Summary
Give Netflix’s The Fabulous a chance, and at least enjoy the insatiable cast.
We review the Netflix K-Drama series The Fabulous season 1, starring Choi Min-ho and Chae Soo-bin, which will not contain any spoilers.
Entering the holidays last year was the well-received The Silent Sea, bringing a binge-worthy K-Drama package for audiences to feast on to round off 2021. By coincidence, The Fabulous comes to us at almost the same time (minus a day, to be exact) due to unprecedented delays brought on by a devastating tragedy. While The Glory is still to come as we enter New Year’s Eve, The Fabulous, which brings a famous leading cast, maybe the lighthearted romantic comedy-drama you need.
The Fabulous season 1 review and plot summary
The Korean Drama series is not shy of any glitz and glam. The opening episode dazzles the audience with model catwalks and sound production to kick off proceedings. It’s hardly surprising. K-Dramas are known for their utmost attention when presenting a setting, and The Fabulous does not fall short of the expected standard.
Bubbling on the story’s sidelines is Pyo Ji-eun (played by Chae Soo-bin – Sweet & Sour), a luxury brand public relations manager, seemingly feeling the pressure of her consuming career and fractured love life. Coupled with the other defining lead, Ji Woo-min (played by Choi Min-ho – Lovestruck in the City), a freelancer retoucher.
The series opens with Joseph (played by Lee Sang-woon – Red Balloon) delivering a highly prestigious fashion show, eager to impress an editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine, demonstrating the cogs of the story. The central theme of the series is Seoul’s fashion industry, platforming the stories of young adults who have to endure a competitive environment while sustaining their personal lives.
While the fashion theme is eager to the eye (and the dopamine hits), the real stories center on personal relationships; a model feeling betrayed by her boyfriend (and fashion designer), the pressure of stress while dealing with an unforgiving industry, and the irks of a complicated friendship with an old flame.
It does not take long for Chae Soo-bin and Choi Min-ho’s characters to become the story’s target. While the subplots entwine and work, there’s a reason why the posters present their characters so strongly. Fans will be pleased by their chemistry and efforts to raise their audacious but energetic characters.
Of course, underlying The Fabulous is a fashion industry case study. The shallowness of career work, the power plays, and the unnecessary stress inflicted on the workers, from the models to the production staff, there’s a real taste of what the industry is about. We often see the trial and tribulations of Pyo Ji-eun, who has to deal with an impossible influencer or a fashion dictator with no flex to their approach. In eight episodes, the series gets the point across well.
Is the K-Drama The Fabulous worth watching?
It’s worth watching, but whether it is worth the binge is another question. It certainly has an enjoyable cast, salient messages, and a well-moving plot, but this Korean Drama is light work in terms of the offering. It’s hardly a groundbreaking show that will be spoken about in the next few months. But does it need to be a remarkable story? Probably not. Sometimes a drama rolled into a romantic comedy is all we need, and it’s undoubtedly the time of the year for it. Give Netflix’s The Fabulous a chance, and at least enjoy the insatiable cast.
What do you think of the Netflix K-Drama The Fabulous season 1? Comment below.
