The Forbidden Marriage

Strong comedy that fizzled out halfway through

There was a lot to like about this show:
-Over-the-top comedy. Kim Young Dae, especially, has such good comedic timing, as well as expressive eyes.
-Wonderful cast. I felt like everyone was well-cast and everyone played well off of each other. The comedic chemistry was on point with everyone. The 2ML (Kim Woo Seok) was wonderful at displaying longing for the FL, and I LOVED the friendship between the king and his trusted guard.
-The storyline. A Joseon story with a modern twist. When they re-enacted scenes from another drama, I about choked on my own saliva! The FL was a liar, liar, pants on fire, but you couldn't help but like her. It was really fun to see her get stuck in situations and how she worked her way out of them.
-Music. Beautiful and well-placed. It wasn't overpowering. I especially loved Kim Min Seok from MeloMance.
-Rewatch. No, for a couple of reasons. 1) I have too many other things to watch, and 2) I usually watch the swoon-worthy scenes if I re-watch anything, and the leads romantic chemistry was lacking for me.
-Costuming was lovely.
-I always like to see actors that I have seen in other things, and there was a lot of that here.

What I didn't care for that much, and these are all just personal preferences:
-I didn't care for all the sexual innuendo.
-The kisses were seriously lacking spark and the FL's lips were never aligned or involved.
-With each episode being over an hour long, the show was just too long. I felt there was a lot of stuff that could have been left on the cutting room floor.
-I fast forwarded through most of the storyline with the author and his cronies writing/selling the erotic books. It just seemed so out of place.
-Multitudes of bad guys (excellently played, but still). All I kept thinking about was it appears that royalty in the Joseon era was either stupid or they had absolutely no power. To have that many bad guys in the inner circle of your cabinet and not have a clue for over seven years?
-It switched from flat out comedy to full on melodrama and then never seemed to find its footing again. That may have been just me, disappointed that I finally found a good comedy and then they switched genres on me.

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Kim Young Dae gets to me with his bedroom eyes

Forbidden Marriage is my passion. Many have tried to start the buzz talk about this Korean Drama.

Actors Kim Young Dae, Park Ju Hyun, And Kim Woo Seok

Who to choose? I really can’t choose between male First and Second Leads. I could date either male lead. This is a laugh-out-loud romp which morphs into serious drama just like Mr Queen. Male First Lead Kim Young-dae does it again. I reported previously how he heated up the cameras in Sh**ting Stars. With his bedroom alluring glances, Kim Young-Dae takes the roam out of romance and makes you want to settle down. Second Lead Kim Woo-seok is your “steady and ready” choice. Mr Perfection with no need for improvement. He has the comfort zone appeal, in a good way. Kim Woo-seok has done musical theater and can be seen in Rookie Cops. I loved both characters each played.

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Fun drama

Another great drama from Park ju hyun

Her youthful looks and charm make her a good fit for the funny, mischievous So-rang, and her positive on-screen charisma was also one of the major main thing I like about the drama

The story is quite funny , really loved the way they combine the modern idea into history and the cast was amazing.

the tension between the first and second lead was also good.

the chemistry between the male and female lead was good, the actors really did their best.

A beautiful satisfying climax for the fans.

Totally worth watching.

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Dropped as rom-com transitioned to sad and serious

I had high expectations for this romcom after watching the initial episodes.

The first few episodes had a quirky humour and some creative ideas which kept it interesting. By and by it started getting repetitive, very unfair on the SML and kept the ML a soft, weak, foolish and naive king who was stuck in the past leaving the country to suffer for 7 years! We come to know that every year there has been murders of women inside the palace and the king has not been able to move beyond his grief to even investigate this seriously! He seems to have backstabbing ministers in the leadership positions and powerless to do anything against them. Who would want to root for such an ML?

