The Charm of "Cinderella Closet," a Japanese Drama Discovered by Chance

Last July, during a trip to Japan, a trailer that was repeatedly shown on the local Netflix caught my eye. The powerful opening scene, where two women collide on the street, causing one's bag to spill its contents and leading them to lock eyes, left a deep impression. At the time, I momentarily forgot about it amidst the many other things to see, but upon returning to Korea, I rediscovered the show on Netflix. That show was the Japanese drama based on a manga, <Cinderella Closet>. This chance encounter led me into the world of a new, lighthearted drama.
 

<Cinderella Closet> airs on Japan's TBS network at the rather late time of 12:58 AM every Tuesday. This late-night time slot suggests that it is more likely a niche or experimental work for a specific audience rather than a prime-time drama aimed at the general public. The original work is a popular Japanese manga, and the author reportedly expressed great joy that their work was adapted into a drama. While it's said that Netflix's influence in the Japanese streaming market isn't as significant as in other countries, it is thanks to the platform that Korean viewers can easily enjoy local Japanese dramas without a time delay.

While consistently watching Japanese dramas offers the fun of spotting familiar actors, <Cinderella Closet> is primarily led by fresh faces who might be unfamiliar to international audiences. The casting seems to be centered around up-and-coming actors. Among them, Matsumoto Reo, who plays the pivotal character 'Kamiyama Hikaru,' appears to have some recognition in Japan. The drama's protagonist, 'Fukunaga Haruka,' is played by actress Osaki Ichika, who showcases a fresh and innocent charm.

The drama's main character, Haruka, moved to the city dreaming of a glamorous Tokyo life, but her reality is a series of exhausting days working at a demanding restaurant, leaving her with no time or energy to take care of herself. In a life so grueling that even washing her hair feels like a luxury, she barely gets by from one day to the next. Then one day, as if by fate, she bumps into the perfectly styled, beautiful Hikaru on the street. After parting ways with a vague sense of admiration and envy for someone so different from herself, Haruka later faces a major dilemma as she prepares for a date with her restaurant coworker, Kurotaki Keisuke (played by Hachimura Keisuke).

As she clumsily rushes to a cosmetics store to prepare for her first-ever date, Haruka has a fateful reunion with Hikaru. In desperation, she asks for help, and Hikaru takes Haruka to her home to give her a complete makeover. Under Hikaru's skilled hands, Haruka is amazed by her own beautiful reflection in the mirror, experiencing a thrill and a sense of confidence for the first time in her life. This magical transformation seems to herald a significant turning point in her life.

However, just as the excitement from her transformation begins, the drama delivers an unexpected twist. After the date doesn't go as planned, a series of events leads Haruka to spend the night at Hikaru's home, where she awakens the next morning to a shocking truth. She discovers that Hikaru, the object of her admiration who had transformed her with perfect beauty and fashion sense, is actually a man who cross-dresses. Just like the common saying that men can be even more skilled at applying makeup, Hikaru was a beautiful young man with outstanding makeup artistry.

This drama portrays the growth of Haruka, a once tomboyish and insecure girl who was unskilled at self-care, as she meets the beauty guru Hikaru and gradually discovers her own inner and outer beauty. With Hikaru's help, she is expected to gain confidence and ultimately find her own style, growing into an influencer, or 'celeb,' who impacts many people. While the premise and predictable plot might feel a bit childish, its short runtime of about 30 minutes per episode makes it a perfect, lighthearted drama to watch casually without any pressure.