A romantic comedy masterpiece
I picked this series up on a whim: I thought that the series looked quirky and its leads looked attractive. It didn't star the heavy-hitters of Korean cinema and there wasn't much noise regarding it. However, it is honestly the best series of 2021 I've seen (even better than the more popular Hometown Cha-cha-cha), and is also one of the best romantic comedies I've seen.Let's face it: we tend to like series that reflect our own sensibilities, and this series reflected many of mine. It features a business savant and intellectual boor meeting and falling for a classy, elegant, and beautiful polymath; however, she is also socially insulated and ignorant.
One of the foremost reasons why I love the series is that the characterization of the main leads was so well-written: they both are flawed individuals who grow naturally over the course of the series without losing their identities. Their mistakes that allow the plot to progress are natural consequences of their personalities, but this allows them to improve as people.
It's also extremely refreshing to see main characters communicate so well. There are many series that rely on misunderstandings and communication to propel the plot forward, but this isn't the case in Da-li and the Cocky Prince: as someone who has dabbled in psychology (and read up on it, of course), I loved how these characters broke free from Eric Berne's "games" and instead talk with true intimacy in mind. Every time there's a confrontation between the two leads - and with the people relevant in their lives - there is always the goal of understanding each other.
I also loved how the two leads could defer confronting their significant other if they're still uncertain: like any good scientist - and lover - they ascertain facts and obtain data before they confront each other. I knew that they would last long because they both were able to hold back from emotional outbursts as their love for each other grew. However, if immediate action was necessary, they also did not hesitate.
While Da-li is, to me, one of my ideal women, I greatly appreciated how Moo-hak (the male lead) was written. As an audience surrogate, Da-li herself understood that she had a keeper with her. Like Ryan Gold in Her Private Life, Moo-hak openly empowers and wishes for Da-li to succeed in what she loves and nurtures. He nevertheless retains his independence when it comes to his own expertise, but trusts that Da-li is an intelligent lady who can deal with her problems. I enjoyed seeing a male lead avoid infantilizing the lady he loves (which is why I also loved Into the Ring).
Finally, the series's writing was, to me, brilliant. All major plot points introduced are addressed by the series's end, and the series capably obeyed Chekhov's gun. Small details that are mentioned in the series are addressed over the course of the series. I especially admired how dialogue mentioned episodes prior would be recalled and applied later: it also shows the growth of feeling between the leads towards each other, because a sign of love is remembering.
It's definitely a series I'd re-watch soon (like my other favorite, My Mister). I enjoy series that feature mature and understanding couples, and this features a hallmark of one. 10/10.
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This review may contain spoilers
An enjoyable drama thanks to the two lead characters and a good plotline.
1/ WHAT I LIKED:- The "thriller": Dealing with a case of "unexplained death" in a drama full of colorful eccentric silly insane people is not easy as the elements of the plot can be easily convoluted. It was not the case here and the plot is well handled. The drama introduces a mystery and then keeps a good pace to slowly unveil and describe the huge scheme behind, the schemers and their final fate. The way the "thriller" part was solved and how things panned out was good as one guy who looked unredeemable turned the table in a surprising twist.
- The romance: The romance works very well thanks to the two lead characters Da Li and Moo Hak . They are very well written. FL is naive, knowledgeable cultured elegant damzel but also an hardworking dedicated boss who fights for her people. ML is loud and not so bright but he has a good nature and good values of life even if money matters first for him. They are so different that they definitively attract each other. Their path to being together is not easy but it goes smoothly with no terrible dilemma. And when they are together or trying to be together, they are just too cute but they also look quite a realistic and modern couple.
- The bad guy: He contributed greatly to the drama by being so sneaky and despicable. The good thing is his bad deeds are slowly discovered to unveil his true nature. I only regret that in the end he had a punishment too light for what he did.
- Da Li's brother , Won Tak : Althought I wished his part was more important especially the "cop" side of him, I liked the relationship he had with Moo Hak and the way it evolved to become really funny. I also like how things ended for him. He who barely washes his hair still finds a new friend in the end.
- Ahn Chak Hee : She looks dumb and spoiled annoying girl at first but she becomes quite endearing and she has an happy ending as she moves from a sad situation to become independent.