The FL felt refreshingly energetic and creative in the beginning but began to irk me down the line. She cons people without conscience and doesn't hesitate to cheat the king himself, even when he starts to fall for her she doesn't confess to faking her way into his heart. She knows full well the SML was her fiance and has feelings towards her yet she is secretive about her past with him too, stays close friends with him and gets rescued by him constantly. This is lazy writing as it makes the viewer pity the SML and resent the FL.

There was zero chemistry between the leads. Even the confession scenes felt bland and lacklustre. As per kdrama trope land they would probably end up together but I lost the interest in following it through to completion, as I don't expect good comedy or romance from further episodes. The characters are not likeable enough to invest further time in this.

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CROWN PRICE ALWAYS GET THE GIRL

I don't like the story line, in my opinion, it's stupid and dragging. A man with status of King couldn't get over the dead wife was the most idiot, not to mention he couldn't function to do his responsibilities and job as a King because of matter of heart. I want to slap his face and shout 'get hold of yourself.' It's fine when assuming the wife might get murdered and looking who's the culprit, it's ok to mourn the beloved wife and kept her in memory, it's personal choice if he wanted a Shaman to reach death world. I just couldn't understand the dragging of story to nowhere..on and on for harboring feeling after 7 years sorrow. Someone needs to tell him to 'get a grip' and give him some reality check. Well....looking forward for better story in future episodes.

The plot that I like was the 2nd ML was legally engaged 7 years before the ban edict. They had mutual feeling of their marriage arrangement and their relationship as friends were blooming after the fact. While the King was muddle-head over a dead woman...and any matters about Kingdom was ignored...only about tiring feeling and sadness. The dead queen was a boring woman too...both actors had weepy expression on their faces, teary eyes with glossy make up (BOTH OF THEM). You know what they said about Crown Prince has always get the girl. No matter 2nd ML engaged to the girl, she picked the Crown Prince instead of him - a humble minister's son but not too worry - Crown Prince's sister choose him (convenience wasn't it) well....

There's similar drama 'Blooming Youth' on air that has the exact plots. Not hoping to finish the series.

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Its been awhile since I laughed so much, its funny like Alchemy of souls SEASON 1
The actors are all doing a very good job, I remember the main actress from a kdrama called “Memories” (or something like that) her acting is outstanding even this in that kdrama she wasn'ta main lead, hopefully I will see her more and more on the big screen, and I hope this kdrama does well both South Korea and all over the wolrd.
Been sleeping late because of surving, and
The story is not too complicated easy to follow, there are sad moments and funny moments
I’m very glad I decided to start this kdrama, its a GEM 💎
Please do give it a shot!

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Idol drama. Nothing more, nothing less.

I was so disappointed by this. I really love period dramas (sageuk), but perhaps I had the wrong expectation. I really shouldn't expect too much of 12 episodes. I really wanted to love it - I love both the leads. The plot elements could have been fantastic together: there was a underhanded scheme going on with a mystery. There was a super clever maid. There was a sad king. There was cutesy chemistry between the two leads. There was a second lead romance. There was a brave sidekick. There were hilarious sidekicks. The first few episodes were funny.

Don't get me wrong, I can and do appreciate well crafted sageuk not based on history e.g. Red Sleeve Cuff, Rooftop Prince, and most recently, Bloody Heart.

However, this was an idol drama; nothing more, nothing less. This was a fantastical (ie I'm being sacarstic and rolling my eyes) drama.

The story suddenly introduces new characters and new plot points in the final few episodes.

SPOILERS
She survives attempts to kill her, jail her, etc etc so easily.
She SUDDENLY became eligible to be queen due to her newfound eligible heritage. (not previously mentioned)
The sidekick who was poisoned and his hand whitered away yet SUDDENLY and MIRACULOUSLY he survived and his hand heals.
She was SUDDENLY saved by someone who would become a key ally, in the last 4 episodes. We hadn't seen this person previously.
END SPOILER

I'm going to attribute this to the fact that there were only 12 episodes. No self-respecting sageuk can unfold over just 12 episodes. The writers didn't weave in a backstory (probably not enough episodes to). They simply threw assumed facts in your face to solve key plot points.

