South Korean drama has us in a chokehold with unlimited content coming our way. The show Cinderella at 2 AM premiered on Coupang Play in August 2024.
Cinderella at 2 AM is based on the popular web novel and webtoon of the same name by Aigome and illustrated by Sancha.
Cinderella at 2 AM Plot
Shin Hyun-bin plays Ha Yoon-seo, the female protagonist and love interest of Moon Sang-min, who portrays Seo Joo-won, the male lead.
Ha Yoon-seo is a woman focused on protecting her peace but ends up dating Seo Joo-won, the heir to the company where she works.
After discovering he is rich, Yoon-seo shuts down any prospect of getting together with Joo-woon.
Joo-won’s mother pays off Yoon-seo to break up with him but Joo-won keeps pursuing her. In this series, Yoon-seo has difficulty dating because of her realistic approach to life.
On the other hand, Joo-won believes that true love has no barriers, hence his constant pursuit to date Yoon-seo.
The modern twist to the Cinderella story
The original Cinderella story tells a tale of rags to riches, but in Cinderella at 2 AM, Yoon-seo chooses reality over fairy tales.
Yoon-seo understands that she is not in the same league as Joo-won due to their different upbringings. She knows that fairy tales do not occur for people like her, and she chooses the easy route to dump Joo-won.
Joo-won, however, is not ready to let Yoon-seo go because she is his one true love. He is ready to be Prince Charming and offer her the world on a silver platter.
This conflict sets the pace for a show filled with love declarations, comedy and feuds fuelled by jealousy.
Themes explored in Cinderella at 2 AM
Love thrives against all odds in fairy tales, but that is not true in real life. Cinderella at 2 AM explores the realities of life.
Faced with family expectations and different outlooks, Joo-won and Yoon-seo’s love is doomed. Their positions in life make it hard for them to be together.
Even after discovering his mother paid off Yoon-seo, Joo-won is reluctant to let others have a say in who he is allowed to love.
We see Yoon-seo exploring her conflicting emotions regarding what she believes in and how she feels.
Where to watch Cinderella at 2 AM
This show invites viewers to consider what happens after midnight strikes. Most of the time, at 2 AM, the truth sets in after all the magic disappears.
Cinderella at 2 AM is written by Oh Eun-ji and co-directed by Seo Min-jung and Bae Hee-young.
The show is available on Coupang Play every Saturday and Sunday at 21:00 (KST) and on Channel A on the same day at 21:20 (KST).
Fans can also stream the show in selected regions on Viu and Viki.