The best execution of opposite attracts. Da Li and Moo Hak are not just different from each other, but polar opposites in almost everything family background, education, nature, personality, the way of thinking, legit nothing is common. Still, they are like two pieces of the puzzle fitting perfectly with each other, their oozing chemistry is worth craving more.
I can't express in words how much I adore Moo Hak, he's one the best characters I've seen in dramaland. He may be loud, uncultured, silly sometimes stupid... but most mature, considerate at the same time most adorable person. A looot better than people who claim themselves high-educated and cultured. I love how many shades he has... and throughout the journey with exploring different parts of his nature. Now one may think its character development is, I strongly disagree. I think it is how he was in first place. The more I go deep into his character the fewer flaws I can see, I respect his perspective and being a realist... And thinking what life he has been through... where he worked hard to get where he is I don't consider him as money-grubber nor stingy, coz he's the person who knows worth of everything, then whatever it is: Money or People. He knows his priorities clearly and behaves as per.
Da Li may be a bit oblivious, idealistic.. and doesn't have much knowledge about how the world works she's definitely not spoiled princess. She's hardworking, she can face every problem with courage, she can take a stand for herself. I love her straightforwardness... she's a girl who can kick ass if it's needed. Finally, someone who acts as per their age lol... and not a teen who's in love for the first time, she's comfortable with physical intimacy as an adult.
I've seen a lot of secretaries, (I mean ofc everywhere is CEO lol) but Moo Hak's secretary is the best. She's not only a secretary but a very loyal friend, who can even threaten her boss's girlfriend. She's just COOL. And I love his hotel staff too lol... who can work as gangsters but also can give adorable reactions after seeing Moo Hak's fully smitten state.
Whenever each episode ended... I always felt unsatisfied, after thinking I got it why. Though it's not noticeable compared to the rom-com (not the multi-leads ones) this one has relatively less screentime of leads being together but I won't complain coz it's realistic.. people do have things-word to do other than dating, so when they aren't together they are doing work which needs to be done. It does have many.. many, a lot of annoying characters that you would love to FF.
Aesthetically it's simply stunning.. the sets, costumes, cinematography. And finally, both leads have amazing dressing sense, where Da Li legit feels like someone who knows about art.
It's cliche at the same time it's not...the tropes don't feel unnecessary. It does break many stereotypes. I really want to thank how they didn't pull Won Tak to love square. Girl and Boy can be just friends not every time a guy ends up falling for a girl. No stupid misunderstandings.. even if there are any 'Conversation' exist in their world.. and it's noble idiocy free!
As rom-com if fills its purpose fully.. having many peak moments of comedy and couple you want more and more.
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Moo Hak, my love
I love everything about this drama. EVERYTHING. So I decided to write a quick review capturing my everlasting feelings for this drama. Pardon my spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings ahead.This drama sweeps you off your feet and runs away with you as soon as you begin watching. We're introduced to our much adorable leads and there's something about them that yells "Hey there! Meet your new favorite characters" and eventually that is exactly what they become. Moo Hak is one of my favorite male leads of all time. He is the fruit of the recent transition the Korean drama male leads have been making from toxic jerks to sweet dependable leads these past few years. He's so sweet and so dependable. He's so likeable and so so sooo funny. There are so many scenes where I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe thanks to this guy. I was crying a few times thanks to his infinitely best boy personality too.
Dali is one of my favorite female leads too. I love her, dare I say, almost as much as I love Moo Hak. She is smart, wise and she takes initiative in a relationship. She doesn't raise her voice but when it comes down to it, she's not a pushover; she's far from it. I love her dignified composure. Each time I watch Park Gyu Young, my respect for her amplifies because she's such a versatile actress. All her characters have unique color and you can tell them apart. It's almost as if it's a new person altogether. She impresses me as much as Shin Hye Sun (Mr Queen).
More than anything, I just love them as a couple. If they were a real-life couple, they would be my favorite real-life power couple. There are no misunderstandings, no miscommunication, no useless breakups. He knows exactly what to say. He's a character written with outmost perfection for a woman of today's times. Guys, if you want to learn how to treat your woman, go watch this drama lol.
As a romantic comedy, even if there are cliché tropes, they are written with such a refreshing take, the whole drama is a breath of fresh air. They fulfill all your fantasy scenarios for the main couple, but do so in the most non-toxic way possible and at the same time keep things entertaining. It is rare to find this balance in romantic comedies. The last time I found such a balanced drama was probably Marriage not Dating.
The supporting cast wasn't all likeable at all times, I must admit. But there were some very likeable characters like Assistant Yeo and Uri Won Tak Shi. These two were absolute gems. Rest were really testing characters. But overall, definitely all stellar performances, by a veteran cast that understood the assignment.
Also, I have to have to mention the music. Literally every song on the soundtrack is addictive. Haven't been ravished by a soundtrack this bad in a long time. I can't even pick a favorite song because they're all my favorites T-T
I'll go watch it again in a year or so (or a day; maybe I'm already rewatching). I'm so ready. Also looking for my next victim to force this drama on (my friends are so lucky to have me^^). If you're confused about whether to watch this drama or not, here's your sign to watch it right now.
