Season 1 |
|
|
Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 7 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 8 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 9 -| Review Score – 2/5
Episode 10 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Do you miss the unhinged comedy and goofy romances of 2017 K-dramas? Do you wish recent shows would stop with the heavy angst, slow pace, constant digressions and half-baked side quests that never amount to anything? Well, then say hello to Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale which came in right when we were suffering from Lovely Runner withdrawals and stole our hearts.
We knew from the get-go that we would be in safe hands as Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale is helmed by Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol’s director, Kim Min-kyung and Strong Woman Do Bong Soon’s writer, Baek Mi-kyung. Put these two together and we get a super hilarious rom-com that is nostalgic yet refreshing.
Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale Season 1 follows Shim Jae-rim who is left with nothing after her father dies except a step-family who…loves her! Her father advises her to marry rich so she doesn’t have to struggle and she winds up as a manager at a social club for the elites.
There she locks head with the chaebol CEO, Moon Cha-min whose name may be similar to Prince Charming, but oh no, he is her fairy godmother who wants her to quickly find her target and get out of his sight as he can’t stand her. And in the form of the evil stepsisters, we have the chaebol heiresses Dan-a and Ri-na who are hellbent on making Jae-rim’s life miserable.
We get Lee Jun-young as the bratty chaebol kid but don’t worry Cha-min is nothing like the misfire that was Jun-young’s character in The Impossible Heir. Cha-min is a loser in love as he represents us simps who try to play cool in front of our crush but end up making a fool of ourselves.
Meanwhile, Pyo Ye-jin has had a pretty great streak as she led several successful K-dramas recently from Taxi Driver to Our Blooming Youth. In Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale Season 1, she stars as our Cinderella who is bubbly yet grounded in reality as she embarks on a journey of self-love and confidence.
And despite the important themes, Season 1 maintains its whimsy and quirky nature with some wild CGI. It is everything that it calls itself – a goofy rom-com while poking fun at the very same genre it belongs to.
Fans were worried about its number of episodes but the 10-episode format is actually perfect as it is quick and to the point. Even the filler scenes aren’t really fillers as we get an insight into the characters. And while focusing on furthering the story, it also cleverly weaves the Cinderella motifs and keeps it lighthearted. When we do get angst and trauma, it is quickly but sensitively dealt with while balancing it out with the comedy so that the show doesn’t lose its tone.
The only weak point is the penultimate episode where we get the classic push-and-pull with a dash of misunderstanding as the cherry on top. With the first 8 episodes exceeding expectations, episode 9 feels like a disappointment but not for long. The finale takes us back to the fun tale that we fell in love with, gives the characters deserving endings and wraps up all plotholes while remembering to make us laugh.
All in all, Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale is a mini K-drama with a short and sweet storyline with minimal angst and a satisfying ending. It gives us exactly what it advertises and is just what we need amidst the currently heavy productions that fizzle out in the end.
Feel Free To Check Out More Of Our TV Show Reviews Here!
-
Verdict - 8/10
8/10