The Forbidden Marriage

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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starts out funny and turns more serious

i was hoping for this drama to become more of a serious one and it sort of did although there's still some funny bits towards the end.
I've seen 10/12 episodes and have been here since 2 episodes were aired.

some of the plot points throughout the show never got explained like the crowned princess showing up again in ep 5 or some other ones. also I would like to know how so rang survived 7 years ago..
i know this is a shorter drama so they had to squeeze things in but hopefully all the plot points get explained in the last 2 episodes.

i really love the main couple. they're so cute!!

shin won is anooying and just gets duller. but i hope he ends up with the girl who saved them in ep 10.

i like the OST and casting.

I've made some edits for the main couple 💕

I'm excited to see how they wrap things up..

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Untraditional Sagaek with a lot of fun and comedic moments

“The Forbidden Marriage” is a light-hearted drama with many comedic moments. Don’t expect this to be a traditional sageuk, otherwise you might be very disappointed or pissed off. But if you are looking for something fun without too much angst, then this is a great stress-reliever. I would say the drama is about 70% fun, 15% politics and 15% serious plot.

The humor is not over-the-top per se, but could be very untraditional. I enjoy the quick references to “Goblin”, “Hotel Del Luna” and “Sky Castle”. I don’t think I’ve seen a historical K-drama with so much adult humor on sex and erotica. There is interesting background music and sound bites to complement the funny storytelling. I like the supporting characters - Chief Eunuch, Court Lady Won and Royal Secretary - who are the most unusual individuals to be giving out dating advice.

The romance is developed nicely between the main leads. I would have liked to see a few more cute and fluffy moments after they got together though. The kisses are meh, but I appreciate Kim Young Dae’s abs very much. He’s also very adorable. The second male lead is the typical nice guy/bodyguard/officer, who is also the best friend of the emperor/prince. It is interesting the way the second male lead said he’s not going to confess, is basically confessing without saying the actual words of “I like you”.

The acting is solid and the production quality is not bad. I don’t remember the last time I watched a K-drama where the female lead does not have perfect, glowing skin. FL is a swindler and a beggar, so it would make sense that she doesn’t look perfect. I also like how ML has dark circles and red eyes during his depressed state.

12 episodes is the perfect length. The pacing is good and everything flows well. I do think there’s too much focus on the “Solo” folks towards the second half of the drama. I am really not interested in their movement, or even the side romance of the common folks. The political and mystery parts are OK. I have to say that assassin has the lowest success rate I’ve seen.

“The Forbidden Marriage” is not perfect and might not have the best writing. But it creates a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. It’s great if this is what you are looking for. But don’t expect a serious plot about palace politics or forbidden love.


Completed: 2/14/2023

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fun non serious sageuk

a new take on a non serious sageuk!

this drama doesn't take itself too seriously which is one of the reasons that i really enjoyed it. there's obviously a horrible minister planning to take political power and meddling people in the palace. the things that made this drama so good is that it doesn't take itself to seriously as they make jokes.

they weren't afraid to lean into the charmingly boyish side of men with their two leads.the small mannerisms from each definitely made it better.
lee heon and shinwon were really shy for the woman they had affects for, especially lee heon. which brings me to my next point...

the characterization and story of the king is what really made this for me. lee heon being head over heels for his queen, who is rather indifferent to him and his really affectionate form of loving, suffering for almost a decade because he is haunted by what he knows is the wrongful death of someone he loved was so MOVING. this haunting is obviously done by the people wanting to destabilize his power and hoping to drive him to insanity. being haunted by that wrongful death since he felt he failed to protect her, seeing women constantly die in the same way thus not letting him forget it, and depriving him of sleep.

it was so nice to see the way he was reanimated with life and love after meeting so rang + to see so rang allow herself to return to her life and actually live it. and they're such a good match. heon can express his love and affection to someone who is very reciprocate of it :)

anyway, the show obviously has its issues (some loose ends w the political plot going on) and some things not explained well(which results into this feeling lower budget and web series like for me) but i still enjoyed it. made me super sympathetic towards the main three and made me laugh a lot! definitely recommend!

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Comedy, Drama, Mystery ... all rolled into one

This was truly a great series from the very beginning right to the end. It was really a multi layered series, much more comedy early on, gradually taking a much more serious, dramatic tone as you get deeper into the episodes. The fact they were able to blend a touch of comedy, even at the darker moments of the series, made it really enjoyable to watch.
There are scenes so hilarious, sitting down and eating with the King or doing shots of alcohol ... stuff you normally don't see involving the Joseon period. It was very original. Sort of bringing a touch of the 21st century into the 19th century.
The story itself was about a great trio of people, involving love, best friends & fate. The chemistry of the cast equally matched the writing. Young Dae, although at times a bit too nice for a King, made a great leader and was a perfect match for romance with Ju Hyun and a deep friendship with Woo Seok. Together, the three supplied great entertainment, giving you a feel that somehow they would make everything work out to a happy ending.
It was around episode 5 when the series shifts into a more serious, darker tone. From that point on, the show definitely becomes a solid drama with a great story plot, giving you questionable hope that everything really was going to turn out the way you wanted. The stunning events of episode 8 takes a major direction change in the story, making you hold on tight, knowing it's going to be a bumpy ride for our three protagonists from that point on.
I think if I can find one complaint, it would be the final episode. While everything worked out fantastically in the end, I hate when things are a bit rushed to completion. There could have been more scenes showing us how things played out instead of leaving it to our imagination. I think it would have been enjoyable to watch that happen. Other than that, a really enjoyable series all around. A great watch!!!

