First love and prison tears for MBC melodrama Dazzling Temptation

37 September 23, 2015April 8, 2017

First love and prison tears for MBC melodrama Dazzling Temptation

by girlfriday

Well the posters are pretty, I’ll give them that. And so are the childhood scenes, as expected. I’m just more than a little wary of MBC’s upcoming Monday-Tuesday drama Dazzling Temptation, mostly because I lived through Gold Rainbow. It had a similar setup where the extended childhood backstory was really sweet and heartfelt, then with the adults came the angst and the endless corporate battle for power.

The first two teasers have been released for the series, and I can already feel that very familiar tonal shift between the happy nostalgic backstory of the first, and the paaaaaain and suffering of the second. But I guess they call it melodrama for a reason.

The 50-episode series comes from the writer of May Queen and Gold Rainbow and the PD of Mama and Level 7 Civil Servant, and tells the story of a poor woman who somehow gets entangled in the lives of the wealthy elite, a secretive and dazzling world that she would otherwise never be able to approach, and ends up turning their world upside-down.

Choi Kang-hee (Heart to Heart) stars as a single mother who grew up poor but happy, and works night and day at part-time jobs to support her mother, brother, and young daughter. Joo Sang-wook (Masked Prosecutor) plays her first love, who grows up to be a lawyer and political aide to Cha Ye-ryun (She’s So Lovable), daughter to a former prime minister and an assemblywoman who dreams of becoming president one day.

Kim Sae-ron (High School: Love On) and Nam Joo-hyuk (Who Are You—School 2015) play the leads in their youth, and have what looks like a charming little high school romance. It’s a love triangle from the start though, and the drama sounds like it’ll essentially break down to Cha Ye-ryun manipulating everyone and wielding her money and power to get what she wants (that is, Joo Sang-wook), and Joo Sang-wook falling in love Choi Kang-hee anyway. Or again, as the case may be.

In the first teaser, Kim Sae-ron asks if they’re friends, and Nam Joo-hyuk says, “I like you. And you like me,” and seals it with a kiss. It doesn’t go over well with the jealous second lead, and naturally the heroine is bullied at school. She tells him that he can’t protect her, but he says, “I won’t ever let go of your hand. I’ll protect you with my life.” Something clearly goes wrong, because Joo Sang-wook is described as a cynical adult who hasn’t smiled since high school.

The second teaser opens with Choi Kang-hee getting sentenced to three years in prison, Joo Sang-wook being threatened with death, and Cha Ye-ryun demanding for her father to let Joo Sang-wook go. Yeesh. But he tells someone over the phone that they’ll meet again, and in voiceover they say, “Until death makes us part, our love will not change and go on forever.” It sure looks like an uphill battle to get there, but I hope for the audience’s sake that the love story is worth the ensuing political power struggle.

Dazzling Temptation follows Hwajeong and premieres Monday, October 5.

Via iMBC

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1 Bebe | Nessa❣️

September 23, 2015 at 11:31 AM

I'm definitely getting "Golden Rainbow" vibes (which, is a neutral thing for me, because I didn't hate "Golden Rainbow", nor did I love it), and having Cha Ye Ryun a part of this and "Golden Rainbow" kind of gives it more of that "Golden Rainbow" vibe, especially since it seems that her character in both dramas are essentially the same type of character :P

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2 windsun33

September 23, 2015 at 11:36 AM

Wow, we've never seen this setup before, have we "..a single mother who grew up poor but happy, and works night and day at part-time jobs to support her mother, brother, and young daughter..".

That alone makes me think that it might be watchable, but don't expect anything groundbreaking or original.

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3 Mandy

September 23, 2015 at 11:37 AM

I'm sticking around for the younger leads and then I'm out. It looks and sounds like a complete makjang in the making, though that doesn't bother me as much as Choi Kang-hee.