My only plus point: precisely because it was only 12 episodes, my pain wasn't prolonged.

In short, have the correct expectations when starting to watch this. Watch it because it's entertaining if viewed from a modern lens, like a fantasy drama. Do not expect an intelligent, authentic, sageuk experience.

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The Forbidden Marriage — A Historical Comedy A Pallette Cleanser

So… I accidentally fell into the world of historical K-dramas, and The Forbidden Marriage was only my second one—right after surviving the emotional rollercoaster that was Love in Flames of War (43 episodes of pure character suffering… I’m still recovering). I desperately needed something fun, fast-paced, and absolutely ridiculous in the best way possible. Enter: this gem of a show.

I stumbled across a few clips on TikTok and thought, “Okay, this looks chaotic, maybe it'll be funny.” And oh boy—funny doesn’t even begin to cover it. From the opening scene to the very last frame, I was cackling like a medieval maniac. I’m talking stomach cramps, tears-down-your-face, snorting-level laughter.

The female lead? Played by Park Ju Hyun..She carried this drama like it was her full-time job (which it technically was, but you get what I mean). She was sharp, unpredictable, hilarious, and had that kind of natural comedic timing you just can’t fake. I don’t know much about K-drama actresses yet, but whoever cast her deserves a raise. She didn’t just deliver—she sprinkled powdered sugar on the whole show.

The male lead played by Kim Young Dae, was fantastic—stoic with just the right amount of emotional chaos bubbling under the surface. And the second male lead? A surprisingly loveable addition to the already explosive dynamic. The three of them together? Comedy gold. Like an accidental love triangle with bonus sword fights and royal scandals.

The plot isn’t one you’re supposed to take too seriously—and that’s the beauty of it. If you're looking for deep political intrigue and heavy palace drama… maybe keep scrolling. But if you want something chaotic, fast-paced, and downright hilarious, this one’s a 10/10 no-brainer.

Highly recommend for anyone who just wants to laugh without having to analyze every single scene. Also, if you’re new to sageuks like I was—this is a great, stress-free place to start.

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Not as good as I wanted it to be...

I chose to watch it because I was bored and I could't find antything interesting, so I didn't have a big expectations for this kdrama. However, by the cast I thought that it actually might be really good but I am kind of disappointed. Generally the idea for the story is quite good, but unfortunately I was often bored by the episodes. This show was cute, funny and made me laugh yet there were also a lot of moments that made me cringe as well.

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A Fairly Lighthearted Romp

I'm deliberately avoiding going into much detail because I don't want to ruin this for anyone. ;)

This was one of the shows that I was really looking forward to being released this year. I hadn't read the manhwa/webtoon before watching it so I didn't have any expectations of what the story was supposed to be like. After watching it I'll say that it makes me feel like it's a not-too-distant-relative of My Only Love Song. Like MOLS The Forbidden Marriage isn't strict on historical accuracy or realism. That's Ok with me, since it's really a fantasy more than anything else.

The story can be boiled down to this: Depressed King gets conned by "Commoner", they fall in love and then have to overcome the trials and roadblocks that get thrown in the way etc.

It's not the most original combination of plot ideas but they work together to tell an entertaining story.
It hits the points of having competent actors/esses, good sets, and clear cinematography. To be completely honest the supporting cast characters are quite engaging and I'm glad that they got a fair amount of screen time/plot time.

There is a lot of romance going around (almost all of it is telegraphed early on so there are no surprises about who ends up paired off).

The "Villains" of the piece are meh.
I'll agree that they do work (albeit not near as well as they could have with a little more exposition of the WHYs of their motivations). I'm not sure if this is a byproduct of the 12 episode format (which if it had gone to 16 would surely have given the writers enough time to actually make their motivations have some teeth!) Or if they'd been given the extra episodes they'd have wasted them...

