Last Scandal (2008)

I ran into this drama by accident, and I'm glad I did.

The Last Scandal is a sweet twist on the Cinderella story, that never came across as super corny. It's a familiar story of a struggling, stubborn, female lead, and a spoiled, rich, male lead, but with mature actors. Choi Jin Shil and Jung Joon Ho had such amazing chemistry, and I loved watching their relationship develop. There were so many cute, rewatchable, moments between the two of them, and times when Jung Joon Ho literally made me lol. There were also quite a few moments where I broke into tears. Aside from the main theme of reconnecting with a first love, theres also a great theme around what makes a family. This drama really has a good balance beween light, fun moments, and emotional, touching moments.

The entire cast is great, including the 2 younger actors. Jung Woong was particularly good, playing such a reserved character, but I think he had some of the most touching moments in the drama. In contrast, Kim Byung Se had some of the weakest moments in the drama. I think he played his part well, but his character's actions sometimes seemed too unbelievable to me. Byun Jung Soo was good, and was cast so perfectly that her character's secret is almost instantly given away. Jung Joon Ho is really fun to watch, and his struggle between his persona and his true identity seemed really genuine. I really can't think of any weak cast members.

The true star of this drama, Choi Jin Shil, was so impressive. I am relatively new to dramas, so I had no idea who she was, or what happened to her, when I started watching Last Scandal. I loved rooting for her character's happy ending, and It was about halfway through I learned about her tragic story. It was hard to watch without keeping that in mind, but her performance was so good that I could keep rooting for Sunny. I will definitely check out some of her other dramas.

There's a reason why Cinderella stories are to popular, and this drama is a perfect example of why that is. The mature Cinderella (or 'Joomarella') story is enough to make me watch this drama again. This drama also has a good ending, that gives each character the closure they deserve, and I don't consider it a spoiler to say that those looking for a fairytale ending won't be disappointed. I definitely recommend this one.

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I have no idea why I even started this one because a drama about 40 year olds really doesnt call out to a girl in her early 20s...

Story: Starts off with the two leads randomly bumping into each other on a set of a commercial. The first 2 episodes are hilarious as the male lead starts to fall in love with the female lead ( who was his past love) but he hasnt seen what she looks like in the present (shes changed for the worst). Although this drama is a predictable romcom, the writers did a solid job with making it entertaining but also writing a story with substance. It has one of the best endings Ive ever seen.

Acting/Cast: Jung Joon Ho (Iris, Queen of Reversals) brings IT in this one. His jealousy makes the show. His character is too hilarious. All his expressions are priceless! The lead actress did a great job portraying her ahjumma character. It was nice to see her transform from an ugly duckling to a pretty woman. Loved the makeover scene!
I did find the way the writers wrote her character a little off-putting at times because at first she comes off as naive/too obsessed with her first husband and it takes most of the drama before she convinces herself its okay to love Jae Bin. The rest of the supporting cast is great too!


Music: Kind of chessy but didnt take away from the enjoyment of the drama itself.

Rewatch: Quick pacing makes this something i can watch over and over again if i had the time.

Overall: This is geared to an older audience but if a 22 year old girl (me) is raving about it then it has to be really good right? Watch it!

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