Title: 앙큼한 돌싱녀 Angkeumhan Dolshingnyeo
English Title:
- Cunning Single Lady
- Sly and Single Again
Language: Korean
Year: 2014
Episode: 16
Cast:
- 이민정 Lee Min Jung
- 주상욱 Joo Sang Wook
- 김규리 Kim Kyu Ri
- 서강준 Seo Kang Joon
- 황보라 Hwang Bo Ra
SYNOPSIS
Na Ae Ra's family owns a small restaurant, but it is actually her mother Jang Sook Ja who runs the restaurant in order to support the family. Considering that Ae Ra's father Na Gab Soo is unreliable and her older brother Na Soo Chul is irresponsible, Ae Ra's mother wants her to marry well to a good husband who can adequately provide for her financially, and Ae Ra intends to marry someone who is the complete opposite of the men in her family.
Ae Ra sets her cap on one of their frequent customers Cha Jung Woo, who is reputedly extremely smart. He is studying for the civil service exam, and he has a promising future as a government employee.
Ae Ra and Jung Woo start dating, and they get married soon after Jung Woo passes the civil service exam. Ae Ra happily lives her dream of being a housewife when her world is suddenly turned upside down; Jung Woo informs her that he has resigned from his stable job in order to pursue a business opportunity.
Ae Ra works multiple odd jobs in order to support Jung Woo as he conducts research on for his business idea. After enduring backbreaking work and dismal living conditions for four years, Ae Ra has had enough and she files for divorce.
Three years after the divorce, Ae Ra finds out that her former husband is now a successful businessman. She accidentally runs into Jung Woo, who is still understandably upset about what he perceives as her betrayal as a partner and wife.
Annoyed with his arrogance and his refusal to acknowledge his part in the breakdown of their marriage, Ae Ra vows to exact revenge.
REVIEW
Sly and Single Again is quite misleading; from the title to the summary, and even the available character descriptions provided by the production staff. I wouldn't be surprised if some people did not even consider checking out the first few episodes because they did not find the published information interesting at all, which is a shame because the drama is very different from what it is advertised to be.
Based from the title alone, lead female character Na Ae Ra is described as sly or cunning. By definition, sly or cunning means having or showing a deceitful nature. I think it doesn't really apply as Ae Ra has been very straightforward with Cha Jung Woo regarding her wish to be a housewife.
Well, I suppose Ae Ra is being deceitful later on because she's trying to exact revenge against her former husband, but given that Jung Woo is also making her life difficult to exact revenge against his former wife, their actions and intentions sort of cancel each other out.
Based from the given summary, Ae Ra is said to have divorced her husband when his business failed, but is then determined to seduce him a few years later when she finds out that he has become quite successful. It paints Ae Ra in a negative light, as if all she's really concerned is money, which couldn't be further from what actually happens in the drama.
Ae Ra is attempting to seduce her former husband in order to exact revenge, and she is not seducing Jung Woo in order to get him to remarry her. On the contrary, Ae Ra is seducing him in order to teach him a lesson in her own misguided way.
Anyway, I don't think there's anything wrong with Ae Ra screening the possible candidates as her future husband, and judging them based on their qualifications, such as future earning potential. She may have been calculating at times, and she may have approached Jung Woo with an ulterior motive; but honestly, she's not the only woman who has ever done that, and she's definitely not the last woman who will ever do so.
I also understand her mother's desire for Ae Ra to marry well, especially considering their own family situation. Most, if not all, parents want the best for their children, and that includes living without a lot of hardships.
Jang Sook Ja: Ae Ra, every woman has two chances in life: first is a chance to do well by herself, and second is a chance to meet a successful husband.
I actually think that Ae Ra and her mother have very common aspirations. Ae Ra is not after wealth as a gold digger, and she's actually just looking for financial stability. Perhaps it was wrong for her to rely on a man to provide for her financially, but to be fair, she's actually more than willing to provide moral support and whatever it requires to help what she thinks is her family's breadwinner.
I'm very disappointed with Jung Woo for not consulting his wife before quitting his job, especially if he even says in his own words that he made a decision that concerns their future. It is a major decision and I think it is important that they make that decision together; or at the very least, he could have let her say her opinions about the matter.
In addition, it is crucial to have a reliable source of income particularly in the current economic conditions. Jung Woo may have wanted to see where his business ventures will take him, but he should have been conscientious enough to make provisions as to where they would get the money for their living expenses, where he will get the funds to cover any business costs, and how they will deal with any emergency expenses that may come up.
Personally, I think it will be best for Jung Woo to keep his day job, and then work on his business venture on the side. Although Ae Ra has always wanted to be a housewife, she may be willing to compromise and take on a part-time job to help with the family's finances; or at the very least, she may be more frugal when it comes to managing the household budget. Of course, if this happened between Jung Woo and Ae Ra, there would be no drama.
I like Ae Ra as a character because she's very confident and she thinks highly of herself. Although she's aware of her shortcomings and limitations, I admire her for focusing on her best qualities and her possibilities. Whatever she lacks in formal education, she more than makes up for it with her street smarts. Ae Ra is very observant, and she's actually quick to learn on the job.
Na Ae Ra: The customers that purchase luxury purses every new season stay away from the products where logos are visible. The frugal customers who consider luxury purses as a big splurge prefer products where the logos are visible.
Sly and Single Again is a fun drama to watch overall, and I think it could have been much more successful if only it was promoted properly. Although the drama has too many faults for my liking, it was still quite entertaining.
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앙큼한 돌싱녀 Sly and Single Again
