Introduction

A modern fairy tale where Prince Charming is obnoxious and only focuses on protecting his money. Cinderella is not hard-working but is focusing on finding his Prince Charming to leave her sad and pathetic life.
Jae Rim is suffocating in her poverty-stricken life. She lives with her stepmother who is expecting a child with her late father and two step sisters who are not vicious. She joins as a manager of the social club run by Cha Min to meet a prospective groom. But she ends up finding herself falling for the confused and irrational Cha Min who has been shelved due to his own demon.

Review

Helmed by Kim Min Kyung, the modern-day take on the fairy tale is the perfect sauce to serve with a main dish. Jae Rim is not a no-nonsense heroine but is realistic. She admits to being not good at anything and looking for a shortcut to change her life. Her outlook towards her grief-stricken life justifies her action when she goes beyond the limit for the director who enters through the door. But she is not a poor judge of characters. Cha Min who was scarred at a very early age of his life is dragged down by his grief-stricken father who demotivates him every time he looks for love. His confusion builds up his hesitation which forbids him from feeling truly happy.



This modern take on fairy tale keeps true to the new arch. Cinderella does not have a vicious stepmother, but instead, someone who is more busy living a peaceful life. Stepsisters do not invest energy in ruining their lives, they are building their own stories in the process. As Prince Charming is not looking around for Cinderella with shoes, a snob yet solace-seeking second hero takes in the scene. The director and scriptwriter make the story logical and sound given it is 2024. People do not fall in love blindly anymore but look out for the person who feels them and makes them feel better as humans. Cha Min and Jae Rim both have been broken by the challenges of life. It is peace and comfort which their heart has been seeking. They are looking for the person before whom they can be real.

Pyo Ye Jin, the Moon in the Day girl is back with another heartbreaking love. She fits in the shoes of modern-day Cinderella who does not wait for the prince to come and take her away. She goes to find him on her own. Like her previous character, Ye Jin adds a nuance in her Jae Rim who does not flinch. She makes the heroine adorable and challenging at the same time. Lee Jun Young got a lightheaded graph after his grey shade in The Impossible Heir. His Cha Min is wronged and he is still harboring that wounded child inside him. He illustrated the strength of Cha Min in the scene of his interaction with his mother who has been seeking forgiveness after all this while. Kim Hyun Jin who donned the second lead again after his successful rendezvous in Cheer Up did a brilliant job in his few minutes of screen space. From a ladder-riding director to love smitten hero, he leaves a charm that makes you want more of him. Supporting casts of Song Young Joo, Kim Chae Eun, and Ryu Seoong Soo did a great job in pulling the story.

Conclusion

This is a time when we do not believe in fairy tales anymore. As our hearts are getting hardened, stories like freaking fairy tales come in as breakthroughs. Meeting Cha Min is not just our secret desire but a fresh wind that reminds us to breathe wholeheartedly once in a while.