Dali and the Cocky Prince (2021)

Quick Take: Dali and Cocky Prince (2021) starring Kim Min-jae and Park guy-young.  9.2/10.  16 episodes of 70 min. each.

Synopsis:   Kim Da-li has a PhD in Art History.  Her father is director of an art museum in Seoul, but his unexpected death puts the responsibility on her shoulders. The museum is in financial trouble, and owes money to — among others — the  CEO of a restaurant franchise.   Jin Moo-hak is barely educated and socially inept, but he knows how to make money.  Their partnership is threatened by political schemes, unhelpful family, and murky motives on all sides.

Review: The two leads meet cute in Europe, and then reunite in Seoul as debtor and creditor.   The bad guys are very bad, but the two leads are adorable.  Kim Min-jae has been in several dramas, though not as lead; his ability to assume the character of each different role makes him an actor worth watching.  Park Gyu-young is perfect as the gentle and refined Kim Da-li.  She speaks English really well too, which is a nice change.  So many Korean actors speak English dialogue as though they’d memorized nonsense syllables.

The plot is thin but the leads are delightful.

Recommended.

Rewatchable - 4, Compelling - 4, Plot/ Story/Writing - 9,  Acting/Casting - 10, Production - 10,  Bonus -  5.   Bonus points for the sweet interactions between the leads.

Notes:

Park

Gyu-young

began acting in 2015. Dali was her first lead role, but she had supporting roles in Fight for My Way (2017), Romance is a Bonus Book (2019), It’s Okay Not to be Okay (2020), and The Devil Judge (2020).

Kim Min-jae

in addition to acting, plays the piano and raps. He attended Seoul Performing Arts High School. After years in supporting roles, his first major lead role was in Do Your Like Brahms? (2020). See him also in Dr. Romantic 1 (2016) and 2 (2020), Flower Crew: Jose Marriage Agency (2019), and Tempted (2018).