Edited to add this:
The more I think about it the more I appreciate this series. My comments below still feel accurate, but I think I'll definitely half to rewatch this series after perhaps half a year. It is just really good.
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Although I doubt anyone is actually reading my reviews, I've started to think that spoilers are not something I want to include, so I'll try to keep this generic, while giving folks an idea of how much I enjoyed the work.
First let me note that this is not really a "light" or "fluffy" series. It has its comedic and light moments, but there is a lot of trauma and darkness as well. (More on that a bit later.)
The good stuff:
Dali and Moo-Hok are one of the cutest couples ever. Park Gyu-Young is stunning. Very much one of the most beautiful actresses I've seen. Her wardrobe for the series is quirky and very different than what we see in other Kdramas, but each outfit is so incredible and she wears them so well. Kim Min-Jae is very handsome and cute by turns, and has a boyish, joyful quality.
The acting is superb. These Korean actors just blow me away after watching American TV. (Actually we have been watching very little American TV for many years. We are watching much more TV - KDramas in particular.) The subtleties and emotion of MS Park. The energy of Mr. Kim min-Jae. Just insanely good acting. Both actors have hard roles to play without under or overdoing it, and they pull it off brilliantly.
An intelligent, elegant, mature FL. A bit dorky and ignorant ML, but with a heart of gold. A very refreshing switch up from many other KDramas we have watched.
The funny parts are really funny. The cute parts are really cute. The romantic parts are really touching.
It is a very well crafted story, compellingly told.
The OST is brilliant. The song Gift by Chai is now one of my favorite songs ever, let alone one of my favorite OST tracks. An English version is available - so touching.
Less than ideal for me, and why I give it a nine rather than a perfect 10:
This was a hard decision. I hesitated to watch the series for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. The description was somehow not compelling.
But at some point I realized Park Guy-Young was a secondary FL in in Romance Is A Bonus Book. She had quickly become my favorite character in that series! So that convinced me right away to watch Dali and Cocky prince, hoping for some of the same comedic mastery. But here she was so much more reserved, as the role demanded. As I have noted her portrayal of Dali was superb, but I guess I was hoping for more fun. This is probably a bad reason to deduct a point, but...
Also there is more darkness and trauma than I was looking for at this time, so that plays into it as well. Of course, your mileage may vary.
But it is a great show. Unless you rally just need something consistently light a fluffy, please watch it.