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4 LizJ

September 23, 2015 at 11:44 AM

Never did like the OTP switchup in May Queen (I thought Golden Rainbow was better than May Queen, anywhay), and Level 7 Civil Servant was disappointing...so...we'll see. Occasionally, there's a melodrama that I enjoy. Usually it's the revenge melodramas with a strong romance that are better IMO (Nice Guy, Secret, Beyond the Clouds, etc.) - they tend to combine three genres to make for a more exciting mix (melodrama, suspense, and romance).

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windsun33

September 23, 2015 at 11:51 AM

This also seems a bit like Angel Eyes, where the childhood part was great, and went badly downhill when the adults took over.

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Loveseoinguk

September 23, 2015 at 11:11 PM

Yes agree! Angel Eyes was so good with the childhood part and went bad after that. One other Chinese drama did that too. You are my Sunshine. The young leads had such chemistry that fell flat once the story leaped!

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5 alua

September 23, 2015 at 11:49 AM

The posters are pretty? Incredibly boring, IMO. Quick headshot against white background, and then a 5 minute photoshop to add on some non-distinct pink flower blobs and a couple of butterflies. But I guess with the teary-eyes they alerting us to all the melodrama to come....

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6 Riya

September 23, 2015 at 12:37 PM

I wonder if anyone is even excited to watch this drama..

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7 annie

September 23, 2015 at 12:48 PM

I do miss Joo Sangwook, but the premise sounds makjang in the most boring way possible, and the writer doesn't inspire confidence. I guess I could watch Masked Prosecutor for my JSW fix though, I never ended up checking it out. Anyone watch it? Is it worth seeing?

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Delurker

September 23, 2015 at 3:25 PM

Ahhh, difficult question...

I actually enjoyed it, even though objectively it was not a good show by any stretch; there seemed to be a gap between aspirations and execution. The action/intrigue part was rather underwhelming, but then, it did have two of the creepiest villains I have seen in a while, and (SPOILERISH) the lack of second-lead shenanigans is always refreshing.

In general there was a lot of potential for eye rolling, but once I stopped taking the whole masked avenger thing seriously, it just cracked me up. There is some charm to a wannabe vigilante who just walks around in a luchador mask, CCTV be damned, and behaves like a lovesick puppy with the cop who is supposed to be after him :p . Just ignore the motorcycle scene...

In short, it is perfectly suitable for a JCW fix, if you are willing to forgive a lot and just roll with it... :)

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annie

September 23, 2015 at 4:33 PM

Thanks for the reply! It seems like a good watch for a time when I'm too tired/stressed out to engage my brain with a drama's plot. Will keep it in mind for such a day. :)

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8 museofmanymasks

September 23, 2015 at 12:53 PM

I've actually missed Joo Sang Wook in more serious fare, but um...

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9 wanderingjinny

September 23, 2015 at 1:07 PM

Hmmm it appears that I am alone in being excited for this drama, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't. Not that I necessarily think it'll be that good objectively speaking, but dramas like this are totally my guilty pleasure (I loved May Queen and Angel Eyes, haven't seen Golden Rainbow yet but it's on my list), bring on the angst!

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10 sogazelle

September 23, 2015 at 1:12 PM

I'm watching only for my boy Nam Joo Hyuk... I'll follow him in hell if I have to....that's how big my looooove for him is.

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Waiting

September 23, 2015 at 2:53 PM

Watching for the kids and maybe 1 or 2 episodes of the adults because I like the actors. I doubt I'll stick around for more...story type is not resonating with me.

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11 kororo

September 23, 2015 at 1:46 PM

I hope it's not too makjang... cause I really want to watch this for Choi Kang-hee and Joo Sang Wook. And did I see Lee Jae-Yoon in the second teaser ?

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Bebe | Nessa❣️

September 23, 2015 at 3:21 PM

He filmed a cameo for this drama as a favour to the writer (he was also in "Golden Rainbow"), as well as a friend of Choi Kang Hee (the last project they both did was together, in the drama "Heart To Heart" alongside Chun Jung Myung)
:))

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12 sparks121

September 23, 2015 at 1:47 PM

Well... this will have a tough go against six flying dragons...