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WE NEED MORE OF THIS
Light, heartwarming and entertaining, in times like we are in today, we need more dramas like this!Da Li and Moo Hak happened to meet by chance abroad, with DaLi saving Moo Hak in his predicament. They parted ways, but then circumstances where reversed and with a sprinkle of the typical telenovela coincidence scenes, fate has brought them back together in Korea, this time, it is Moo Hak that offered a helping hand. An overused sure-fire and tested "knight in shining armor save the damsel in distress" formula.
Kim Min Jae is back and played the cocky prince perfectly, and I must admit it is always a pleasure seeing him in a drama. The lovely Park Gyu Young, in her officially first main lead role as the Da Li is just as good and convincing - I would love to see more of her in the future. There is also a well rounded support cast, I especially loved Hwang Bo Ra, Kwon Yuul and the always amazing Hwang Hee.
Special mention should be given to the wonderful stylist and costume designers.
This drama stands out by the way they defined family and second chances - that family is not defined by blood relation and that no matter how many times you fall into bad situations, its your ability to get back up and fight that matters. There was a scene when Moo Hak was in confrontation with his father after a big incident that really touched me - that as a son, he is willing to sacrifice for his father's happiness.
If there is one thing that I wish to be changed is how they handled Jang Tae In, because he was likeable at the beginning and it felt that they made him do atrocious things just to make people like Moo Hak better.
Totally recommendable. 8 out of 10 stars.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Aparently all is well that ends well since happy music played at the end of this very dark tale.
I'm prepared to not be liked here. From the overall decently high rating on MDL (Currently 8.5) and the sheer volume of "I loved this," or "Best Couple of the Year," remarks on the Dali and the Cocky Prince comments board, saying anything negative is likely going to put me in hot water and get me scolded. Unfortunately, if I have any integrity and aim at all to be honest, I must confess that DATCP is one disappointing outing that is MANY things but NOT anything near what I would call light and fluffy.Yet, these two adjectives, light and fluffy, are probably the MOST used to describe this series by commenters. I've recently been watching a bit heavier, or more serious, content and wanted a break for something fun and easy. I had read positive feedback about DATCP while it was airing and held off so I could binge it once it was done. Thus, here I am writing this review long after the final episode wrapped and I wish I had a better more carefree experience. My hopes were not fulfilled.
The first episode was very enjoyable. I came for cute, funny, and light and it gave me cute, funny, and light. The characters are sketched fast yet sturdily. We open on Jin Moo Hak (Played effectively by Kim Min Jae) as a young wealthy business minded money loving son to a growing empire. Unlike most heirs he isn't out spending his families money but is the driving force behind the family's empiric rise. His greeting is fast paced, funny, and delightful. In the process he angers his father as he jets off to Holland for a business meeting and thus when he lands finds himself financially cut off in a foreign land.
Enter our female lead Kim Da Li (Played effervescently by Park Gyu Young) a wealthy heiress studying art abroad in Holland. She is, in most respects, the opposite of our male. Wealthy but not caring about money. Book smart but lacking most practical understanding. Elegant, kind and refined, Dali lives in the world of the elite while never becoming one of them. When the museum curator she studies under asks her to pick up an art critic for a high-end schmooze fest from the airport, a comedy of errors ensues. With the same last name our male lead thinks she is the poor errand girl sent to fetch him, and Dali not knowing what the art critic looks like is shocked by the arrogant playful attractive man that approaches her.
By the end, the chemistry between these two is a massive blaze. The show is funny, cool, fresh, sexy, and yes fun, and you think, or I thought, yes this is going to be a great ride!
But then tragedy befalls our female lead when her father dies back in Korea, and she must instantly go back from where she came. Our male lead Moo Hak feels rejected and is convinced by his staff that she played him to get his wealth, and the hunt begins to find her.
This is where the fun stops. While the second episode is filled with moments of "Look UP!" she is right there, oh my God I can't wait for them to get back together mishaps....when it finally does happen....it is gross and devastating.
Our male lead to this point has been fun and funny. Arrogant, money grubbing, short sighted, and uneducated yes, but he has still been rather friendly, cute, and kind in his own right. He is fun to watch, and fun to hate. Our female lead has been smart, driven, kind, helpful, and caring.
But episode 3 turns the tables and ruins this set-up. In a single scene that hollowed me, our male lead degrades, berates, demoralizes, and threatens our female lead and turns himself into a monster. She is days out of her father's death, in the midst of mourning, being hunted by family and creditors, the world she has lived crashing upon her and is one step from bankruptcy and losing everything she has ever had. Our male lead knows ALL of this, but to make sure no one thinks he is soft, to show that all he cares about is money, and to prove that he doesn't have any feelings he stands up and screams a diatribe down to our female lead calling her his debtor and that he will sell everything she owns to get the money her father borrowed from him.
The series is not interested in righting this wrong at any point. It is just a plot step to the end. Our female lead accepts being treated as such and never even remotely requires an apology. The next time our leads see each other cute love music plays the entire scene, she trips and falls into his arms, they stare lovingly into each others eyes, and the oh look at how cute they are music swells.
For the next few episodes our male lead will continue down this path tormenting and degrading the female lead. By the middle of the series Dali has become a prop. She makes not a single decisions on her own. She is fully controlled by all the men around her. She is saved left and right just for being the girl everyone wants, and her character comes off stupid and insipid. She sells her entire life to keep a gallery afloat and before the end of the series is physically attacked multiple times.
