Episode 5 of "Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born" kicks off with a heated exchange between Jeong-nyeon and Yeong-seo, following Jeong-nyeon's witness of Yeong-seo being scolded by her mother. Yeong-seo lashes out, asserting that Jeong-nyeon cannot fathom the agony of being rejected by one's own mother. In response, Jeong-nyeon scorns her for failing to acknowledge the privileges that come with the financial support she receives.
On the journey back home, Jong-guk informs Jeong-nyeon that the attendees at the party were impressed by her performance and have decided to increase their investment in her debut. The following day, Jeong-nyeon visits Jong-guk but discovers that he is concealing a folder brimming with photographs of her mother. He unveils that Jeong-nyeon's mother, Gong-seon, was an exceptional pansori singer whose talent was unmatched. Jong-guk reveals that he recognized Jeong-nyeon as Gong-seon's daughter from the outset and admits that he was the one who informed So-bok about her job at the coffee shop, with the ultimate aim of bringing Gong-seon onto the show. Moreover, Jeong-nyeon learns that she cannot backtrack on this endeavor due to the binding contract she has signed.
Jeong-nyeon visits a record shop and listens intently to Gong-seon's recording of "The Blooming Autumn Field." Afterwards, she encounters her Maeran peers on the street and watches them longingly from afar.
Elsewhere, Ok-gyeong confides in Hye-ran about her boredom with the repetition of characters in all the plays. She briefly considers quitting gukgeuk but quickly reassures Hye-ran that she isn't abandoning her, touching their foreheads together as a gesture of solidarity.
The next day, Jeong-nyeon informs Jong-guk that she will participate in the show as she had promised to do so. Rehearsals commence, and Jeong-nyeon practices singing with a live band. When she attempts to sing from the male perspective, Jong-guk instructs her to adhere to feminine gestures and sing with sensuality. Frustrated by being treated like a puppet, Jeong-nyeon storms off. Patricia pursues her and advises her to fulfill her promise to her audience while encouraging her to embrace the song as her own.
Jeong-nyeon returns to the stage, this time performing live under the scrutinizing gaze of television audiences, including Maeran's students and teachers. As the second verse approaches, she embodies the spirit of a man, dramatically shedding her shoes. The executives grow furious with Jong-guk, yet Patricia heaps praise upon Jeong-nyeon for staying authentic, deeming it her finest performance yet.
Fearing Jeong-nyeon's potential expulsion once more, Joo-ran confesses the cafe incident to So-bok. Upon her departure, Ok-gyeong admits her motive behind wanting Jeong-nyeon to join—a desire for a challenge. She insists that talents like Jeong-nyeon are invaluable.
Just when Jong-guk is threatening Jeong-nyeon with repayment demands, Director So-bok arrives and volunteers to bear Jeong-nyeon's expenses. She agrees to reinstate Jeong-nyeon, contingent upon her accepting punishment for the cafe performance. Jeong-nyeon inquisitively asks if her acceptance is solely due to her connection with Gong-seon. So-bok replies that it matters little; what truly counts is how she seizes this opportunity.
With a joyous heart, Jeong-nyeon reunites with Maeran, Joo-ran, and the rest. Meanwhile, So-bok reminisces about a day when she and Gong-seon posed for a photograph together. As night falls, Jeong-nyeon confides in Yeong-seo, acknowledging that having a renowned mother isn't all it's cracked up to be. Yeong-seo abruptly halts her apology and exits.
The following morning, Jeong-nyeon reunites with Ok-gyeong as well. Both she and Joo-ran are assigned cleaning duties as punishment and forbidden from training until their tasks are completed. Jeong-nyeon doubts her chances of passing the audition under such circumstances, but Yeong-seo remarks that she can train independently. Despite Yeong-seo's abrupt demeanor, Jeong-nyeon dives into practice, juggling her chores with unwavering determination.
The eve of the audition saw Jeong-nyeon assigned to tidy up the cluttered prop room, but fate had other plans as she was inadvertently trapped inside, the door locking behind her. As dawn broke, Jeong-nyeon remained confined, unable to escape her makeshift prison. Meanwhile, at the audition venue, Yeong-seo caused a stir by vying for the role of Gomigeol, the antagonist typically sought by Do-aeng. Joo-ran, intending to fetch Jeong-nyeon, was summoned for her own turn, leaving Yeong-seo to unexpectedly intervene.
Venturing to the prop room, Yeong-seo discovered Jeong-nyeon partially hanging out of a window, her desperation palpable. With Yeong-seo's assistance, Jeong-nyeon was rescued just in the nick of time for her audition. Stepping inside, she announced her intention to audition for a soldier, a minor yet crucial part, and her performance was nothing short of impressive.
Later, Jeong-nyeon inquired about Yeong-seo's motive for her help. In response, Yeong-seo admitted her curiosity to witness Jeong-nyeon's acting prowess in action. Yeong-seo then chanced upon Cho-rok and her cronies discussing the suspicious locking of the prop room, from which they revealed they had seen Hye-ran as the culprit. She relayed this information to Ok-gyeong.
The audition results were soon announced, with Yeong-seo securing the role of Gomigeol, Joo-ran landing the significant part of Precious, and Jeong-nyeon earning the soldier's role. In a private conversation, So-bok approached Do-aeng, offering her the position of assistant director for the play, which Do-aeng tearfully accepted.
Elsewhere, Jeong-nyeon and Joo-ran rehearsed diligently. Jeong-nyeon confessed that she had chosen a smaller role to learn from others' performances, especially after Yeong-seo's remark that her portrayal of Bangja had only succeeded due to Yeong-seo's complementary acting. Joo-ran expressed her hope to star in leading roles alongside Jeong-nyeon, and they pledged to do so together.
Practice for the play, Jamyunggo, commenced with So-bok expressing doubts about Yeong-seo's performance. During a moment of solitude, Jeong-nyeon encouraged Yeong-seo to embody her own interpretation of Gomigeol rather than mimic Do-aeng's style. Their disagreement escalated, with Yeong-seo confessing her need to prove herself to her mother. The spat intensified, with Yeong-seo vowing to overshadow Jeong-nyeon by the end of "Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born," Episode 5.
