'Intimate Ripley' opened the curtain on an addictive narrative, exploding with the perfect synergy of acting, directing, and script from its very first report.
The first episode of KBS2's new daily drama 'Intimate Ripley' (written by Lee Do-hyun, directed by Son Seok-jin), which aired on the 22nd, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 8.2% (based on all households), ranking first in its time slot across all channels, signaling a rapid and reliable run.
In the first episode of 'Intimate Ripley', Cha Jung-won (played by Lee Si-ah), who suffers from being abandoned by her mother and the stigma of her father being a murderer, experiences the sorrow of failing to get a job. After reuniting with her high school friend Joo Young-chae (played by Lee Hyo-na), she feels a thrill for the first time while pretending to be Young-chae at a party she follows her to. Moreover, the scene where Cha Jung-won encounters Han Hye-ra (played by Lee Il-hwa) on a rain-soaked street unfolded rapidly without a moment's pause.
The first episode began with a scene from 25 years ago, where Cha Gi-beom (played by Park Cheol-ho) is taken away by the police, and young Jung-won bursts into tears. Then, her mother Han Hye-ra promises to return to young Jung-won and entrusts her to Jo Mi-hyang (played by Yoon Ji-sook). However, with Cha Jung-won's words, "My mother never came to pick me up for 25 years after that," the story depicts how Cha Jung-won, branded as the daughter of a murderer and a high school graduate, is rejected in interviews and eventually ends up working various part-time jobs, including cleaning at a meat restaurant.
However, soon after, with a subtitle indicating the present, Cha Jung-won, dressed in luxury clothes, goes on a blind date with Se-hoon under the name 'Joo Young-chae' and experiences a wedding march, while in the warm embrace of her mother-in-law Han Hye-ra, she chillingly declares, "If I can bring you down, even if it's fake, that's fine. I have to be Joo Young-chae. No, I am Joo Young-chae," which piqued curiosity in a montage scene.
The time then returns to six months ago, where Cha Jung-won, working as a personal shopper in a department store's luxury section, encounters Joo Young-chae at the home of a VIP client while delivering clothes, who is with her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Han Hye-ra and Gong Nan-sook (played by Lee Seung-yeon), who had clashed over outfits in the personal shopper room, engage in a tense confrontation with Jin Tae-seok (played by Choi Jong-hwan) discussing the marriage between Jin Se-hoon and Joo Young-chae.
Cha Jung-won, due to Joo Young-chae, attends a private club party for the first time while wearing Young-chae's high-end clothes. At this time, Joo Young-chae, known as 'Victoria Shin' among her group, falsely tells those asking for Cha Jung-won's name that her name is 'Joo Young-chae', causing Young-chae to be flustered. On the other hand, Han Hye-ra, while looking at a photo on her daughter's (played by Choi Da-eum) phone that shows Joo Young-chae, appears to be filled with longing as she takes out items belonging to young Jung-won that she had hidden in a secret safe, stirring curiosity.
In the final ending, just as Cha Jung-won is about to be assaulted by an interviewer, she runs out into the rain, and while walking with a broken heel, she breaks down in tears. At that moment, Han Hye-ra appears and offers her an umbrella. The scene where the tearful Cha Jung-won and the elegantly smiling Han Hye-ra face each other, along with a fleeting memory of their separation in childhood, raises interest in what kind of impact their future meeting will have.
'Intimate Ripley' captivates viewers with the immersive narrative of writer Lee Do-hyun, the outstanding directing of Son Seok-jin, and a fantastic acting showcase from a cast of talented actors including Lee Si-ah, Lee Il-hwa, Lee Seung-yeon, Choi Jong-hwan, Park Cheol-ho, Seol Hyun-woo, and Lee Hyo-na, all promising a transformation.
Lee Si-ah vividly portrayed the struggles of Cha Jung-won, who, despite being abandoned by her mother and suffering from the stigma of her father's murder, perseveres through various part-time jobs. Lee Il-hwa aroused curiosity about her character's backstory by revealing her longing for the daughter she abandoned while simultaneously portraying the elegant image of a wealthy family's wife. Lee Seung-yeon brought to life the fierce demeanor of Gong Nan-sook, who can only find satisfaction by defeating someone, raising expectations for her performance.
'Intimate Ripley' depicts the audacious yet tearful struggle of a mother-daughter duo, who, meeting as in-laws, engage in a war of lies to claim the Hyangga. The second episode will air at 7:50 PM.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
