Go Hyun-jung and Ryeo-woon face each other at the negotiation table to turn their lives around.

In the Genie TV original drama ‘Namib’ (written by Eom Sung-min, directed by Han Sang-jae, Kang Min-goo), which first aired on the 23rd, the process of Kang Soo-hyun (played by Go Hyun-jung) and Yoo Jin-woo (played by Ryeo-woon), who were kicked out of Pandora Entertainment, coming to the negotiation table to achieve each other‘s goals unfolding at a fast pace, rapidly increasing the viewer’s immersion from the first episode.

Episode 1 of ‘Namib’ opened powerfully with Kang Soo-hyun busily searching for Yoo Jin-woo, who disappeared right before going on stage during a hectic live audition scene. Kang Soo-hyun, who barely managed to return to the scene to find Yoo Jin-woo, held onto Yoo Jin-woo‘s hand as he was shaking dangerously, encouraging him, foreshadowing the strong solidarity between the two that would unfold in the future.

Then, the story of the relationship between Kang Soo-hyun and Yoo Jin-woo, who firmly trusted each other, unfolded in earnest. They had one painful thing in common: they had both been suddenly kicked out of Pandora Entertainment, where they had worked together. Kang Soo-hyun, who had been the CEO of Pandora Entertainment, was dismissed at an emergency board meeting due to allegations of bullying raised by an artist. When Kang Soo-hyun stepped down and a new CEO took office, long-time trainee Yoo Jin-woo was also kicked out, leaving everyone feeling bitter.

What Pandora Entertainment offered to Kang Soo-hyun, who was on the verge of being kicked out empty-handed, was Yoo Jin-woo (Ryeo-woon), a trainee who had been kicked out and had 200 million won in debt. Kang Soo-hyun, who was shocked by the absurd proposal, discovered an interesting fact while reading materials related to Yoo Jin-woo. Yoo Jin-woo, who had a score similar to the average score of trainees, had a perfect score on the evaluation when he joined the company.

Kang Soo-hyun, who saw a glimmer of possibility, said, “Then you can win,” and offered Yoo Jin-woo a contract on the condition that he win the Star Rise audition. Yoo Jin-woo also mentioned her son Shim Jin-woo (played by Lee Jin-woo) to Kang Soo-hyun and said, “Mr. CEO, buy me. I will protect your child. Do you like me now?”, making the deal even more tense. As the negotiation table between the two is tense, one wonders how the deal between Kang Soo-hyun and Yoo Jin-woo will come to fruition.

In this way, ‘Namib’ sheds light on the intense first meeting between Kang Soo-hyun, a woman with a heart as desolate as the desert, and Yoo Jin-woo, a youth who drifts like the ocean, drawing attention to the changes in their relationship. Here, the conflict between Kang Soo-hyun, Shim Jun-seok (played by Yoon Sang-hyun), and Shim Jin-woo’s family, and the conflict between Kang Soo-hyun and Jang Hyun-cheol (played by Lee Seung-jun) over the position of CEO added various fun.

In addition, the sensational directing and story development that organically connected all the processes from Kang Soo-hyun and Yoo Jin-woo‘s dismissal to their return to the stage piqued interest. The background music and visual beauty that symbolize the two characters at the beginning of the play showed the characteristics of the characters at a glance, drawing the viewers into the play.

In addition, the passionate performances of the actors who immersed themselves in each character, such as Go Hyun-jung, who captivatingly portrayed all of Kang Soo-hyun’s emotions, from the CEO‘s charisma to a mother’s love, and Ryeo-woon, who expressed the conflict of the wandering youth Yoo Jin-woo, also captured the attention. Because of this, the next story of ‘Namib’ is highly anticipated, with the actors‘ acting and chemistry, story, and directing forming a beautiful harmony.

‘Namib’ Episode 2 will air on ENA today (the 24th) at 10 PM, and streaming will be provided for free on KT Genie TV and Genie TV Mobile immediately after the original broadcast.

Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com Reporter jhj@donga.com