Story: 8/10 because it is actually pretty cliche, but the way the cliches were handled were so refreshing that it didn't feel cliched at all. The only part of the story that I didn't like is that the seconds leads were only one dimensional characters. I wished that they developed them a little bit more.
Acting: 10/10 because everyone brought their character to life. I felt that Hye Soo, Ji Hoon & Eun Sung were a real family to a point, that sometimes, I had to look away for a bit because they were having the time of their lives & felt like I was looking in on them. I give props to the actors and actresses in the drama. Especially Uee(Hye Soo) because this is the first time that she gave it all to her character and it showed in her acting. I seen her in a few projects and she was good, but I think this is her breakout role in her career. I laughed, smiled and cried with her. I felt the same was with Lee Seo Jin(Ji Hoon). I was seeing that he truly starting to fall for Hye Soo & Eun Sung. Ji Hoon's father was just evil!!!! I'm glad he got the ending he got. The second leads weren't written very much in the drama, so I couldn't really sympathy for their situation because of how undeveloped they were. I really hated Jung Hoon because he was very immature; at the same time, I understand why he acted the way he did. There was amazing family chemistry between the main leads. The chemistry between the leads felt realistic. It builds up as you continue watching it.
Music: 9/10 because it really fit the scenes very well. I would get a couple of the songs from the soundtrack & listen to it.
Re-watch Value: 7/10 because there were moments where I cried a river even though there were lots of humor & light hearted moments. Bring tissues just in case.
Overall, I really loved this drama. If you are hesitant to watch the drama, then bring tissues with you just in case. There are moments where you get some laughs & smiles on your face. Have fun watching(if you are)!!
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Story:
Something simple where a mother is dying and needs someone to watch over her daughter and enters into a contractual marriage, but we enter into Hye Soo's life when she really doesn't have that except in her friend Joo Yeon. Cue in Ji Hoon who plays the time adage of a rich chaebol playboy with more enough money in his pockets and enough girls in his bed that he doesn't have time to be serious or particularly nice to anyone around him. Despite the expectancy of knowing that the main lead character will change the main male character as understanding that he isn't all bad, Ji Hoon represented a character i haven't seen in a drama in a really long time. A character knowing he is flawed, knowing and believing he is the worst human being and not seeing himself as being redeemable. He didn't believe he was any good, he didn't get the love nor care and wasn't seen as being redeemable by his family or in his own eyes so for a woman that he barely knew, a stranger such as Hye Soo to point it out that he was a good person and with such firmness .....it just got to me that he wasn't such a simple character and there were layers in this jerkish playboy and they were nice layers and just needed tender loving care and someone to actually stick around but not wanting to take advantage or use it against him.
Acting/Cast
Ever since the first drama I seen Uee in(which was You're Beautiful....she made me truly hate her character as a second lead female that just dripped two-faced and a bitch all at once), I had a feeling this girl could act but it was just the lack of a really great drama to pull it out of the ballpark to show everyone that she could. I knew she could meet the challenge and wasn't surprise that her and Lee Seo Jin had chemistry. But WAS surprise by how HOT that chemistry was!!!!
The two of them complimented one another, whether they spoke or not you got what you needed from their eyes, they portrayed their characters longing, their passion, their fear, worry, confusion and it all with just their eyes....they fitted completely together like pieces in a puzzle
The child actress Shin Rin-Ah or the little Eun Sung who seemed more like a brat in the beginning (in all honesty I wouldn't dare run off when my parents told me to stay put or ignore when my parents told me not to do something) but in all honesty she is just a child and is naturally going to be defiant. But this little girl was just so freaking adorable, sassy, and fiesty. Eun Sung was smart, knew when people were lying, considerate, and importantly her interaction with her mother, Hye Soo was just at times adorable, cute, and heartbreaking. That a mother would go above and beyond her ownself to secure her child's future and at the same time Eun Sung went above and beyond in loving and protecting her mother in the only way she knew how as a child. Also her interactions with Ji Hoon was just freaking adorable of being able to finally have a father of her own and no matter what happened to her mother she would still have someone that she will love and be by her side.
The Supporting Character such as the chef Hyun Geol, the manager, and even Hye Soo's best friend were so wonderful, funny, and were able to add comedic relief during times when shit was getting serious and you wanted to cry (which happens ALOT in this drama so have some Kleenex nearby).