Our male lead grows and becomes better and by the series end is basically back to how we met him in Holland. But never does he ask Dali's forgiveness and never does he admit his actions were wrong. Near the end, when he is subjected by our "bad guy" to the same demoralizing scene he subjects Dali to in episode 3, our male lead is allowed to get angry, require an apology, and ignore and fight with Dali over it, even though it wasn't her that degraded him. In what is easily the greatest double standard I've seen in programming this year.
He gets so mad that he calls our female lead a whore. Tells her "To have sex to get his 2 million back. If she did she could probably get 20 million ." In what is the lowest point in the series.
It is immediately followed by a kiss by the way. He calls her a whore and then kisses her, and we are supposed to ship it.
Everything outside of our main leads is a wasteland. Besides a woman at Dali's workplace and her childhood best friend/like brother...every other character in the show is a villain. All of them plotting the downfall of the leads. The story lines include family betrayal, government corruption, blackmail, secret killing, drug smuggling, bankruptcy, public slander, disownment, orphan shaming, suicide, forced prostitution, and just if there weren't enough bad guys (the count gets up to 9 I believe) or degrading and depressing plot lines out pops a long lost uncle that reveals a secret adoption and thus we get to degrade and shame adopted children publicly and then try to take everything away from them because they aren't blood.
In short, there was nothing LIGHT or FLUFFY to be found. There is a lot of disgusting, depressing, and abhorrent story lines and characters and there is little value in any of it outside of empty shallow entertainment. The large gulf of cultural divide between the west and Korea is glaringly obvious here.
If you want to watch this with blinders on that is fine. No one can stop you. Yes, there are comedic bits. Yes, there are moments where our leads are adorable and fun to watch and be with. Yes, there are things to like here.
But taking those things and adding them all up will probably net you a total run time of 3-4 episodes. The other 12 episodes are filled with the male lead being a nasty piece of trash, our female lead being a helpless victim, and all the junk awful story lines I just ran through above with massive amounts of time spent with these other horrible characters.
For a brief stent the show seems to be aware of how awful it is, one character having a conversation with the other, "Why would you act like that and do that? Pulling her hair? What is this a soap opera?" and the answer is yes. It is a trashy soap opera that does little more than fill your time.
6.0/C/ 3-Stars Average in every way. You got a 50/50 shot of liking it simply depending on your taste.
At least we had Holland and that first episode of a much much better show.
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When the Gamjatang boy falls for the Art Gallerist
A refreshing, funny & cute drama…[ STORY ]
I think it's Dali's dresses & the aesthetically beautiful posters that attracted me here but Kim Min Jae aka our cutest character Jin Moo Hak kept me till the end…
The story begins just as written in MDL sypnosis but there's a connection between Dali & Moo Hak that hits off back then in Netherland. No, it's not a childhood connection. So it doesn't looks cliched at all. Dali is apparently an art researcher who is a well educated knowledgeable girl with all social etiquettes of a rich girl & then on the other hand our male lead - Moo Hak is money-lover yet a simple boy who understands it's value. He compares everything with Gamjatang & keeps wondering how many bowls of Gamjatang will this or that cost… lol Moo Hak is hilarious since the beginning. People measuring money in every sentence could be annoying personalities but surprisingly Moo Hak impresses us with those genuine talks & his expressions is off the charts. Tbh, I continued this drama 50% because of Moo Hak…
The first few episodes are dipped in Art. The viewers explore art through the art gallery & emotions of people working there. Also through the journey where Da Li is trying to save the gallery… The Father-daughter relationship is another major thing here. Family drama is something you cannot avoid while watching this. There's lot… like really a lot of inner family troubles, emotional dialogues. The whole suspense they tried to create was quite predictable. My wait for the next episodes was tough… so this is how much this drama kept me hooked up… the chemistry between Moo Hak & Dali reminds me of the cute k-drama "Strong woman Do Bong Son". Their cute scenes & Moo Hak melting up while talking to Dali looked similar to "Ahn Min Hyuk" in SWDBS… but of course, except that cuteness, Min Hyuk & Moo Hak are totally different characters…
♡ Favorite Dailogue ♡ ~ "We all started as a dot. The dot caused the Big Bang and created stars, the sun and the Earth. So, we are nothing but dust and stars at the same time." (by Dali)
♡ My favorite role here ♡ ~ Moo Hak's secretary. She's the best. She's capable and loyal and of course funny too. I loved the acting as well as the character. Just perfectly written & acted.
[ CAST ]
✦ Kim Da Li (acted by. Park Gyu Young) — is the actual main role here. She is good. Like very good. Her crying scenes made me more connected to her role & Yes! she looks so cute with that artistic vibe… she's also cool
✦ Jin Moo Hak (Kim Min Jae) — Ahh, just by his name now, I remember that weird dance & that scene where he said "India's capital is Indonesia". Lol, me being an Indian. I died out laughing in that scene… Jin Moo Hak deserves the limelight he gets through this drama. He's handsome & the way he played this character is great…
✦ Joo Won Tak (Hwang Hee) — he had to be the most close person to Dali after her dad & Moo Hak & I think dramas need more role like this. I was scared he won't be a brother & create an awkward love triangle but No… he was such a caring brother to Dali like helping her all the way & Hwang Hee purely acted this role.
Rest all actors also did a good job with their roles.
