Good Ol’ Review: Park So Dam Shines in the Charming Cinderella and the Four Knights

Cinderella and the Four Knights Korean Drama Review

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW
No spoilers.

If you need a little pick-me-up, look no further than the thoroughly charming 2016 tvN romcom Cinderella and the Four Knights (신데렐라와 네 명의 기사).

Park So Dam leads a strong cast as the modern-day Cinderella that meets a trio of rich cousins and their grandfather’s executive secretary who change her life. Park So Dam as Eun Ha Won is absolutely the kind of leading lady you love to see. Strong, yet vulnerable. Unquestionably charming and wholly endearing.

After the death of her mother, Ha Won grows up with an absentee father and her stepmother and stepsister who mistreat her every day. She must work several part-time jobs to save up for college as well as provide for her own daily needs.

When circumstances bring her to the Hanuel House estate, she gets an opportunity to turn her life around for the better. It won’t be easy as she navigates the life of the wealthy as well as deal with the irritable personalities of the aforementioned “four knights” whom she must try and reform. But it’s all in good, clean fun as Ha Won maintains her positive spirit throughout especially while also falling in love for the first time.

Cinderella and the Four Knights is a fun, cute modern-day fairy tale with plenty of heart. Park So Dam provides much of that heart. But while the series begins with the lighter, romcom elements that may be familiar to many a K-drama viewer, the series takes things through interesting and more dramatic turns later on.

Together, that makes for a fun, enjoyable and stress-free ride with a fully satisfying finale.

The cast shares a great chemistry that allows them to play off each other well. From the leads to the supporting characters, the fun rapport they can have with each other adds to the easy-going feel of the series.

Cinderella and the Four Knights Korean Drama Review

Jung Il Woo, Ahn Jae Hyeon, Lee Jung Shin, Choi Min and Son Na Eun join Park So Dam to bring the characters to life in a way that is both realistic and a little more fantastical in its fairy tale sense. That interesting dynamic is part of the appeal.

There’s a tendency for romcoms of this type (or even regular dramas) to cast aside logical story to play up a certain romantic pairing or plot points that will get the most reaction from viewers. But Cinderella and the Four Knights avoids that. The characters here grow and develop organically. Their own respective individual stories come together to further the overaching plot. That alone is a major success.

But good character development, equal parts romantic and emotional, a wonderful leading lady, an excellent soundtrack and a feel-good story all come together to deliver a fun and enjoyable 16-episode ride in Cinderella and the Four Knights.

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