The 'paternity scandal' surrounding the girl head of the household, Ha Seung-ri, has been unveiled.
In the first episode of KBS1's daily drama ‘Mari and the Unusual Dads’ (directed by Seo Yong-soo, written by Kim Hong-joo), which aired on the 13th, the past and present of Kang Mari (played by Ha Seung-ri), her mother Joo Si-ra (played by Park Eun-hye), and the three father candidates Lee Pung-joo (played by Ryu Jin), Kang Min-bo (played by Hwang Dong-joo), and Jin Gi-sik (played by Gong Jeong-hwan) were depicted. The viewership rating recorded 10.7% (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide), marking a strong start for this new family drama.
The intense beginning was marked by Si-ra running in a wedding dress for her wedding to Min-bo on her high school graduation day. After the happy wedding ceremony, the two were seen standing in front of a sperm collection room, sparking curiosity. In another time, inside the same sperm collection room, Pung-joo and Gi-sik appeared, and later a nurse looked at the sterilized containers holding their sperm, hinting at the fateful whirlpool they were about to fall into.
Min-bo, who cherished young Mari, coldly left her behind as she ran towards him. Si-ra, seeing Mari cry, declared, “From today, there is no dad,” stirring curiosity about what had happened between them.
Twenty years later, an adult Mari appeared, marking the beginning of the events. Working part-time at a food delivery service and a postpartum care center, Mari had grown into a thorough realist, working in an obstetrics department with no future simply because the pay was double. After her part-time job ended, she hesitated to take on a VIP's errand, but her eyes sparkled at the thick envelope of cash handed to her by the VIP, raising questions.
The reason was revealed when it was disclosed that Si-ra had secretly started cleaning at the postpartum care center, and that she had to work part-time because the communication bills were three months overdue, suggesting that Mari was essentially the head of the household. Gi-bun recalled that Si-ra had begged her in the past for artificial insemination, revealing that Gi-bun was also connected to the secret of Mari's birth.
Gi-bun and Gi-sik, despite being mother-in-law and son-in-law, displayed sharp tension, raising curiosity. Gi-sik, who was criticized by Gi-bun for the sperm sample incident, heard that she had appointed Pung-joo as the head of the newly established hematology department at the hospital and remarked, “These days, sperm donation is legal, so that's a relief. It used to be illegal, right?” making a significant statement.
Gi-sik's noticeably brightened demeanor upon seeing Mari raised suspicions. His subtle threats to Gi-bun and burdensome kindness towards Mari made viewers wonder what his relationship with Mari's birth could be.
Towards the end of the broadcast, Mari decided to have her first video call with her long-separated father, Min-bo. As Mari's nervous face was shown, it was intercut with Yoon Soon-ae (played by Geum Bo-ra) watching news related to custody battles, hinting at the conflicts to come. During the video call with Mari, Min-bo finally said, “When I return this time, let's discuss your issues in earnest. If necessary, I will meet your mom too,” foreshadowing the turmoil that would unfold for Mari.
‘Mari and the Unusual Dads’ attracted attention from the very first broadcast with its refreshing development and hints at the secrets surrounding Mari's family. The delightful direction, engaging script, and the actors' perfect transformations made viewers curious about the future developments.
Episode 2 of ‘Mari and the Unusual Dads’ will air on the 14th at 8:30 PM.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