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13 sardines

September 23, 2015 at 2:45 PM

I feel like I'm the only one excited for Choi Kang Hee starring in a melodrama. Her talent is enormous, she is one of my favorite actresses. Looking forward to it:c) HOORAH!!!

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14 Gidget

September 23, 2015 at 3:08 PM

So will you be recapping it?

*LOL*

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15 canxi

September 23, 2015 at 3:17 PM

I really like everyone involved so I might give it a go. It's been a while since I've watched one of the longer makjangs, too. Hahaha.

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16 lemondoodle

September 23, 2015 at 4:02 PM

I do think I could do this drama if it were 16-20 episodes, but somehow I feel 50 is just going to drive me insane. There's only so much pain and suffering you can endure in a drama before it's too much.

I'll check out the kid's portion.

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17 Dakchigo

September 23, 2015 at 4:29 PM

And yet in the looming three-way battle for Monday-Tuesday, my gut feeling is that Splendid Temptation will eventually prevail over Six Dragons Flying because MBC home dramas are inexplicably getting more popular these days. Meanwhile Sassy Go Go will be badly mangled as usual.

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18 nixrix

September 23, 2015 at 4:55 PM

will watch this mainly because of Joo Sang Wook

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19 amyonn

September 23, 2015 at 5:19 PM

50 episodes! whoa.... 1 less drama to watch, next!

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20 Mongolia koomkamgaeng

September 23, 2015 at 7:51 PM

Smell JELLY as usual when it comes to Choi Kang Hee at Dramabeans. I wish I were CKH, I love to get JELLY.

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21 Onion

September 23, 2015 at 8:46 PM

After *that drama that can't be mentioned* I just can't with Choi Kang Hee. (Although, my love for Joowon is undying ??) I like Joo Sang Wook but probably not enough to sit through CKH as leading lady.

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poliwag

September 23, 2015 at 11:21 PM

It was almost as if Joowon was never a part of this drama...oh wait, he was the leading man.

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22 katshirou

September 23, 2015 at 9:19 PM

Uhm, how old (well, young, I guess) is Kim Saeron? Is it really acceptable for young actresses to have kissing scenes? Even if it were just a smack on the lips? I know she had that bubblegum kiss with Woohyun in HS:LO, but her kiss with Joohyuk here is with contact, right? ? If I remember correctly, Park Shinhye (another child actress success story) had her first 'contact' kiss scene after she turned 20? She had a window kiss with Lee Wan in Tree of Heaven, not a contact one because I think she was only 16/17 then...so I thought that it was the trend for Dramaland as well? ? I mean, Kim Sohyun and Yeo Jingoo had that accidental kiss in I Miss You, but that was all (the kiss was like a milliseconds or something, heh ?) Here, it was intentional and definitely going to be longer than KSHxYJG 'kiss'...so yeah. I'm not sure about their exact ages, but she may be the youngest actress I know with a contact kiss scene. I mean, I was actually surprised about her HS:LO bubblegum kiss as well because she's really young. ? Yeah, that's all. Just wanted to voice out my curiosity. Heh.

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23 lavania

September 23, 2015 at 9:32 PM

I thot CKH was awesum in Heart 2 Heart.. she is a pretty gud actress... L7CS was just a sad choice...but CKH is nice overall. Just don't get why so many ppl don't like her.

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poliwag

September 23, 2015 at 11:07 PM

Same for me! I am ready to fight (even if I will give this drama a pass due to the long premise, thanks 6FD) anyone who disses her.

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anastassia

September 24, 2015 at 10:31 AM

She is excellent in that drama.

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Aigoooo

September 24, 2015 at 2:16 PM

Heart to Heart is my second favorite rom-com this year (just behind Oh My Ghostess). Choi Kang Hee was quite impressive in it. Too bad this has 50 episodes and a melo at that or else I would definitely check it out.