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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This review may contain spoilers
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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I expected nothing and got everything
after heavier dramas I was looking for something light, funny and fluffy. I really didn’t expect a graeat story, or even laughing so much, I just wanted to pass time and relax my brain. this story is that but is also one of those rare stories that is perfectly written, acted and executed. I love the explicit comedy, even the explicit human behaviors like expressing sensuality and emotion, the references to future Korea with childcare and fertility rates, even the references to dramas was hilarious and brilliant at the same time.I have to confess that I also didn’t expect much about the actors. ML I had seen before in many dramas, and although he is funny, never touched me that much. FL I thought kinda flat at the beginning. 2ML was good.
at the end I thought all of them brilliant. whomever did this casting is a genious, because they understood the characters perfectly and everything blended quite well. in general great show!
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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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This review may contain spoilers
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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Made me smile like a Cheshire cat
Despite a film's story, if I'm smiling like a Cheshire cat from one ear to another, it's a good film and this is no exception. A little cracker. Funny, a little sad at times, heartwarming.Episode 2 has a cute reference to 'Goblin' complete with the red scarf. Very clever.
And what's with the "Boom bop jiggy" between man and woman - is this where we get the saying from 'having a bit of jiggy'? That was hilarious.
Brilliant cast, beautiful settings, costumes etc. And at just 12 episodes perfect to watch parallel with another drama (if you're anything like me - with five dramas on the go at the same time ;-)
Thoroughly recommend. Now.. back to Untamed :-)
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Cheesy Drama with Forced Elements of Modern Comedy.
I give a warning to those of you who want to watch this drama. This drama is a fairly chessy drama with forced elements of modern comedy.The touch of the modern world, modern behavior and thinking which is quite strong makes this drama feel quite unreal.
Personally, it's quite difficult for me to digest, especially the first 3 episodes. The behavior of a king is often out of character. As well as FML's behavior as a royal servant. This is actually quite excessive for a saeguk themed drama. Especially it appears in comedic scenes.
Don't get me wrong,
I personally am not against comedy elements in saeguk but here, it feels presented excessively and inappropriately so it doesn't feel real. However, after the first 3 episodes, the unreal element begins to decrease (although it is still slightly present) and the drama begins to be enjoyable.
Apart from the problems above, the romantic scenes and intense scenes are shown well. I blushed when the romantic scene started to appear. The plot and writing of this drama are actually simple and not too deep. But enough to be enjoyed until the end. The acting is also quite good even though it's not memorable.
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A cheap drama that makes it hard to move on!
Imagine, in the Joseon era there were pornographic comics! How do you multiply it? In that era, they did not know about printing presses, nor did they have electricity.But yeah, it's a joke. Reminds me of the Korean drama Mr Queen, which both use a sageuk/kingdom theme and make a play on contemporary culture that makes me laugh.
The sageuk theme has its own charm. Many sageuk lovers watch without caring about the actors/actresses and story ideas, including me. 😀😀 Almost all sageuk-themed Korean dramas, I devoured them.
Adapted from the webtoon "Geumhonryeong: Joseon Honin Geumjiryeong" (금혼령-조선혼인금지령) by Chun Ji Hye (천지혜), connoisseurs of this webtoon will surely laugh and be curious about the continuation.
Likewise with the Korean drama: The Forbidden Marriage, many scenes invite smiles and laughter. The early episodes seemed to flow smoothly. Park Ju-Hyun's acting as Ye So-Rang is maximally explored.
No wonder, together with Kim Young-Dae (King Lee Heon), Park Ju-Hyun won the 2022 MBC Drama Awards – as Excellent Actress. Even though this chubby-cheeked actress is new, in the Korean drama ‘Mouse’ she only appears as a supporting actor.
It's a shame that the final episodes of the Korean drama: The Forbidden Marriage are a bit loose. But it's still fun to enjoy. The music that makes up the whole scene, the adorable chemistry of Park Ju-Hyun and Kim Young-Dae, and the slick cinematography, make this drama audience not mind rewatching.
