'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Lee Sung-kyun and Kim Young-dae-starrer Shooting Stars has come to an end. The show centers on a superstar — Tae-sung — who struggles to express his affection and love, and his publicist — Oh Han-byeol. Han-byeol misunderstands Tae-sung’s attention, and the resulting drama is equally funny and entertaining.
The two had studied together in college, and a rumor that she was dating him turned out to be a traumatic experience for Han-byeol. Despite being interested in him romantically, the onslaught of negativity from Tae-sung’s fans had also made Han-byeol insecure about herself. She begins to believe that she is no good and not a star.
The 16-episode Shooting Stars captures the journey of how the two get closer despite the obstacles and the trappings of the entertainment world.
Tae-sung and Han-byeol’s relationship matures in Shooting Stars
Tae-sung and Han-byeol begin as sworn enemies, or that is what the latter assumes her relationship with the former is. Over time, and after an emotional upheaval, Tae-sung decides that it is not worth waiting, hoping for the perfect day to come by to propose to the love of his life. This is especially true when Starforce Entertainment’s lawyer Doo So-hyeok shows interest in Han-byeol. After briefly considering his proposal, the publicist decides that it is time for her to act on her interest in him.
The ending of Shooting Stars is not about the couple’s happily ever after, but Han-byeol’s acceptance of the possibility of a happily ever after. She is happy in Tae-sung’s company but is unsure of revealing her relationship to the public. She has once lived through the trauma of being this actor’s rumored girlfriend in college, and she is unsure if she could handle it the second time.
Keeping their relationship a secret in Shooting Stars doesn’t work too well for either of them in the grand scheme. For one, they cannot step out for dates or dinner. They cannot hold hands in public or spend some quality time together outside. This affects Tae-sung, as he wants his relationship with his girlfriend to be normal, memorable, and lovely.
Instead, he sees Han-byeol constantly trying to ensure their relationship is not revealed to the public. She takes steps to ensure that Tae-sung’s relationship doesn’t make it to the headlines, and her stress upsets Tae-sung. So he plans a vacation to Jejudo and an itinerary that he thinks would be perfect. Unfortunately, his plans in Shooting Stars begin to crumble.
The places he hopes would be perfect and private are chosen by other stars who the paparazzi follow. At this point, the two of them find a private entrance to the beach as the sun is setting down, and at that moment, things become more evident to them. Tae-sung realizes the importance of Han-byeol’s privacy, and she, on the other hand, recognizes the importance of being able to open up about her relationship with Tae-sung.
Her realization in Shooting Stars comes when she sees Tae-sung work hard to give her the privacy that she craves despite how unhappy it might make him. So when news leaks out that Tae-sung went on a trip with a romantic partner, she decides to let go of her fears and announces to the world that she is dating the artist she has been representing all these years.
