Where To Watch ‘My Troublesome Star’? K-Drama About Fame, Loss, and a Very Long Nap

It’s been a while since Uhm Jung-hwa led a drama. In My Troublesome Star, she returns as a once-famous actress who suddenly wakes up with 25 years of her life gone. The show begins airing August 18 on ENA, and also streams on Genie TV and TVING every Monday and Tuesday at 10 PM KST.

The story follows Im Se-ra, a top star at the peak of her career. On the same day she’s supposed to receive a Best Actress award, she gets into a serious accident. She wakes up later, shocked to find that 25 years have passed. She doesn’t remember anything. She’s no longer a national darling, and the world around her has changed completely.

She is now Bong Cheong-ja — an older woman with no current fame, no job, and no idea what just happened. Her name is forgotten. Her face barely rings a bell. Cheong-ja’s comeback is not going to be easy or glamorous.

This specific time jump (placing Se-ra in her 50s) taps into potent societal themes often overlooked in K-Dramas: the erasure of women over 40 in the hyper-youth-focused entertainment industry, and the universal fear of irrelevance. It’s not just amnesia; it’s a forced confrontation with aging in a world that discarded her. This adds a layer of social commentary beneath the comedy, making Cheong-ja’s struggle deeply relatable beyond the star fantasy.

The drama plays this bizarre situation with a mix of comedy and emotion. Uhm Jung-hwa delivers both charm and confusion in equal measure. Her character tries to fit back into a life she doesn’t recognize, in a world that moved on without her.

A former elite star now trying to survive daily life — it’s a rough transition. She doesn’t even recognize her own reflection. There’s a scene where she stares into the mirror in disbelief, wearing rubber gloves instead of red-carpet gowns. It’s awkward, funny, and also a little sad.

Also Read: Where To Watch ‘Confidence Queen’ K-Drama? Park Min-Young’s New Drama

A Comeback That’s More Than Just Career

Helping her along is Dokgo Chul, a demoted traffic cop played by Song Seung-heon. His character is rough around the edges. He once worked in the serious crime unit but got reassigned. He’s not happy about it. When he meets Bong Cheong-ja, things take a strange turn.

She insists she’s Im Se-ra — a famous actress. He’s confused. She’s confused. Nobody knows what’s going on. But somehow, they get tangled in each other’s lives. Over time, their bond starts to change. It’s not a love story in the usual way. It’s more like watching two people stuck in strange circumstances trying to make sense of life again.

Unlikely Duo Dynamic

Dokgo Chul isn’t just a love interest; he’s a mirror to Cheong-ja’s displacement. Both are professionally sidelined (her by time, him by demotion) and grappling with lost identities. Their bond likely forms through shared frustration and the absurdity of their situations, offering a more nuanced foundation than typical romantic meet-cutes. Expect a partnership forged in mutual bewilderment before any sparks fly.

This drama is not all laughs. It deals with time, memory, and what happens when everything you built is taken from you overnight. What if the world forgets who you were? What if you wake up and realize you don’t even know yourself?

That’s the bigger question at the heart of My Troublesome Star. It’s not just about fame. It’s about identity, loss, and the weird process of starting over when you don’t have any say in the matter.

And yet, it never gets too heavy. The writers know how to add humor at the right time. There’s a scene where Bong Cheong-ja questions if she’s on a hidden camera show. She cries, yells, laughs — all in one minute. It feels human, not dramatic for drama’s sake.

The show is directed by Choi Yeong-hoon, known for Good Casting. The writer, Park Ji-ha, previously worked on She’s Different During the Day and at Night. Together, they bring a mix of sincerity and sharp timing. It doesn’t feel like a recycled story. There’s real care in how the characters are written.

The cast also includes Jang Da-ah, who plays the younger version of the main character. She’s also the sister of IVE’s Jang Won-young, which has drawn attention online. Her role shows what Bong Cheong-ja used to be like — bright, elegant, in control. That contrast helps show just how much time has really passed.

Where To Watch “My Troublesome Star?”

• Episodes: 12
• Airs: Aug 18, 2025 – Sep 23, 2025
• Airs On: Monday, Tuesday
• Original Network: ENA, Genie TV

Is “My Golden Star” Worth Watching?

The trailer shows plenty of awkward, funny, and strangely touching moments. There’s confusion, denial, and a lot of moments that make you feel a little second-hand embarrassed. But that’s what makes it work. It’s not polished. It’s messy, like life.

Uhm Jung-hwa and Song Seung-heon are also reuniting on-screen for the first time in 10 years. They previously worked together in Miss Wife. Seeing them again, now in totally different roles, adds to the interest.

Viewers who enjoy shows that mix regret, comedy, and late-life reinvention might like this. It’s not for people who want fast-paced thrillers or intense melodrama. This one feels slower, more thoughtful, but not boring. The biggest strength lies in the strange setup — a woman missing 25 years of her life and trying to act like it’s fine. It’s clearly not. But she keeps going anyway. That alone makes My Troublesome Star stand out.

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