Castaway Diva introduces us to the struggles of real-life singers who were once at the tip of their prime. Just like Ran-Joo's career in Castaway Diva, we can't help but wonder how she became a washed-up singer.
Did the fame get to her head? Were her demands too unreasonable? Or was there something else? Here's what really happened to the singer.
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for Castaway Diva, so proceed with caution.
The Rumors
For 15 years, Seo Mok-Ha (played by Park Eun-Bin) had wished nothing but to see her idol one day. It's this hope that kept her alive and sane during the years she spent on an uninhabited island. So when she finally got rescued, she made her way to see her idol.
Unfortunately for her, Yoon Ran-Joo (played by Kim Hyo-Jin) has become a washed-up singer. In the present day, the singer has lost all her resources and lives in a semi-basement owned by the president of her fan club.
But with no finances to pay her rent, she gets thrown out by the owners. She manages to get a gig at a local event instead of a TV show. With no money left, Ran-Joo accepts this gig.
At the event, she learns that she has to sing live and not rely on a recorded track. This shocks Ran-Joo, who decides to drink the sponsor's wine so she can have something to blame her failure on.
Meanwhile, Mok-Ha gets warned by Kang Woo-Hak (played by Cha Hak-Yeon) that Ran-Joo has changed. After reading the articles about her idol, Mok-Ha is still determined to meet her.
What *Really* Happened in Castaway Diva's Ran-Joo's Career?
All this time, Ran-Joo is said to have turned into a diva with impossible demands. People who have worked backstage with her have turned into her anti-fans because of these demands.
They shared that she always makes excuses so she would not perform. She has also been said to have turned into a heavy drinker and smoker, which is why her vocals no longer sound as good as they once did.
But as she later confides to Mok-Ha, Ran-Joo had vocal nodules. She never told her mom or President Lee Seo-Jun (played by Kim Joo-Hun). Only Mok-Ha knows this secret of hers.
Ran-Joo decided to get surgery for her condition but her voice never came back. This is when she started to lose gigs since her voice was never the same again. She also lost her fans. News articles weren't kind to her and called her a washed-up singer.
RELATED: Castaway Diva: Can Park Eun-Bin Really Sing?
Is She In Love With Lee Seo-Jun?
It was also revealed that Seo-Jun had been sabotaging her so she wouldn't get half of the company's shares. This was an agreement they made in the past.
Mok-Ha realized that Seo-Jun was poison for Ran-Joo since he was controlling her career. And because of his greed, he did not want Ran-Joo to get the promised shares.
During her live performance at a TV variety show, President Lee showered her with all the best teams, clothes, and food. As she later went to his apartment to thank him, he revealed it was his way of paying back his guilt.
She learned that even though fans were eager to see her perform again, they couldn't purchase her albums since he had them locked up. This would prevent her from being able to sell any album and get a chance to meet the agreement they made.
It's possible that Ran-Joo had fallen in love with Seo-Jun in the past and he simply used her. If this is the case, Seo-Jun is one evil man.
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