- Yeo Mi Ri : Moo Hak's goofy secretary, lieutenant, guardian angel...
2/ WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
- Moo Hak's family: Terrible people. The step mother should be shot and fed to the pigs :D . Moo Hak's brother is a weasel who makes stupid choices when he is not taunting Moo Hak. The father is no better. He never treated Moo Hak right and in the end, he is still so selfish.
- Some character did not have very likeable personnalities: mostly the employee of the museum, the uncle and his son...
Annoying people who did their annoying but useful part.
- The time jump at the end of the drama caught me by surprised and I was a bit annoyed. But the ending was finally good and artistic.
3/ OST: Very good with some several good songs to contribute to a very original athmosphere. I had not noticed such a good OST since IOTNBO.
4/ REWATCH VALUE: Some very cute and funny scenes to rewatch.
5/ OVERALL: A good and entertaining kdrama with two colorful main characters who are lovable. 9/10
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She's such a beauty, He's such a cutie
Apart from watching Kdramas, I watch Cdramas the most, I also watch Thai and Japanese. Even though Kdrama is the one who pulls me into dramas first, I switched to watched varieties from different countries because I think Kdramas are changing. After watching Mr. Queen and True beauty, there is no Kdrama that makes me interested again, I've tried watching a lot of Kdramas but disappointed and dropped some of them but after watching this "This is the Kdrama I am looking for" hehe.Let's get real>>
This drama will bring you a lot of laughter and anger.
Let's talk about anger first, It makes me angry when Mr. Jin's family is appearing(for the reason, watch it)
I'm totally angry towards the villain of course (The man who played jang tae jin always plays the role of monster) but I am satisfied how our beautiful Da Li talked to him as trash, monster and shameless (I am amazed with those lines).
But the love, sweetness and interactions of our Da Li and Gamjatang will bring you a lot of laughter even between those sad and emotional moments. Our Da Li is a soft girl who can stand by herself and can make you laugh and smile easily. Our Boss Jin Moo Hak is such a comedian that will make your stomach hurt.
Of course, you will also love lots of character here. No. 1 is Jin Moo Hak's assistant, she is one of the greatest character here. Next is we have Won Tak and also those Ms. Song and the other two employee who stand beside Da Li amidst their family problems.
I like how persistent they are when choosing even they are risking their own, Da Li was put into a lot of choices where he needs to choose Moo Hak over something but he chose him until the very end.
The best moment for me in thise series is:
When Da Li cooked for Won Tak and Jin Moo Hak ( I can't stop laughing at this moment)
When our charming Mr. Jin always comfort Da Li at her lowest moment especially when Da Li was alone at the gallery after they were raided ( I love how Mr. Jin says those word because he really wants to comfort and protect Da Li more than he could, he said that : I should have studied more, I should have read more books so that I can say something to you.). There is no metaphor or idioms, it is very simple but we can feel and know how he really want to protect and comfort his lover.
And now let's talk about the ending (I was fooled, it is really unexpected because I have watched a lot clips and read a lot of comments about this drama but they never mentioned this ending hehe. If you want to know WATCH IT YOURSELF hehe)
Although I am not quite satisfied with the ending because of the prank I still like it how they end a show in a unique way. I'm saying I am not satisfied with the ending because at that time I am angry why does that need to happen, so after that I did not feel any emotions until they reveal the prank and twisted it, they could have given them more sweet moments rather than fooling us hehe. but still I love it.
I am not really interested at first because I have watched the ML in one of his previous drama and dropped it . But I have seen a lot of clips that made me curious to watch it and A lot of viewers is complimenting it and I am so happy that I decided to watch it. It was on my watch list last month but after knowing it was still airing I decided to wait because I might forgot it after waiting for weeks, so I only started watching it on Nov. 10 so that I'm sure to watch it continuously.
WATCH IT NOW GUYS!!
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Fresh, Funny, Witty and Smart.
