Editorials 
A charming rom-com with great characters and an unforgettable Moo-hak.
Dali and Cocky Prince is a bright and highly enjoyable rom-com that, while making extensive use of genre clichés, manages to develop its own personality and, above all, maintain a good pace throughout.
The real strength of the series is Moo-hak, an over-the-top, naive and irresistibly straightforward protagonist who is also capable of evolving throughout the story. His unusual way of dealing with situations generates much of the comedy, without reducing him to a mere caricature. Dali is also a well-developed character, and the relationship between the two works because it brings together two very different personalities.
The series also benefits from its supporting characters and from the various subplots involving the museum and its problems. Some of the museum staff are less successful, and a few situations feel contrived or somewhat forced, but these are relatively minor flaws that do not compromise the overall result.
One particularly positive aspect is the consistency of the second half. The series does not lose momentum once the relationship between the protagonists becomes more central: there are still enough conflicts, situations and developments to keep the story moving. This consistent pacing is what makes it particularly successful.
The ending also contains a few somewhat forced solutions and clichés, including a final scene that could have been handled more naturally, but none of this is enough to undermine the overall journey.
Ultimately, Dali and Cocky Prince is not a perfect series, and it certainly does not reinvent the rom-com genre. But it makes good use of the tools it has, with well-developed characters, plenty of comedy and, above all, a story that never loses its momentum.
The result is a fun, reasonably smart rom-com with a very successful central couple. For these reasons, it earns a 9.5/10 on my personal scale.
The real strength of the series is Moo-hak, an over-the-top, naive and irresistibly straightforward protagonist who is also capable of evolving throughout the story. His unusual way of dealing with situations generates much of the comedy, without reducing him to a mere caricature. Dali is also a well-developed character, and the relationship between the two works because it brings together two very different personalities.
The series also benefits from its supporting characters and from the various subplots involving the museum and its problems. Some of the museum staff are less successful, and a few situations feel contrived or somewhat forced, but these are relatively minor flaws that do not compromise the overall result.
One particularly positive aspect is the consistency of the second half. The series does not lose momentum once the relationship between the protagonists becomes more central: there are still enough conflicts, situations and developments to keep the story moving. This consistent pacing is what makes it particularly successful.
The ending also contains a few somewhat forced solutions and clichés, including a final scene that could have been handled more naturally, but none of this is enough to undermine the overall journey.
Ultimately, Dali and Cocky Prince is not a perfect series, and it certainly does not reinvent the rom-com genre. But it makes good use of the tools it has, with well-developed characters, plenty of comedy and, above all, a story that never loses its momentum.
The result is a fun, reasonably smart rom-com with a very successful central couple. For these reasons, it earns a 9.5/10 on my personal scale.
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