[ MUSIC ]
❥♪The sweetest love♪ — Ham Yonji (the song is sunny and cheerful)
❥♪With you♪ — Ha Hyunsang
❥♪That's ordinary love♪ — Seo ho ~ (Those lines "One step closer. Two steps closer" is just magical… loved hearing this song…)
❥♪Can't you love me♪ — Fromm
❥♪Straight♪ — DinDin (who expected a rap in song up here? lol… but it's cool the way he sang it.)
[ REWATCH VALUE ]
I am not someone who easily rewatches things… but this was good like the comic elemets and some particular scenes that just sounded good. So I will rewatch some clips later…
[ OVERALL ]
Give it a go if you like Rom-Coms with strong & smart female lead. The Comedy is there, cuteness is there, family drama is there & a "little sprinkle" of suspense is there. Pretty much predictable and a light & refreshing drama…
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Art Appreciating Art
Are you one of those people like me who were suffering from romantic cuteness withdrawl after Hometown Cha Cha Cha wrapped up? In my quest to find a similar sweet plot, I stumbled upon Dali and The Cocky Prince....and what a refreshingly pure series it has been to unwind to!Dali and The Cocky Prince or Dal-Ri and Gamjatang (as it is referred in South Korea) is painted as a romantic comedy with a tinge of murder mystery, connecting contrasting worlds of art galleries and global food chains.
The appetizing promotional teasers and iconic portrait paintings recreated as character posters fuelled quite an excitement for this drama amongst fans which otherwise did not boast of any prominent cast.
The 16-episodes drama chronicles the colorful romance between Kim Dali (Park Gyu Young) and Jin Moo Hak (Kim Min Jae), with a crumbling art museum at its backdrop. Dali is a purveyor of fine art studying in Amsterdam, who is the only daughter of the Cheongsong family- a prestigious South Korean family. Sudden events leads her to cross path with Moo Hak, a money-minded businessman, who runs a family food chain. Dali is your typical bookworm who is fluent in seven languages while our Moo Hak has got nothing to do with books or art and laughingly confuses over kid's café as kiss café.
The writing is exquisite, despite not being groundbreaking, as we’ve seen this premise in many romantic comedies. A coincidental cute meet-up which later turns out to be fateful for the main leads, opposites attract trope, FLs which can easily be labelled as damsels in distress and the ML who seems brashy and crude at first glance. Except, in this case, there is more than what meets the eye. The coincidental meets which usually nurtures budding romances here surprisingly acts as a repellent to whatever scope of romantic reunion the viewers hoped for and not gonna lie, it served as the backdrop of few of the most quirkiest moments of the show.
The entirety of the show is about how people of different view points can still accept and help each other while growing together in an extremely healthy and non bickering manner which mind you, is very rare in an opposites attract cliché. While we are at it, a special shoutout to Kim Min Jae and Park Gyu Young who had off-the-charts chemistry as the cute couple. Their on-screen passion, affection and silent understanding for each other spoke through every scene they shared together.
As for the downtrodden female leads, the show does seem to hold vengeance against them by piling one crisis after another in every other episode. Sometimes it sure may seem that they are mere vulnerable puppets. But their silent resilience and calm patience to continue fighting will give us hope when it may seem everything's lost. So contrary to popular opinion the show in actuality does not lacks in feminist themes and rather promotes men who support it.
This is very much a character driven drama and represents an in-depth case study of character dynamics and eventual growth of the central characters. So truth be told, my favorite part of the show has been the character development of Moo Hak. A man who started out by appreciating pig portraits and then went on to adorably woo the embodiment of life-size art that was Dali, was nothing short of a miracle. But beneath all his laugh-out-loud exterior lies a man lacking family affection and going through his own set of emotional traumas that'll make you sympathise with him in more ways than one.
Art lies in the eyes of the beholder, foes impersonating friends and the concept of complex familial ties acts as the central theme of the show. That being said, watch out for Hwang Bora as Moo Hak's quirky secretary. One of my favorite plot point has to be the crazy boss and his equally crazy but doesn’t show it secretary, who’d go to the ends of the earth for him. Another character that will make you both dazzle and disgust in equal amounts is Kwon Yul as Jang Tae Jin. He's hot but he's mostly odd.
Visual appeal at its peak, this KBS drama features commendable production value. The sets are amazing, Chungsong art gallery- the very heart of the show and centric plot point was accurately displayed. As a viewer you'll have a hard time resisting virtually diving into it to appreciate the displayed artworks yourself. The touch of genius also lies in the camera pulling away from a scene at times, like leaving the leads framed in a window, and applying a textured brush stroke pattern over the picture. It’s beautiful and a whimsical way to make the story its own painting. Take it from an aesthete, by the end of it, this drama will definitely urge you to visit your nearest art gallery, if it is in a financial crisis probably the better for easing of the conscience.
Another bonus for the visuals (yes the drama clearly comes off as a visual fest) the hairstyles and costumes are very well put together on every character. Embodying their inner self and presenting it to the world. Just like they've stepped out from a painting.
However, the true strength of Dali and The Cocky Prince lies in its cast, their nailed-to perfection acting, the brilliant writing and the OST.
After being part of multiple dramas as a supportive character, (Devil Judge, It's Okay To Not Be Okay and many more) the charismatic Park Gyu Young transformed as a female lead this time into an artistically inclined and elegant Kim Dali. She effortlessly sells the character of an intelligent , rich but friendly girl who excels at the hard things while struggling to take care of the basics – like eating a proper meal. As first time goes, Park Gyu Young does an impressive job.