Dali and Cocky Prince is a breath of fresh air, particularly if you are seeking a respite from regular dramas that require a lot of emotional investment.To be honest, I began this with absolutely no expectations. While I found the pilot episode extremely entertaining, it wasn't strong enough to make me start watching the second episode. But, I decided to give a go. Just as the synopsis promised, the real story starts from the second episode, with the death of the FL's father. The premise seemed to be something that could be riddled with cliches: Female lead falls into hard times and the Male lead, the knight in shining armour appears to save her. The overall plot can be deduced within the first few episodes, particularly if you are a long time viewer of Korean Dramas. But, don't be fooled. This is one of those dramas out there whose vital force lies within the capable hands of our leading characters, who, without question, is the highlight of the show.
☆ Kim Da Li was brought up by her loving father, who ran a private art gallery. She is confident, refined and composed, having an intense love for art and knowledge. With the death of her father comes the biggest trial of her life: saving her father's debt ridden gallery from closure and weeding out friends and enemies. What I loved about her was that she was evidently smart. There wasn't a single moment where I was annoyed by her or her actions. But, she does have her own setbacks, particularly when it comes to Business and Art.
☆ Jin Moo Hak is the nouveau riche Director of Dong Gong F&B, a Gamjatang restaurant chain that had tiny beginnings. Despite his extreme wealth he lacks several factors and they include: education and class.
And he is quite honest about how much he loves money. I haven't seen such an unabashed male lead in a while. It is his unique and sharp personality that earns my respect. If Kim Da Li was book smart, he was street smart with a sharp focus on business related… business. He knew how to earn cash and observed scenarios with a keen eye. It's my first time seeing Kim Min Jae, but he was absolutely wonderful and served justice for his character.
☆ Their banter and budding relationship was a delight to follow. Coming from opposite spheres of the society, their initial meeting as strangers and finally a creditor and a debtor was absolutely fun and entertaining.
While there were several cringeworthy moments from Moo Hak, particularly due to his lack of etiquette, his straightforward attitude and confidence in himself made him a real gem among male leads. There were several instances that I thought he would crumble, but his guts and wit elevated him to a much better position and class that several other characters in the drama claim to have. I loved how supportive the two characters were towards each other.
☆ Right from the first episode, we are are hinted about something much bigger and mysterious going on behind the scenes. The later episodes were really well balanced when it came to focussing on the leads as well as the sideplots. They weren't boring and I was curious about how the whole web was going to get untangled.
☆Won Tak was another fun addition. His care towards Dali and his love-hate relationship with Moo Hak was entertaining and heartwarming at the same time.
"Your face is the best security!" will always be one of my favorite lines from Moo Hak. Also, episode 6 "Is Garbage Art?" had me in tears.
☆ The ex-boyfriend, Jang Tae Jin, was annoying. But, the other characters were really intelligent and dealt their card (limited) well. The art gallery itself had only a limited number of characters and we see their backgrounds and get to know them much better as the story progresses.
There was Jin Moo Hak's family, whom I found irritating as well as amusing at the same time. But, I loved how both he and his father were sharp, despite everything.
☆ The OST leaned more towards the simple side, personally for me. They fit in well with the overall vibe of the drama. I particularly liked some of the hilarious BGM that would pop up.
☆ Last, but not the least, a shout out to Moo Hak's coworkers at the restaurant and Miss Yeom. They made even the toughest episode light and enjoyable. Moo Hak and Miss Yeom were effortlessly funny and serious simultaneously as a duo. I loved how his rapport with his coworkers was portrayed.
A solid 8.5/10 for being one cute little drama that was perfect for me to relax with. I did not focus much on the outfits and scenic shots, but it give me an insight about art galleries that I was unaware about. It might have had it's own drawbacks, but I had dove in without keeping my hopes high. I felt that writers' purpose was to provide a solid and well written story that was enjoyable and entertaining as well.
It was light, emotional and a fluffy mix that exceeded my expectations.
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It's not my cup of tea!
I understand why someone would like this show, but I could just not get into it. Whether it's the strange, borderline crass comedy, or the obnoxious ML character, the meaningless flashbacks, or just the story in general, I found it very difficult to reach the end. Also the portrayal of art in this show is mildly infuriating, even the romance is not that great, despite the leads having great chemistry & looking great together visually, some of their dialog is just too much to bear. I mean I usually like it, when in a romance the people involved have a significant difference in intelligence, or education, but here it's just too over the top. Then again over the top would have been fine too, but unfortunately the show tries to alternate between serious and silly content without settling with either in a natural way.I've read in the comment section how happy many people were about the "lack of" a breakup. Personally I don't think editing the last episode this way & then trying to make it right retroactively makes it any different than what we usually get. Despite the twist, in my perception it's still just the usual separation followed by a 5 minute long happy ending. I'm not impressed.