Music:
I love me some music, but I HATE it when dramas use it as a filler in trying to bring out an emotion that actors or actresses cannot effectively convey. This drama didn't use music for that AT ALL. Instead the music was simple when it came to soft humming (don't know the singer's name) to small little instrumentals it only helped amplify the emotions whether it was pain, passion, or the confliction of the characters feelings that they couldn't put into words but we knew as viewers that they felt, the songs just amplified them ten times more. Instead of the music carrying the drama, this drama and music worked hand in hand in making scenes even sadder, or more upbeat, and etc...
Overall:
After successfully waiting weeks for this drama to finish airing this has to be one of my top five best dramas that i have ever watched. Aside from the romance, this drama showed that its never too late to seek forgiveness for our sins towards the people we've wronged. Whether its family or friends, we have a second chance to make things better which was evidenced by Hi Joon's mother and his uncle and Hye Soo mother in law. This drama also displayed that realizing what is truly important in life, realizing that family is everything and chasing after idealistic and materialistic items will only leave you at alone at your dining table at the end of the day; valuing life, taking up for our errors and trying to be a better person, and just simply appreciating everyday and not take it for granted. To love ourselves and one another but importantly don't take life for granted. This drama breached on so many things we sometimes forget in the repeated cycle in our lives and it takes a drama like this to remind us that we shoud appreciate the people that we have around us. If it was possible I would rate this drama more than a 10, but since I can't I give it a 10/10!!!
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If i could write it
This is one show I watched when I first started during the pandemic and loved. In my own context, it’s a near perfect production. Story, acting is spot on. It moves you to tears as you feel everything happening. Life, emotions, decisions, are so relatable. Highly moving and lead actress Uee is splendid. Her portrayal of her character, especially in her condition, is so real I guarantee you’ll cry with her. So, many great write ups have been written of what to expect. I’m not gonna dig more into that.If i could rewrite it, i would have taken out her condition. It’s a much more compelling storyline. Cold man makes a complete turnaround would have being perfect. He gains a family, is a loving dad. Complete transformation is enough to make this a favorite go back to. That’s my thinking after rewatching this.
It’s a great drama.
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A melo that is a bit meh
Took me a really long time to write this review because I have been contemplating whether I liked it or not and my conclusion is that its meh.I can totally see why this drama commands top marks . Its a super mature watch . It depicts life . It depicts unconditional love and depicts dignified poverty . Its super compelling with beautiful relationships of a familial nature .The two leads were phenomenal .It actually had something to say . I loved all that about it and thats why its gets 7 top marks as a watch.
As for the remaining three marks- the acting and writing had to pull it through over the meh mark to the brilliant mark and unfortunately , it did not have the capacity for that . Certain components of the cast over acted such as the two mature female leads and Ahn Ji Hoon was awful . In fact, what was the point of his character as the distant nephew/son in law in the first place?
Conversations were repetitive and drawn out . Sentiments did not evolve but instead found themselves in predictable and sappy territory. Which was disappointing because this show had portrayed itself as highly mature and clean but that was not the finished product.
Moreover . the pacing was just a bit off . Most things were a slow burn and then all at once all of a sudden .
Overall: Not a bad watch . Not a top tier watch though but it does enough to go the long haul.
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Too deep
Despite facing numerous challenges, the female lead endured a series of hardships, including the loss of her husband, being ensnared in debt, and battling a terminal illness. However, amidst the trials, she found solace in fleeting moments of happiness. Although her future remained uncertain, she cherished the small joys that came her way. The actors, both leads and supporting, delivered exceptional performances, enriching the viewing experience. Their portrayal captivated and resonated with the audience, making the drama a compelling watch.Was this review helpful to you?
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This review may contain spoilers
Tearjerker
The ending of this drama is both beautiful and frustratingly sad, but it is sad in a happy way.Recommend this only if you enjoy getting your heart torn out of your chest.
One thing that wasn’t the best was the sometimes poor explanation of characters and open ended threads, but i did rate this highly due to the absolutely great way they showed the relationship between the main leads.
For example, why did Hye-su’s mother in law blame her for the death of her son? Why does she suddenly have a change of heart?
WhT happened to the plot line with Seung-joo? It was completely abandoned, and not to mention the head chef, who was a great character, just extraneous.
We all need a friend like Ju-yoon but honestly have no idea why she suddenly changed her mind about Mr. Han’s subordinate in the last episode.
Just little holes in the plot, otherwise great, but can get a little repetitive. This would have been better as a 12 episode drama rather than 16.
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Tell your heart to buckle up for this one!
Started watching Marriage Contract as a filler in between Reborn Rich and Summer Strike episodes.I'll start with the negatives!
1. Lee Seo Jin's character's family on his father's side are THE WORST!! I just wanted someone to kick the dad and brother in the nuts!
