‘Red Balloon’ has the worst ending, the viewership ratings are a waste.

《Taeyuna’s Listening Bodbo》
Reporter Tae Yu-na and Ten Asia will properly cover all aspects of the drama based on what she heard and saw on the spot. We will be the eyes and ears of readers in an era where dramas are flooding in on numerous channels.

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Did they want to convey the message that if you have a disadvantaged family environment, it is okay to have an affair such as stealing the husband of your best friend of 20 years or to commit a design leak crime? Seo Ji-hye, an adulterous woman who ruined a family, was forgiven by her friend, reunited with the man she loved, and achieved a 'perfect' happy ending where her dream came true. The ending of a family fraud in which the perpetrator of adultery turns into a tragic heroine. This is why reactions pouring in that it is ‘the worst’.

On the 26th, TV Chosun's weekend mini-series 'Red Balloon' ended with episode 20. On this day's broadcast, Han Bada (played by Hong Soo-hyun) forgave her best friend Jo Eun-kang (played by Seo Ji-hye) for having an affair with her husband Go Cha-won (played by Lee Sang-woo). Go Cha-won and I remained friends after the divorce. Jo Eungang, who submitted a letter of resignation, went down to the countryside alone and taught children at a small elementary school, and a year later, he reunited with Goh Cha-won, who came to provide medical service. Han Bada has succeeded as a world-class jewelry designer.

If you look at the content alone, it is a happy ending for everyone. However, it is difficult to understand the ending in which Jo Eun-kang, who had chosen only bad things, such as stealing her friend's husband, leaking designs and causing the company to fail, and sending her family members to fake jobs, repented and achieved both work and love.

It is also unexpected that Hanbada forgives Jo Eungang. After suing Jo Eungang as an accomplice in stealing the design, Hanbada sharpened its blade for revenge by filing a lawsuit against an adulterous woman. However, seeing Jo Eun-kang's poor family situation with his own eyes, and crying and withdrawing all charges just because he learned that he had told Go Cha-won to end the relationship long before his affair was discovered, is a very disheartening development. Viewers who wanted a thrilling revenge were also left in awe.

Jo Eungang, who shamelessly committed an affair and was at risk of being fired from her job as a teacher due to a lawsuit, got down on her knees and cried and prayed. However, in the last episode, I felt for a moment that he was truly repenting as he gave up everything, such as not writing a response to the adulterous woman's lawsuit and immediately submitting a letter of resignation after going to work one day, and disappearing, saying, "I think I need to punish myself." The ending, where Go-won smiles brightly upon seeing them reunited a year later, is a surprise in itself. The scene that seemed to hint at the two people's pink future was ultimately seen as the victory of the adulterous woman who 'didn't break the middle' (the important thing was her unbreakable heart).

Viewers also reacted with absurdity to this ending. Jo Eung-kang's happy endings, such as "Is it okay to encourage adultery because such desires arose because of an unhappy family environment?", "Family breakdown and divorce due to infidelity were cleverly glorified", and "Jo Eung-kang became the most successful after stealing her friend's husband." Most people don't understand.

Above all, 'Red Balloon' started with a viewer rating of 3.7% and showed a gradual upward curve, breaking its own record every week and showing its potential to surpass 10% in 18 episodes. Writer Moon Young-nam's unique speaking style and the provocative subject matter of her husband's affair with her best friend led to its popularity. However, this ending feels like a waste of a 10% viewership rating. Did writer Moon Young-nam, the godmother of 'Makjang', want to end it with 'Makjang' as well?

JTBC's 'JTBC', which was obvious but showed the ending that everyone had hoped for, including Go Ah-in (played by Lee Bo-young) who broke the glass ceiling and confidently became the CEO, Kang Han-na (played by Son Na-eun) who grew up to be the successor to the next VC group, and Choi Chang-soo (played by Jo Seong-ha) who lost everything and quit the company. I think we need to watch and learn from ‘Agency’.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr