Two very different men fall in love with Jang Mi Ri, a woman whose life is a complicated web of lies, propelled by her greedy desires that stem from an unfortunate childhood. Jang Myung Hoon is an ambitious hotelier who maintains perfect control of himself and his life, while Yutaka is the warm and gentle heir of a Korean-Japanese hotel conglomerate. Their love for Mi Ri and her tragic ambition eventually leads them down the path of destruction. Miss Ripley is based on the real life case of Shin Jung Ah, a university professor and art curator at Dongguk University who was discovered to have forged her creditials in order to get hired, with the help of her boyfriend (then presidential secretary) Byun Yang Kyoon, and embezzled funds from the art gallery's corporate sponsorship.

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  Lee Da Hae (Jang Mi Ri)

  Main Role

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  Kang Hye Jung (Moon Hee Joo)

  Main Role

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  Kim Seung Woo (Jang Myung Hoon)

  Main Role

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  Micky Yoochun (Song Yoo Hyun / Yutaka)

  Main Role

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  Baek Bong Ki (Deputy Manager Kim)

  Supporting Role

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  Kim Jeong Tae (Hirayama)

  Supporting Role

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• Jul 26, 2011 16 of 16 episodes seen

  boredandtwitchy
  6 of 6 people found this review helpful
  Other reviews by this user
  • Overall  7
  • Story  7
  • Acting/Cast  7
  • Music  2
  • Rewatch Value  1

  What Miss Ripley excels at is the build-up. Jang Miri escaping her life in Japan; her desperation palpable in her wild eyes as she tells the Lie; witnessing her descent as she steals (both diplomas and hearts), lies, schemes---the first half of the drama is absolutely gripping. Miri is the perfect anti-heroine, someone whose face you want to claw each time she tears down naive Hee Joo, while at the same time being someone you root for as she forges documents from Tokyo University and faxes them to her employer. The character of Jang Miri is a wonderful study of a delusional sense of entitlement, and Lee Da Hae did a decent job of portraying Miri's vulnerability and ambition (even if Da Hae tends to act by opening her eyes wide, gasping, and shuddering for every. single. emotion.).
  
  
  
  Unfortunately, I felt that as Miri's tower of lies began to falter, so did the intensity of the show. (Perhaps the story was water-downed by Miri's incessant tears?) Characters who were posed to be major threats to Miri during the first half of the show suddenly became utterly ineffectual; no doubt in my mind this is attributed to the story's emphasis on romance toward the latter half. Supposedly, it's love that will redeem Miri in the end, but I found this to be unconvincing, sappy, and a bit incongruent for a show that began with such a dark tone. However, I can't deny the power of love in this drama---it compelled nearly every male character to run with hammer and nails in hand in order to nail themselves to Miri's cross on her behalf. Scratch that: I can't deny the power of a pretty face in this drama.
  
  
  
  A special note has to be made of the music here. Which was AWFUL. Violins of Doom; Piano of Remorse; overuse of the opera Carmen (it wasn't particularly clever the first time); funeral march played during an engagement announcement (and many other...unique...music cues); music volume overpowering the drama. This was an almost constant distraction and source of much laughter.
  
  
  
  Give Miss Ripley a try. If you make it through the absurd coincidences and soundtrack that mars the first two/three episodes, you'll find yourself ensnared by the labyrinthine psychology of Jang Miri, cheering for her, jeering her, distrusting her, pitying her. However, be prepared for the roar to end on a whimper. read more

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• Jul 20, 2011 16 of 16 episodes seen

  Stranger_A
  5 of 7 people found this review helpful
  Other reviews by this user
  • Overall  7
  • Story  6
  • Acting/Cast  8
  • Music  7
  • Rewatch Value  2

  A drama with a strong start but it becomes ordinary in the middle and in the end. It's not a watchable drama because it doesn't really make you to be interested in it.
  I liked the endless love that Yutaka and Jang Myung Hoon had for Jang Mi Ri. I liked that the plot was inspired by a true story. I don't think that someone can jude the characters of this drama because no one is perfect and no one has a perfect life.
  I think you should give a chance to this drama, you might like it, but don't have any high expectations.

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• 
  My Girl

  Lee Dahae lies a whole lot in both of these, and both of her towers of lies eventually crumble. Jang Miri lacks the sweetness and morals that made Yoorin lovabl and redeemable. If Yoorin did not have an accomplice in Gongchan and My Girl was washed about a million shades darker and angstier, these would virtually be the same drama.

  reportRecommended by bekichan
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  Cinderella's Sister

  The fact that these 2 dramas have pretty much nothing in common. The only thing in common is that no matter how despicable the main female is I just can't seem to hate her. And same goes for 2nd female lead too. In both dramas I also dislike the male cast except that one cutie. In CS it's Taecyeon's chara and in MR it's Micky's chara. They're the reason why you just want to finish the drama. Plus the dramas itself are quite similar in the aspect that they're so difficult to marathon. At least for me.

  reportRecommended by HAVA-RAVA