2. BMW badges are missing for half the series. Nitpicking here, but it's probably the easiest car brand to identify.
OK, now that's out of the way - on to the positives. This was a rollercoaster of emotions and if you like that kind of thing, then please watch it. I does have a bit of a daytime soap feel but unlike something like Young Lady and Gentleman, it's only 16 episodes and the production value stays consistent throughout.
The real stand out was the girl who plays the daughter, Eun Sung - an incredible actor. I was really impressed with Uee and having not watched anything with her or Lee Seo Jin before, I'd be tempted to watch some of their other work following this.
The main characters have a real developmental arc which makes you get sucked into the emotions and really feel for our leed, Uee. Like I said if you like that (and getting your heart ripped out and put back again) then watch this drama. I stuck it on 1.5x speed and binged it in a few days.
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A More In Depth Review:
From a filmmaking stand point, this drama makes me love it more. There is a distinct color scheme (try to figure out what it is!), the lighting is beautifully done, THE SCORE!!, scenes are writing to reveal genuine themes (no pandering!), and the editing is also extremely effective as it utilize moments of silence and it also doesn't cut away at the most rawest moments of the characters.
Speaking of characters, the main actors freaking nailed it! This drama is beautifully acted, and I feel as though this drama was truly Uee's baby! She portrays a role I have never seen her in and really meets its challenge! When I previously stated this drama not cutting away on the character's rawest moments, it's usually Uee's character, Kang Hye Soo. Lee Seo jin did fantastic as well but lets be honest the real star is that cute little girl, Sin Rin Ah that plays Uee's daughter in the drama, who gives Marriage Contract this heart warming quality. Very fine acting from supporting cast as well.
One critique about this drama is the end, which ends abruptly and with a cheap voice over; however, it is still a great end as the main character's goals are met with and every character have their own resolution that is meaningful, psychically and emotionally. There are no lose ends.
Another critique is that I wish they explored some character's relationship a little more, the ones I mean are Ji Hoon's mother and her brother; also Ji hoon and So Na Yoon's relationship. They go into them quite briefly and that is why the character development of Ji Hoon's Uncle and Na Yoon's are so sudden and leave's you going 'wait how did they come to that resolution?' so abruptly. However for me personally I like that there wasn't that much of a focus on Na Yoon, as no one likes to hate the second leads because they steal too much spotlight from the main characters (which Na Yoon doesn't!). There is absolutely no second lead syndrome here, another reason why I love this drama!
Overall a 10/10 (which is high as I usually drop Kdramas at episode 7 as they tend to drag on, but not this one!)
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I knew Marriage Contract was worth watching based on the rave reviews I found online but it exceeded my expectations. The main thing that makes it special in my eyes is the chemistry between Hye Soo and Ji Hoon and not to mention the performance of Eun Sung. Although there were some typical Kdrama machinations (I especially disliked the chairman's useless legitimate son), I loved how Ji Hoon slowly fell for Hye Soo and Eun Sung (and vice versa!). It was a delight seeing them as a "family." They fit perfectly together.
Fair warning to all: I had to have a box of tissues beside me as I watched this. Hye Soo's breakdowns and carefully concealed tears at her life going up in flames and her not being able to be there for those she loves me tear up. The relationship between Ji Hoon and Hye Soo in the last 6 episodes is especially touching. I have an aunt who recently died of cancer, so death and saying goodbye is still a raw subject for me.
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Lee Seo Jin has always been one of my favourite actors. And he reminds me again and again in this drama how good he is in emotional scenes. I always love his speaking voice and even when he’s jerk, I find myself rewinding his scenes just to hear his voice lol. And UEE really outdid herself in this role – I thought she is really amazing. It seemed like she truly become Hye Soo and completely transformed herself into the character by the time the drama reached the end. And the girl who played UEE’s daughter in the drama is so cute! I thought how that little body can cry so well? I’m very impressed.
And the chemistry between Lee Seo Jin & UEE is just magnificent. They really look like a couple and all their heartbreaking scenes are very good. I find myself keep watching the last 2 episodes over and over again since it is full of their scenes together. And the scene where UEE sit on the floor after she burnt her hand while cooking is just very well done.
I give this drama 9/10. The leads are beyond awesome and I love the story, acting, pacing, editing, directing, basically everything. The ratings were great and it really shows in the drama.
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As for the songs, they were great. The story is unique because it shows life in many aspects, such as family love, divorce, husband's death, illness and suffering ..
Also the story was impressive because despite the heroine’s illness, but the drama dealt with several issues and problems, and in the end the director returned to show the heroine’s suffering from the disease .. I think related to the story a lot .. How special was this drama I advise you to follow up ..^^
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