The paternity scandal surrounding girl head of household Ha Seung-ri has been unveiled.
On the evening of the 13th, the first episode of KBS1 daily drama Marie and Her Three Daddies (written by Kim Hong-joo, directed by Seo Yong-su, produced by LI Entertainment, Monster Union) depicted the past and present of Kang Mari (Ha Seung-ri), her mother Ju Si-ra (Park Eun-hye), and the three father candidates Lee Poong-ju (Ryu Jin), Kang Min-bo (Hwang Dong-joo) and Jin Gi-sik (Gong Jung-hwan). The episode recorded a 10.7% viewership rating (provided by Nielsen Korea, nationwide households), signaling a strong start for the new-concept family drama.
The premiere began intensely with Si-ra running in a wedding dress on her high school graduation day for her wedding to Min-bo. After a happy wedding, the couple was seen standing in front of a sperm collection room in the next scene, arousing curiosity. In another time, inside the same sperm collection room, Poong-ju and Gi-sik emerged, and a nurse staring at the sterile containers holding their sperm hinted at the whirlpool of fate they were about to enter.
Min-bo, who had cherished young Mari, for some reason left coldly as Mari ran toward him. Seeing the crying Mari, Si-ra declared, "From today, there is no father," provoking curiosity about what had happened between them.
More than 20 years passed, and the grown Mari appeared, marking the true beginning of the story. Working food delivery and part-time at Um Hospital postpartum care center, Mari had become a thorough realist who worked in an obstetrics clinic with no future simply because the pay was double. When a VIP asked her for a favor that she was about to refuse because her shift had ended, Mari's eyes lit up at the thick envelope of money the VIP handed her, prompting questions about why she had become a slave to capitalism.
The questions were quickly answered. Si-ra had secretly started cleaning at Um Hospital postpartum care center for Mari, and it was revealed that she had to take part-time jobs while nagging her aunt Um Gi-bun (Jeong Ae-ri) because the phone bill was three months overdue, implying Mari's role as the effective head of the household. Gi-bun recalled that Si-ra had once begged her for artificial insemination, showing that Gi-bun was also connected to the secret of Mari's birth.
Meanwhile, despite being mother-in-law and son-in-law, Gi-bun and Gi-sik showed sharp tension that raised questions. After Gi-sik was criticized by Gi-bun for discarding a sperm sample, he heard that she had designated Poong-ju as the head of the newly established hematologic oncology department at the hospital and said, "These days sperm donation is legal, so that's a relief. It used to be illegal," a telling remark. Also, Gi-sik became noticeably bright when he saw Mari, which was puzzling. Gi-bun's subtle threat to him and Gi-sik's burdensome kindness toward Mari made viewers more curious about how he might be connected to Mari's birth.
At the end of the broadcast, Mari decided to make her first video call with her long-separated father Min-bo. As Mari's nervous face appeared, the scene alternated with Yoon Soon-ae (Geum Bo-ra) watching news about a custody lawsuit, hinting at conflicts to come. During the video call with Mari, Min-bo finally said, "When I return this time, we'll seriously discuss your issues. If necessary, I'll meet your mother too," foreshadowing the upheaval that will befall Mari.
From its first broadcast, Marie and Her Three Daddies attracted attention with brisk storytelling and hints about the secrets surrounding Mari's family. The cheerful direction, immersive script and the actors' complete embodiment of their roles left viewers curious about future developments.
Viewers who watched the broadcast reacted enthusiastically, saying, "Mari is totally a teetotaler. I'm looking forward to Ha Seung-ri's acting," "They gathered only actors who act well. The lineup is great," "I like the fast pace of the story," "The father candidates are flashy so I'm excited to see when they appear," "Hyun-woo looks good in a doctor's coat and is handsome," and "It seems like it will get more interesting."
Meanwhile, KBS1's Marie and Her Three Daddies episode 2 will air at 8:30 p.m. on the 14th.
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