First teaser of Park Eun-bin as the Castaway Diva

by missvictrix

It’s time to start the official countdown, because the first teaser for tvN’s upcoming rom-com Castaway Diva is here, and promised to us in October. This drama is one of the buzziest titles this year, and expectations (and not just mine!) are through the roof. First announced in December of last year, they knew they were getting Park Eun-bin (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), but they didn’t know they were getting her first post-Daesang drama to boot.

In what sounds like our heroine’s origin story, we’re told that idol wannabe Seo Mok-ha attempted to escape her bad home life and pursue her dream of being a singer, but a storm washed her away to a deserted island. As the text screens then announce: Forgotten for 15 years, she returns!

When Mok-ha is rescued and brought back to civilization, she winds up living with the singer whose music got her through her 15 years of solitude: singer Yoon Ran-joo, played by Kim Hyo-jin (The Good Detective 2). While Mok-ha is fired up to live her life and finally pursue her dreams of the stage, Ran-joo has hit rock bottom — and if that doesn’t make the perfect intersection for a sweet healing story, I don’t know what does.

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In the teaser we get a gloriously fun look at our heroine as she’s trying to keep herself alive on the island. Whether it’s stacking SOS stones, fishing for food, or communing with the seagulls, it’s clear our girl’s spirit is unbreakable. In voiceover, Mok-ha tells us, “While I was stranded on a desert island… I saw my future self.” And lo and behold, the weathered face and island vibe eventually give way to a beautiful and glamorous version of Mok-ha on the stage, all set to a diva-esque song which is sung at the top of her lungs. Somehow this is silly, heartwarming, and magical already, and all at once.

Rounding out the cast – and balancing out our two female leads — are Chae Jong-hyeop (Unlock the Boss), Cha Hak-yeon (Joseon Attorney), and Kim Joo-hun (Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim 3). And with PD Oh Chung-hwan and writer Park Hye-ryun teaming up again (as previously with Start Up and While You Were Sleeping), this drama is a classic in the making, and yes you heard that from me.

tvN’s rom-com Castaway Diva premieres in the Saturday-Sunday slot in October after the conclusion of Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun.