SunOh

I have a somewhat complicated relationship with Fashion King. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to everyone—in fact, if you asked me whether I would recommend it to you, the answer would probably be no—but I personally had a great time watching it. I don't really care about its reputation either. It clearly has its audience, including among Koreans, and after watching it I was actually surprised by how many people seem to genuinely like it.

What initially caught me was the beginning. The first episode is a very good introduction to the characters, and the story starts surprisingly fast-paced, unfolding through chaotic events. The scenes in America are also incredibly entertaining and funny, and I really think the beginning is worth seeing. Ga-young's initial situation gives the drama huge Cinderella vibes, which I loved.

At the center of the story is Young-gul. Basically, he's a loser at the beginning, and then he meets Ga-young, who inspires him. But his ambition is ultimately much more morbid than a straightforward underdog story: it leads him towards his demise. His development was one of the main things that interested me, particularly the psychology behind it. Yoo Ah-in is also an exceptional actor here, and this is probably my favorite role of his.

Ga-young is a far better character than you could expect based on the hearsay surrounding her. She's bold, passionate and talented, but she's also someone who can stay quiet and become defensive. I don't think her quietness makes her poorly written; it's part of her personality.

Her relationship with Young-gul is particularly important to understanding her. She started everything with him and was alone before, and when you see their story in the first episodes, you realize how deep their relationship is—especially from her side. Young-gul is somewhat full of himself and takes a long time to realize that he has feelings for her, while he's attracted to another girl and slowly losing Ga-young to Jae-hyuk. So I can't blame Ga-young for falling in love with someone who doesn't return her feelings in the way she wants.

Another good part of the criticism summed up for you: by all means, never hold the men accountable, blame the woman, and also trash on the actress playing an introverted character, all the while praising the (male) actors. At least Koreans know Shin Sae-kyeong is a good actress who delivers her lines well. Plus, she has a genuinely impressive ability to cry silently.

I also liked that not only she can make the first step herself, she does eventually leave him and is capable of confronting him. Her feelings aren't always expressed through dialogue; you can understand a lot of what she's feeling from her eyes and subtle expressions. That's part of why I found her more compelling than the reputation of the drama might lead you to expect.

The love triangle was actually one of my favorite parts. It makes sense that Ga-young would start looking towards Jae-hyuk, especially as he genuinely falls in love with her. He also helps her at the beginning when she's trying her best to regain a place she unfairly lost. In fact, at some point I started shipping Ga-young with Jae-hyuk myself.

Jae-hyuk has his own storyline as well. He's the second male lead and struggles with his position in the fashion company, as well as with his father's expectations. He has a somewhat jerkish and childish personality, and his feelings for Ga-young put him through an internal conflict. Meanwhile, the second female lead is Jae-hyuk's girlfriend. She struggles because she lacks talent, while Young-gul is attracted to her. I ended up liking both of them too, which made the interactions between the four characters especially enjoyable.

That said, I can absolutely understand why the drama isn't for everyone. After the beginning, there's a whole lot of character interaction and melodrama that probably won't appeal to many people. You really need to enjoy an old-fashioned love triangle and the increasingly negative character arc of the main character. Someone who appreciates old melodramas might be more receptive to it than someone looking for a more modern or straightforward romance.

But I happen to enjoy old melodramas, and Fashion King kept me invested. Three of my friends ended up watching it and mostly liked it, and it was fun to talk about. One of them is a writer himself and was amazed by the storytelling. On that note, yet another detail is how the drama subverts some expectations and tropes, even if it doesn't always do things in a way that will work for everyone.

I was also surprised by the amount of appreciation it seems to have. I encountered more fans than I expected, including Korean viewers praising it under recent SBS compilations (it DID have frustrated viewers and controversy over the ending, but also many praising the chemistry, acting or straight-up calling it their favorite drama, and even the "hate" comments are funny), where it had around 10% ratings when it aired. It even has Russian fans, which is funny because that's not particularly unusual in my experience, since around 90% of the FMVs for my favorite melodrama, Born Again, are Russian.

The production side was another reason I enjoyed it. The OST is amazing, and I really liked the cinematography, some good shots. In particular, I noticed the contrasting colors at the beginning and how they gradually softened with time. Combined with the New York setting and the atmosphere of the early episodes, it gave the drama a visual identity that I found very appealing.

About comic relief, the drama had its fair share thanks to the side characters, specifically the factory's ahjummas who liked to gossip about our main characters.

And then there's the ending. I know it's a major reason many people disliked the drama, but I personally didn't regret watching it because of the ending. It's open to interpretation, so you can choose how you understand it, but I liked the meaning (as there were two symbolic meanings which were related). I also appreciated the foreshadowing surrounding it. For me, the ending didn't erase the enjoyment I got from the rest of the drama. Instead, it was a powerful and fitting ending, even if it's a dark tale. Definitely the most shocking and artistic ending I've seen in a K-drama.

One thing that came to mind is the impact capitalism can have on people. As class conflict was an obvious theme of the drama, with the disgust between the two men and constant fight. The blind obsession with revenge and greed, even the psychology of seeking an apartment a floor above, while coming from a poor and chaotic background.

So, no, I wouldn't recommend Fashion King to everyone. Its reputation doesn't bother me, but I can see why it has one. It's a very particular kind of drama, and you have to be willing to enjoy its old-fashioned melodrama, love triangle, character interactions and the increasingly troubled psychology of its main character.

But personally, I found it genuinely fun. I liked the characters, I was invested in the romance, I thought the psychology of Young-gul was particularly interesting, and I loved the beginning in America, the OST and the cinematography. The female lead was likeable, the second lead became someone I actually wanted to see with her, and Yoo Ah-in's performance was excellent.

It isn't a drama I need to defend as universally good. I just think there's something genuinely enjoyable and interesting underneath its reputation, and I'm glad I watched it. Someday, I also want to watch What Happened in Bali by the same writers.