Are you living the life dreamed of in your childhood? Some are fortunate enough to say yes, but many others may feel hesitant to answer. The 2009 TV series “The Princess is Back” portrays a hilarious showdown between two middle-aged women: one dreamed of becoming a famous ballerina when she was little but ended up as a headstrong housewife, while the other planned to become an ordinary homemaker but turned out to be a successful ballerina.

Here’s the plot. Do-gyeong was a promising student who had it all: beauty, wealth and a bright future in the world of ballet. Her friend, Gong-shim, in contrast, was a poor girl who was always envious of Do-gyeong and had the simple and humble dream of getting married to her boyfriend Bong-hee. One day, Do-gyeong missed an important ballet performance to rush to the airport to see her boyfriend Chan-woo off, while Gong-shim was tapped to replace her in the ballet show. Frustrated by the failure both in love and career, Do-gyeong gave up her dream of becoming a ballerina and settled down with Gong-shim’s boyfriend, Bong-hee. Of course, Gong-shim was furious to learn that her boyfriend was stolen by Do-gyeong, and the two girls became enemies. Seventeen years later, the two meet again. Do-gyeong is now an unhappy housewife with a socially inept husband and three children, while Gong-shim is a renowned ballerina and head of a ballet company. To sum it up, the situation is quite the opposite of the past. But what makes Do-gyeong more annoyed is that her first love, Chan-woo, has returned home after completing his studies abroad and is now Gong-shim’s boyfriend. The friends-turned-enemies declare war on one another. But after many twists and turns, the drama concludes with a happy ending, with Gong-shim helping her long-time rival Do-gyeong start her career as a ballet teacher and Do-gyeong and her husband reconciling with each other.

Returning after a five-year absence to the small screen, actress Hwang Shin-hye performed the role of Gong-shim, who became a prima ballerina but always has a thirst for failed love. Actress Oh Yeon-su, who was noted for her image of elegance and purity, transformed herself into a tough and dowdy housewife in this drama: she dukes it out in a catfight in the mud. The mud fight scene involving the two beautiful screen divas is dedicated to portraying their respective characters.

The comeback of the two actresses, who are in their 40s but look much younger, highlights a recent trend of middle-aged women looking younger and healthier. It appears as if they are competing to look the youngest. As representative high-teen stars in the past, the two still boast their young appearances and perfectly slim body lines, redefining the age bracket of 40-somethings and prompting ordinary women to keep up with the trend.