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Don’t take the rating seriously, I’m only here to comment ?

The female lead is absolutely not loyal and does not deserve to be called a heroine👎🏻
She had zero justification for hiding her identity from her former fiancé when she recognized him at the beginning. Let’s be honest
she was clearly want the king 😏
She kept quiet and left the poor man confused and lost, even though she knew exactly who he was from the start. She chose silence because she wanted the king. She even admitted it herself in one of the episodes during her inner monologue.
How is that heroic? 😂
If the writer had simply resolved their misunderstanding early on, we wouldn’t have needed this frustrating and unnecessary love triangle.
And let’s be real if the roles were reversed and (Lee Shin Won) had forgotten her, everyone would have called him disloyal and heartless.
I couldn’t sympathize with her at all. She doesn’t understand the value of love.
To avoid criticism, the writer suddenly rushed a last-minute romance just so viewers wouldn’t feel too bad for the male lead. That’s weak writing🫢

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Witty and refreshing

This was a surprisingly amusing drama, most of the times historical dramas don't have that feel, they have some moments here and there and that's about it! Right from the first episode, you're invested in the story because the characters are so likeable; loved the chemistry between the leads, funny in their own way. A thing I really enjoyed was the not rushed ending, we had an entire episode, not 10 minutes.

The acting was great!

Music was good, the usual for a Korean drama OST.

My rewatch value is 8; it was really good, I wasn't expecting it to be that good!

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Longing for Love

I think this deserves a higher rating. It was fun, kept moving, and didn't overstay it's welcome.

With 12 episodes they didn't have much filler or side stories. Yes the last episodes slowed down but they were actually trying to wrap up literally everything so it was very satisfying.

I appreciated there were no big misunderstandings or unnecessary tantrums to keep people apart. Characters reflected on their own actions and tried be understanding of how others felt! Surprisingly mature for a silly rom-com!

Beware: You will get second lead syndrome. Thankfully it is handled nicely.

I have only seen the female lead in Love All Play and I didn't really care for her. Granted I'm pretty sure she cried in literally every episode of that one which started to put me off. So it wasn't her fault but more a fault of direction or character. She grew on me in this drama.

I fell in love with the ML in Sh**ting Stars and felt he did well here too.

So all in all I recommend this for romance lovers who don't want all the k angst!

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A keepsake

What a lighthearted, funny and entertaining drama! Loved it from the start to finish. I was waiting for such drama ever since the hilarious Mr.Queen was released in 2020.
Its only downside was that it aired at the same time with Alchemy of souls 2 and wasn’t able to get the true spotlight it deserves !
If you like quirky notes, random laugh, eye candy actors, spot on acting romantic Kdramas, TFM is a must watch!
While set in historical time, it has nothing to do with specific history or true events. Quite opposite, it has modern vibes and quite a few parody scenes.
Not too much political, not too much melodramatic, just the right amount of side stories.
ATTENTION: VERY STRONG SECOND LEAD SYNDROME!

Highly recommend!

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Lighthearted and worth your times

This drama is one of the dramas that gives me what I want. I want happy ending, comedy and all the villains get fitting punishment for their evilness. Ofc HEA for both FL and ML is a must but if there's other couple, I am rooting for them too. Which I am very very grateful that they gave 2ndML and 2ndFL happy ending too coz they both deserve it.

The Male Lead which was King Yi Heon was a passionate person that we can see really gave it all for the one he fell in love. So it started how he was so heartbroken and sad for the late crown princess. And he needed someone else to come in his life and shake him up. Here came the Female Lead which was So Rang, a woman with hidden past, a trickster that disguised as a matchmaker to rake in money but her over confident landed her in trouble with the King and so she tried to get out of it by any means possible. Well what started as claiming to be possessed by the late crown Princess spirit ended up with falling for the King... Along the way she decided to help him in order to help Joseon's citizen to end the marriage ban of 7 years mind you. I love that she was truthful to her feeling and did not dive into his arm when she could, like the opportunity was there. She decided, she deserves better and she demand it. She didn't want to be the other woman's shadow.

Also big shout out to unsung hero 2nd ML, Shin Won, we can see how amazing he was, he really was there for her, yes he did love the FL but tragedy happened and he accepted that his feeling wasn't reciprocated and along the way he stay loyal to her and the King.

The veil addition to FL's hair ornament at the end kind of a no for me though.

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