My second favorite character, however, has been played by Hwang Hee as Joo Won Tak- the brave and charismatic detective named Won Tak (or as Dali likes to call him, Uri Won Taki) from violent crime squad. He was a teen gangster who got rescued by Dali's father and was treated like his own. The fact that Won Tak being protective over Dali and helpful is never played off as romantic, they really just consider each other's siblings despite not being officially related which could've made it so easy to write Won Tak off as "the man who's in love with his non-biological sibling because after all even if they were raised together they don't share blood so it's okay" trope which is honestly, a bit disturbing, made the plot quite refreshing.
Another appealing factor (at this point, you might have guessed this isn't a critique, this is me forcing you to watch this show like right now!) is the drama's OST which has a collection of both heartfelt and melancholic tunes belted out at key moments during the episodes.
In short, Dali and The Cocky Prince is an artwork inside an art frame cause those real scenes morphing into abstract painting shots, appears to be a cinematography masterstroke, literally. So like Mona Lisa, who?
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Just how much I craved for a normal romcom kdrama!
Dali and the Cocky Prince indeed is a fresh romcom drama that we have had in while. Not like it's the only drama to have a normal romcom story this year, but it surely is the best of the kind and I shall explain why throughout. By normal romcom I meant,a romcom storyline with no supernatural or thriller elements, which has become common these days.Kim Da Li (Park Gyu Young) is the daughter of Chungsung, the most prestigious family of South Korea, known for their contribution to art & culture. She works as a curator in a Dutch Gallery in Amsterdam. Jin Moo Hak (Kim Min Jae) is a director of Dan Dan F & B, a large gamjatang restaurant chain business company, who is uneducated yet has immense contribution in the success of his business. Dali comes back to Korea after his father's sudden demise to take over the gallery as it's director. But the gallery is already in debt and about to close down. Moo Hak and Dali with a previous encounter as good friends turn into debtor-creditor and end up working together.
The story mainly revolves around the gallery and the hurdles it face while organizing exhibits and maintaining it's dignity which also involves the developing chemistry between Dali & Moo Hak. Among other characters, there are Jang Tae Jin (Kwon Yul) as Dali's ex-fiancee and Korea's biggest family SEGI's Chairman, Joo Won Tak (Hwang Hee) as Dali's childhood friend, Kim Nak Chun (Jang Gwang), as Dali's late father and ex-director of ChungSung, Jin Baek Won (Ahn Kil Kang) as Moo Hak's father and Chairman of Dan Dan F&B, etc in major roles.
The seemingly uninteresting storyline doesn't really indicate the actual direction and mood of the story even if the genre tags say it's a romcom. The beginning of the story (first 2 eps) might not be that promising in order to decide whether to stay on this or not but I suggest you to give it a try till 4th or even 6th because after the introductory foundation of the drama, it actually becomes appealing. The ending is also well sorted. In fact, there was no point in the drama towards which felt slow or rushed and it wasn't messed up from any angle.
Honestly, the basic plotline is nothing new; its simple and typical with the classical romcom Kdramas. I loved the entire thing only for the fact that it's a normal romcom story and the chemistry between lead couples are worth remembering. Despite everything, the screenplay technique, dialogues, character development, romance progression and comedy has their own ways of representation for this drama which definitely intrests the audience. The amount of cliché elements are very less as well. It has that vibes of the old romcom stories. Adding to the main romance plot, there is another major plot involving both the leads, their families and the gallery and it goes on simultaneously and ends in the finale after all revelations are made.
Dali is talented girl with immense interest in art. She's strong yet softspoken, kind-hearted, rationale, reasonable and caring. On the contrary, Moo Hak is a rude, arrogant, outspoken guy who does talk loud all the time. He doesn't think before talking and tend to make many grammatical mistakes. All that matters to him is money, in fact he knows the real value of money. Despite all that, he's caring and considerate deep down his heart. I loved the fact how healthy Moo Hak as a male character is, no toxicity, no problem tease games and no ego. It indeed is a pleasurable thing to witness the two strangers with contrasting characters coming together to work and gradually falling in love. Not to forget, the chemistry buildup between them is sooo enticing, you'll wish more.
What I liked the most about the drama is how straightforward both Dali and Moo Hak are. Not only their personalities are crystal clear but their mindset towards their developing relationship is also firm and comprehensible. Their feelings plus expression are so transparent, you can't help but admire these two lovebirds and root for them real hard. At least they don't beat around the bush and made sure their is no confusion left. The actual romance starts in the 2nd half of the story (more like in the 2nd half of the 2nd half, haha) but what matters is the gradual buildup that was shown in a very beautiful way. Ofc, there was mutual interest and liking before that but it takes a while for the flower to bloom. Haven't really seen many such limpid chemistry development between lead couples in long while.
Both Moo Hak and Dali's outfits were aesthetically pleasing and the add-on of their visuals with those clothes, were chef's kiss, oof. Moo Hak initially was a thug-like guy and wore those floral print mosaic slim fit formals, plus his hairstyle; everything about him looked heavenly TT. Dali's sense of fashion and hair grooming styles with the bob cut short hair, my goodness, she looked gorgeous throughout. The stylist/costume designer deserves a bonus.