The next review can be read here: https://www.maria-g-soemitro.com/2023/01/forbidden-marriage-review-drama-korea.html
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A Refreshing Take on the Regular Historical Drama
From excellent acting, a refreshing story, perfectly fitting music, and more, the Forbidden Marriage was a great drama, packed full of comedy, chemistry, and dramaStory:
Throughout the drama, the writers put a splendid spin on a somewhat obvious story. Though the story itself wasn't anything special, taking all the obvious turns and using many cliches. However, the writers managed to put refreshing snippets into the show, ranging from period-style TikToks and quirky sound effects, somehow giving the drama a modern relevancy through relevant topics and modern dialogue.
In addition, because the Forbidden Marriage was only 12 episodes long, there wasn't much unnecessary dragging out of relationships. The shorter length allowed for a more brisk pace and quicker character development. Plus, it also had a very satisfying ending that didn't feel too rushed.
Acting/Cast:
Because this was such a different and new perspective, the Forbidden Marriage needed some great actors to pull the scenes off. And pull the scenes off they did. Park Ju Hyun and Kim Yong Dae's comedic delivery, emotional depth, and chemistry with the other cast members (especially with each other) shined. Additionally, though it is hard to showcase without spoilers, Kim Woo Seok, Yang Dong Guen, Choi Deok Moon, and every single supporting actor provided some solid performances enhancing the drama.
Each of the characters they played was lovable and real while the villains were also aptly portrayed (*spoiler* shout out to the nice Queen Dowager, one of the rarest breeds there is in the Kdrama world).
Music:
Finally, the music was fun and really reflected the mood in many of the scenes very well. It provided some unique OSTs into a more uniform industry. There were also plenty of sound effects that enhanced the viewing experience.
Overall, the Forbidden Marriage was a very enjoyable watch that I will rewatch at least a couple of scenes of. It was fun, quirky, and refreshing, jam-packed full of excellent acting performances and memorable scenes.
I definitely recommend everyone to check it out!
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This review may contain spoilers
I hereby award this drama one of my very rare “loved ratings”…
Using my personal rating system of "loved," "liked," "meh," & "nah," this is a “loved”.What I liked: Thank you to the writers, directors, etc. for opening this with a disclaimer that was the equivalent of “in a galaxy long, long ago and far, far away…”. Setting this up as alternate reality gave everyone more freedom to enjoy this drama since it, in many ways, had nothing to do with historical reality. So if you’re one of those complaining about the lack of historical accuracy, I respectfully refer you back to the first five minutes of the first episode. Kim Young Dae is just as adorable in period costume as in modern attire. He did a great job of portraying a range of human emotions without ever overdoing it or making his character seem inconsistent. The character of Ye So Rang was great. She was funny and smart—and best of all, stayed that way throughout the entire drama instead of suddenly becoming dumb to make the ML look good. Lee Shin Won was adorable from start to finish and I love that, at the end, they hinted he would get to be in a relationship with an amazing woman, too. I loved the head lady and head eunuch—they were fun to watch, as well as the shaman. In fact, I pretty much loved all the supporting characters, except of course, for the evil ones (is it just me or did the main evil guy always looked stoned!?). There were some great scenes, too, that I had to rewind and watch at least once more: the scenes of the boys reading erotica for the first time (and the one of YSR jumping up and down to get all of the books out from under her skirts…lol!), when the King went to rescue YSR from jail, any scene where the King was being awkward or unsure, when LSW rescued YSR first and they’re both all “aren’t we missing someone?...” and more.
What I did not like: There was not really much. I was not interested in the side romance between the writer and the waitress at the tea shop—though his side kicks were hilarious—but that’s a just personal “meh”. Any objections I would normally have with a lack of historical accuracy were solved by the opening disclaimer and since I prefer fantasy over reality in dramaland, I was relieved not to have to worry about it. I did wonder how such an independent woman like YSR would take to being queen (like I did the FL in 100 Days My Prince), but they even addressed that on her wedding day so I was satisfied. Other than that, nothing horribly obvious comes to mind.
Would I recommend this? If you’re like me and prefer period costume dramas over historical drams, then yes. If you like a happy ending, then yes. If you cried during the Red Sleeve and need to make it up, watch this. If your cup of tea is gritty, dark reality, then no, this will just make you mad. :D
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