Park Gyu Young was truly outstanding, I'm looking forward for her next drama...
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Sense of Exuberance!
Dali and Gamjatang? Uniquely titled in 2021!!This drama was so difficult to click with the plot but the '8 episode miracle' happens! If you're seeking something lovely and are a Kim MinJae Park GyuYoung stan, this is for you love!! The characters (and their future development) were phenomenal; easily despicable supporting casts, and the osts, amazing as usual.
Only spoiler is that Jin seonsaengnim and lee youngjoon Daepyeonim do own something, called "Aura" because their behaviour in early eps were so alike! The 2nd lead an eyecandy, and everyone were doing their best at being disliked by the viewers, which proved their exellancy! Worth the stream (at 1.5x xp)
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This review may contain spoilers
I really enjoyed this one. Few of the dramas where the male lead is more relatable than the female lead.Kim Min Jae has always been so great with all the roles I've seen him in and this is not an exception. He aced this one. I think he should play more comedic roles. I haven't seen Park Gyu Young as the female lead before but I really liked her in Sweet Home and I think she did pretty okay here. I haven't seen much of Kwon Yul too but he has probably mastered this kind of role he is playing here.
I liked the opposites attract storyline for the romance. First two episodes in and I know I will like this already. We didn't get the usual cliches. Moo Hak is a nicely written male character. He was made to look like a laughing stock for the hi-so point of view but he really is great at what he does and he's one of the few good-natured male leads out there. Although Dali is the weaker character, I think she stood her own ground too without making her look like a damsel in distress (maybe just a one or two episode exception). They really exuded the great chemistry I didn't think they will have. They are the kind of unlikely couple you wouldn't expect to last but are actually kindred souls that fit so perfectly.
What I didn't like in this storyline is that they forgave everyone who did them wrong just like that. I was rooting for Moo Hak when he finally burst out his frustrations with his dad and his stepmom only to see the next episode like nothing happened there. I can't really say much about the supporting casts since they really weren't focused much on here.
The OSTs though are perfection and I loved the feels it added to this cute show.
Additional points to this one for not being an almost 2-hour long per episode show. All Korean dramas recently have been too draggy and long and results to a lot of filler episodes. I recommend this to anybody that want to watch a romcom with both mature and sensible leads who wants to binge without worrying too much of the time consumption.
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Just excellent !
Excellent drama, with a special atmosphere, a perfect mix of romance - thriller - humor, and beautifully performed by great actors.The main couple are too cute, with real chemistry, defending their love at all costs.
The heroine is fine, intelligent, super elegant, and smoothly deals with the worst situations. The ML, nothing to add: it's Kim Min Jae ❤❤❤
The images are magnificent, with the usual care of the KDramas in the framing, the rhythm is removed and the OSTs stick perfectly to the atmosphere.
To watch without moderation...
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Expertly put together, ike a good meal - or a great painting
I went into this one very, VERY wary. Korean "romcoms" have a nasty habit in recent years of being a bloody mess. I mean that literally. For some inexplicable reason, K Dramas have decided that nothing says "romcom" like having a serial killer story arc. So I was afraid of how this one would turn out. In the end, it's one of the best K romcoms I've seen, because the elements were blended almost perfectly.There WAS a villain arc, of course, but it was credible, well-executed and kept in proper scale. It never dominated the storyline. The focus remained on the OTP, and their relationship grew very well.
Another worry I had was about the 'power balance' in the OTP. Too many times, the ML is a jerk and the FL apologises to him for causing him to be a jerk. So a crtical point in this Drama for me was when the ML screwed up big time, destroying something very, very important to the FL. When he got down on his knees to apologise to the creator for what he's done, I knew this Drama was different.
The dialogue was good, too. The FL called out the villain at the very end, not buying into his self-excusing BS. The only slight niggle was the over-reaction of the ML's Dad in the penultimate/final episodes, but overall, this was truly outstanding and a reassuring reminder that K romcoms actually CAN be both romantic and comedic, without any serial killer nastiness
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One of the most refreshing Kdramas!