After the interval, I was worried a bit; even though everything was going fine I hoped the production value and writing quality won't drop low as it occurs in most of the new romcom dramas. But, thankfully, it worked out fine and till the end, they were able to put forth a reasonable and sorted outcome; such a decent story and good execution.
Lee Jung Sub PDnim surely is experienced and skilled, most of his dramas are both popular and good. The direction and management of the entire thing have been well executed. There ain't much to do with cinematography but the camera works of some instances were really nice and I loved the way they represented the gallery art museum. Screen editing is good as well, with several flashback scenes incorporated to showcase connections and revelations. OSTs and background scores are appropriately used and make the screenplay even more appealing.
Idk if it's weird but I loved the entire OST album for this drama; each and every single OST is so beautifully written. They're soothing, romantic and heart touching, they gave off suitably perfect moods throughout the drama. Imma mention all of them.
"Moon Crater" by Kim Yeji is my most fav of all. The harmony here gives me goosebumps, every time I listen to it. It's very very well composed.
"U Hoo Hoo" by KLANG is next in the list. This is sooo soothing and KLANG's vocals are always very heartfelt.
"GIFT" by CHAI has meaningful lyrics that we can all relate to, more or less.
"With You" by Ha Hyunsang is a comforting piece which well written and the vocalists high notes are gratifying.
"The Sweetest Love" by Ham Yonji is such a jolly track that can cheer you up. It has that charm to make your heart flutter uwu.
"That's Ordinary Love" by Seoho is gladdening romantic song and gives out the urge to love and be loved, truly.
"One Day It Will Be" is a duet by Ian Hug & Seoho, in which the harmony and synchronization makes it such fulfilling song, it is enough to melt your heart.
"Can't You Love Me" by Fromm and "Straight" by DINDIN are also good tracks, the former being a soulful soft song and the latter is a rap composition. "The Kiss" by Hodge is a short track with English retro vibes.
DALI & THE COCKY PRINCE, is definitely one of my favorite drama this year and undoubtedly the best classical romcom drama of the year 2021. The simplicity of the drama is what makes it beautiful and watch worthy. The simple yet, compelling chemistry buildup is worth looking forward to and deserves admiration. The overal plot, the acting, the aesthetics, the dialogues and the execution, everything are good and together make this drama a veryyy good watch. I came here not expecting much, for Min Jae, Gyu Young and Kwon Yul but didn't know I would actually like it to this point. Definitely coming back to this some times.
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In between raving hype surrounding the main cast and the plot, screenwriter Son Eun Hye’s ‘Dali And The Cocky Prince’ has erupted quite a stir amongst avid drama watchers praising the series as ‘’dynamic’’ and ‘’fresh’’. However, this boils down one ultimate question; “Is ‘Dali And The Cocky Prince’ actually worth watching, or is it a classic case of an over-hyped production?”
The series applies the basic romantic comedy formula of ‘’ opposites attract’’; Moo Hak( Kim Min Jae) is a confident and nouveau riche social-climber, whilst Kim Da Li (Park Gyu Young) was born into “ old money” and is a naturally talented art exhibitor and critic . During a trip to an art exhibition in the Netherlands Da Li and Moo Hak end up encountering one another for the first time . Soon afterwards Da Li finds herself struggling to keep her art gallery afloat and consequently through several setups become indebted to Moo Hak. However (typical of romantic cliches) Moo Hak and Da Li begin to fall in love…
One of the greatest strengths of ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ comes through Kim Min Jae and Park Gyu Young’s onscreen chemistry. In between some of the more questionable line deliverances at times Min Jae and Gyu Young’s pairing was dynamic and fun, but ( playing to the drama’s strengths and downfall as a consequence of testing viewers’ attention spans) slow-burn.
Actress Park Gyu Young’s performance and stylist helped to convey a sweet and charismatic charm surrounding the female lead. Da Li is refreshingly not your typical ‘’spoilt princess’’ female lead archetype. She is kind-hearted, an afficionado of Modigliani and has a natural artistic flare which has long been nurtured by her parents ( her namesake evidently being famous Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali), but as a child of a prestigious family, she often finds herself lost in cloud cuckoo land when dilemmas regarding the museum are raised. Whilst aspects of Kim Da Li’s past and background help to explore her character in more depth and do help to present her goals, personality and motives, Da Li undeniably did often feel shoehorned into the role of the ‘’ victim’’. (Especially in later episodes as more revelations come to light.)
Of course, the ‘’victim’’ trope isn’t always necessarily a bad thing in a series. It can help to explore characters in more depth and it did present some more raw moments for otherwise seemingly impeccable characters. For example Da Li is not truly made aware of her attempts to bury her head in the sand until Mu Hak acts as her personal anchor to ground her back to reality. However, whilst praise must be given to presenting Da Li as someone who gradually faces reality with grace and charisma, it seemed odd that the series didn’t present more opportunities for the female lead to take her first steps through more independence and personal growth rather than being enforced into the role for the “ sake of plot tension”.
Of course this naturally brings us onto our second topic of debate; male lead Jin Moo Hak. Expected of his namesake from the title Moo Hak has become accustomed to a wealthy of hedonism and money since his tiny family run-restaurant turned into an international food conglomerate through successful business ventures. Kim Min Jae walks onscreen with an air resonating Jay Gatsby; gaudy suits, satisfaction over materialistic purchases and truly buying into his own ideology that money can truly buy love and happiness.
