Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale Mid-Season Review: Pyo Ye Jin and Lee Jun Young deliver light-hearted Cinderella-inspired romantic comedy

Fairytales have long woven a magical spell, transporting readers and audiences to worlds where wishes come true and good triumphs over evil. They act as portals to an alternate reality, where happily ever after isn’t just a phrase, it’s a guarantee. Beyond the fantastical elements, these stories offer a powerful comfort: the assurance that no matter how bleak things seem, a happy resolution awaits. They plant a seed of hope, nurturing the belief that perseverance can overcome challenges and lead to a life filled with joy and fulfillment. This inherent optimism is what makes fairytales so enduring, offering solace and inspiration across generations. And the same trope is witnessed in the new Korean drama Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale starring Taxi Driver star Pyo Ye Jin and Impossible Heir actor Lee Jun Young.

Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale Mid-Season Review: Pyo Ye Jin and Lee Jun Young deliver light-hearted Cinderella-inspired romantic comedy

The 10-episode series premiered on May 31, 2024 and is currently airing on Viu. The series revolves around a rich heir Moon Cha Min (Lee Jun Young), the epitome of arrogance, scoffed at the very notion of a fairy tale romance. Heir to a chaebol empire and CEO of an exclusive social club, Cha Min saw women who dreamt of glass slippers as nothing but gold diggers. His life was a whirlwind of wealth and privilege, a world far removed from the struggles of the everyday person. Enter Shin Jae Rim (Pyo Ye Jin), a breath of fresh air amidst the carefully curated world of Cha Min’s club. With a fire in her eyes and a heart yearning for independence, Jae Rim wasn’t there to be swept off her feet. Driven by circumstance rather than romantic fantasies, she landed the manager position at the club, hoping to escape the limitations of her impoverished life.

In the first six episodes of the show, their worlds collided in the most unexpected way. Cha Min, initially amused by Jae Rim’s wide-eyed optimism, found himself increasingly drawn towards her and often had vivid dreams about her. Jae Rim, who at first saw him as obnoxious and annoying, starts to see the vulnerability beneath Cha Min’s arrogance, a guarded pain stemming from a broken past. As they navigated the bustling world of the social club, their initial clashes gave way to a hesitant understanding. Cha Min, surprised by his own actions, finds himself charmed by Jae Rim. Their differences, once a chasm, starts to become the bridge that is bringing them closer. Just like any other romantic comedy, the humour elements of the show are hilarious and the romantic scenes give typical K-drama vibes.

Coming to the characters, Pyo Ye Jin and Lee Jun Young deliver stellar performances in this Korean drama. Pyo Ye Jin as Shin Jae Rim is adorable, and naive but is also headstrong and independent, well almost. Her goal in life is simple – because she lacks the education to get a job, she would get married and live a comfortable life. She is our modern day Cinderella but without the heartbreaking tale of troubles and trysts. She has a stepmother and two step sisters but they don’t trouble her as much as we know from the original story. Sure, there is some distance and animosity between the sisters but they get along fairly well usually. Jae Rim hails from a relatively poor background but she never lets her situation beat her down. She marches on with her life with her doe-eyed face and bubbly appearance.

Then comes Lee Jun Young as our modern-day Prince Charming, aka Moon Cha Min. The wordplay on the character’s name is smartly done. He is a pesky and narcissistic eighth-generation heir who owns a social club catering to the whims of the elite. He sees women as ‘stones’ and keeps himself guarded against any emotions. He has quite a traumatic past, which is slowly being revealed to us as the episodes progress. He is unwittingly attracted to Jae Rim, much to his chagrin but eventually gives in to his desire. One might even think he is from Ahn Min Hyuk’s lineage from Strong Girl Bong Soon. He is sassy and his insults are quite creative too.

Kim Hyun Jin is the lovely second lead, Baek Do Hong. Though introduced in the later episodes, Do Hong is a famous movie director with a rags-to-riches story of his own. He is interested in Jae Rim too, more so after knowing that Cha Min might go after her. He too, has a part of his own which influences his current actions and desires. Jae Rim wonders if he actually likes her or if he is only acting so because Cha Min favours her. We wonder the same.

But in all honesty, the audience is rooting for Cha Min and Jae Rim by now. Their undeniable chemistry is electric. They challenge and understand each other in a way that feels honest, even through their playful banter. Despite not being a couple yet, they steal every scene. Cha Min, guarded with his emotions, clashes beautifully with Jae Rim’s openness. It’s a dynamic begging to explode – how will they navigate a relationship after all this emotional honesty?

Episode six throws a wrench into things with Jae Rim’s kidnapping. As Cha Min races to her rescue, a personal trigger emerges – a flashback to his own childhood abduction. This crisis could be the turning point that pushes them closer than ever.

Helmed by Kim Min Kyung, Visually, the show is in your face with the bright sets, and some of the most crack moments to add humour which some may find cringe. However, longtime fans of the actors and K-drama fans will definitely tune in to watch a light-hearted no high stakes rom-com for a breather from heavyweight dramas.

Speaking of the pacing of this drama, it moves stably with its 45-minute run time. So far we have only seen the past of these characters in short flashbacks. With three more weeks to go for the drama to finish, it will be interesting to see how the makers complete the story in such a short span. Especially considering we know quite less about Cha Min’s past and there is a lot to unpack there. Then we also have to look forward to the developing chemistry between Cha Min and Jae Rim. Hopefully, the story does not rush to an ending and lends a satisfying closure for each arc in the story.

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Watch the trailer for Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale here: