Dali and Cocky Prince is about the unlikely romance between a resourceful business man (Kim Min Jae) who lacks education and the elite director of an art museum (Park Gyu Young) who recently lost everything.
Park Gyu Young plays Kim Da Li. She is a wealthy woman with a lot of book smarts who runs an art museum, but when her father dies suddenly, she is left in debt and struggling to take care of herself.
Kim Min Jae is Jin Moo Hak. He and his family run a restaurant chain. He doesn’t have a lot of education, but he is street smart and resourceful. A series of events lead him to meeting Da Li as well as her being in debt to him.
Kwon Yool plays Jang Tae Jin. He is a wealthy and powerful man who was once engaged to Da Li and re-enters her life in a big way after the passing of her father.
Dali and Cocky Prince is a fun drama that was a nice change of pace. It felt like a drama that would have came out 5 years ago in terms of style and tone which is something I really liked. Though it actually turns many traditional cliches upside down with a fresh spin. So I think a lot of people will quite enjoy that.
I also like this genre a lot as it is sort of a rom-com mystery. For the most part, it is a lighter drama with humor, romance, and heart. But there is a more serious side involving a mystery as well as many of the struggles that Da Li and Moo Hak face.
The romance was entertaining in this series. Da Li and Moo Hak are complete opposites. The first episode was fantastic when they first meet, and we really get a good look at their chemistry right away.
Events eventually lead to a fun set-up of him getting involved with her art museum in quite the dramatic fashion as they become a creditor and debtor. Kim Min Jae is particularly fun in this role, and I found his character very entertaining.
We then have to spend a good chunk of the drama with them in more of a light bickering phase due to the circumstances around them, but I always enjoyed when these two were on screen together.
The bickering was fun, and it was clear how much Moo Hak liked Da Li as he tried to help her and she slowly opened up to him. I do wish they could have got together a little sooner though, since it was pretty deep in the drama before they do.
But when they do, it’s super sweet! They are such a lovely couple that are a wonderful mixture of cute, dedicated, playful, and mature. A very interesting combination for sure!
More dramatics come out in the second half as we deal with certain people coming for Da Li’s museum as well as Jang Tae Jin being right in the middle of all of this. There are some secrets and reveals that spiced things up.
We get nice character explorations of both Da Li and Moo Hak. Da Li pretty much loses her only family and all of her wealth which forces her to be on her own. While there was a lot she didn’t know and understand, she was a very capable woman who did the best for herself and those around her. She did things on her own if she could, and when necessary, she accepted help. She grows a lot through this journey and matures more and more.
Then we have Moo Hak who is a bit brazen but very kind-hearted. His perception of the world changes as he falls in love with Da Li, and he sees things in a different light. Suddenly, there is something more important to him than money. He was always nice, but we watch him become a very tender man who will put love first.
I also have to give mention to Moo Hak’s secretary, Mi Ri (Hwang Bo Ra). She was hilarious, a good employee, and a great friend. I loved watching this duo interact in every way.
Dali and Cocky Prince was a very entertaining watch. It is a good rom-com with plenty of humor, heart, and a mostly light feel to it. It also has that low-key mystery/suspense element running in the background to spice things up. The pacing is good and complimented with a nice soundtrack and great costumes. All in all, it’s a very good drama.
My Rating: 7.5/10
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