Moo Hak is arguably the perfect foil and counterpart to Dali; arrogant, haughty and overly confident (which both provides to his advantage and lands him in hot water throughout the drama) but not without his more “ redeeming” character traits either. For example Moo Hak is undeniably a hardworking and charismatic entrepreneur, as well as gradually more empathic as he comes to see ( from Dali) the importance of genuine and authentic relationships that money cannot buy. On the other hand Moo Hak ( similar to the female lead) is very much enforced throughout the series as a plot device; existing to create a splash of tension and jealousy to keep their potential romance “ interesting”, but often dismissing more intriguing elements of Moo Hak’s journey and success along the way.
‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ really did not shy away from reimbursing all the overused tropes and cliches you’ve seen before from the “ foreigners” to the the infamous “ drunken escapades of your main character”, “ mistaken identity” and even the “ shower scene” find their ways multiple times throughout the drama.
However one dreaded creme de la creme of cliches which appeared in the storyline occurred through the issue of the “ love triangle” setup between Moo Hak, Da Li and her “first love” second main lead Tae Jin ( Kwan Yool). In the expected setup that you can imagine, Tae Jin and Da Li ended their relationship on an “awkward note”. (Pining and unrequited love ensues for Tae Jin as the “ impartial female lead” is milked by screenwriter Eun Hye throughout the subplot.) Then to add the cherry on top of “ tension for the sake of tension” there’s also the unrequited feelings ( which are often played for comical foil than actual heartache) of Ahn Chak Hee ( Yeonwoo) who often “bickers” with Moo Hak over her feelings for him and leading to numerous comical misunderstandings.
Thankfully Eun Hye only added these “ tropes ” as a side storyline with an major plot shift to a “ thriller mystery” subplot soon taking frontal stage as the focal point of the drama. In between these scenes there’s a notable shift on other characters unexplored in this latter half.
For example there’s supporting character Won Tak ( Hwang Hee) who is a hardworking police officer with a sibling like relationship with Dali, and Moo Tak’s quirky secretary Yeo Mi Ri ( Hwang Bo Ra). Whilst admittedly both characters were often the root of “ plot motivation” or “ comical foil”, they admittedly did add a sweeter note to the darker subject areas of the drama.
Then of course there’s the last topic surrounding director Lee Jung Sub’s take on the cinematography. Whilst honestly it did feel as though Jung Sub had some more evident missed opportunities with playing with the artistic creativity of the plot, there were admittedly some brilliant scenes and aesthetics carried through adding a warm palette to the romantic-comedy. The ending was admittedly trope-induced; not bad per say, but lacking more fluid coherency towards the characters’ own choices and decisions in the final act.
So what’s left to say about ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ ? Is it worth watching or is it an “overhyped” drama? The biggest thing to say about the rom-com is that the drama accommodates from lighthearted to more serious to suddenly lighthearted again, and isn’t afraid to interplay the cinematography more subtly with this.Our main leads had good chemistry and it was surprisingly sweet to see the “ polar opposite” trope executed once more. On the other ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ isn’t an inherently original or brand new concept with tropes and cliches often weighing down more intriguing story elements, characters and even the ending (to a certain extent). The drama isn’t entirely “ original ” as a consequence of this screenwriting decision and whilst the comedy may vary for viewers, the drama is certainly a decent and sweet enough rom-com.
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YOU Can't Miss out on this one!
This might not be for everyone.If you are bit a like me,
Who thought vincenzo was over hyped, Women being enemies over a lover is a big no-no,
Rivalry between step siblings is a waste of time
and not
everyone should be in love with the female lead all the time,
this is for you.
Carefully served beautiful artistic shorts,
perfectly placed music,
absolutely amazing actors
And each episode better than the last.
Both the male and female and side actors are strong and carry significance to the storyline.
This is the only acceptable drama where i could tolerate a loud character
He makes a lot of sense and balances being logical and romantic, realistically.
The female lead has her opinions and works on bettering herself. Not an extrovert but also not a push-over.
Perfect match for elegence, strength, wit and ofc, the male lead!
Excellent protrayal of families and love.
Overall It also made me realise the importance of art galleries and museums and their heritage.
Do give it a try, while you can, and come back and tell me about it!
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This review may contain spoilers
A HIT AND MISS AT TIMES
I have a love-hate relationship with this show.First, pardon my French and probable cussing because I'll just get right to it as there were a lot of WTF moments for me.
-Da Li staring off into space and walking in a daze became so repetitive she could've been sleepwalking for all I care. Seriously, I was so confused about her character. She had some shining moments, (okay, maybe like two), and then she pretty much becomes the doormat for all the men who were a**holes to just walk all over her. And not just the men, let's not forget the mother-in-law too. Sure, I get it they're elders blah blah blah but stop writing verbal and physical abuse by ANYONE especially family members as acceptable and the norm. Times are a' changing and it's time for k-dramas to start portraying this as unacceptable. Let's repeat: UNACCEPTABLE. Honestly, I really don't think people realize just how damaging verbal abuse can be as well. I think elders written this way ruins a lot of Asian dramas for me because apparently all the supportive elders are usually deceased or die early in most of them. Ugh.
More WTF moments:
-In the beginning, Moo Hak's yelling was very annoying until he toned down a lot. He's literally verbally abusive towards Da Li , (several times I might add) and practically gaslights her but somehow we overlook it because awww.... look at how they stare at each other. Whatevs. Let's pretend us women love that stuff. (I edited this paragraph after realizing I didn't add the ML's verbal and mental abuse tendencies.)
