yong-wan's compelling direction, which convincingly unfolded unique themes such as the misfortune-exorcising operation to save a doomed first love and the ‘human talisman’ that becomes more effective the more it fits, received high praise, as did the writer Yang Ji-hoon's sensuous writing.
The presence of Cha Gang-yoon, who infused laughter and excitement at the right moments with the friendly banter between Park Seong-ah and Baek Gyeon-woo, cannot be overlooked. The performances of trusted actors like Kim Mi-kyung, Yoon Byeong-hee, and Lee Soo-mi, who completed the diverse stories of the shamans, also shone brightly.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
