REVIEW: Dali & the Cocky Prince
| Title | Dali & the Cocky Prince, Dali and Gamja-tang |
| Male Lead | Kim Min-jae as Jin Moo-hak |
| Female Lead | Park Gyu-young as Kim Dali |
| Writer | Son Eun-hye, Park Se-eun |
| Episodes | 16 Episodes | 70 Minutes per Episode |
| Release | September 22 to November 11, 2021 |
| Genre | Romantic Comedy |
| Language | Korean |
| Country of Origin | South Korea |
Plot Summary
Dali & the Cocky Prince revolves around the story of Dali and Moo-hak, the cocky prince. Kim Dali is a genius researcher at the Saint Müller Museum in the Netherlands. She came from a well-respected family who runs the Cheong-song Art Museum in South Korea. Jin Moo-hak is a self-made businessman whose family owns Dondon F&B, a gamja-tang restaurant. From a small family-owned hole in the wall, it has evolved into a successful global food service company with hundreds of branches.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
The story begins with Dali as an in-house museum researcher based in Amsterdam while her father is the director of their family-owned and-run museum back in Korea. Meanwhile, Moo-hak is busy running their restaurant. He goes on a business trip to Amsterdam as a guest of honor at the Dutch Hog Farm association’s event. They meet at the airport. Moo-hak thought that Dali was the representative of the Dutch Hog Farm who was supposed to pick him up. Dali believed that Jin Moo-hak was Mr. Jin Hitonari, the Japanese art expert who is the guest of honor at a private art event hosted by Madam Bronckhorst.
As the party progressed, they both realized they are mistaken in both their identities. They were not who they thought the other were. Through a series of mishaps, Dali ends up helping Moo-hak who is caught in a bit of a bind. He learns that he does not have any money and that all his cards have been cut off by his father. Moo-hak stays at Dali’s house for the night. They enjoyed each other’s company and there was a clear connection that both of them felt. They planned to meet up after Moo-hack finishes his business meetings but were unable to before he needs to go back home to South Korea.
A Sudden Turn of Events
Dali’s father suddenly dies of a heart attack. She needs to go back to Korea to take over the family-run museum. She becomes the director as her father’s successor. Little by little, she learns about the state of the business. The museum is barely making enough money to survive. There were issues about land development within the surrounding property. Her father has recently taken out a loan to take care of matters concerning the museum’s daily activities. It came as a complete surprise to Dali that Dondon F&B is her father’s creditor.
Moo-hak is equally surprised. When he arrived back in South Korea and learned that the director of the museum he lent money to has died, he had nothing in his mind but to do whatever it takes for the new director to pay him back the money that was owed to him. He staged a stand-off scene with his men in the middle of the museum with all the guests around to force the new director to pay up. Both of them are shocked when Dali calmly appeared to sort out the situation.
The Lady from a Prestigious Family and the Guy with a Rags to Riches Story
Dali fights for her Father’s Legacy
The series unfolds as Dali tries to keep her father’s legacy intact while battling scheming politicians and businessmen who want to manipulate her situation by making use of her good-for-nothing older cousin. She does her best to fulfill the duties left for her to fulfill knowing how her dad would have wanted it.
When things get hard, people say, “This too shall pass.” Pain, sadness, they will all go away with time. But if you think about it the other way, that’s a sad saying. It means that the happiness and love you had will all disappear eventually.
Dali as she was talking to Won-tak who is like a brother to her.
She faces old demons as her ex-fiance tries to win her back after a heartbreaking ending. She endures her uncle’s hurtful words as a family secret is revealed threatening her position. She tries to be understanding and compassionate as her cousin creates trouble that threatens their family’s reputation.
Moo-hak as the Shrewd but Wise Businessman
Working at a very young age and gaining sizeable success has made Moo-hak a no-nonsense businessman. He knows exactly what to do to make their business even more successful. Before meeting Dali, he is known to be very abrasive and you can say crass in a way. But knowing Dali and her struggles, he became much-needed support to her while she was navigating her way out of the situation she was left in.
Growing up with only his father has forced him to be independent. His mother passed away because of a terminal illness. He had to deal with seeing his father fall in love with another woman and an older stepbrother who longs to gain his father’s trust.
Sticking Together and Making it Work
The conflict in the story revolves around the museum and the impending development of the area around the property. Dali gracefully and diligently works through every obstacle thrown her way. Moo-hak is her anchor. He gives her comfort and makes her laugh at otherwise sticky situations. They come out of each situation stronger than before.
Final Thoughts About Dali & the Cocky Prince
The story is somewhat based on a typical rich-poor love story but with an interesting twist that makes it a little different than usual. Moo-hak is rich but he came from a poor background. Dali came from a prestigious background but she actually has no money to speak of. Their personalities are very different but they blend so well on screen. They have really good chemistry and every scene with them on it is entertaining to watch.
The plot itself is typical. The bad guys are irritating but not really enough for you to hate them. There were a few characters who you thought will betray the leads but actually show their loyalty in the end.
Overall it is an entertaining series without too many highs and lows but with a lot of sweet, feel-good moments with the leads. If you are looking for a feel-good weekend binge then this series is a good candidate.
Binge Star Rating – 7 Stars
Re-watch Value
I would say this is something that I would re-watch when I have nothing else on my list. If only because of the chemistry of the leads. But I have to say that I would definitely skip over the boring parts.
Dali & the Cocky Prince Character Chart
Check out who’s who in the drama series by clicking on the link provided below. Enjoy binge-watching!!!
Dali and the Cocky Prince is a romantic comedy that revolves around the daughter of a prestigious art museum director and the son of a rags-to-riches business owner who has a very successful restaurant chain.
The female lead is Kim Da-Li played by Park Gyu-Young. She is a genius researcher and the only daughter of a distinguished director of Cheong-song Art Museum. The male lead is Jin Moo-Hak, the son of the owner of Dondon F&B. From a small family-owned hole in the wall, it has evolved into a successful global foodservice company with hundreds of branches.
Where to Watch
Watch the full drama with complete English subtitles on the Netflix website.
Images from promotional materials from KBS may be subject to copyright. [Last Update 0426-2024]