-The FL gets a beating while being robbed because she somehow foolishly showed off a huge wad of cash. Seriously?!! What was she? A drug lord? Who shows off a wad of cash in a seedy motel? Whatevs.
-Ki Chul's, (the stepbrother), constant stupidity
-Hang on, there goes Da Li staring off into space, walking slow. Oh... but now it's raining.
-I found the secretary annoying and clueless at times about Da Li's and her boss' relationship and her acting was always exaggerated. Don't even get me started on her oversized wardrobe. Like, if you wanna wear your dad's suits... well okay then.
-Uncle yelling at Da Li and saying the harshest words. Like couldn't they just let her walk out and have the Uncle find out the entire truth and then beg for her forgiveness?
-Did I mention Da Li staring off into space, walking slow?
-After Moo Hak telling off his father about Da Li, the father has the audacity to talk down to Da Li. The arrogance. Another k-drama cliche I hate. Parents/elders who never see the fact they ruin their children's own happiness and don't realize or at least admit they themselves are a bunch of a**holes.
-Tae Jin dumps Da Li after finding out she was adopted. Who the f*ck cares whether you're adopted or not? OMFG.
-Wait... Da Li's still walking in a daze. Someone shake her. Hang on... nevermind, here comes Moo Hak to hug her... AGAIN. It's all good now. *insert rolled eyes here
-Not a fan of the OST. A version of Chopsticks accompaniment song with piano (?)... nope. Uh-uh.
-Not an entire fan of the ML actor Kim Min Jae and I felt someone else would've been better casted for the role but that's just my personal opinion.
-Is that Da Li in a daze again? Yup, it is.
-Let's not forget to add the father assemblyman hitting his daughter because apparently, we need more physical abuse towards women in kdramas
-The FL lead gets berated and insulted by her new lover, her uncle, her cousin, the father-in-law, the ex-boyfriend, a female co-worker, the mother-in-law, and whoever else I'm forgetting... oh add me to the list now too. Sorry but not sorry.
What I did like:
-The dialogue between Moo Hak and Da Li and heartfelt moments were shared. There were some pretty nice writing there I gotta admit especially after the adoption reveal
-The art and gallery scenes
-I love Won Tak's character... and I had a few good chuckles at some of the scenes he was in
-The bromance between Won Tak and Moo Hak
-When Da Li had her great moments but unfortunately they didn't give her enough. For all her class, upbringing and smarts, she should've been written a bit stronger or at least been able to hold her ground and talked back respectfully against the BS the elders yelled at her. I'll blame the writers for that missed opportunity.
-The plot and mystery about the gallery and the twists and turns at least kept me interested
-The backstory of Moo Hak's upbringing and his contribution to the growth of Dondon F and B
-Moo Hak's scenes against Tae Jin were well written
I was annoyed at first with ML and his yelling and when that got toned down and they wrote him to be more empathetic, that was when I enjoyed the show a bit more. I think I had a lot of respect for the FL earlier in the series as a strong woman but all that went out the window soon after. It was disappointing not to have her show some growth as they did for the ML. It was all about the FL acting shocked and crying during most episodes in the entire series. She basically puts up and takes everyone's sh*t. I wasn't a fan of the ending either. They put in an unnecessary time jump and twist. The lover's spat was just uncomfortable to watch with the ML yelling all over again and really, no one cares about the inlaws.
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The Best! Brilliant acting by the leads! Adorable and well executed!
After a really really long time, found the charm of Korean dramas in this! This one made it for me!💥🌈The leads were adorable to watch! They held the whole show together! 🥰💕✨
The OSTs were beautiful!🎶✨
There were many many laugh-out-loud moments!👻🤩✨
Comedy and Chemistry on point, well directed, with a decent story line and very very few plot holes!🦜🦉Binge watched the whole thing in 2 days without skipping, the clifhangers every episode made it interesting to watch the next one, not one dry or dull episode! 💯🎯🌟
My top favorite!
Brilliant acting by the leads and what you get is a wonderful drama to watch! 💥
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Well-crafted and beautifully acted
This is so much more than the basic "opposites attract" plot would indicate. Park Gyu Young is masterful as Dali, a refined, quiet, old-fashioned scholarly type (after a memorable turn as a crazy young editor in Romance Is a Bonus Book and a secondary character in several other dramas). Kim Min-Jae is heart-meltingly adorable as the gruff, but sweet and decent, Mr. Jin. You just want to hug him all the time. What a great OTP, so different from each other and yet they understand each other well. They are each a mix of naive, astute, resilient, and kind; and they get such a charge out of each other that it’s a joy to watch. Another reviewer here calls them "straightforward," and that's precisely true, and so refreshing.The writers keep us on our toes by having the characters repeatedly confound our expectations and transcend the conventions. The secondary characters are archetypes (goofy assistant, loyal thugs/chefs, terrible relatives, interfering exes), but still are richly portrayed and invested with humanity.The tropes are there, but get turned on their head. There is melodrama, but it isn’t dragged out. Clues are planted, but pay off in unexpected ways. The writers are particularly tricky toward the end! This was so enjoyable. I’ll watch it again soon to enjoy the craft now that I’ve seen how it turns out. Also, a shout-out to Dali’s lovely clothing.
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