The K-Drama, Doona!, follows the story of Lee Doo-na, a former K-Pop idol, who suddenly quit her group. But why did Doona quit Dream Sweet? Did she have issues with the other members? Or was Doo-na being a brat towards the group?
In this explainer article, we talk about Doo-na's character in the show and why she decided to leave her group.
Who is Lee Doo-na?
When we first meet Lee Doo-na (played by Bae Suzy), we see a pretty woman who comes off as detached, rude, and bratty. She's also a chain smoker, which is a huge turn-off for many people. But these qualities of hers are merely a front for her troubled past.
The former K-Pop idol battled anxiety when she met Lee Won-jun (played by Yang Se-jeon). She mistakes him for a stalker, given he was wearing their band's merchandise when they met. This also leads Doo-na to be rude to Won-jun.
But after a while, she reveals her past to Won-jun.
As it turns out, Doo-na has a troubled and lonely childhood. She grew up with her grandmother after her father abandoned her. Meanwhile, her birth mother was busy scheming and defrauding people so she could earn money.
While in the eighth grade, Doo-na was approached by a talent scout named Park In-wook (played by Lee Jin-wook). She first thought he was a scam but agreed to join the agency so she could get away from her mother.
As the years went on, Doo-na trained hard to be an idol. She spent every minute practicing and perfecting her singing and dancing. This led her to be part of Dream Sweet band.
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Why Did Doo-na Quit Dream Sweet?
From the start, Doo-na had been struggling with her mental health. Even though she enjoyed what she was doing, being part of a group was a hostile environment for her. This did not help with Doo-na's abandonment issues.
Not to mention, one of Doo-na's bandmates was extremely jealous of her. She managed to talk down to Doo-na every chance she could.
Adding to this, her manager knew she was in love with him. With this up his sleeve, he manipulated Doo-na to do more work for the agency without checking up on her.
All of these things became unbearable for Doo-na one day. At an important concert, Doo-na found herself unable to sing. This led her to be kicked out of the group.
The agency told her to take a break and booked a sharehouse for her. It was a clear indication they were moving on without her.
The agency also gave her the freedom to live on her own as long as she did not sign a contract with anyone else. They gave her her money but a huge chunk of it was used to pay her mother's debts.
Doo-na also got a lot of hate from her fans since her mother's fraudulent cases were shared online. Not to mention, her fans hated that she made her other bandmates suffer since she left.
This led Doo-na to isolate herself from everyone who could hurt her. That is until she meets Won-jun, who gives her a chance to find happiness once again. It also inspired her to return to singing as a soloist.
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