'Riding Life' features lines that resonate with mothers.
The Genie TV original drama 'Riding Life' (written by Seong Yoon-ah and Jo Won-dong, directed by Kim Cheol-kyu) depicts the life of a passionate working mom, Jeong-eun (played by Jeon Hye-jin), who is preparing her daughter for the '7-year-old exam' and entrusts her mother, Jia (played by Jo Min-soo), with riding lessons, showcasing the struggles of three generations of women in Daechi-dong. The story of the reality of private education for young children in Daechi-dong and the lives of the mothers and daughters living within it has captivated viewers.
As a result, 'Riding Life' continues to sail smoothly with rising viewership ratings. Starting at 1.2% for the first episode, the ratings jumped to 2.6% by the sixth episode (according to Nielsen Korea nationwide), more than doubling. The pre-released video for the fifth episode climbed to the trending videos on YouTube, proving its hot interest. Especially for parents with children, the story is compelling and elicits responses each episode. Let's take a look at some lines from 'Riding Life' that resonated with mothers amidst the fierce reality.
# "The kids attending this academy are probably already ahead of us?"
This line expresses Jeong-eun's desire not to fall behind in the war-like environment of Daechi-dong, reflecting reality and drawing attention. When Jia says, "Will they really do well on their own when they grow up?" Jeong-eun responds, "Could you turn your head and look over there?" pointing to the numerous academy signs filling Daechi-dong. Jeong-eun states, "Do you think they'll just grow up fine? While we wait for that, the kids attending the academy here will already be ahead of us. If we let go now, there will be a mountain of problems piling up that we need to catch up on."
# "If Seo-yoon can do this well, I will really do anything."
Having given up on attending a foreign language high school due to her mother Jia's circumstances in her childhood, Jeong-eun wanted to do things differently for her daughter Seo-yoon (played by Kim Sa-rang). As a mother, she worked hard to ensure Seo-yoon wouldn't miss out on opportunities. Jeong-eun's efforts, such as using superstitions for a prestigious elementary school lottery, searching for real estate to move into a good school district, and completing missions to enter English academy class A, were portrayed humorously. In the process, Jeong-eun's heartfelt declaration, "If Seo-yoon can do this well, I will really do anything," resonated with many mothers.
# "Just because I'm a mom, does that mean I know everything?"
Although Jia thought she knew her daughter well, she was mistaken. Jia believed Jeong-eun had grown up well on her own, but Jeong-eun had accumulated feelings of disappointment. Jeong-eun exclaimed, "Even if you treated me that way, you shouldn't have done that to Seo-yoon," surprising Jia with emotions she was unaware of. The scene where Jia feels hurt saying, "Just because I'm a mom, does that mean I know everything?" and Jeong-eun, despite feeling sorry for her, sends a blunt text, touched the hearts of all mothers and daughters.
# "Grandchild riding? Everyone starts that way."
'Riding Life' also tells the stories of mothers who have become caregivers in their twilight years. When Jia, a riding novice, says, "I will only do this for a while," Mi-chun (played by Kim Gwak-kyung-hee) responds, "Everyone starts that way. I should have never started riding in the first place. I did all sorts of strange things to avoid seeing my grandchild," sharing tips. Although they claim to dislike it, the mothers who jump back into the parenting battle for their daughters reflect the current reality and evoke empathy.
With a surge of empathy from mothers, the Genie TV original drama 'Riding Life' is nearing its conclusion with two episodes left. Episode 7 of 'Riding Life' will be released on March 24 at 10 PM on channel ENA, and will be exclusively available for free VOD on KT Genie TV right after the broadcast. It can also be watched on the OTT platform Tving.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
