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Underdog story as an old-fashioned melodrama in the cutthroat world of fashion.
Fashion King wasn’t well-received here, but it was appreciated in Korea. And while I’m not particularly a fan of The Penthouse, we owe dramas like it to shows such as Fashion King and What Happened in Bali, both by the same screenwriters. Those two set a certain tone and storytelling style that dramas like The Penthouse later picked up on and took further.
So, what is Fashion King? A makjang-style drama with rather pathetic characters, to put it simply. The screenwriters are clearly drawn to complex, often messy love lines, ambiguous characters, relentless misfortunes, and the classic underdog-vs-rich dynamic. I won’t go into too much detail, but the cinematography is worth highlighting—especially the use of color in the first episode and how it develops throughout. The characters’ styling also aligns closely with the story.
To me, Fashion King is the first drama that comes to mind when thinking of antihero and underdog stories. It’s emotional, thought-provoking, and never boring. Sure, the last few episodes were harder to watch, but overall, it was an impressive, different and genuinely fun experience—at least for me, even if others disagreed.
And the music? Even if we don’t agree on the plot, I bet we can agree on the soundtrack. And the cast, chemistry, sets, realisation and color palette, too. The OST blends classical music with a Spanish flair and early-2010s techno—which works perfectly. “Standstill” and the Japanese track are standout pieces, and Lee Jehoon’s version of one of the OST songs near the end is another highlight.
How to enjoy it? Drop the usual black-and-white perspective and just watch.
~ Ending note in the comments
Unreleased Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GDVpO1bWoM
Playlist I made for the drama: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVlEiYP-9el7bpWy00vzk5ywUdunsQJxz
So, what is Fashion King? A makjang-style drama with rather pathetic characters, to put it simply. The screenwriters are clearly drawn to complex, often messy love lines, ambiguous characters, relentless misfortunes, and the classic underdog-vs-rich dynamic. I won’t go into too much detail, but the cinematography is worth highlighting—especially the use of color in the first episode and how it develops throughout. The characters’ styling also aligns closely with the story.
To me, Fashion King is the first drama that comes to mind when thinking of antihero and underdog stories. It’s emotional, thought-provoking, and never boring. Sure, the last few episodes were harder to watch, but overall, it was an impressive, different and genuinely fun experience—at least for me, even if others disagreed.
And the music? Even if we don’t agree on the plot, I bet we can agree on the soundtrack. And the cast, chemistry, sets, realisation and color palette, too. The OST blends classical music with a Spanish flair and early-2010s techno—which works perfectly. “Standstill” and the Japanese track are standout pieces, and Lee Jehoon’s version of one of the OST songs near the end is another highlight.
How to enjoy it? Drop the usual black-and-white perspective and just watch.
~ Ending note in the comments
Unreleased Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GDVpO1bWoM
Playlist I made for the drama: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVlEiYP-9el7bpWy00vzk5ywUdunsQJxz
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