As someone who really enjoys the meat of political scheming that you often find in sageuks, I can say this is definitely lightweight--verging on featherweight--as far as that goes. It's very common in sageuks that there are murders, poisonings, and bent Ministers who want to control the dynasty or at the very least the King. But somehow, even with those elements in The Forbidden Marriage it still manages to keep the floaty, fairly up-beat tone for the series.

Would I watch it again?
Yes.

Should YOU watch it?
Yes. Just bear in mind it's a bit of fluff. Enjoyable, but probably not something that's going to burn itself into your heart.

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An Obsessive Grieving King, a Lying Maid and a Dedicated Friend-Zoned Bodyguard

I agree with the other reviewer about not liking the storyline and where it's heading... I started off liking this and now, by Ep 6, I'm not. It's beginning to feel draggy and repetitive.

(Spoilers ahead):

I get it, the ML, (the King), and FL, (So Rang), are "supposed" to get together but it really sucks when you have a really good SML, (Shin Won). One of the worst love triangles of an FL being put between two best friends.

In the first episode, you know that the King and Shin Won, are like best friends and that the King mentions that of all people, Shin Won understands him best... meaning that Shin Won knows what it's like to lose someone precious.

The SML, Shin Won has been looking for the FL for seven years. He actually became a chief inspector just so it would be advantageous for him to aid in his search to find her and then fatefully, he finally meets her again only to lose her to his best friend, the King. WTF kind of BS writing is that? He fell in love with her before officially meeting her and he was the only one who truly cared that she was missing. Dude had been searching for her for seven years... a woman he never officially met but yet he was dedicated and and remained faithful to their engagement all this time. When he finally meets her under a new name, he soon discovers she was his betrothed. He doesn't let her know that he knows who she really is because he somehow senses that keeping her real identity a secret protects her. Soon after, she realizes as well that he was her fiancé and she doesn't say anything either. So now both of them know that they were betrothed to each oher.

Shin Won still protects her and saves her a few times and just when you think he's so deserving of her, we have to put up with FL choosing the King. The King who was only giving the FL the time of day because she lied about being able to channel his dead wife.

Now, it's not the "Second Male Lead Syndrome" that makes me start to dislike this more and more, even though from the beginning of the web novel, it seemed like the SML should've really been the ML in terms of the direction of the storyline. Here are other things that I don't like:

-An FL put between two BEST friends and she was engaged to the SML who shows nothing but pure dedication to her
-So Rang lying about being a "channeler" and using the King's grief for her own gains and then stretching the lie further by saying that the Queen didn't love him
-How the King couldn't move on because either he was too grief-stricken or the women he did get close to, died
-You're telling me that every year they know there's going to be another murder and they can't catch the killer yet? It's a bit too much with the women and violent deaths
-So Rang constantly friend-zoning the SML who constantly risks his life for her and even though they both individually knew from the get go that they were betrothed to each other in the past. How long do we have to wait until they both know that they both know... you know?
-So Rang and her sometimes listless look... getting too repetitive for me
-How are the villains getting away with so much sh*t for years and no one was suspecting them? Like the King didn't have his own spies?

Even in the end, if the writers write that Shin Won loses his betrothed to the King, (if the FL does get together with the King), I hope the writers either kill off Shin Won so he doesn't have to see that BS unfold or at least, let Shin Won leave the palace and let him have his dignity. Who the hell would want to stick around to see your "ex" married off to your bestie? If they write that Shin Won is "okay" with it and that the King is okay with being with the FL knowing that his friend, Shin Won had been looking for her for seven years, that will be the biggest tragedy and travesty of all. Just sayin'.

I'm at EP6 as of writing and I'm very close to dropping this...

Update:
I've decided to drop this. I had high hopes for Shin Won and So Rang and I was looking for something new instead of seeing the same outcome. Maybe I'm just tired of seeing the same thing over and over again where the King or the Prince gets the girl all the time. I saw Shin Won as a great ML as well. I won't pick this back up. It's just recycling the same kdrama clichés.

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