It starts straight away with the looks. Everything is a visual masterpiece, from the sets to the crazy smart retro outfits everyone is wearing. It all feels like the art it's honouring.Then there are the two leads that are as unique as the clothes they wear, both looking like the best of the 50s, but with the most modern relationship of balance and mutual respect. And that same respect carries through to the support cast as well. This drama treats almost everyone kindly, showing a grace and sense of hope even towards the moraly gray characters.
It's rare that a drama that is so visually spectacular has something meaningful to convey, or has such a good script and storyline. Dali has everything, and it was very hard to find faults in it. Like most dramas it could have been an episode shorter, but otherwise it was as good as it gets. And then some, wrapped in a vintage package...
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The sweetest romance you'll ever see
So I went with a good amount of bias into this drama. Park Gyu-Young has been my favorite actress for a while now and I'm sure to like basically everything she touches... but I didn't expect to like it this much. I didn't expect this drama to straight up jump into my top 5 of all time and to set the bar for romance dramas on a level, which is almost unreachable.I'll start with the lesser relevant points:
The setting is great. Dali being an educated art scholar from a prestigious family gives the drama a very sophisticated vibe and sets up a perfect opposition to Moo-Hak being a slightly vulgar, from zero to self-made millionaire CEO of a food company. The fact, that Dali is from a prestigious family also helps greatly, to not fall into the classic "I need to be saved by the rich guy" scheme (even though it kinda turns out that way but mostly due to the story arc and not because of the character), because her social status is actually a lot higher than Moo-Haks. Dali's character, even though being a bit naive, is still written as strong and independent, who has literally been thrown into the worst-case scenario out of the blue, with huge and powerful villains fighting against her, so it's obvious that she needs help here and there but the drama never goes too over-the-top and keeps reminding us, what a strong human being Dali is. The same goes for Moo-Hak. Him having to review his life phisolophy and values during the drama, while also being put in unexpected and dangerous situations makes his character grow an incredible amount.
The sophisticated vibe is very much supported by the beautiful sets and music used in this drama. Especially the OST, a mix of soft english romance songs, which could have been right out of a 1920s folk love album and emotional korean ballads, was very well chosen and really helped consolidate the atmosphere of the show.
The supporting cast is the only nitpick I have. Even though all the characters are really loveable and have their own little story and character development, I didn't really understand why so many actresses and actors decided to overact massively. Maybe they were told to do so, that the main cast shines more but especially compared to the incredible realistic job Park Gyu-Young and Kim Min-Jae were doing, the supporting cast is the only dark spot on the beautiful painting, that is this drama. (Special shout-out to Kwon Yool, who is subtly acting his ass of. How can a person portray so much just through the movement of his eyes??)
But now let's get to the part, which made this drama an all-time classic for me: Romance done right!
K-Drama has this stereotype, of making romance cheesy and over-exaggerated and is often being memed for that. Maybe that's why this love story felt like a harmless tornado of fresh air to me. I have not seen a more natural development of a love relationship in K-Drama ever. After the "no electricity scene" in Episode 1 I already knew that I was witnessing something special. I don't know. It just clicked. The chemistry shot through the roof and showed everybody the cutest romance I've ever seen. From the subtle smiles, the hilarious Kissunderstandings (hehe ;) ), or the expectation defying twists (not so innocent after all). Everything seemed so natural and perfect. The two main leads could have not been cast better. They just fit with their characters and you believe every single line they say and every action they do, especially to and for each other. I enjoyed seeing them happy. I was smiling from ear to ear during each and every romance scene, because it just filled me with so much joy, seeing a cute couple in love with each other, knowing all the hard-ships they have endured and are going through.
What can I say? I am in love with this drama and I probably will be for a good while.
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I needed this so much!!!
I've been postponing this drama since it came out and now I finally got to see it, and I'm so glad I did. Lately I've been watching a lot of thrillers and now I was looking for something different. And as a fan of romcom I enjoyed this one a lot!!! It's sweet, romantic and funny but deep and emotional at the same time. I feel in love with the characters and got really involved with the story. Honestly, I loved everything about it. It was so nice to see the development of all the characters, especially Dali and Muhak. For sure is a must watch.Was this review helpful to you?
