World-renowned entertainment service Netflix series "Lady Dua" drew attention by ranking No. 3 on the global top 10 non-English shows in just three days during its first week after release, and released behind-the-scenes stills and production stills.
The Netflix series "Lady Dua," which depicts the story of the woman who wanted to become a luxury item even if it was fake, "Sara Kim," and the man who pursues her desire, "Mu Kyung," recorded 3,800,000 views (the viewing time divided by the total running time of the work) after its release on Feb. 13, and rose to No. 3 on the global top 10 non-English shows. In addition, it ranked No. 1 in Korea as well as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, and appeared on the top 10 lists in a total of 38 countries, including Bahrain, Peru, Colombia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Kenya, demonstrating its strong popularity.
"Lady Dua" has received favorable reviews from domestic and international media and viewers for the new truths revealed the deeper you dig and the two actors' performances that are immersed in the characters themselves. Domestic media said, "The way it unfolds maximizes the mystery and makes you more immersed in the story. The process of falling into ruin before becoming Sara Kim is directed with a sense of speed and sensibility that captures attention" (JoyNews24 reporter Park Jin-Young), "It stimulates curiosity while its fast pacing makes you unable to stop the play button, and its high immersion and thrilling story make it impossible to look away" (Maeil Business Newspaper Star Today reporter Yang So-Young), "As the episodes progress, the story converges into one flow and immersion is doubled. It penetrates viewers' psychology and confirms the fun of revealing the desires hidden within" (Money Today broadcaster reporter Cheon Yun-hye) praising its gripping development. Also, "The highlight of Lady Dua is the scene where two people, who had been building tension at their own paces in different worlds, meet and explode the pent-up suspense" (iMBC Entertainment reporter Kim Jong-eun), "The energy emitted by the two actors in the chase scenes overwhelms the screen" (TV Daily reporter Choi Ha-na), "Shin Hae-sun showed various acting, and Lee Jun-hyuk's ensemble, which stably supported the important balance for Sara Kim's story to gain credibility, gives the mysterious chase taut tension" (The Fact Co. reporter Kim Saet-byeol), among others, praised the two actors' powerful presence and acting.
Foreign media also praised it, saying, "An intriguing, multi-layered mystery about a woman who built a luxurious life through elaborate lies and the police officer who uncovers those lies" (Decider), and "Lady Dua, which nonlinearly unravels the story of a woman who will stop at nothing to climb to the upper class, keeps viewers curious until the end" (Time).
Domestic and international viewers responded enthusiastically to the solid script and unpredictable twists, saying, "It's really been a while since I've seen a work with such detail. The directing, script and structure are flawless" (YouTube_Heuk*****), "'You can't tell it apart from the real thing, so can you call it fake?' It stays in my memory" (YouTube_Strawberry*****), "The story has twist after twist after twist.. I was immersed after a long time" (WatchaPedia_Mi*), "The two leads' acting skill show and insane development" (WatchaPedia_Je*), "The plot was really interesting, and the way the story unfolds was also very good" (IMDb_Jil***).
The unveiled behind-the-scenes stills capture the colorful moments of "Lady Dua," created by passionate actors and director Kim Jin-min. In the stills of Shin Hae-sun, who played multiple people living different lives with the same face—from humble, unobtrusive attire to sitting elegantly with a sophisticated atmosphere—his efforts to show new looks for each identity are evident. Meanwhile, in the stills of Lee Jun-hyuk discussing opinions with director Kim Jin-min, his commitment to portraying "Mu Kyung," who doggedly pursues the truth even in the face of a case that has fallen into a maze, is conveyed. Park Bo-kyung, Kim Jaewon and Bae Jong-ok also show their passionate dedication to the work as they seriously discuss with the director to portray complex characters who have secrets beyond their outward appearances. In addition, Lee E-dam's image as "Kim Mi-jung," smiling brightly while holding a cocktail glass at a party, evokes smiles from viewers with an atmosphere and charm 180 degrees different from the fierce demeanor she showed to become "Sara Kim" in the drama.
The released production stills draw attention with the space design that reveals the splendor of "Buduah" and Sara Kim's varied looks. First, from the grand large pine tree placed in the middle of the "Buduah" store to the refined display space where the glamorous "Buduah" bags are exhibited, the "Buduah" shop, a luxury brand targeting the top 0.1 percent, immediately catches the eye. In particular, the "Buduah" bag, which plays an important role in the plot, symbolically represents the glamorous life Sara Kim wanted to live, as director Kim Jin-min explained, "We chose a design that captures wealth and beauty at a glance as well as the sense of falseness." In addition, the costumes for Sara Kim, which involved costume director Jo Sang-kyung—who worked on the Netflix series Squid Game Season and the films No Other Choice and Hunt—also draw attention. To show different life forms of a single character distinctly, Shin Hae-sun said, "'Mok Ga-hee' was set to be tacky, 'Kim Eun-jae' was set to be pure and dignified, and 'Sara Kim' was set to be glamorous," recalling her striking presence that appeared in completely different looks depending on the character. Moreover, from cinematography that penetrates the characters' psychology to an OST that adds tension, the well-made production of "Lady Dua," completed by trusted veteran production staff, is expected to draw viewers perfectly into the drama.
Lady Dua, which depicts the mysterious story surrounding the suddenly appearing "Sara Kim" with unpredictable developments and unexpected twists that mesmerize viewers, is streaming exclusively on Netflix.
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