Jung Hae In and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo starrer Snowdrop premieres amidst controversy, leaves a watery trail of history and intrigue

By Nandini Iyengar -

December 20, 2021 - 3:00 PM IST

South Korean actor Jung Hae In and K-pop group BLACKPINK member Jisoo have paired up for the first time in the period melodrama Snowdrop. The drama is set in the backdrop of the June Movement that happened in the 1980s South Korea. This movement was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the current democratic government in South Korea. The drama premiered on December 18, 2021 and it is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated dramas of the year. Along with Jung Hae In and Jisoo, the drama also stars Kim Hye Yoon, Jeong Yoo Jin, Yoo In Na, Yoon Se Ha, Heo Joon Ho, Park Sung Woong, Kim Min Gyu in prominent roles.

Jung Hae In and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo starrer Snowdrop premieres amidst controversy, leaves a watery trail of history and intrigue

Jeong Yoo Jin’s role is that of an intelligence officer who is after the spies, whereas Kim Hye Yoon plays the role of a dormitory attendant. Heo Joon Ho and Park Sung Woong’s role are no less controversial, since they portray the leaders of the active political parties of that time. So far, the makers have dropped clues throughout the episodes, and these clues will be instrumental in taking the drama ahead. For example, Eun Young Ro’s roommate Yeo Jung Min (played by actress Kim Mi Soo) who takes part in the student activism. One of the hot topics of discussions was also around using famous student protest song ‘Pine Pine Green Pine’ as a background music for the spy.

The drama Snowdrop also marks the acting debut of BLACKPINK’s Jisoo. She has been praised for her portrayal of Eun Young Ro, a bubbly university student. Jung Hae In’s Lim Soo Ho is a man of fewer words. One can say his character is typical to Jung Hae In’s past roles (acting wise) where he expresses more with his eyes and expressions than the dialogues. This role comes in following his critically-acclaimed performance in Netflix series D.P. The budding romance between Young Ro and Soo Ho is unmissable, but sadly it is doomed for a tragedy.

Snowdrop has been a hot topic of discussion since it was announced, for its political premise. While several South Korean viewers had requested for the show to stop filming with petitions being signed, others decided to give fate a chance and see how the story pans out, despite the sensitive history portrayed. The drama has also been a point of discussion in regards to Jung Hae In’s character Lim Soo Ho, who is a North Korean spy under the disguise of an Economics student studying in Berlin, Germany. The political situation back then was quite severe and violent, leaving many dead in its wake. Some have allegedly even accused the show’s makers of twisting and distorting the actual historical facts.

Each episode clocks about 90 minutes of the runtime. With the two episodes that premiered over the weekend, the drama strums the tunes of nostalgia with the 80s set and costumes. The comic and somewhat relatable scenes in the girls’ dormitory, along with the university chatter, do good to distract the viewers from the nail-biting politics. Right after the drama premiere, it has come under fire over allegations stating that the story is distorting the facts, and that Lim Soo Ho’s character being romanticized hurts the sentiments of the people, as several civilians were captured and tortured by mistaking them as spies.

It remains to be seen how Snowdrop makers depict one of the most monumental political movements in South Korea’s history. The fate of the drama hangs by a thin thread of trust in the makers, for them to not romanticize or plaster the facts, and also on the faith of the viewers.