TO four “ride-or-die” best friends who are dedicated to pursuing their passions in the fashion world, falling down means standing right up.
Set to be released on November 4 on Netflix, upcoming Korean drama The Fabulous captures the hustle and bustle of the fashion industry.
It serves as the backdrop of the dreams, love, and friendship of the four main characters, who work in the fashion industry as a marketer, a photographer, a designer, and a model.
Director Kim Jeong-hyeon uses the phrase “ride or die” to describe how the four friends are “unafraid to explore and follow their passion” and portrays their thriving youth in a trendy way.
Pyo Ji-eun (Chae Soo-bin), Ji Woo-min (Choi Min-ho), Joseph (Lee Sang-woon), and Ye Seon-ho (Park Hee-jung) are the four friends.
They are overloaded with work and hurt by people, but all it takes to get them back on their feet is words of encouragement for each other and some drinks.
Among them, Ji-eun and Woo-min are ex-lovers from university, but they are still figuring out where their relationship stands, adding a subtle tension to the friendly dynamics.
Watching them by their side are Woo-min’s childhood friend Seon-ho and Ji-eun’s best friend Joseph, both of whom give straightforward advice but remain supportive.
When asked about the squad, Choi Min-ho defines the group’s friendship as “completely inseparable”.
Whereas Lee Sang-woon describes them as “someone I can rely on in good times and bad, and someone I would put first even before myself sometimes,” piquing curiosity about the strong chemistry of the four youths.
Kim also expressed his hope that the viewers “send love and support to the four loving friends reaching for their dreams, helping and encouraging each other along the way.” In this sense, he raises expectations of what the “ride or die” members will show to the world.
The cast and director also revealed the reasons why they were attracted to and could not resist joining the project.
He decided to direct the series because he was enamoured by the novelty of the characters and the series that was written with a unique style.
While conducting many interviews in advance as a part of research, Kim met with many fashion people and empathised with their passion and pride. He became even more immersed in the passion and love that those in the industry put into their work.
With The Fabulous, Kim was able to create a piece that perfectly embodies the “reality” and the “dramatic nature” by reflecting various stories about the reality of the fashion industry into the drama series.
He also collaborated with Next In Fashion winner and South Korean designer Minju Kim, as well as veteran creative consultant Kang Ji-hye for added realism.
Cast members Chae Soo-bin, Lee Min-ho Lee Sang-woon, and Park Hee-jung were also instantly mesmerised after reading the script.
Chae Soo-bin said, “The story about work, love and friendship of youths working in the fashion industry was portrayed in a manner that was not heavy. And it was really fun and attractive.”
Choi Min-ho added, “I thought that the characters were very appealing as soon as I read the script. It was about the fashion industry, but at the same time, it well-represented the stories about the field that I am currently working in.”
Park Hee-jung, a top model who will no doubt spark curiosity in her acting debut, said, “I felt Seon-ho and I had many similarities.
"I read scripts of all four episodes that I received on the spot because I was so absorbed, and I was really curious and excited about the remaining episodes.”
The Fabulous will premiere on November 4, only on Netflix. – The Vibes, October 18, 2022
